ESPN Say's Newton To Enter Draft

I think Blaine Gabbert is going to be a bust. (Partly because my brother has convinced me that nobody named Blaine Gabbert can possibly be an NFL star.)

I think Cam Newton is a wild card, but most likely will have a solid career. He will get eaten alive in the playoffs the few times he happens to take his team into the postseason.

I think Mallet is a total wild card as well. He might put up some big numbers at the next level, but he has no chance to be an NFL champion. He will have even less success in the postseason than Newton if he ever makes it there.

I think Locker is risky too, but is the least risky of the four. He also has the most upside by far.

Don't forget Jake Locker is faster than Cam Newton and he has the same caliber arm if not bigger. He is the true physical freak of this draft.

The reasons for me will always be tape.

I call it the Brady Quinn/Tom Brady comparison. After calling on this board that Brady Quinn would be a straight up bust I figured I should compare every big tool top rated QB to the way Brady Quinn spoke with his play on the field in college.

After saying on this board many times that Tom Brady is the best football player I have ever seen I also like to compare the college studs to the man who almost never loses in the NFL.

The less you play like Brady Quinn.....the more I like you.

The more you play like Tom Brady.....the more I like you.

Doesn't matter what style you play. It's all about fluid motion and anticipation as certain type of plays unfold.

These types of plays don't happen on the college gridiron as much as you might think. You have to look for them.

One of the big examples of what I am talking about here is QB's that target covered receivers. Where do they throw the ball and why? Watch every one of those plays over and over when evaluating the jump to the next level.

Locker's play in college shows me that he is the only one of these four QB's who already understands the language NFL QB's need to master.

It was more obvious with Sam Bradford who I loved on this board last year well before the combine and pro days because that guy is freakishly accurate and a beautiful football player, but I see the same NFL nuance in Lockers game.

If he can improve his accuracy he will be an elite NFL QB.

That's my call on the top four QB's.

PS - I hate stats(sorry GTripp) especially college QB stats. With one exception and that is accuracy stats. Yes I know Lockers accuracy is a question mark, but I think he will be an exception to the rule.

Yeah Dirtbag, there have been many many stories about Mallet and his off-field activities. Not worth taking the chance in my opinion

The two main factors in QB success at the pro level are grasping the mental aspects such as preparation/reading defenses and accuracy. Locker has the first part but that accuracy part just reminds me way to much of McNabb. Maybe it's just that his mechanics are off and he'll be more willing to work on them then McNabb was but it just seems like another guy that won't be able to hit receivers even when he has time.

It's getting to the point where Mallet and Ponder are the only two rookie QB's that I have any interest in seeing us draft. Maybe Gabbert but he seems to pedestrian (read: average). Some like Dalton but I think we already have a guy like Dalton on our roster with Beck. Sure Becks pushing 30, but I would much rather use the pick we would use on Dalton for someone that can play in the trenches and experiment with Beck if it came down to that.

Also I'd like to take this time to remind everyone that I was told time and time again that this was going to be an amazing QB class and that last years group was terrible. So much for projections.

Here's a quick rundown of how I currently view the top QB's in this class:

Gabbert - Spread QB that couldn't come close to the numbers put up by UDFA Chase Daniels. Seems to have all the physical tools and a good head on his shoulders so he seems like he could succeed in the right situation. Still lack of big numbers in a spread system is a concern for me.

+ Physical tools, Football IQ, Coachable
- Spread QB, Lack of huge numbers in Spread System, Junior QB


Newton - Was willing to overlook the Spread QB label until the "icon and entertainer" line. Seems his motivation for money (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) heavily outweighs his love of the game. He has all the physical tools but I don't trust him to prepare nearly as much as he should once he gets paid. Plus he doesn't have the ideal background when you're look for a QB in the draft, which again I was willing to overlook until his recent declaration. The main thing teams need to find out is if he's Big Ben or Vince Young.

+ Amazing Physical Tools, History of success despite numerous off field distractions, Said to be coachable
- Maturity, Spread QB, Might be more concerned with Payday and Celebrity status then he is with being a Franchise QB, Junior QB

Mallet - Criticism of him seems to be unclear, weather , his main problem is leadership or intelligence. Scouts seem to be all over the map on these two factors. I personally see a Matt Schuab clone where his only real weakness is a lack of mobility. Was able to improve his accuracy enough where he should seriously be considered. My main concern is he came out a year early which seems to work against QB's at the next level.

+ Size, Arm Strength, Experience in Pro System, Firery Personallity, Improved Accuracy
- Junior QB, Petrino QB, Wasn't accurate until this past year.

Locker

+ Mobility, Arm Strength, Pro System Experience with lots of play action and bootlegs, leadership, Smart, Senior QB
- Accuracy (never over 60% on the year), Injury concerns due to playing style, Recent Regression

Ponder

+Great Intangibles (graduated in something around 2.5 years. Also considered a great leader), Pro Style System, Very Accurate when healthy still 60%+ when not, Mobile, Senior QB
- Health Problems, Arm Strength only good enough, Lack of success at the collegiate level.



My sig says it all

Good breakdown Dirtbag, but I dont see anything there Im falling in love with at the 10th pick...still. I dont get with all our needs reaching for any of these guys at 10. With the second round pick, sure. No way at 10. Either move down in the first and grab one of these or wait til the second.

I'm looking for........Cam Tebow...

Who cares if Cam wants to be a cultural Icon. Judge a man by his actions, not the puffs of air that escapes his orifice. I remember Deion Sanders use to say much worse coming out of college, and look how that turned out. I really hope that effects his draft status, I was looking forward to any and all negative stories about him in hopes that he falls to # 10.

Who cares if Cam wants to be a cultural Icon. Judge a man by his actions, not the puffs of air that escapes his orifice. I remember Deion Sanders use to say much worse coming out of college, and look how that turned out. I really hope that effects his draft status, I was looking forward to any and all negative stories about him in hopes that he falls to # 10.

The Quarterback position is a completely different animal. Deion was just a corner, and while you can't just get by on raw athletic ability playing Corner or other positions, it still pales in comparison to the physical and mental requirements expected of a Quarterback. QB's at the very least need to have an idea of what all 22 players are doing. Protections, routes, defensive line stunts, linebacker blitzes and coverages, secondary protection schemes, audibles, even the damn play clock is the QB's responsibility. Corners need to know run or pass, "do I have safety help", and how do I cover my man/zone.

In conclusion if Newton isn't 100% committed to playing football, and more interested in being a celebrity with a nice pay check then he could easily become a bust. He already put his college career at risk asking for 6 figures from boosters. That is why the comment has become a huge red flag as it reveals possible ulterior motives.

His raw physical talent is going to take him only so far. If he doesn't learn how to read and beat coverages at the next level he'll be toast. Defenders won't be scared to chase him down when they realize that letting him throw isn't much of a risk.

Maybe myself and everyone else are making a big deal out of nothing and the comment is nothing but it still makes me worry. Most Rookie QB's are talking about learning NFL defenses and adjusting to the speed of the game. Newton on the other hand is talking about it took him one year to dominate the collegiate game.

---------------------------
On a slightly different subject, I have new peanut gallery notes on Locker and Gabbert.

In watching Locker recently there were a few more specific things that bothered me. For starters he looks to run an awful lot when things break down. Ideally you'd want a guy that would use that mobility to reposition himself and find someone downfield while picking up a first down or two with their feet. But very rarely am I seeing Locker look down the field for other options. In fact he rarely seems to look down field to begin with opting for mostly short passes (all the more reason to be worried over his subpar completion percentage). Had trouble noticing if he was looking for separate options on the other side of the field

Gabbert on the other hand surprised me. On the field he was the exact opposite of my concerns with Locker. While not as mobile Gabbert is certainly capable of moving about. And not only does he move around but when he can he takes a moment to reposition his feet. He's also not afraid to take shots downfield and is confident in his arm. Most impressive part of his game might have been his ability to look off coverage and find second and third options.

The Performance itself is not all to impressive. However while watching Gabbert it's easy to catch the little things he's incorporated into his game. Remember to look for readjusting after scrambles, willingness to take shots downfield, and the ability to look off defenders. Still can't get over the fact that his numbers, while respectable, are no where near Chase Daniel.
Q5nGYHLeB2g

Locker on the other hand reminds me of a kid playing with a Mobile QB on all Madden. All to frequently he seems to zone in one guy and rarely looks downfield opting for throwing short to mid range passes when he's not scrambling for yards. Maybe his supporting cast was just that bad but Steve Sarkisian is a respected offensive mind so it's not like he was in some po dunk SEC 3 yards and a cloud of dust Wing T system.
syqhmUW3vIM

Disrergard.

2011 NFL Mock Draft: Complete 1st Round With Pick-By-Pick Analysis | Bleacher Report (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/618860-2011-nfl-mock-draft-complete-1st-round-with-pick-by-pick-analysis)