By JONATHAN HULL

Sports Editor 

It's not much of a secret that high school football in Texas is regarded more highly than it is in other states in this country. It's a religion. No doubt about it.

While some states are barely beginning to televise their state championship football games, Texas' state title games were aired in High Definition last season. No other state really goes that far.

Texans treat the game as the best in the country because we generate some of the best players in the country.

This leads me to a surprise destination for former Texas Tech and Ennis High School quarterback Graham Harrell. Harrell signed to play professional football today, only it wasn't in the NFL.

Instead, the most prolific high school quarterback in Texas' storied history will play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. That's a long way from Ennis, or Lubbock for that matter.

I knew Harrell wasn't going to be drafted into the NFL this past April, but I thought he'd catch on with a team as an undrafted free agent. He had a tryout with the Cleveland Browns, but it didn't net a contract offer and apparently no other team was interested at this time.

Harrell was the best high school quarterback I ever saw play. I had the good fortune of seeing him play twice -- once in a regular season game against Denton Ryan at the University of North Texas' Fouts Field in Denton and then again at Texas Stadium in a playoff game.

Harrell ranks No. 2 all-time in Texas football history in passing yards with 12,532. He held the record until last season when Garrett Gilbert of Lake Travis surpassed him by five yards. Harrell still holds the all-time mark for touchdown passes, though, with 167. Gilbert is second with 136.

He led Ennis, which was coached by his father, to a state title during his sophomore campaign — also his first year as a starter.

Everyone knows what he did at Texas Tech. He flourished in a system he had played for three years already been in during high school. He was a record breaker at the collegiate level as well, setting the all-time touchdown passes mark at 134. He's second on the career passing yards list.

Yet, his professional career will not start in the NFL, but rather the CFL. Now, I don't believe Harrell was destined to be a surefire starter in the NFL, but he deserves a better look than what he's gotten. The drawbacks to his game are obvious. His got decent height, but he's rather thin and lanky, bringing questions to his durability. He also has sub-par arm strength.

There are QBs who have made good careers with those hindrances, though. Depending on offensive scheme, Harrell could fit with a team. I didn't understand why New England didn't take a look at him. They run the spread offense and are in need of a backup QB. I thought the Eagles should give him a look as well because I believe they'll start running a similar set to what New England does based on Philly's personnel.

He frankly didn't get a fair look. Harrell was given that dreadful tag of being a "system" quarterback. Aren't all quarterbacks system guys, though? How has getting away from their college playbooks worked out for highly touted gunslingers Vince Young and Matt Leinart?

Harrell could find his way back. There have been some good NFL QBs who got their start in the CFL. Warren Moon. Jeff Garcia. Doug Flutie. Joe Theisman. Two of the QBs on that list are Hall of Famers. Garcia and Flutie are two of the grittiest signal-callers to ever play the game.

I fully expect Harrell to succeed in the CFL. In some ways, that brand of football is more challenging than the NFL's. He compares greatly to Garcia as he's just mobile enough to make things happen in the pocket.

It's like this with guys like Garcia and Harrell. There's a factor that can't be measured on film. They're the underdog and it brings out a different demeanor.  

I know many Longhorns and Aggies fans are going to sell Harrell short. I know the college game doesn't always transcend to the pro game as well. The high school game doesn't come close. Regardless, I don't see how anyone can't see the tools Harrell possesses that would make him a successful backup in certain NFL offenses.

The evolvement of the spread offense is headed to the NFL as well. New England used it to set passing records in 2007. This season you'll see teams such as Philadelphia, Denver and Kansas City begin to use more of a spread look on the field.

With this update of offensive scheme — the NFL always seems to be running behind as far as adopting new ideas — spread quarterbacks like Harrell are going to become more in demand.

It's simply the progression of the game finally taking place at the professional level and Texas' greatest modern-day quarterback deserves to be front and center in the transition.