MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Year of the QB-- NFL Draft Thread 11

Tebow is not, in my opinion, as physically gifted as Newton. But he was a first round pick, and his rookie year didn't make him a failure, just a typical struggling rookie for a bad team who showed flashes of promise. So the jury's out on him, too.

 

Vinny Testaverde is No. 7 in NFL history in passing yards. The next-highest Heisman Trophy winner on the list is Jim Plunkett at No. 55.

Roger Staubach is No. 74 and Carson Palmer is No. 75. Those are the only Heisman winners in the Top 125.

Doug Flutie is No. 127. The next-highest after Flutie is Steve Spurrier at No. 203.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_career.htm?redir

 

Jack Mildren/ Rex Kern/ Rick Mirer/ Ron Powlus/ Tom Clements/ James Street/ Richard Todd/ Todd Blackledge just to add few random names.

 

Can't get this type of insight just anywhere, folks.

 

Poorly phrased, that. The idea is the need for a QB outweighs the obvious risks of picking a bust by a wide margin.

 

Bart Starr I think threw about 10 touchdown passes his entire career at Alabama. They went 0-10 his senior year. He was a 17th-round draft pick.

 

It is the type of insight that Suzyn Waldman provides for baseball.

"When you have 2 strikes you have to look at the pitches closely"

 

I'm told it helps on the other strikes, too.

 

Michael, I disagree on your notion that Newton wasn't being given credit for what he does bring to the table.

He's big. He's pretty fast for someone that big. He can throw the ball. He led a Southeastern Conference team to an unbeaten season and a national championship.

I don't think anyone is ignoring these strengths and positives. But similar to Tim Tebow, who was a questionable talent in the first round, Newton is questionable as a No. 1 overall pick (and sure ... if we digress enough, everything and everyone is questionable, though I don't think we'd be hammering this point into the ground if Andrew Luck were being discussed). All those positives don't add up to a can't-miss pick. And the fact that we're hearing no scuttlebutt out of Charlotte about Marty Hurney pondering trade options for the top pick like we usually hear during other draft sessions makes things all the more suspicious and raises that many more questions.

Given what (little) I know and factoring in the team's needs and current league situation, I'd go with Patrick Peterson as the pick.

The Panthers could use another cornerback because Chris Gamble, despite getting shutdown money, hasn't played like a shutdown corner. The other CB, Richard Marshall, seems to want out. The team now has a new coach, who will bring in a new system, one that cannot be taught to players who cannot have contact with the organization.

To boot, he could be the best player on the board - some would say so, others would label putting a CB at No. 1 a colossal blunder - and cornerback is such an instinctive position that a great natural in a primarily man-to-man defense won't need as many reps and as much playbook work as most other positions.

Plus, they still have Jimmy Clausen, who got no preseason reps, then got thrown to the wolves after the fact and after it was too late. That's not Ron Rivera's fault, of course, but that is the situation.

 

Picking Peterson would certainly address a Panther problem. Picking anyone but a punter would do that. Peterson was one of the players I'd sure trade up to pick were I a GM. He's good. But as you noted, if it was rumored Peterson was Hurley's choice, there would be arguments about that being a good idea, too.
There's almost always a big argument about the number one pick. About the last one I remember everybody saying, "yeah, that's a good idea" was O. J. Simpson. Even Elway was controversial, because he wouldn't play for the Colts, even though that proved he was smart enough to be an NFL QB.

 

If someone wanted the pick that badly and had the pieces to offer Marty Hurney, I would think he would listen.

Problem is, who would it be? How far would the Panthers have to fall before getting a selection? (keep in mind the Pats have the Panthers' second-round pick, No. 33, because Hurney was in a hurry to get Armanti Edwards from Appalachian State last year in the third round ... they'd like to recoup that for starters) Who might be there at that spot?

I know the Panthers will at least listen to reasonable scenarios. They did the year Patrick Willis came off the board the pick before theirs. Hurney dealt the pick to the Jets, who got Darrelle Revis. Carolina got Jon Beason. Both teams were probably pretty pleased.

 

Perhaps. The position is the toughest to fill, and the least forgiving when a bad pick is made.

Not sure the margin is that wide, but the point is well-taken.