I would agree with this. I don’t see much difference between Stafford and his predecessor at UGA, David Greene, who was a 3rd-round pick. Frankly, IMO, both [Stafford and Sanchez] are benefiting from a weak QB class.
I still don’t understand why Graham Harrell isn’t seen as a legit prospect. Sure, he played in the Texas Tech system, but Ben Roethlisberger was the beneficiary of a pass-wacky system while in college too, and look at him.
I agree with both points. I’m by no means pimping Sanchez. I just think that it’s foolish to dismiss a guy when he only played one year unless you have something else to discredit that success. Sanchez played well in his only opportunity.
As much of a rarity as Cassel is, it’s pretty significant that Sanchez comes from the same program with the same coach.
It’s all arm strength. You can talk about completion percentage and starts and wins all you want. But there are a ton of guys out there that were really successful in those terms who flopped in the NFL due to subpar arm strength. Pretty much all the Miami, Florida and Oklahoma guys fit that category. In contrast, guys who played in lesser systems with less success have been pretty good due to their above average arm strength, Rodgers, Cutler, Flacco, Roethlisberger, Romo etc.
In other news, something that might be of interest to me only, an email I wrote was responded to by ESPN Blogger Kevin Seifert today. See Here.
Like Tom Brady and Drew Henson, you mean?
I see your point with the arm strength thing, but there are plenty of guys in the league with equal or worse arms than Harrell. Take Drew Brees and Matt Hasselbeck, for example- they’re not noodle-arms, but they’re average at best in strength terms.
Double-post.
When Michigan puts together the run of quality QBs that USC does we can talk. When a school regularly produces QBs you pay attention. When a school produces ONE, it doesn’t mean much relative to the rest.
Brees always was considered to have a first rate arm. His only knock was his height. Here’s his combine analysis:
What “run” of quality QBs? They’ve turned out exactly 1 top-flight NFL quarterback. Matt Cassel is still a big questionmark, and Matt Leinart isn’t even that well-regarded. Booty will be a career backup in the NFL.
That scouting report on Brees doesn’t make any sense. Sidearming deep balls is not an indication of a strong arm.
Look, I get it, you think USC sucks and that their players suck. But since Carroll has been in place they’ve had Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Matt Cassel be at least marginally successful with plenty of time to accomplish a lot more. Booty has yet to be tested. They have had zero busts. No one else can make that claim. Yes, Cassel and Leinart have a lot left to prove and might not be Carson Palmer, but they aren’t Drew Henson or John Navarre either.
What do the two have to do with each other? The reports were that he had impressive velocity, can throw across his body and put good zip on throws. That all indicates a universally strong arm. The sidearm thing is only relevant because it could exacerbate his marginal height. In what world does sidearm = weak arm? If anything an unconventional release with effective results implies a extremely strong arm ala Brett Favre.
I don’t think USC sucks at all. They run a pro-style offense, and Carson Palmer has proven to be a terrific quarterback. If anything, I’m quite surprised that Leinart has been so ineffective.
John Navarre has played in 1 NFL game. He’s proven no more or less than Cassel had this time last year- and remember, the universal consensus was that the Pats would be lucky to win 6 games with him.
If he sidearms on deep balls, but not normal throws, that implies that his mechanics break down on deep throws; ie., he’s straining to put additional velocity on the ball. It’s an indication of a weak arm.
Leinart hasn’t actually been that bad. Seems that his biggest issues are being compared to Kurt Warner who is insanely accurate. When he got significant playing time in 2006 he was basically Warner’s equal on a crappy Cards team. If he tones down his partying and prepares better he might still be great, though I’m inclined to think he might need to get out of Phoenix do do that. He needs to be in a cold weather city with uglier girls and fewer hot tubs perhaps.
Not exactly. Cassel garnered complete respect and confidence from his coaching staff. They stuck with him throughout and it seems that the Pats knew exactly how much potential he had. Navarre has been out of the league for years and never impressed any team he was with. The fact he’s retired now pretty much makes comparing him to Cassel ridiculous.
Well, none of the scouting reports imply anything like that. I think that’s an interpretation unique to you.
Think about it for a second. What other possible reason could there be for a player’s mechanics to break down just on deep balls?
It’s like the guy doing his eighth rep on the weight bench- his form is never going to be as good as it was for the first one, unless he’s lifting too little.
Brees is a funny example because of the offenses he’s gotten to run, though. Put him in Chicago and he’s fucked. Arm strength is pretty incredibly important.
This somehow overrides the numerous occasions where they directly say he has a strong arm? This speculation is somehow evidence in contrast of him actually, measurably throwing the ball really hard at the combine and on film?
Yes. It’s contradictory, as I said above. Anyway, whoever you quoted that scouting report from seem to be the only ones touting his arm strength.
http://www.helium.com/items/1092910-drew-brees
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/saints/2006-10-21-drew-brees_x.htm
Yes and no; he played well when he was on the field, but has already beeen pointed out, in both 2006 and 2007, that coach was of the opinion that Sanchez was not playing as well as J.D. Booty.
But the question is not whether or not he should be “dismissed” or not … it’s what is relative value is and whether he’s worth taking high in the draft, with the attendant money guarantees, PR investment, fan expectations, etc. I probably wouldn’t do that with a guy who put up only one good season.
IMO, he ought to be a 2nd round pick. But some team will take him in the first and roll the dice.
Were I the Lions, I’d trade down in the first round, get as safe a pick as possible, and take Pat White in the 2nd round, provided White is willing to switch if QB doesn’t work out.
And not to be a dick, but there were plenty of scouts questioning Brees’ arm strength. My first googling turns up:
ETA: RNATB beat me to it.
People always say a team with a very high pick should trade down, but unless they find a stupid trading partner, it’s hard to do. I doubt the Lions would succeed if they tried it.
Well, a lot depends on what they’re asking for. If they insist on using the old Jimmy Johnson draft-pick value chart, I agree it’ll be damn-near impossible.
I’m not sure you can make that leap. Booty was one of the hottest recruits in years. There was a lot of pressure to get him playing and Sanchez had his off the field issues that held him out of a lot of practice time. The two never really had a fair head-to-head competition and the fact that he was better when he had the team than Booty was says something.
You’re arguing a point I didn’t make. RNATB said he was a one year wonder and therefore he will be a bust. I’m saying that’s a crap argument. I think he’s probably overrated and will be taken higher than he deserves, but that’s not due to lack of experience.
I think the disconnect about Brees is that people said he doesn’t have elite arm strength, remember he was being compared to Vick coming out. I’ve not seen anything that said he couldn’t make all the NFL throws. Saying he has a weak arm implies that he’s Chaz Pennington. I probably overstated my case with a “first rate” arm, an NFL arm is probably closer to the truth.
Yes, it does (better stats than Leinart, too, actually). But I’m skeptical that Carroll would play Booty over Sanchez if he thought the latter clearly superior. The guy’s in a national championship hunt and has more job security than God; I’m dubious that he’d pick his starting QB based on who was a hotter recuit two years prior.
Well, I don’t know about the “therefore” but “one-year wonder” seems to me to be a pretty exact description of him so far. He was wonderful, but only for one year.
Patriots have signed CB Shawn Springs to a 3-year deal, if anyone cares.
Pats secondary definitely needs help. Is Springs the answer? I’m not that familiar with him - does he still have legs for a 34-year old?