Maybe it's just me but does anyone know what makes a great NFL QB Prospect?

[surferskin 30]

When it comes to the draft what is the difference between a 1st round QB and a 2nd to 3rd round QB?

 

Let's just look at the recent years 1st rounders:

 

2009

Stafford

Sanchez

Freeman

 

2008

Ryan

Flacco

 

2007

Russell

Quinn

 

So now on to this draft...

 

Projected 1st Round QB:

Brafford

Clausen

 

2nd round +

McCoy

Tebow

Pike

 

Let's focus more on guys like Tebow and McCoy and what makes them lesser QB's than Sanchez, Flacco, Russel, Quinn and Freeman? Seriously, what is the big gap between those guys. McCoy and Tebow are both have NFL QB frames...both have good arms and mobility. So what makes Flacco and Freeman mid-first rounders and not Tebow & McCoy?

 

Or even still....how was Jamarcus absolutely gushed over by the scouts, when that looks so ridiculous in retrospect?

[KSB2424 3,083]

The thing that jumps out at me is the type of offense they ran in college and arm strentgh as the seperation from round 1 to round 2.

[surferskin 30]

The thing that jumps out at me is the type of offense they ran in college and arm strentgh as the seperation from round 1 to round 2.

Tebow definitely has a strong arm. Not cannon like guys like Kyle Boller (remember hearing that threw the ball through the goal post from the 50...ON HIS KNEES) but if your arm is strong enough to make all the throws...who gives a shat?

 

Does anyone have clue what offense Flacco ran at Delaware? Freeman at KSU? Maybe it was pro style but it's about a good arm, size and the offense you run...why is Clausen so far behind Bradford? After all, Bradford ran the spread as well.

[FeelingMN 273]

Does anyone have clue what offense Flacco ran at Delaware? Freeman at KSU? Maybe it was pro style but it's about a good arm, size and the offense you run...why is Clausen so far behind Bradford? After all, Bradford ran the spread as well.

 

I don't know if Clausen is that far behind Bradford....if at all. Kiper has him rated ahead of Bradford. He could easily go number 1 if Bradford seems like he might holdout. On the field, Clausen has all the skills to succeed in the league. I think there are questions about him off the field though. He's a punk.

[surferskin 30]

I don't know if Clausen is that far behind Bradford....if at all. Kiper has him rated ahead of Bradford. He could easily go number 1 if Bradford seems like he might holdout. On the field, Clausen has all the skills to succeed in the league. I think there are questions about him off the field though. He's a punk.

I guess that's true. Kiper does have some serious man love for Jimmy. It mostly just seems like skins nation is very anti-Clausen but most would be fine with selling the farm to move up and take Bradford.

 

Me? I honestly don't have a clue who is going to be better.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

Tebow definitely has a strong arm. Not cannon like guys like Kyle Boller (remember hearing that threw the ball through the goal post from the 50...ON HIS KNEES) but if your arm is strong enough to make all the throws...who gives a shat?

 

oof. based on this thinking, you would have also drafted Jamarcus.

 

 

more and more, im starting to focus on the mental side. obviously you want a guy who can make NFL throws but lately, alot of the difference seems to lie in their personalities, work ethics and intelligence. Guys like Jamarcus and Quinn don't seem to have it. Flacco and Ryan have it.

[FeelingMN 273]

I guess that's true. Kiper does have some serious man love for Jimmy. It mostly just seems like skins nation is very anti-Clausen but most would be fine with selling the farm to move up and take Bradford.

 

Me? I honestly don't have a clue who is going to be better.

 

Trying to determine who's a bonafide franchise QB and who's a scrub is far from a science. If anyone knew what the fock they were talking about, we wouldn't have the JaMarcus Russells...the Alex Smiths....et al.

 

Bradford seems to have a good arm...but he played in a goofy offense in college, so will his skill set translate to NFL success? But he seems like a good kid...a smart kid...I don't think you can discount those things.

 

Clausen will be better than Quinn....which isn't saying much. But he made better throws and was more accurate than Quinn at Notre Dame. To be fair though, he was throwing to two studs...Golden Tate will shine in the NFL. And Michael Floyd wil be the next huge, huge stud in the league. He'll be unstoppable. Regardless, ND put up a lot of points and Clausen did drive them when the game was on the line....Michigan....USC....so I think he has the balls to lead a team. But like I said before, with him I'd question his off the field presence...and maybe that's why folks in D.C. don't want him.

[surferskin 30]

oof. based on this thinking, you would have also drafted Jamarcus.

more and more, im starting to focus on the mental side. obviously you want a guy who can make NFL throws but lately, alot of the difference seems to lie in their personalities, work ethics and intelligence. Guys like Jamarcus and Quinn don't seem to have it. Flacco and Ryan have it.

That's not what I said. I was saying that a BIG ARM (Kyle Boller, Russell, etc...) ain't the be all end all. I was saying that does it matter if you don't have an elite arm, if you can still make all the throws?

 

And as I asked in my OP...what the fock was so great about Jamarcus?? How did he ever look like a solid pick at 1.1?

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

That's not what I said. I was saying that BIG ARE (Kyle Boller, Russell, etc...) ain't the be all end all. I was saying that does it matter if you don't have an elite arm, if you can still make all the throws?

 

And as I asked in my OP...what the fock was so great about Jamarcus?? How did he ever look like a solid pick at 1.1?

 

sorry thought you were sayng a big arm is all you need.

[FeelingMN 273]

And as I asked in my OP...what the fock was so great about Jamarcus?? How did he ever look like a solid pick at 1.1?

 

We're talking about Al Davis, right? I think you have to factor that into the equation.

[Doozer 0]

I don't know if Clausen is that far behind Bradford....if at all. Kiper has him rated ahead of Bradford. He could easily go number 1 if Bradford seems like he might holdout. On the field, Clausen has all the skills to succeed in the league. I think there are questions about him off the field though. He's a punk.

I have Clausen rated much higher than Bradford, as I believe Bradford will be a massive bust. Clausen may have been a punk in the past, but he showed improvement in his maturity over the three years he was at Notre Dame.

 

To answer the OP's question... really? really?!

 

McCoy is a shat NFL prospect who has a weak arm, and was from everything I can see a system QB. He rarely read the secondary, most of his runs were scripted not improvising, he never took a snap out of center, mostly threw at receivers standing still and wide open, didn't have to make half of the NFL throws in that system neither... he could be a good fit in Denver maybe, but his upside is pretty much Orton... lol.

 

I'm not going to go into Tebow too much as his negatives have already greatly been discussed. How often does someone whose main positives are leadership abilities/charisma/hard working/get 'er done mentality ever translate to pro sports, let alone the QB. I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole... is he going to be the Mark Madsen/Eduardo Najera of the NFL?

 

More importantly, has a spread system QB in the CF ever made it to the pro bowl in the NFL? Ever?

 

Apparently JaMarcus is the anti-Tebow... all the physical tools in the world, but once he got that bonus... man, football was/is the last thing on his mind. That should of been pretty clearly red flagged in the interviews, but I remember at the time that the Raiders didn't really get laughed at for making that pick.

 

You do also have to realize that JaMarcus was pretty much from a physical standpoint a scout's wet dream at the QB position. He also had good college production in a respectable conference.

[surferskin 30]

We're talking about Al Davis, right? I think you have to factor that into the equation.

I knew the "Raiduhz factor" would get brought up but it's easy to take potshots now but the scouts...like Kiper...gushed about how great Jamarcus was. I just never saw what they were talking about...he's got size and a big arm but what else?

[Doozer 0]

I knew the "Raiduhz factor" would get brought up but it's easy to take potshots now but the scouts...like Kiper...gushed about how great Jamarcus was. I just never saw what they were talking about...he's got size and a big arm but what else?

I'd also be willing to bet if Russell didn't get drafted by the Raiders he would of had a much better chance of being successful. Instead of pushing him or actually making him compete for the starting job, like most QBs have to... JaMarcus was coddled by Al Davis to the point where he could get away with anything including eating skittles while playing with little to no repercussion, he was handed the starter's job, and was benched WAY too late... if someone was handing you millions of dollars each year, and you didn't have to do ######, but they kept on giving you these millions of dollars... vicious cycle.

[parrot 789]

And as I asked in my OP...what the fock was so great about Jamarcus?? How did he ever look like a solid pick at 1.1?

 

Great size, good mobility, incredible arm strength, all the things you can't really teach. His wonderlic score wasn't horrible. He had a good completion rate in college in very good football conference. At the very worst he should have been another Daunte Culpepper. Where he comes up short is in the areas that are a little less quantifiable, like work ethic.

[surferskin 30]

I have Clausen rated much higher than Bradford, as I believe Bradford will be a massive bust. Clausen may have been a punk in the past, but he showed improvement in his maturity over the three years he was at Notre Dame.

 

To answer the OP's question... really? really?!

 

McCoy is a shat NFL prospect who has a weak arm, and was from everything I can see a system QB. He rarely read the secondary, most of his runs were scripted not improvising, he never took a snap out of center, mostly threw at receivers standing still and wide open, didn't have to make half of the NFL throws in that system neither... he could be a good fit in Denver maybe, but his upside is pretty much Orton... lol.

 

I'm not going to go into Tebow too much as his negatives have already greatly been discussed. How often does someone whose main positives are leadership abilities/charisma/hard working/get 'er done mentality ever translate to pro sports, let alone the QB. I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole... is he going to be the Mark Madsen/Eduardo Najera of the NFL?

 

More importantly, has a spread system QB in the CF ever made it to the pro bowl in the NFL? Ever?

 

Apparently JaMarcus is the anti-Tebow... all the physical tools in the world, but once he got that bonus... man, football was/is the last thing on his mind. That should of been pretty clearly red flagged in the interviews, but I remember at the time that the Raiders didn't really get laughed at for making that pick.

 

You do also have to realize that JaMarcus was pretty much from a physical standpoint a scout's wet dream at the QB position. He also had good college production in a respectable conference.

I hadn't ever read that McCoy has a weak arm. Maybe he doesn't have the big prototype NFL arm but it's not like he's Chad Pennington. More of a Jake Plummer type.

[surferskin 30]

Great size, good mobility, incredible arm strength, all the things you can't really teach. His wonderlic score wasn't horrible. He had a good completion rate in college in very good football conference. At the very worst he should have been another Daunte Culpepper. Where he comes up short is in the areas that are a little less quantifiable, like work ethic.

Tebow is just as accurate, more mobile and has a good arm...not quite as big as Russells but still a strong arm. And he's a second rounded and Russell was 1.1.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

I hadn't ever read that McCoy has a weak arm. Maybe he doesn't have the big prototype NFL arm but it's not like he's Chad Pennington. More of a Jake Plummer type.

 

this is my Jets homer kicking in but I hate when people default to Pennington as the poster boy for weak armed QB's. Not many realize he had a fine arm until all those injuries. Not a cannon, obviously, but I would have describe him just as you are describing McCoy here.

[Chronic Husker 85]

Last night on ESPN, they said that McCoy stuggles with zip on intermediate passes and isn't very strong on the deep out/deep in patterns.

 

I know that in the NFL the deep out has been a major factor over the past in judging a QBs arm strength. Knowing that, it wouldn't surprise me to see McCoy drop to the 3rd round (despite all the hype of his workout).

[Gepetto 988]

Not sure why McCoy or Tebow should be drafted at all.

 

As for Sam Bradford, I don't quite get all the love. Claussen looks better throwing the ball and is very mobile and has all those comeback wins too.

[Doozer 0]

Tebow is just as accurate, more mobile and has a good arm...not quite as big as Russells but still a strong arm. And he's a second rounded and Russell was 1.1.

It is night and day comparing Russell's arm to Tebow's, not just "not quite as big." Russell was also 6' 6" about 260, and every bit as athletic/mobile as Tebow... he just didn't play in a spread option offense... which btw is another plus for Russell, and minus for Tebow. Russell also didn't have a godawful throwing motion/footwork... Russell also completed 68% of his passes his last year, not in a spread option offense.

 

The only serious knocks on him that I remember are throwing the ball into too tight of a space, getting a bit flustered by pressure, and questioning his leadership... obviously pre-draft the red flags about his work ethic weren't much of a concern...

 

Foresight is fantastic when talking about the draft, I don't even know why I'm debating the differences between Russell/Tebow as they're so enormously obvious... damn I'm bored.

[FeelingMN 273]

Clausen may have been a punk in the past, but he showed improvement in his maturity over the three years he was at Notre Dame.

 

Maybe I'm getting him confused with some other ND QB who played with a black eye he received from getting socked outside a bar.

 

 

I'm from the South Bend area. Lots of friends and family in that area still......word is he's a punk. Maybe he changes his tune in the NFL, but if I'm handing some kid tens of millions of dollars and expecting him to be the face of my franchise, I'd feel a bit more comfortable doing it if he hadn't been in an after hours fight in the past 5 months.

[LOD01 191]

Field vision, ability to read a defense and quick release. Arm strength would be in there also but JaNigamus shows that it doesn't mean jack ###### if you have none of the other 3.

[yostevo 0]

Intelligence and accuracy wins a lot of games in the NFL.

[FeelingMN 273]

- Ability to make all the NFL throws

- Accurate

- Played in important games....played in the spotlight

- Won as a starter

- Makes good decisions

- Intelligent...well spoken

[JT 137]

Archie and Olivia Manning

[MDC 5,895]

It's not an exact science, but a few of the things you look at:

 

1. Arm strength - the QB has to be able to make all the throws.

2. Accuracy - A quarterback who can't complete 60%+ of his throws in college almost certainly won't do that in the pros.

3. Pro-style offense. Scouts are going to downgrade QBs in gimmick offenses, esp. if they don't take snaps under center.

4. Mechanics. They're looking at the dropback and throwing motion to see if it resembles a pro style QB.

5. Body type. Scouts are going to favor QB prospects who look the part - i.e. 6'5, solidly built.

6. Attitude and work ethic - nuff said.

7. Performance in big games and versus top competition.

 

It is far from a fine science. I remember many scouts questioning whether Carson Palmer would make it in the NFL and obviously he did. I also remember back when Ryan Leaf was a "can't miss" prospect who'd be making Pro Bowls for years - we all know how that turned out.

 

Assuming a QB has all the physical tools, the next step is to look at the intangibles - the attitude, work ethic and desire to be great. That's why a guy like Russell will always be a dog. He got his big paycheck and frankly doesn't care. Once you get past the physical and mental aspect though, the next big factor is the one the scouts can't really quantify: Where does the QB get drafted?

 

If a rookie QB goes to a team with no running game and/or a bad offensive line, he'll struggle. If he goes to a team that fires the coach and institutes a new offensive staff every few years, he'll struggle. If he goes to a team that's often playing from behind because of a porous defense, he'll struggle.

 

The big Catch-22 to drafting QBs early is that teams that have some pieces in place - like the Ravens, who had some players on defense and could run the ball - are more likely to coach a QB up. On the other hand, it doesn't really matter who the Redskins drafted the past few years because they end up firing the entire offensive staff every few seasons. I don't know that Jason Campbell would ever be a quality QB, but he'd be a hell of a lot better if he wasn't playing under his 4th or 5th head coach already. The shame of it is, once a QB develops bad habits early in his career it's really rare for him to become a player later on. One reason why rookie QBs probably shouldn't start and horrible teams probably shouldn't bother drafting QBs in the Top 5.

[kmbryant09 1]

Great size, good mobility, incredible arm strength, all the things you can't really teach. His wonderlic score wasn't horrible. He had a good completion rate in college in very good football conference. At the very worst he should have been another Daunte Culpepper. Where he comes up short is in the areas that are a little less quantifiable, like work ethic.

I think that's the point of the article. Everyone is so bent on those "intangibles" or "things you can't teach" - and they failed to see that you couldn't teach J. Russel anything. He looks lost, confused, out of place, and fat. So he could throw the ball 70 yards coming out of college, how often is he asked to do that in an NFL game? The things I'd be looking at

-reading defenses

-how quickly they react to those defense and if they make the right decisions or not

-work ethic

-leadership ability

-size and arm strength

 

Probably in that order.

[Cstriker 2]

taking it on the chin and getting back up

[madd futher mucker 36]

From a conversation former Ravens and Browns scout Daniel Jeremiah had at the Senior Bowl with Matt Waldman - Matt's words:

 

"He (Jeremiah) said poise is his most important factor that he looks at with a QB. It's a very general statement, but I believe if you apply it to quarterbacking skills, you look at how much a quarterback can do between the time he lines up under center and releases the ball. I know that sounds all too obvious on the surface, because it encompasses everything he should do as a passer (the ten points in no particular order of signifigance) are:

 

1-Reading the defense pre-snap

2-Adjusting the play based on the read

3-The exchange

4-The drop

5-Any play fakes during the drop

6-Scanning the field during the drop, and if you're really advanced, what order you scan the field to throw off your competition and open a passing lane

7-The set up

8-The ability to sense pressure and react to it without losing your set up to throw the ball quickly

9-The ability to change your decision quickly with your down field read.

10-The release

 

Notice that none of that has to do with accuracy, distance, or velocity of the throw. These three things...are baseline skills that all serious NFL QB prospects should have "enough" of. However, the more of the above 10 things that a QB can do on a consistent basis before he throws the ball, odds are he has the poise and preparation to be a successful player once he adjusts to the speed and complexity of the NFL game. "

 

My comment: All of these can be observed from plenty of film study.

 

_________

 

In addition, here are four solid rules for drafting a QB - If you can hit three of the four, (as well as observe most of the criteria described above, I think you can significantly increase the odds of drafting a 'Franchise QB":

1. He must be a senior, because you need time and maturity to develop into a good professional quarterback.

2. He must be a graduate, because you want someone who takes his responsibilities seriously.

3. He must be a three-year starter, because you need to make sure his success wasn’t ephemeral and that he has lived as “the guy” for some period of time.

4. He must have at least 23 wins, because the big passing numbers must come in the context of winning games.

BTW: Of the seven quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl in the 2000s, five -- Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Trent Dilfer -- met all four requirements when drafted.

 

_________

 

Bill Parcells has "11 Commandments" for his own QBs - 'legend' has it that he gave this list to Tony Romo when both were in Dallas - which I think speak to the "cerebral" aspects more than the physical attributes:

1. Ignore other opinions – Press or TV, agents or advisors, family or wives, friends or relatives, fans or hangers on – ignore them on matters of football, they don’t know what’s happening here.

2. Clowns can’t run a huddle – don’t forget to have fun but don’t be the class clown. Clowns and leaders don’t mix. Clowns can’t run a huddle.

3. Fat QBs can’t avoid the rush EDIT: LOL- Jamarcus Russell – A quarterback throws with his legs more than his arm. Squat and run.

4. Know your job cold – this is not a game without errors. Keep yours to a minimum. Study.

5. Know your own players – Who’s fast? Who can catch? Who needs encouragement? Be precise. Know your opponent.

6. Be the same guy every day – in condition. Preparing to lead. Studying your plan. A coach can’t prepare you for every eventuality. Prepare yourself and remember, impulse decisions usually equal mistakes.

7. Throwing the ball away is a good play – sacks, interceptions and fumbles are bad plays. Protect against those.

8. Learn to manage the game – personnel, play call, motions, ball handling, proper reads, accurate throws, play fakes. Clock. Clock. Clock. Don’t you ever lose track of the clock.

9. Get your team in the end zone – passing stats and TD passes are not how you’re going to be judged. Your job is to get your team in the end zone and that is how you will be judged.

10. Don’t panic – when all around you is in chaos, you must be the hand that steers the ship. If you have a panic button so will everyone else. Our ship can’t have a panic button.

11. Don’t be a celebrity QB – we don’t need any of those. We need battlefield commanders that are willing to fight it out, every day, every week and every season and lead their team to win after win after win.

 

BTW: From last year's class I loved Stafford and Freeman. I haven't studied the QBs very much this year (not enough to have a strong opinion on either Claussen or Bradford - and fortunately i have no interest in drafting either one in a rookie draft, but I DO like Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour. IMO he's definitely worth a 3rd round pick in rookie dynasty drafts, given he gets in the right situation.

 

Regarding Russell, I have good reason to believe that EVERYONE within the Raider organization except for one octagenarian owner believed that Russell would prove to be the "bust" he has become.

[itsbigmoni 1]

oof. based on this thinking, you would have also drafted Jamarcus.

more and more, im starting to focus on the mental side. obviously you want a guy who can make NFL throws but lately, alot of the difference seems to lie in their personalities, work ethics and intelligence. Guys like Jamarcus and Quinn don't seem to have it. Flacco and Ryan have it.

 

I don't see why you say that about Quinn. He showed up in the best shape out of any recent qb in memory. I don't think anyone has ever questioned his work ethic.

 

I think judging a qb is just way too difficult. I'm from fresno and i watched david carr a lot. I had no doubt in my mind he would be a good/great QB in the nfl. His accuracy on deep throws (him and berrian and an amazing connection) was great, Fresno state runs a pro style offense, he had prototypical size, had good accuracy, he had all the tools. His senior year he had 46 tds and only 9 picks.

 

I don't know how he didn't pan out.

 

I think the team that drafts you has a lot to do with it. I agree with the poster who said russel probably would have been better on a different team.

 

One thing i have noticed and would recommend to any team is to make the qb sit behind a veteran for a year or two. It seems like high draft picks who sit for a few years do end up more successful. Not just high draft picks, but qb's period. Hasselbeck, Palmer, Brady, Schaub, Romo, Rodgers, Rivers, all sat for a year or more. There are very few quarterbacks who came in and tore it up from the start. Manning, Flaaco, Ryan, big ben are the only ones who i can think off the top of my head.

 

If i was a team looking into drafting a qb in the early rounds i would sign a veteran qb and make the draft pick sit for at least a year.

[RoadLizard 73]

Good thread. Ive been wondering what the hell criteria they use since there are so many busts. It seems that the first thing they SHOULD do is ignore QBs that run first since they tend to be lousy NFL quarterbacks. They should also determine the type of offense they ran(which other posters have mentioned). If the QB ran some chicken-a$$ college offense with 4 RBs, all shotgun, or whatever then they should scratch that guy from the list or at least move them way down the list.

 

As for what they should NOT put too much stock in: Arm strength. Yep, being able to chuck the ball 100 yards in the air is akin to a WR with speed and no hands. Its a worthless gauge of QB ability. Many of the greats did NOT have rocket arms and they made out just fine. I wouldnt worry much about scrambling ability either. A smart, accurate QB doesnt need a long time to make reads so movement is not an issue. And, winning in college might seem important but college defenses are pure SH!T and offer little if any real resistsnce. So, winning games against against crap competition is meaningless.

 

Hopefully, we get better QB play in the NFL and teams smarten up. There is a lack of great QB play in the NFL these days as evident by the number of teams that "protect" their sh!tty quarterbacks with vanilla offenses and "scaredy-cat" gameplans.

[jgcrawfish 232]

Here's a big problem as I see it. I think Bradford is a true talent, a franchise QB in all definitions of the word...but...he may already be doomed to fail. There is a tremendous disadvantage being a highly drafted QB, mainly that the team you're going to play for likely sucks. For a QB to succeed in that kind of environment they must have two things: A work ethic beyond reproach AND a team with a gameplan for how they will improve. I don't doubt Bradford's ethic, but if the Rams are that kind of team going forward still remains to be seen. Roethlisberger was the 11th overall pick, but went to a team that was most likely significantly better than that record indicated. They had no intention of playing him until Maddox went down and when forced to, gave him the most dumbed down version of the playbook they could come up with. With a good running game and a killer defense, they alleviated the pressure he felt and let him learn. A record rookie season followed in terms of wins. But the bottom line wasn't that Ben was all that great a prospect, it was how the team handled him. Peyton Manning was taken by a horrible Colts team, but it was a team with a plan, and Manning's work ethic overcame a lot of the other hurdles. It's still amazing to me that the Colts were torn between Leaf and Manning, that's how obscure the intricacies of the "prospect" label are to determine.

[kutulu 1,551]

Dimples.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

I don't see why you say that about Quinn. He showed up in the best shape out of any recent qb in memory. I don't think anyone has ever questioned his work ethic.

 

I think judging a qb is just way too difficult. I'm from fresno and i watched david carr a lot. I had no doubt in my mind he would be a good/great QB in the nfl. His accuracy on deep throws (him and berrian and an amazing connection) was great, Fresno state runs a pro style offense, he had prototypical size, had good accuracy, he had all the tools. His senior year he had 46 tds and only 9 picks.

 

I don't know how he didn't pan out.

 

I think the team that drafts you has a lot to do with it. I agree with the poster who said russel probably would have been better on a different team.

 

One thing i have noticed and would recommend to any team is to make the qb sit behind a veteran for a year or two. It seems like high draft picks who sit for a few years do end up more successful. Not just high draft picks, but qb's period. Hasselbeck, Palmer, Brady, Schaub, Romo, Rodgers, Rivers, all sat for a year or more. There are very few quarterbacks who came in and tore it up from the start. Manning, Flaaco, Ryan, big ben are the only ones who i can think off the top of my head.

 

If i was a team looking into drafting a qb in the early rounds i would sign a veteran qb and make the draft pick sit for at least a year.

 

well with Quinn I was pointing more toward leadership, intelligence. We know he is a workout warrior.

 

Carr didn't make it because the Texans didn't protect him. You don't take that many sacks and become a success. One of the sad stories in my opinion.

[Raider 84 29]

Russell is due for a big year. At least for his wallet!

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

What should determine who is drafted as a first rounder?

 

Leadership, accuracy, ability to make the throws, work ethic.

 

 

Unfortunately, what does determine who makes a first rounder?

 

Size, arm, athleticism.

 

I don't know why the NFL refuses to recognize that the best NFL QB's (Brees, Manning, Brady, etc.) do it with their head, not their arm, and certainly not their legs.

Those guys beat you monday through saturday in the film room, not Sunday by having a supernatural cannon arm.

[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon 0]

Accuracy is being way undervalued here. Manning, Warner, Brees ... these guys could hit a small target from 40 yards. Montana, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Aikman were all the same way. Here are the top 20 passer ratings of all time. There are a couple of gunslingers - Farve, Culpepper, McNabb. But the other 17 are just accurate and have enough of an arm. Old school guys won't make this list because of changes in the game, but Unitas, Jurgenson, Morrell, Starr were all very accurate too.

 

Throw in good leadership, and you have a franchise QB.

 

 

Player Years Rating

1

Steve Young

1985-99

96.81

 

2

Peyton Manning

1998-present

94.72

 

3

Kurt Warner

1998-present

93.17

 

4

Tom Brady

2000-present

92.93

 

5

Joe Montana

1979-1994

92.26

 

6

Carson Palmer

2004-present

90.12

 

7

Daunte Culpepper

1999-present

89.95

 

8

Chad Pennington

2000-present

88.89

 

9

Marc Bulger

2002-present

88.08

 

10

Drew Brees

2001-present

87.94

 

11

Jeff Garcia

1999-present

87.24

 

12

Trent Green

1997-present

86.9

 

13

Dan Marino

1983-99

86.38

 

14

Matt Hasselbeck

1999-present

86.23

 

15

Donovan McNabb

1999-present

85.78

 

16

Brett Favre

1991-2007

85.7

 

17

Jake Delhomme

1999-present

85.23

 

18

Rich Gannon

1987-2004

84.71

 

19

Jim Kelly

1986-96

84.39

 

20

Mark Brunell

1994-2006

84.21