Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith
Yes, but this is why I've really grown to hate this period between the bowl games and the draft. For most BCS-division level players, there is little that should change during this time that cannot be learned by simply watching film from... ya know... the games themselves.
This scouting hype machine just provides unlimited distractions and over-analysis. We didn't need a combine to know how tall Bortles is or a pro day to hear Manziel yell BOOM everytime he hit a wide open teammate in shorts.
I happen to still be a Teddy guy, but even if I were a Manziel guy, a Bortles guy, a whoever guy, it would be based on what I saw on the field, with pads, in the face of a defense, at game speed. Anything else is a distortion, an extrapolation, and of course... a projection.
As for SEC defenses... did it help JaMarcus Russell? Did anyone care that Andrew Luck played PAC defenses? Everyone is wide open in college. EVERYONE.
Find me a SMART quarterback who actually improves under pressure using his ARM, not just his legs. Legs get old before the arm does. Arm strength is overrated. Not as many 40+ yard passes in the NFL are attempted as some of you or the deceased Al Davis would like to think. The NFL is won in the short passing game in the face of a blitz. I want the Texans to find THAT quarterback.
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I'm with you on leaning heavily on the games themselves. And no one played better in the actual games than Manziel. He was a one-man wrecking crew against some of the best defenses in football. And the notion that he did it primarily with his legs is completely misplaced. During the actual games, he threw for more yards, averaged more yards per attempt, threw for more touchdowns, took less sacks, and had a higher passer rating than Bridgewater (although he did throw more picks and his completion percentage was 1% lower - 71% to 70%). And no one played better when the pressure was on than Manziel. The guy relishes playing in big games and routinely did it with his arm. Just because ESPN generally runs his running highlights doesn't mean the throws weren't there.