Top young QBs Sanchez, Stafford have mutual respect

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Rex Ryan stood behind the podium for a minute or two, listing all the reasons Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford wound up being the No. 1 pick in last year's draft.

The Jets coach highlighted the 22-year-old's arm, saying Stafford probably has "as much arm talent as a quarterback has had in a long time." Everyone in the Jets organization, he said, agreed the Georgia product was an "outstanding" prospect.

"We did our due diligence," the coach said with laugh. "We did. We had him come, even. The fact that he came in was impressive because he was supposed to be the number one pick, but the kid came in anyway. I thought that showed a lot about him. He's a great guy. I enjoyed visiting with him. We knew he had a ton of talent."

That praise invariably left the door wide-open for one obvious follow-up question. So who did the Jets like better: Stafford or Mark Sanchez?

"I'm not going to get into our ratings," Ryan said with a laugh. "I'll say this: We felt good about both those guys."

He then paused briefly before flashing another wide smile. "I'll let you know after the game."

Both second-year quarterbacks will take center stage Sunday when the Lions (2-5) host the 5-2 Jets.

Stafford, who injured his right shoulder in the Lions' season opener and threw four touchdowns in a win over the Washington Redskins in his return this weekend, said he didn't know who had it tougher. Asked what's more pressure - coming to New York or being the overall No. 1 pick - he hesitated before saying: "I can't speak on that 'cause I'm not in New York and he's not in Detroit."

Sanchez, who's looking to get the Jets back on track following a loss to Green Bay, said every first-round pick feels the pressure. "It may be tougher in New York just with the media attention, but we're in similar situations," he said. "He's done a great job with everything through injuries and criticism. He's a tough guy and a winner. They picked a good quarterback."

Sanchez, who was drafted fifth overall, also admitted there was some friendly competition. "In workouts, at the combine, on our pro days, we were competing," he said. "Now, it's a chance for us to compete on our respective teams."

Not surprisingly, both said they're content with their respective teams and haven't considered an alternate scenario.

"I'm happy where I'm at," Sanchez said.