Javier Morales took first place in the 2010 Arizona Press Club’s Metro Sports Reporting category. For a different look at University of Arizona sports, check out Javier’s unique Web site: WILDABOUTAZCATS.net

Former Arizona quarterback John Conner is now a successful health-insurance broker in Sacramento, Calif. (Conner family photo)

For 27 years, John Conner was the answer to a dubious trivia question pertaining to Arizona football: Who was the last Wildcat quarterback to be drafted by an NFL team?

Conner no longer is the answer of being the last UA quarterback drafted in the NFL — an almost three-decade drought — after this year’s draft. Former Wildcat quarterback Nick Foles was drafted Friday in the third round by Philadelphia, the 88th pick overall. Conner was the previous UA quarterback taken in the 1985 draft by Seattle in the 10th round.

“(I am) pretty surprised and it’s pretty funny actually,” Conner told me. “For a Pac-10 team to go so long without a quarterback drafted does not look very good, especially in a quarterback-centric league.”

The Pac-10, converted to the Pac-12 last year when Utah and Colorado joined the league, had 82 quarterbacks drafted in the last 25 years, including 18 from USC, according to Arizona Daily Star columnist Greg Hansen.

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