Re: NFL Thread
Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 7:07 am
Here are some more, with the amusing tidbts in bold.
2. Blaine Gabbert, Missouri 6-4, 234 (Jr.)
There’s no wow factor. There’s no bust potential, but there’s nothing in Gabbert’s game to suggest that he’ll be a special, “I’m going to Disney World” type of superstar. He has all the tools, the athleticism, and the personality and make-up to be a very, VERY good pro for the next 15 years, but it’s not like he was a special college player – he was the only quarterback who couldn’t seem to throw against the miserable 2010 Texas Tech pass defense - and he had major problems against anyone with a strong pass rush. On the plus side, most of his negatives can be quickly fixed. His throwing motion doesn’t need that much tweaking, and for those who don’t think he can connect on the deep ball on a consistent basis, go back to the pills he was slinging to Danario Alexander two years ago. The bigger issue is that he’s not Cam Newton. Gabbert is the safe, secure pick who should be a rock-steady starter in two years, but if you’re passing on Newton for him, you’re not slinging for the stars … and that might not be a bad thing. Gabbert has the rare issue of still scratching the surface on what he can be, while also having a hard ceiling on where he can take a team. If he ends up winning a Super Bowl, it’ll be because he’s a good player on a special team.
4. Jake Locker, Washington 6-2, 231
He doesn’t have prototype height and he doesn’t have big hands, but that’s about it as far as the physical knocks. An elite athlete for an NFL quarterback, he runs extremely well, has a live arm, and he’s tough as nails. A peerless leader and a pure baller, he’s a fantastic guy with the type of attitude and intangibles that makes him easy to root for. There’s one problem … he can’t throw. Everything looks right, even though he seems like he’s about to run too much when he should be setting his feet to fire, but the mechanics aren’t all that bad. You can’t teach accuracy, and in a world where two of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, are the standard-bearers for Super Bowl winners, Locker has a hard ceiling on how far he can likely take a team. If he’s asked to go out there and just play, he should be fine. If he’s asked to be Tom Brady and a pro style passer, it’s not going to happen.
5. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas 6-7, 247 (Jr.)
If you could promise that he’ll get a three-Mississippi count, he’ll destroy NFL defenses. There’s no one in the draft who’ll be better with time and a clean pocket, with the arm to put a pass anywhere on the field and the ability to use the howitzer to put a deep ball on a line and stretch a defense. The issue is whenever there’s a slight bit of pressure. He locks on to one target way too often, and if there’s so much as a stiff breeze coming his way, it’s a toss-up whether or not he’ll make the throw or put it in the fifth row. There’s no mobility whatsoever and there’ll be times when his NFL offense will be shut down cold if the line isn’t doing its job. And then there’s the character factor. Forget about the rumors swirling, the big issue is a confidence level that’s occasionally a plus, but more often than not appears to rub people the wrong way. However, even with all the concerns and all the question marks, if he gets to play behind a top line, and if he learns how to get the ball out of his hands faster, the upside is there to be fantastic.
8. Andy Dalton, TCU 6-2, 215
He’s not all that big and he doesn’t have a live arm, but he’s a dream of an NFL backup. He’ll always be prepared, he’ll always be ready, and no one will outwork him. A baller, he’ll do whatever is needed to make a play and to keep the offense moving, and he rarely makes a misread of a big mistake. Pressure means nothing to him; throw a pass rusher under his chin and he’ll still deliver the ball. Forget about any big throws deep and he has to be in West Coast attack, but he’ll be a nice late round prospect who’ll hang around the league for a decade.
9. T.J. Yates, North Carolina 6-3, 219
Watch him against LSU in the 2010 opener or against Tennessee in the bowl game and he looks like a can’t-miss prospect. He was in total command of the Tar Heel offense at times and he’s ready to go right away in a pro style attack and potentially produce. However, it seems like it takes two days for his passes to get to the target and he got dinged around way too often. He has the upside to take a flier on late and hope for a lesser-armed Matt Schaub.
2. Blaine Gabbert, Missouri 6-4, 234 (Jr.)
There’s no wow factor. There’s no bust potential, but there’s nothing in Gabbert’s game to suggest that he’ll be a special, “I’m going to Disney World” type of superstar. He has all the tools, the athleticism, and the personality and make-up to be a very, VERY good pro for the next 15 years, but it’s not like he was a special college player – he was the only quarterback who couldn’t seem to throw against the miserable 2010 Texas Tech pass defense - and he had major problems against anyone with a strong pass rush. On the plus side, most of his negatives can be quickly fixed. His throwing motion doesn’t need that much tweaking, and for those who don’t think he can connect on the deep ball on a consistent basis, go back to the pills he was slinging to Danario Alexander two years ago. The bigger issue is that he’s not Cam Newton. Gabbert is the safe, secure pick who should be a rock-steady starter in two years, but if you’re passing on Newton for him, you’re not slinging for the stars … and that might not be a bad thing. Gabbert has the rare issue of still scratching the surface on what he can be, while also having a hard ceiling on where he can take a team. If he ends up winning a Super Bowl, it’ll be because he’s a good player on a special team.
4. Jake Locker, Washington 6-2, 231
He doesn’t have prototype height and he doesn’t have big hands, but that’s about it as far as the physical knocks. An elite athlete for an NFL quarterback, he runs extremely well, has a live arm, and he’s tough as nails. A peerless leader and a pure baller, he’s a fantastic guy with the type of attitude and intangibles that makes him easy to root for. There’s one problem … he can’t throw. Everything looks right, even though he seems like he’s about to run too much when he should be setting his feet to fire, but the mechanics aren’t all that bad. You can’t teach accuracy, and in a world where two of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, are the standard-bearers for Super Bowl winners, Locker has a hard ceiling on how far he can likely take a team. If he’s asked to go out there and just play, he should be fine. If he’s asked to be Tom Brady and a pro style passer, it’s not going to happen.
5. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas 6-7, 247 (Jr.)
If you could promise that he’ll get a three-Mississippi count, he’ll destroy NFL defenses. There’s no one in the draft who’ll be better with time and a clean pocket, with the arm to put a pass anywhere on the field and the ability to use the howitzer to put a deep ball on a line and stretch a defense. The issue is whenever there’s a slight bit of pressure. He locks on to one target way too often, and if there’s so much as a stiff breeze coming his way, it’s a toss-up whether or not he’ll make the throw or put it in the fifth row. There’s no mobility whatsoever and there’ll be times when his NFL offense will be shut down cold if the line isn’t doing its job. And then there’s the character factor. Forget about the rumors swirling, the big issue is a confidence level that’s occasionally a plus, but more often than not appears to rub people the wrong way. However, even with all the concerns and all the question marks, if he gets to play behind a top line, and if he learns how to get the ball out of his hands faster, the upside is there to be fantastic.
8. Andy Dalton, TCU 6-2, 215
He’s not all that big and he doesn’t have a live arm, but he’s a dream of an NFL backup. He’ll always be prepared, he’ll always be ready, and no one will outwork him. A baller, he’ll do whatever is needed to make a play and to keep the offense moving, and he rarely makes a misread of a big mistake. Pressure means nothing to him; throw a pass rusher under his chin and he’ll still deliver the ball. Forget about any big throws deep and he has to be in West Coast attack, but he’ll be a nice late round prospect who’ll hang around the league for a decade.
9. T.J. Yates, North Carolina 6-3, 219
Watch him against LSU in the 2010 opener or against Tennessee in the bowl game and he looks like a can’t-miss prospect. He was in total command of the Tar Heel offense at times and he’s ready to go right away in a pro style attack and potentially produce. However, it seems like it takes two days for his passes to get to the target and he got dinged around way too often. He has the upside to take a flier on late and hope for a lesser-armed Matt Schaub.
