- Sep 6, 2005
- 145,139
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NFL 2014 Path to the Draft Discussion
- Thread starter Dixie Flatline
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- Sep 6, 2005
- 145,139
- 94,981
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
As soon as anyone mentions bath salts you runaway in the opposite direction, this kid could be available at Mr. Irrelevant and the bath salts would still put me off, do not want, DO NOT TOUCH
- Sep 19, 2006
- 48,113
- 50,688
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Rotor Volgograd, The Exers
Georgia QB Aaron Murray just had his proday and 23 teams showed up to watch the QB go to work. Apparently the pro-day went quite well( full article is from the Houston Chronicle).
Also the HC reported that Watt's team contractual option had been picked (not that it was likely not to be ).
Also the HC reported that Watt's team contractual option had been picked (not that it was likely not to be ).
- Sep 19, 2006
- 48,113
- 50,688
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Rotor Volgograd, The Exers
Also another article from the St Louis Post:
"
With less than three weeks remaining before the draft, the Rams are strongly considering taking a quarterback, and in doing so are casting a wide net at the position.
Tom Savage of the University of Pittsburgh has made a “top 30 visit” to Rams Park. The team has spent a lot of time with Connor Shaw of South Carolina, you know, the guy who prevented Missouri from having a perfect regular season.
On Wednesday, the Rams dispatched quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti and director of player personnel Taylor Morton to Athens, Ga., where Aaron Murray took part in Georgia’s pro day.
Earlier in the pre-draft period, the Rams dispatched a scout to SMU’s pro day to watch Garrett Gilbert. There have also been reports that they either met with or worked out Derek Carr of Fresno State.
And don’t forget Clemson QB Tajh Boyd. The Rams got a look at him Friday when they held a private workout for wide receiver Sammy Watkins. (Boyd did the throwing.)
And that’s just a sampling. San Jose State’s David Fales, Eastern Illinois’ Jimmy Garoppolo, Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, and Louisiana State’s Zach Mettenberger could all be in play for the Rams as well.
“I think they all have merit,” said Rick Venturi, the former Rams assistant coach who is now an NFL radio analyst in Indianapolis.
In a draft where it has been difficult to pin down the value of top quarterback prospects Brian Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel, some of the mid-round QBs may end up outperforming the “big three” when all is said and done.
New Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien, who’s grappling with the franchise-shaping decision of whether to take a QB at No. 1 overall, doesn’t see much separation between the top three and everyone else.
“Somebody else might have a different opinion,” O’Brien said. “Just my opinion is that I see strengths and weaknesses with every one of these guys. I don’t see where there are one or two guys, or three guys, that are just light-years ahead of the rest of them.”
The consistent signal from Rams Park is that the team wants to take a quarterback in the mid-rounds, someone who isn’t a project and could compete for a starting job in a year or two.
“I don’t think there’s any question the Rams are taking a quarterback,” said Gil Brandt, the longtime NFL draft guru. “(General manager) Les Snead has been around looking at those guys.”
If that’s indeed the case, that would leave the Rams with Sam Bradford as the starter, veteran Shaun Hill as the backup, plus a rookie-in-training in 2014. Austin Davis also is on the Rams’ offseason roster.
Bradford has two years left on his contract; Hill signed a one-year deal in free agency, coming to St. Louis from Detroit after Kellen Clemens left for San Diego.
As O’Brien mentioned, there are pluses and minuses in just about every quarterback in this year’s class, whether it be the top tier of signal callers — or the second and third tiers.
“Carr is probably the best behind the top three,” Venturi said. “The guy that’s really rising and I do like him — but he can’t move — is the kid at LSU (Mettenberger). I think the kid at Alabama (McCarron) is solid, but I don’t think he’s great. I think he’s played with a lot of great players.
“Garoppolo, I really like a lot things about him. But I think he’s one of those kids that’s good at everything and great at nothing. I like Fales from San Jose quite a bit. And the guy who’s having the big offseason is Savage. ... He’s a workout phenom. Connor Shaw, he’s a competitor. He’s not a great talent.”
In the unusual case of Savage, there isn’t a ton of film to go on. He started out at Rutgers, then transferred to Arizona, and then transferred again to Pitt.
“You see someone transfer twice, your immediate thought is probably a red flag — there is something wrong,” Savage said. “Obviously, my journey has been a little different. It’s helped me mature as a person, and I wouldn’t want to do it any other way.”
Savage, 6-4, 228, was named offensive MVP at Rutgers as a true freshman in 2009, throwing for 2,211 yards and 14 TDs. But he lost his starting job to Chas Dodd in an injury-plagued sophomore season and didn’t take it well.
“The kid (Dodd) went in there and played great for the team,” Savage said. “Coach (Greg Schiano) went with the hot hand. I was a 20-year-old kid, bitter and ticked off. I thought I had all the answers and decided to leave.”
He transferred to Arizona, sitting out the 2011 season under college transfer rules. But decided to leave Arizona a year later without having thrown a pass in game action.
The native of Springfield, Pa., wanted to be closer to home. In addition, new (at the time) Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez employed a no-huddle spread offense, not exactly a fit for Savage, who’s a pro-style pocket passer.
After the NCAA denied Savage’s initial request to return to Rutgers without having to sit out another year under transfer rules, he ended up at Pittsburgh. Savage was so frustrated at the prospect of sitting out another year he thought about quitting football.
“Real close,” he said. “I walked on to Pittsburgh in camp. I was ineligible, doing the scout team for the second year in a row, paying my way to do scout team. I was kind of like, ‘I don’t think I can do this anymore.’ “
But he stuck it out, and for the first time since 2010 finally saw the playing field again in 2013.
“Before this season it was 1,000 days since I played an actual game,” he said.
Savage put up good but not great numbers in 2013, completing 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,958 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
He was much more accurate than his two seasons at Rutgers, where he completed 52.2 percent of his passes in 18 games. Some still question his accuracy. But at Pitt, he displayed a knack for hitting receivers in stride as well as very good arm strength and toughness in the pocket.
While Savage is light on experience, other quarterback prospects have plenty. Some are tall; some (like Shaw) are short. Some come from schools in power conferences, others (Garoppolo) don’t. The diverse QB Class of 2014 offers a little bit of everything.
“There are a lot of guys that have won championships, that have won a lot of games in tough conferences, that have brought their teams back with under two minutes to go,” O’Brien said.
“A lot of guys that have been through tough times, you know, have had to win the position, lost the position. Maybe some tough times off the field they’ve overcome. So yeah, as far as that position goes, it’s a very intriguing position.”
"
With less than three weeks remaining before the draft, the Rams are strongly considering taking a quarterback, and in doing so are casting a wide net at the position.
Tom Savage of the University of Pittsburgh has made a “top 30 visit” to Rams Park. The team has spent a lot of time with Connor Shaw of South Carolina, you know, the guy who prevented Missouri from having a perfect regular season.
On Wednesday, the Rams dispatched quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti and director of player personnel Taylor Morton to Athens, Ga., where Aaron Murray took part in Georgia’s pro day.
Earlier in the pre-draft period, the Rams dispatched a scout to SMU’s pro day to watch Garrett Gilbert. There have also been reports that they either met with or worked out Derek Carr of Fresno State.
And don’t forget Clemson QB Tajh Boyd. The Rams got a look at him Friday when they held a private workout for wide receiver Sammy Watkins. (Boyd did the throwing.)
And that’s just a sampling. San Jose State’s David Fales, Eastern Illinois’ Jimmy Garoppolo, Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, and Louisiana State’s Zach Mettenberger could all be in play for the Rams as well.
“I think they all have merit,” said Rick Venturi, the former Rams assistant coach who is now an NFL radio analyst in Indianapolis.
In a draft where it has been difficult to pin down the value of top quarterback prospects Brian Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel, some of the mid-round QBs may end up outperforming the “big three” when all is said and done.
New Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien, who’s grappling with the franchise-shaping decision of whether to take a QB at No. 1 overall, doesn’t see much separation between the top three and everyone else.
“Somebody else might have a different opinion,” O’Brien said. “Just my opinion is that I see strengths and weaknesses with every one of these guys. I don’t see where there are one or two guys, or three guys, that are just light-years ahead of the rest of them.”
The consistent signal from Rams Park is that the team wants to take a quarterback in the mid-rounds, someone who isn’t a project and could compete for a starting job in a year or two.
“I don’t think there’s any question the Rams are taking a quarterback,” said Gil Brandt, the longtime NFL draft guru. “(General manager) Les Snead has been around looking at those guys.”
If that’s indeed the case, that would leave the Rams with Sam Bradford as the starter, veteran Shaun Hill as the backup, plus a rookie-in-training in 2014. Austin Davis also is on the Rams’ offseason roster.
Bradford has two years left on his contract; Hill signed a one-year deal in free agency, coming to St. Louis from Detroit after Kellen Clemens left for San Diego.
As O’Brien mentioned, there are pluses and minuses in just about every quarterback in this year’s class, whether it be the top tier of signal callers — or the second and third tiers.
“Carr is probably the best behind the top three,” Venturi said. “The guy that’s really rising and I do like him — but he can’t move — is the kid at LSU (Mettenberger). I think the kid at Alabama (McCarron) is solid, but I don’t think he’s great. I think he’s played with a lot of great players.
“Garoppolo, I really like a lot things about him. But I think he’s one of those kids that’s good at everything and great at nothing. I like Fales from San Jose quite a bit. And the guy who’s having the big offseason is Savage. ... He’s a workout phenom. Connor Shaw, he’s a competitor. He’s not a great talent.”
In the unusual case of Savage, there isn’t a ton of film to go on. He started out at Rutgers, then transferred to Arizona, and then transferred again to Pitt.
“You see someone transfer twice, your immediate thought is probably a red flag — there is something wrong,” Savage said. “Obviously, my journey has been a little different. It’s helped me mature as a person, and I wouldn’t want to do it any other way.”
Savage, 6-4, 228, was named offensive MVP at Rutgers as a true freshman in 2009, throwing for 2,211 yards and 14 TDs. But he lost his starting job to Chas Dodd in an injury-plagued sophomore season and didn’t take it well.
“The kid (Dodd) went in there and played great for the team,” Savage said. “Coach (Greg Schiano) went with the hot hand. I was a 20-year-old kid, bitter and ticked off. I thought I had all the answers and decided to leave.”
He transferred to Arizona, sitting out the 2011 season under college transfer rules. But decided to leave Arizona a year later without having thrown a pass in game action.
The native of Springfield, Pa., wanted to be closer to home. In addition, new (at the time) Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez employed a no-huddle spread offense, not exactly a fit for Savage, who’s a pro-style pocket passer.
After the NCAA denied Savage’s initial request to return to Rutgers without having to sit out another year under transfer rules, he ended up at Pittsburgh. Savage was so frustrated at the prospect of sitting out another year he thought about quitting football.
“Real close,” he said. “I walked on to Pittsburgh in camp. I was ineligible, doing the scout team for the second year in a row, paying my way to do scout team. I was kind of like, ‘I don’t think I can do this anymore.’ “
But he stuck it out, and for the first time since 2010 finally saw the playing field again in 2013.
“Before this season it was 1,000 days since I played an actual game,” he said.
Savage put up good but not great numbers in 2013, completing 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,958 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
He was much more accurate than his two seasons at Rutgers, where he completed 52.2 percent of his passes in 18 games. Some still question his accuracy. But at Pitt, he displayed a knack for hitting receivers in stride as well as very good arm strength and toughness in the pocket.
While Savage is light on experience, other quarterback prospects have plenty. Some are tall; some (like Shaw) are short. Some come from schools in power conferences, others (Garoppolo) don’t. The diverse QB Class of 2014 offers a little bit of everything.
“There are a lot of guys that have won championships, that have won a lot of games in tough conferences, that have brought their teams back with under two minutes to go,” O’Brien said.
“A lot of guys that have been through tough times, you know, have had to win the position, lost the position. Maybe some tough times off the field they’ve overcome. So yeah, as far as that position goes, it’s a very intriguing position.”
- Sep 19, 2006
- 48,113
- 50,688
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Rotor Volgograd, The Exers
Also another article from the St Louis Post
"
Just a few weeks ago at the NFL owners meetings, coach Jeff Fisher sounded like the Rams might pass on Sammy Watkins. But the Rams sure are taking a long look at the star wide receiver from Clemson.
Widely considered the best wideout in the draft, Watkins paid a pre-draft visit to Rams Park on Tuesday, meeting with a variety of coaches and team officials.
It's against league rules for teams to work out draft prospects on these so-called "top-30" visits.
But the Rams will get that accomplished over the weekend; they are sending a contingent to Clemson, S.C., for a private workout with Watkins on Friday.
They'll also get a look at Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, since he will be throwing to Watkins."
"
Just a few weeks ago at the NFL owners meetings, coach Jeff Fisher sounded like the Rams might pass on Sammy Watkins. But the Rams sure are taking a long look at the star wide receiver from Clemson.
Widely considered the best wideout in the draft, Watkins paid a pre-draft visit to Rams Park on Tuesday, meeting with a variety of coaches and team officials.
It's against league rules for teams to work out draft prospects on these so-called "top-30" visits.
But the Rams will get that accomplished over the weekend; they are sending a contingent to Clemson, S.C., for a private workout with Watkins on Friday.
They'll also get a look at Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, since he will be throwing to Watkins."
- Sep 19, 2006
- 48,113
- 50,688
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Rotor Volgograd, The Exers
From the Jacksonville press:
"
A month ago, the feeling was that four quarterbacks would go in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, including a team reaching to draft Fresno State’s Derek Carr because he wouldn’t be available later in the first round.
Central Florida’s Blake Bortles was headed to Houston at No. 1, Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater to Cleveland at No. 4, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel to Oakland at No. 5 and Carr to Minnesota at No. 8.
Now?
Probably not.
Because the Texans (Ryan Fitzpatrick), Browns (Brian Hoyer), Raiders (Matt Schaub) and Vikings (Matt Cassel) have followed the Jaguars’ lead in adding or retaining a veteran quarterback (Chad Henne), momentum has shifted as the May 8 draft gets closer.
“There’s the theory going around of, ‘Let’s build up our roster with as many talented players as we can and then we can insert the quarterback,’” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “Teams have brought in or re-signed a veteran that is functional and that will allow them not to force it in the draft.”
A league source thinks Bortles will be the first quarterback off the board — “to somebody in the first five or six picks. … But based on a lot of things that could play out, you might see Bridgewater fall into the late part of the first round.”
Bortles, Bridgewater, Carr and Manziel are the consensus top quarterbacks. Looking at them in nine categories, here’s how they stacked up against each other.
SIZE
Bortles: At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, he has the ideal build for an NFL quarterback.
Bridgewater: It’s a concern. Listed at 205 pounds last year, he checked into the scouting combine at 214, but a month later at his pro day, was back down to 208 pounds. He’s tall enough (6-foot-2), but can his frame take the normal NFL pounding?
Carr: At a shade below 6-2 1/2 and 214 pounds, he should be OK if he keeps the weight on.
Manziel: A big concern for durability purposes. At the scouting combine, Manziel was 5-11 6/8 and 207 pounds and looked like a high school kid running the 40-yard dash.
ACCURACY
Bortles: He completed 67.8 percent of his passes (259 of 382) last year for UCF, which ranked 10th in FBS. During his pro day last month in Orlando, Borltes was 56-of-65 passing with five drops.
Bridgewater: One evaluator had Bortles, Bridgewater and Manziel tied for the best in this category. Last year, he led the nation by completing 71 percent of his passes (303 of 427).
Carr: According to STATS, Inc., 21.7 percent of his throws last year were screen passes and his shaky bowl game against Southern Cal raised questions. His 68.7 completion rate was sixth in the nation but obviously misleading because of the offensive style.
Manziel: For a quarterback who is on the move so much, evaluators think his accuracy is just as good as Bortles and Bridgewater. Manziel completed 69.9 percent of his passes last year, third in the nation.
ARM STRENGTH
Bortles: Experts say Bortles can drive the football down the field and also has good velocity on passes when forced to throw off-balance.
Bridgewater: Insiders say he has room to grow in terms of ball placement and others added that Bridgewater’s arm strength is good but not great.
Carr: The strongest arm among the top quarterbacks, and it’s pretty much unanimous. Despite Fresno State’s offense being screen-game heavy, he showed during Senior Bowl week he can make all of the throws.
Manziel: He has enough strength to make all the throws, but his at-times faulty mechanics — off the back foot, against his body, etc. — could be costly in the NFL.
MOBILITY
Bortles: For a big guy, Bortles still rushed for 557 yards and 14 touchdowns his last two years of college, and he has good footwork in the pocket,
Bridgewater: Credited with 170 rushing yards in three seasons, so he’s not considered a dual-threat quarterback. But he slides around enough to keep plays alive.
Carr: Although his athleticism is underrated, it’s a question of how well Carr can move once he lines up under center. He was almost exclusively in the shotgun at Fresno State.
Manziel: Off the charts. He rushed 345 times for 2,169 yards and 30 touchdowns in two years. When he tries to extend the play, he is terrific at making something out of nothing.
DECISION MAKING
Bortles: One of the knocks on Bortles is that he takes too many risks, throwing while on the move into windows that are quickly closed by the defender. He had 19 interceptions in 37 games.
Bridgewater: Was ranked No. 1 in this category by one source. Threw only 24 interceptions in 1,142 attempts for Louisville.
Carr: Had a tendency to rush passes when defenses sent extra rushers. A knock was his accuracy in a game’s most important moments.
Manziel: The challenge for Manziel is to not use his athleticism on every play, instead letting his guys get open as he stays in the protected pocket.
LEADERSHIP
Bortles: One evaluator put Bortles as the top leader among the four quarterbacks. He has showed during the pre-draft process that he will easily blend into an NFL locker room and players will follow him.
Bridgewater: Called a “natural” leader by one draft publication, he is probably a lead-by-example player at this point.
Carr: Grouped by one source in the same area as Bridgewater and Manziel, one notch below Bortles.
Manziel: Despite some immature episodes on and off the field, it’s clear teammates followed him at A&M.
LEVEL OF COMPETITION
Bortles: Starting one year apiece in Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference, Bortles faced only four ranked opponents — UCF lost at No. 14 Ohio State in 2012. Last year, the Knights lost to No. 12 South Carolina at home but won at No. 8 Louisville and beat No. 6 Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl.
Bridgewater: Started two years in the Big East and one year in the AAC and had only two games against ranked competition. He won against No. 24 West Virginia in 2011 and No. 4 Florida in the Sugar Bowl as a sophomore.
Carr: This where Carr comes up particularly short in the rankings. The Bulldogs played in the WAC for one year and the Mountain West for two years when Carr was the starter. He went 0-4 against ranked teams (Boise State twice and Oregon/Nebraska once apiece) and went 0-2 in bowl games.
Manziel: In just two years, he played 10 games (five each season) against ranked teams, going 4-1 as a freshman and 1-4 as a sophomore. He burst onto the stage by helping A&M to a win at No. 1 Alabama in 2012.
EXPERIENCE
Bortles: A two-year starter for the Knights, Bortles was 22-5 and played 10 games (110 pass attempts) as a redshirt freshman.
Bridgewater: After redshirting in 2010, he started 38 games (29-9 record).
Carr: A fifth-year senior, Carr played five games in 2009 when the other three quarterbacks were still in high school. He went 24-14 as a starter and attempted 1,630 passes.
Manziel: The only sophomore among the group, he started for two years and attempted 863 passes."
What's interesting is that :
(1) Top 3 has morphed into the top 4; and
(2) The rankings vis-a-vis levels of competition.
"
A month ago, the feeling was that four quarterbacks would go in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, including a team reaching to draft Fresno State’s Derek Carr because he wouldn’t be available later in the first round.
Central Florida’s Blake Bortles was headed to Houston at No. 1, Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater to Cleveland at No. 4, Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel to Oakland at No. 5 and Carr to Minnesota at No. 8.
Now?
Probably not.
Because the Texans (Ryan Fitzpatrick), Browns (Brian Hoyer), Raiders (Matt Schaub) and Vikings (Matt Cassel) have followed the Jaguars’ lead in adding or retaining a veteran quarterback (Chad Henne), momentum has shifted as the May 8 draft gets closer.
“There’s the theory going around of, ‘Let’s build up our roster with as many talented players as we can and then we can insert the quarterback,’” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “Teams have brought in or re-signed a veteran that is functional and that will allow them not to force it in the draft.”
A league source thinks Bortles will be the first quarterback off the board — “to somebody in the first five or six picks. … But based on a lot of things that could play out, you might see Bridgewater fall into the late part of the first round.”
Bortles, Bridgewater, Carr and Manziel are the consensus top quarterbacks. Looking at them in nine categories, here’s how they stacked up against each other.
SIZE
Bortles: At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, he has the ideal build for an NFL quarterback.
Bridgewater: It’s a concern. Listed at 205 pounds last year, he checked into the scouting combine at 214, but a month later at his pro day, was back down to 208 pounds. He’s tall enough (6-foot-2), but can his frame take the normal NFL pounding?
Carr: At a shade below 6-2 1/2 and 214 pounds, he should be OK if he keeps the weight on.
Manziel: A big concern for durability purposes. At the scouting combine, Manziel was 5-11 6/8 and 207 pounds and looked like a high school kid running the 40-yard dash.
ACCURACY
Bortles: He completed 67.8 percent of his passes (259 of 382) last year for UCF, which ranked 10th in FBS. During his pro day last month in Orlando, Borltes was 56-of-65 passing with five drops.
Bridgewater: One evaluator had Bortles, Bridgewater and Manziel tied for the best in this category. Last year, he led the nation by completing 71 percent of his passes (303 of 427).
Carr: According to STATS, Inc., 21.7 percent of his throws last year were screen passes and his shaky bowl game against Southern Cal raised questions. His 68.7 completion rate was sixth in the nation but obviously misleading because of the offensive style.
Manziel: For a quarterback who is on the move so much, evaluators think his accuracy is just as good as Bortles and Bridgewater. Manziel completed 69.9 percent of his passes last year, third in the nation.
ARM STRENGTH
Bortles: Experts say Bortles can drive the football down the field and also has good velocity on passes when forced to throw off-balance.
Bridgewater: Insiders say he has room to grow in terms of ball placement and others added that Bridgewater’s arm strength is good but not great.
Carr: The strongest arm among the top quarterbacks, and it’s pretty much unanimous. Despite Fresno State’s offense being screen-game heavy, he showed during Senior Bowl week he can make all of the throws.
Manziel: He has enough strength to make all the throws, but his at-times faulty mechanics — off the back foot, against his body, etc. — could be costly in the NFL.
MOBILITY
Bortles: For a big guy, Bortles still rushed for 557 yards and 14 touchdowns his last two years of college, and he has good footwork in the pocket,
Bridgewater: Credited with 170 rushing yards in three seasons, so he’s not considered a dual-threat quarterback. But he slides around enough to keep plays alive.
Carr: Although his athleticism is underrated, it’s a question of how well Carr can move once he lines up under center. He was almost exclusively in the shotgun at Fresno State.
Manziel: Off the charts. He rushed 345 times for 2,169 yards and 30 touchdowns in two years. When he tries to extend the play, he is terrific at making something out of nothing.
DECISION MAKING
Bortles: One of the knocks on Bortles is that he takes too many risks, throwing while on the move into windows that are quickly closed by the defender. He had 19 interceptions in 37 games.
Bridgewater: Was ranked No. 1 in this category by one source. Threw only 24 interceptions in 1,142 attempts for Louisville.
Carr: Had a tendency to rush passes when defenses sent extra rushers. A knock was his accuracy in a game’s most important moments.
Manziel: The challenge for Manziel is to not use his athleticism on every play, instead letting his guys get open as he stays in the protected pocket.
LEADERSHIP
Bortles: One evaluator put Bortles as the top leader among the four quarterbacks. He has showed during the pre-draft process that he will easily blend into an NFL locker room and players will follow him.
Bridgewater: Called a “natural” leader by one draft publication, he is probably a lead-by-example player at this point.
Carr: Grouped by one source in the same area as Bridgewater and Manziel, one notch below Bortles.
Manziel: Despite some immature episodes on and off the field, it’s clear teammates followed him at A&M.
LEVEL OF COMPETITION
Bortles: Starting one year apiece in Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference, Bortles faced only four ranked opponents — UCF lost at No. 14 Ohio State in 2012. Last year, the Knights lost to No. 12 South Carolina at home but won at No. 8 Louisville and beat No. 6 Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl.
Bridgewater: Started two years in the Big East and one year in the AAC and had only two games against ranked competition. He won against No. 24 West Virginia in 2011 and No. 4 Florida in the Sugar Bowl as a sophomore.
Carr: This where Carr comes up particularly short in the rankings. The Bulldogs played in the WAC for one year and the Mountain West for two years when Carr was the starter. He went 0-4 against ranked teams (Boise State twice and Oregon/Nebraska once apiece) and went 0-2 in bowl games.
Manziel: In just two years, he played 10 games (five each season) against ranked teams, going 4-1 as a freshman and 1-4 as a sophomore. He burst onto the stage by helping A&M to a win at No. 1 Alabama in 2012.
EXPERIENCE
Bortles: A two-year starter for the Knights, Bortles was 22-5 and played 10 games (110 pass attempts) as a redshirt freshman.
Bridgewater: After redshirting in 2010, he started 38 games (29-9 record).
Carr: A fifth-year senior, Carr played five games in 2009 when the other three quarterbacks were still in high school. He went 24-14 as a starter and attempted 1,630 passes.
Manziel: The only sophomore among the group, he started for two years and attempted 863 passes."
What's interesting is that :
(1) Top 3 has morphed into the top 4; and
(2) The rankings vis-a-vis levels of competition.
- Sep 6, 2005
- 145,139
- 94,981
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Imo, this is confirmation the Raiders will be trading down with the Lions on draft day...
Lions keep bringing in guys they can’t draft at No. 10
If you assume the Lions aren’t delusional, you can also assume they want to make a move up in the draft.
Because they’re bringing in another top-five caliber prospect for a visit, when they’re picking 10th.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack is visiting the Lions next week.
Along with recent visits from South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins, it’s clear the Lions aren’t limiting themselves to their present location.
Mack is viewed by many as a more natural fit in a 3-4 defense, but the Lions could use him in a Von Miller-type role as well. Or they could just be establishing a smokescreen in an effort to cut a better deal with someone in the top five.
Lions keep bringing in guys they can’t draft at No. 10
If you assume the Lions aren’t delusional, you can also assume they want to make a move up in the draft.
Because they’re bringing in another top-five caliber prospect for a visit, when they’re picking 10th.
According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack is visiting the Lions next week.
Along with recent visits from South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins, it’s clear the Lions aren’t limiting themselves to their present location.
Mack is viewed by many as a more natural fit in a 3-4 defense, but the Lions could use him in a Von Miller-type role as well. Or they could just be establishing a smokescreen in an effort to cut a better deal with someone in the top five.
These are my predictions.
1. Evans will be drafted ahead of Watkins
2. Mack ahead of Clowney
3. Logan Thomas will go undrafted
4. Savage will go in in the 5th or later
5. Benjamin will go in the top 20 ahead of Bekham and Cooks
Blacky
The King
- May 9, 2006
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I agree with none of those haha
- Mar 11, 2012
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1. Derek Carr will go ahead of one of Bortles, Manziel and Bridgewater.
2. Sammy Watkins will go inside the top three.
3. 5 WRs will go in the first round (Watkins, Evans, Cooks, Benjamin & Beckham)
4. The New England Patriots will trade down, and the Detroit Lions will trade up.
5. The Oakland Raiders will draft the biggest bust of the first round.
2. Sammy Watkins will go inside the top three.
3. 5 WRs will go in the first round (Watkins, Evans, Cooks, Benjamin & Beckham)
4. The New England Patriots will trade down, and the Detroit Lions will trade up.
5. The Oakland Raiders will draft the biggest bust of the first round.
It's easy to predict what everyone else is already saying. I would be very surprised if any of them happen. However I do think each have a chance and I could justify each of them.
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Blacky
The King
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I almost added that I don't disagree with the reasoning behind them.
Just can't see any of them eventuating
Just can't see any of them eventuating
MAGPIE2013
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- i think the texans and the browns will pick up a quarterback in the second round.
-bridgewater will go in the second round
-carr and AJ Mcarron will go ahead of manziel and bridgewater
-cards will pick a safety with their first pick , as much i want them to pick a future quarterback. Cardinals might look at someone like a zach mettenberger in the second round ot the third if he somehow manages to slip down that far.
-rams could possibly trade their second pick, mainly because there are three quality offensive to choose from in the first round. One if not two will be definitely available outside the top 10. They could trade back into the 13-16 range and manage to pick up someone like a taylor lewan or jake matthews if greg robinson is already of the board by then.
-bridgewater will go in the second round
-carr and AJ Mcarron will go ahead of manziel and bridgewater
-cards will pick a safety with their first pick , as much i want them to pick a future quarterback. Cardinals might look at someone like a zach mettenberger in the second round ot the third if he somehow manages to slip down that far.
-rams could possibly trade their second pick, mainly because there are three quality offensive to choose from in the first round. One if not two will be definitely available outside the top 10. They could trade back into the 13-16 range and manage to pick up someone like a taylor lewan or jake matthews if greg robinson is already of the board by then.
Interested on why you think AJ Mcarron will go ahead of Manziel and Bridgewater?
MAGPIE2013
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- 49ers armed with 11 picks might package them for a higher pick. they might have to find a replacement for aldon smith
-the patriots co
Mcarron fits the prototypical quarterback that many teams feel comfortable with. Bridgewater has really fallen down many teams boards of late plus many teams are concerned with bridgewaters physical size. WIth manziel it is his size plus his character. Plus manziels will find that his game style will be hard to replicate in the nfl mainly because he wont be afforded that much of space from the pocket.
No matter what it really depends what a franchise needs are. Teams that are desperately in need of a starting quarterback may go away from bridgewater and manziel as they are a risk , where as quarterbacks such as carr and mcarron are the big physical quarterbacks who can cut teams up with their pocket passing. Nothing wrong with manziels playmaking ability outside the pocket on the run, but many general managers have pointed out that a quarterback must be able to stand in the pocket and deliver. There are many queries over manziels pocket passing ability.
WIth bridgewater it his size. For a team desperate of a stratting quarterback they need a sudden impact player. Bridgewater will have to put on weight and a team of a need of a starting quarterback cannot afford to wait until bridgewater gets to the right physical size. No doubt he has the ability ,but his ability to make a sudden impact will be heavily looked out.
-the patriots co
first of all well done to your cats, cannot respect your team enough.
Mcarron fits the prototypical quarterback that many teams feel comfortable with. Bridgewater has really fallen down many teams boards of late plus many teams are concerned with bridgewaters physical size. WIth manziel it is his size plus his character. Plus manziels will find that his game style will be hard to replicate in the nfl mainly because he wont be afforded that much of space from the pocket.
No matter what it really depends what a franchise needs are. Teams that are desperately in need of a starting quarterback may go away from bridgewater and manziel as they are a risk , where as quarterbacks such as carr and mcarron are the big physical quarterbacks who can cut teams up with their pocket passing. Nothing wrong with manziels playmaking ability outside the pocket on the run, but many general managers have pointed out that a quarterback must be able to stand in the pocket and deliver. There are many queries over manziels pocket passing ability.
WIth bridgewater it his size. For a team desperate of a stratting quarterback they need a sudden impact player. Bridgewater will have to put on weight and a team of a need of a starting quarterback cannot afford to wait until bridgewater gets to the right physical size. No doubt he has the ability ,but his ability to make a sudden impact will be heavily looked out.
catters078
Norm Smith Medallist
I had no idea Anthony Barr was bigger than Khalil Mack.
MAGPIE2013
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but khalil mack is one mean animal on the field
Blacky
The King
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He is still big
catters078
Norm Smith Medallist
Carr is so athletic. For a guy to be 6'5 255 and be that fast and athletic.
Could be just as good a player as Mack turns out to be. whoever gets him in the 10-15 range will be getting a stud
- Sep 6, 2005
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Mack has his flaws and weaknesses and many people/fans would rather Barr to Mack.
MAGPIE2013
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todd mcshay knows jack s$%t about prospects
MAGPIE2013
Club Legend
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wait for john mayocks mock draft. his mock draft is the most realistic unlike other media drafts who just chuck high name profiles together. Mel kiper's mock draft isn't that good either, he very rarely get it right. Mayocks mock draft generally comes out a couple of days before the actual draft.
- Sep 19, 2006
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Just to throw a cat amongst the pigeons. This is from MSN.
"
The Houston Texans might not be deciding between a quarterback and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
According to a report by Peter King of TheMMQB.com, a source close to Texans' general manager Rick Smith says they like Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack more than Clowney.
Mack, a 6-foot-3, 251-pounder, was the 2013 MAC Defensive Player of the Year. He had 100 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three interceptions during his senior season.
If the Texans were to take him with the No. 1 overall pick, it would be the second consecutive year a player from the MAC was the top selection in the draft. Central Michigan's Eric Fisher went No. 1 in 2013 to the Kansas City Chiefs."
"
The Houston Texans might not be deciding between a quarterback and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
According to a report by Peter King of TheMMQB.com, a source close to Texans' general manager Rick Smith says they like Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack more than Clowney.
Mack, a 6-foot-3, 251-pounder, was the 2013 MAC Defensive Player of the Year. He had 100 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three interceptions during his senior season.
If the Texans were to take him with the No. 1 overall pick, it would be the second consecutive year a player from the MAC was the top selection in the draft. Central Michigan's Eric Fisher went No. 1 in 2013 to the Kansas City Chiefs."
