Let's Talk QBs in the 2014 Draft

[Keith]

Originally Posted by chuck

Yes, it's impossible for me to tell if Mariota is any good. It's annoying as hell.

Not only that, it's really doing a disservice to Mariota as far as his NFL career goes. Especially as I see the kid limping around, again. He has a nice arm and seems to have a great feel for the game. Hope his college coaches don't ruin him.

Mariota has stated he's returning to Oregon for another year, but kids change their minds. Maybe he will reconsider. Hope he does.

[chuck]

He has a big arm, that's about all I could tell.

[Keith]

Looking ahead, if Bill O'Brien is indeed hired as the Texans HC, then Blake Bortles really becomes a person of interest for us. Bortles and UCF beat O'Brien's PSU in September as Bortles was 20-27 for 288 yds and 3 TDs in the game. Bortles is a junior, so he'd need to declare.

Also... UCF's HC, George O'Leary, was once O'Brien's boss at Georgia Tech (and for a long time too... '95-'01). Gotta figure O'Brien came away impressed by Bortles watching him firsthand this year AND will get the straight scoop on Bortles from O'Leary if and when he asks for it.

UCF plays Baylor on 1/1 at 7:30p on ESPN.

[nunusguy]

Yea I also watched Mariota last night and with his speed, running ability and tall, long-limbed physique my immediate impression was Samoan Vince Young.
But the passing samples were just too limited to make an informed judgement of his passing abilities, though what we saw did point towards a strong arm.
But I wish he would come out, for more than any reason to enhance the value of our 1st overall.
There does seem to be more talk in the sports media this year about the upside of these players staying in college longer, especially the QBs. I too say BS,
a kid would be best advised to strike when the iron is hot.

[chuck]

The hype is wearying and it pains me to say it but I think that with some coaching and some maturity Manziel could be a very successful NFL quarterback.

I could see Manziel translating to the NFL much more clearly than I could Mariota.

[WMH]

Not surprising, but official.
@McMurphyESPN: Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater has decided to enter NFL Draft source told @ESPN

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

The hype is wearying and it pains me to say it but I think that with some coaching and some maturity Manziel could be a very successful NFL quarterback.

I could see Manziel translating to the NFL much more clearly than I could Mariota.

I agree. Of all the running guys in college football, he is miles ahead as a passer. He reminds me a lot of Russell Wilson if Russell Wilson was obnoxious off the field instead of a perfect team leader (and he is a little faster and probably more talented than Wilson).

[popanot]

Originally Posted by Keith

Looking ahead, if Bill O'Brien is indeed hired as the Texans HC, then Blake Bortles really becomes a person of interest for us. Bortles and UCF beat O'Brien's PSU in September as Bortles was 20-27 for 288 yds and 3 TDs in the game. Bortles is a junior, so he'd need to declare.

Also... UCF's HC, George O'Leary, was once O'Brien's boss at Georgia Tech (and for a long time too... '95-'01). Gotta figure O'Brien came away impressed by Bortles watching him firsthand this year AND will get the straight scoop on Bortles from O'Leary if and when he asks for it.

UCF plays Baylor on 1/1 at 7:30p on ESPN.

Bortles also seems to match the conventional Brady, Hackenberg-type of QB O'Brien has always had in his system. I will not be shocked to see Bortles leap frog the other guys before all is said and done.

[popanot]

I think Manziel is definitely on the radar now at #1 - and he should be. You just hope his game translates to the NFL and you hope he's more Russell Wilson than Doug Flutie, but without a doubt, there's something magical about his game. He makes plays and has the arm. He'd also pack the stadium in. Of course that shouldn't be the reason you draft him, but you know it has to be factored in within the Texans front office.

[Keith]

The thing that scares me about Manziel is the "magic" people bring up in his game. How he makes something of nothing, or out of a negative situation. I heard similar rhetoric about other college QBs (Keenum, VY) and it just never fully translated to the NFL game. So when evaluating Manziel or listening to other experts do it, remind yourselves that the NFL is a pocket passer's game over the long haul. Weigh the thoughts of what Manziel does in reading a D and making the throws with his very good arm. If Keenum has taught us anything, it's that performing magic on broken plays won't work ALL the time.

Shorter runners like Vick have had success in bursts, and I am sure there will be stretches where Manziel will wow us in the NFL. But the safe short guy bet is Brees because can do it out of the pocket and not rely on "magic". Wilson looks to be the next in his line.

I would not bet my 1.1 pick on Manziel unless you thought, minus all the "magic" plays, that he was still the best pocket passer in the draft. And I really, really doubt that a guy like O'Brien is going to put his eggs in the Manziel basket.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by Keith

The thing that scares me about Manziel is the "magic" people bring up in his game. How he makes something of nothing, or out of a negative situation. I heard similar rhetoric about other college QBs (Keenum, VY) and it just never fully translated to the NFL game. So when evaluating Manziel or listening to other experts do it, remind yourselves that the NFL is a pocket passer's game over the long haul. Weigh the thoughts of what Manziel does in reading a D and making the throws with his very good arm. If Keenum has taught us anything, it's that performing magic on broken plays won't work ALL the time.

Shorter runners like Vick have had success in bursts, and I am sure there will be stretches where Manziel will wow us in the NFL. But the safe short guy bet is Brees because can do it out of the pocket and not rely on "magic". Wilson looks to be the next in his line.

I would not bet my 1.1 pick on Manziel unless you thought, minus all the "magic" plays, that he was still the best pocket passer in the draft. And I really, really doubt that a guy like O'Brien is going to put his eggs in the Manziel basket.

Totally agree with this. He wouldn't be my pick at 1.1. I think he gets consideration, though.

Note: Bortles looking good and looking bad at times. Exactly what some of the scouting reports say about him.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

The thing that scares me about Manziel is the "magic" people bring up in his game. How he makes something of nothing, or out of a negative situation. I heard similar rhetoric about other college QBs (Keenum, VY) and it just never fully translated to the NFL game. So when evaluating Manziel or listening to other experts do it, remind yourselves that the NFL is a pocket passer's game over the long haul. Weigh the thoughts of what Manziel does in reading a D and making the throws with his very good arm. If Keenum has taught us anything, it's that performing magic on broken plays won't work ALL the time.

Shorter runners like Vick have had success in bursts, and I am sure there will be stretches where Manziel will wow us in the NFL. But the safe short guy bet is Brees because can do it out of the pocket and not rely on "magic". Wilson looks to be the next in his line.

I would not bet my 1.1 pick on Manziel unless you thought, minus all the "magic" plays, that he was still the best pocket passer in the draft. And I really, really doubt that a guy like O'Brien is going to put his eggs in the Manziel basket.

Plenty of guys in the NFL make "magic" plays consistently. Rothleisberger has made a career out of it. Rodgers just took his team to the playoffs on a magic play, and he does it regularly. Andrew Luck is getting annoyingly good at it too.

The big difference from the college to NFL is that in the NFL, 90% of those magic plays involve a QB escaping or staying alive in the pocket, and then completing a pass downfield. They rarely involve a QB escaping and then running. I have no idea which best describes Manziel as I've watched less than 2 games worth of him combined (never more than a quarter or so at a time).

The other difference is you cannot build an NFL offense on off-schedule plays. You have to be good enough on the normal plays (just like you are saying Keith), or it won't matter how good you are on the special plays. That was obviously Keenum's problem. He made the off schedule plays but couldn't make the normal ones that keep an NFL offense moving while you wait for big plays.