Let's Talk 2016 NFL Draft Quarterbacks

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Roy P

My observation is that high school spread offense has bubbled up to the NCAAA. Eventually the NFL has to adapt and realize that the talent pool is geared towards those types of athletes. You either adapt and evolve or you die. Instead of being stubborn, embrace the skills that are presented and get ahead of the curve. Mariota looked serviceable. Kapernick and even Vince Young looked productive when the offense was tailored

In HS 90% of the talent is on offense. That's where you put your athletes. So the spread allows for a team to put athletes in space against over matched defenders. It is wildly successful. Plus every Head Coach is an offensive guy, and the defensive guys are levels below schematically. Tons of HS offensive coaches are getting college jobs these days. No HS defensive guys are. I coached on the HS level and it is obvious where the coaching and athletic talent is (Katy HS is the exception, and they ate the best spread offenses for breakfast this season with most of their talent and all of their coaching invested on the defensive side).

In college the talent is closer to 50/50, but the QBs are still faster and sometimes bigger than almost everyone trying to tackle them. It still works, but the very best teams slow it down.

In the NFL, %90 of the athletic talent is on the defense. Putting a guy one on one in space usually results in a tackle. The best defensive coaches are all in the NFL, while many of the best offensive minds are not. Put it altogether, and the spread doesn't work in the same ways on the NFL level. On the NFL level you are dead in the water if you can't manipulate the opposing team's personnel. The spread doesn't do that well. Plus in HS and College you replace your QB every 1-3 years. Injury is not as big a concern. In the NFL you want to keep a good QB 10 years so you can't expose him to the same amount of hits.

The best NFL offenses already incorporate the best parts of the spreads and mix them with the best parts of Pro Style offenses. I doubt you ever see an NFL team run a HS style spread and win big.