Todd Blackledge Todd Alan Blackledge ( February 25 , 1961 in Canton , Ohio ) is a former American football quarterback in both the NCAA and National Football League . In college , he led the Penn State Nittany Lions to a national championship ; and , as a pro , he played for the Kansas City Chiefs ( 1983 – 1987 ) and the Pittsburgh Steelers ( 1988 – 1989 ) . Blackledge is currently a television broadcasting football analyst . High school career . Blackledge attended Princeton High School in Princeton , New Jersey , from 1975 – 76 , until he returned to the Canton area to finish his high school career at North Canton Hoover High School in North Canton , OH , from which he graduated in 1979 . College career . Blackledge was a three - year starter at Penn State , where he guided the Nittany Lions to 31 – 5 record including a national championship in 1982 . Following the 1982 season , he won the Davey O ' Brien Award for best quarterback in the nation . Professional career . Blackledge was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs , where he played for five seasons ( 1983 – 1987 ) before ending his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers ( 1988 – 1989 ) . Blackledge underperformed in his NFL career compared to high expectations of him , a fact magnified by the impressive quarterbacks also appearing in the 1983 NFL Draft , including John Elway , Dan Marino , and Jim Kelly ( aside from Elway ( # 1 pick ) , all picked after Eason ) . Critics of Blackledge attributed his failure at the professional level to his inability to " read " NFL defenses . Blackledge is widely regarded as the Chiefs ' biggest draft bust along with Trezelle Jenkins . It was the failure of Blackledge that expedited the demotion of Chiefs President Jack Steadman , to be replaced by Carl Peterson . Broadcasting career . Blackledge went on to host radio sports talk shows in Cleveland ( WKNR ) and Canton , Ohio ( WHBC ) . He also did analyst work for the Big East Network , Indianapolis Colts preseason games , and ESPN . From 1994 – 1998 , he worked as a college football analyst for ABC Sports . In 1999 , Blackledge joined CBS Sports as the lead analyst for the network ' s college football coverage . In 2006 , he began serving on the first team alongside Mike Patrick for " ESPN College Football Primetime " on ESPN . As part of his duties he is featured on " Todd ' s Taste of the Town " , a segment where he visits a locally notable restaurant and samples its fare . Blackledge has facetiously stated this is the most difficult part of his broadcasting experience . Blackedge was teamed with Brad Nessler and sideline reporter Erin Andrews for the 2009 season , while Patrick is teamed with Craig James and sideline reporter Heather Cox . Personal . Todd is the son of former NFL assistant coach Ron Blackledge . Blackledge lives in North Canton with his wife , Cherie , and their four children . Blackledge earned a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from Penn State in 1983 , graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a 3 . 8 grade point average . Named a first team Academic All - America n , he was also awarded the Eric Walker Award , given to the Penn State senior student who has most “ enhanced the esteem and recognition of the University . ” Blackledge was inducted into the Academic All - America Hall of Fame in 1997 . He sits on the Board of Visitors for Penn State ’ s Center for Sports Journalism . Blackledge was selected to receive the prestigious 2008 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award , recognizing former student - athletes who excelled both in their collegiate and professional careers . On June 5 , 2009 , Blackledge received Penn State ' s prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award . In April 2008 , Blackledge and seven other former NFL players traveled to the Middle East to visit with troops and coach them in the USO ' s " Operation Gridiron : Huddle with the Troops " , a flag football tournament for service personnel serving overseas . Currently , he is coaching freshman basketball at North Canton Hoover High School and the North Canton Little League 10 year old Williamsport team .