Would you be ok with...

Locker also doesn't seem like someone that'll get butt-hurt if things aren't going as planned. He leaves it all on the field because he loves the game.

It could go either way. On one hand you could say that he played in a pro style system and has an NFL ready arm.

On the other hand you could say that his pro style system has failed to prepare any QB for the NFL level, his decision making is suspect, and he doesn't have the mobility to escape the rush.

He'll have to sit for a year or two if for no other reason then to know where everyone is so his inability to avoid the rush doesn't become a liability.

QB's that are NFL ready usually have some sort of mobility or pocket presence that allows them to buy extra time as they learn to read NFL defenses. Matt Ryan, Big Ben, Flacco, Marino, and Freeman all had at the very least decent mobility. And yes Flacco and Ryan both have decent mobility. Mallet has minimal. Short of being protected by the Jets line he'll be a major liability his first year.

In my mind he's a project.




Personally, for better or worse, I feel that Mike Vick is a better comparison. Ryan Mallett has a world class arm. He's extremely accurate with the football. He's proven that he can go through his progressions and make a good decision on a consistent basis. It's obvious that you haven't seen Mallett play because if you did you would know that he's pretty good at avoiding pressure and making big throws. He's play against the best competition and put up big numbers against them. How is this guy a project? Is it because he's not mobile? If so, that's probably one of the most idiotic statements that I've read on here so far. The qbs you named aren't elite qbs even though Big Ben got two rings. However, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Rivers, and Matt Shaub are all very successful and neither one of them are mobile qbs.

I would argue that Shuler also was a great athlete and had a great arm. Those two qualities alone do not make for NFL success, as Shuler sadly showed.

True but I just don't see shuler as the same level of athlete but again that doesn't make a good QB. I like jakes toughness and will to win, Heath didn't have that on the football field IMO .

Ironically I never labled Flacco, Ryan, and Ben as elite QB's. What I did say was that they were QB's that were able to contribute right away. They weren't projects. However it's certainly not difficult to make a case for them considering the fact that all three posted 90+ ratings this past year.

Anyway the link between Ryan, Ben, Marino and Flacco was good enough mobility that allowed them to buy an extra second or two in the pocket. Thereby creating a push against their inexperience in reading NFL defensive coverage. I can't think of any pure pocket passer that experienced anywhere near the level of success achieved by the four I mentioned during their rookie season.

Here's more detail on why Mallet qualifies as a project:

- His pro style system has failed to produce one even mediocre QB at the NFL level. In fact the most promising prospect to come through the NFL ranks was cut during training camp (see Brian Brohm, Chris Redman, Stefen LeFors, Dave Ragone).

- Fine he played in an elite conference. It was suppose to help good old Eli take the NFL by storm (that storm took 4 regular seasons to develop) as well as our very own Campbell. Stafford is promising but he certainly didn't post great numbers right away.

- Also if we take away the 3 games where he got to play with a vaunted SEC team against the children of the poor (Tenn Tech, Lou-Monroe, UTEP) his numbers go down from 32 TD passes and 12 Ints to 21 TD passes and 10 ints.

His completion percentage also drops to 62%. Which while accurate doesn't qualify him as extremely accurate. Especially when compared to the 55% and 43% (yes 43%) he posted the previous two years.

- He doesn't have nearly enough mobility to compensate for his lack of knowledge in regards to NFL speed and coverage schemes. So unless he gets the line that protects Brady or the one that protects Sanchez he will see the same level of pressure that he saw against Ohio State.

And the saddest thing about all this is I don't even hate Mallet. In fact I'm intrigued by him as a QB prospect. I don't know if he's right for our system but if our team drafts him I'll surely know the answer. However the only chance he has to develop ahead of the curve is a great O-line. And very few teams have that.

PS - I'll have you know I watched him against UGA, Auburn, Alabama, and Ohio State from start to finish. So please don't play the "you've never watched him play" card.

I assume that our new cheer would go something like "Suck Skins Suck!". I dunno, it just doesn't feel right to me. I'm hoping that there's some other way to build a winner.

It doesn't feel right to me either but I just feel in todays NFL you have to have a top tier QB.

I have no problem with the Skins not taking a QB in this draft.

True but I just don't see shuler as the same level of athlete but again that doesn't make a good QB. I like jakes toughness and will to win, Heath didn't have that on the football field IMO .

Shuler has toughness and the will to win at the ballot box. :cheeky-sm

It doesn't feel right to me either but I just feel in todays NFL you have to have a top tier QB.

You also need a good all around team. We have many needs beyond QB.

Absolutely I'd be okay with it.

It's no secret, if you don't like a quarterback enough that you have to draft him past round 1, he's clearly not good enough.

If Shanahan likes Locker or Mallett or who the hell knows, they'll be taken at #10. Anything past that and there's obviously too much doubt or optimism.

I agree for the most part but that doesn't mean you don't draft a QB late. Our team is starving for a young QB and the Shannys know that.

If I have it my way, we'll pick Pat Devlin late!