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Eli Manning, 6’4”, 220 lbs.M
Eli Manning has excellent size to go along with good fundamentals, instincts, and leadership skills. He is intelligent and makes good decisions. He has an outstanding arm and can make all the throws. He has good vision of the field and the defense, and is very accurate with nice touch on the short to mid-range passes. He sets up well in the pocket, has excellent footwork, and a quick release. Eli is the best player in this draft. He is a franchise QB. There are no other QB’s as ready for the NFL as this kid. There is no better player and no player that is more of a sure bet to make it as a pro in this Draft. The only reason he might not be taken as the first pick is because the team who picks first does not need a franchise QB. If you are a team that needs a franchise QB, don’t be a fool. Don’t try to be cute, don’t think you can outsmart some other team and wait for him to drop to you.
Ben Roethlisberger, 6’5”, 242 lbs
Everything you look for in a franchise quarterback. He's got the big arm, but he also has excellent accuracy (69.1%) and nice touch. He does not read defenses very well right now. The Iowa team introduced him to some different schemes and Ben had big time problems. He has not gone through the pressure of a failed game plan being blamed on him. He has not gone through the pressure of a losing season. QB's, because of their physical talent, are drafted and thrown on the field right away. They are expected to deal with the pressure of the fans, their teammates and coaches to perform at the same level they did in college. At first, because teams do not know their weaknesses, they will look really good, get big numbers. But, when the team loses, they will not be blamed for the loss. They will start to make more mistakes and as the pressure increases, the teammates and coaches will start to lose confidence in them. This eventually leads to the QB not living up to expectations and going from team to team until he is about 35 yrs old and everything comes together. I call this flat-lining. At 35 yrs of age, some coach hits the paddles, revives this QB and he finally has some success. Ring a bell? Ben Roethlisberger should be drafted then be allowed to sit for two years before he becomes a starting QB. Eli Manning can play his first year and be as successful as David Carr is. That is the difference between these two QB's. Mentally Ben is nowhere near ready to handle the complicated defenses and offenses that Eli has seen in five years of college as opposed to Ben's three years. He’s a pretty decent punter, having booted nine of eleven punts inside the 20-yard line in 2002. He has to be one of a very few players to have ever been named both the conference offensive player of the week and the special teams player of the week in the same season.
Philip Rivers, 6’4”, 230 lbs.
Good size and arm strength, but it's his incredibly quick release and uncanny accuracy (71%) that catches my eye. He is probably never going to be the type of quarterback that you would hold up as an example for young players to study. He has a very unorthodox delivery (tends to sidearm the ball) and his footwork needs some improvement. Overall, he does not have a lot of athleticism and his lack of mobility is a concern.
OUCH! He can be an excellent backup QB but not a starter. Please do not fall into the trap of thinking he can play in the west coast offense. To be successful, that offense has to have the threat of a strong arm. Let's be honest, the most success that the WCO has had is with Steve Young and Brett Favre. Contrary to popular belief, Joe Montana had a damn good arm too. If the WCO QB does not have a strong arm, the CB’s will sit on the short routes and in the big games, WCO teams will lose. (See Seattle vs Green Bay playoff game Jan. 4, 2004.) The longer Philip Rivers is on the field, the more problems he will have with interceptions. Now cover your eyes if you are a fan of Philips. Here I go! I feel that Philip has the athletic talent to be an impact pass catching TE in the NFL. If he wants to be an impact player in the NFL, he will have to change positions. He should go in the third or fourth round at the earliest. Please no yelling at the profile guy.
J.P. Losman, 6’3”, 220 lbs.
J.P. Losman has the physical attributes you want in an NFL quarterback. He has good size (6-3, 220) and strength, a very strong arm that can make all the throws including the deep out, and one of the quickest releases in all of college football. Losman has decent agility, and good speed. He also has above average athletic ability. He can make plays with his feet and can throw on the run. He's a fiery competitor, a tough leader and can take a hit. He doesn't get shaken often. Losman doesn't set his feet real well, throws off his back foot often causing the ball to sail, and doesn't rotate his hips properly. At Tulane, he played mostly out of the shotgun and will have to adjust to playing under center. He tends to rush his throws at times and will force the pass too often.
This kid has ‘coach killer’ written all over him. He has so much talent it has eroded his ability to learn and grow in the most important aspect he will need in the pros -- his mind. His EGO has made him a mental midget. Now I know that someone is going to come to his defense and say how wonderful he is and what a great leader he is and look at his stats and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. On my list, he is rated as the third best QB in the draft but his name is written in red. Green means draft him, yellow means draft with concerns (injury, etc.) and red means STOP -- do not Draft.
Josh Harris, 6’3”, 238 lbs.
A former runningback who still has the moves of a runner. Very athletic signal caller...Works hard and is a winner...Has good speed...Arm is more than adequate...Can throw on the run...Quick and elusive...Solid build. He is still learning the position. He just might be a first day pick for some cold weather team that wants a developmental QB. Josh is a pure pocket passer. He just has to come to terms with that fact. He does have very good running skills, but is not very accurate when he tries to throw on the run. One of the most exciting things that I noticed in the Motor City Bowl game about Josh was his performance. The 1st quarter he was a mess -- trying to do too much. His coach got a hold of him and told him to just stay in the pocket and concentrate on his mechanics and get the ball to his receivers on time. I know this because I saw Josh go off the field after a pitiful three and out, get direction from his coach and the very next series do exactly what he was told to do. By the end of the game, Josh had a 76% completion ratio, threw for 3 TDs and rushed for one more. Josh has a long way to go and IMO should be picked the 2nd day of the draft. However, if he works out well, I know his interviews could push him into the first day. This is a quality kid and I think a QB sleeper. 100% of Josh's passes are from the shotgun, this doesn't allow Josh to take any more than 3 steps in his drop back.
Matt Schaub, 6’5”, 245 lbs.
Schaub has terrific size, strength, and a decent arm. Not very athletic...Struggles with the deep ball...Needs to work on his anticipation and timing. He is another one of the many QB’s in this draft that normally would be a 4th or 5th rounder, but if his interviews are good, he could be picked sometime on the first day of this draft. Matt Schaub reminds me of Tom Brady. He has a strong arm, good demeanor, great size, mental toughness, good accuracy and is liked by his teammates and coaches. . If Matt doesn't have a big ego that gets in the way of taking direction, he is a lock for a good developmental starting QB prospect. Matt’s play on the field leads me to believe that a big ego is not a problem for him. He interacts on the sideline with his coaches and teammates in a very professional manner. Matt strikes me as the type of personality that is just waiting to learn.
Cody Pickett, 6’4”, 215 lbs.
Has been extremely productive...Nice size and a good athlete at the quarterback position...Is a born QB and a field general...Very tough...Good touch and accuracy...Works hard in the film room...Strong arm and knows how to throw the deep ball...Will surprise you with his scrambling ability. Tends to throw some ducks and will have the ball wobble on him...A streaky passer...Gets nicked up because he plays with such a reckless abandon...Will force some throws. I am told that Cody is a rodeo rider. I also found out that he played the last six games of the season in his junior year with a separated shoulder, which wouldn’t be difficult except that it was his throwing shoulder. Cody will be a better QB in the pros than he is in college. You’re saying to yourself, “How the hell would he know that?” You know how I know? I'll tell you how I know. Cody's inconsistency is a result of him playing at a different speed mentally and physically than his teammates. In the passing game, he is always waiting for his teammates, which is causing him to throw off-balance, to hesitate in his throws and just plain screw up his mechanics in general. Pickett’s 4,458 passing yards in 2002 marked the first time anyone had ever eclipsed the 4000-yard passing plateau in PAC-10 history.
John Navarre, 6’6”, 228 lbs.
Veteran of the college and Big 10 wars...Classic pocket passer...Nice size and a good arm...Has good touch...Doesn't throw a lot of interceptions...Will sit in the pocket and hang tough...Good mechanics. . He must have natural arm strength and mental toughness. John has the arm, but not the mental toughness. You blitz this kid, put him on his butt and he is done for the game. He can be a back up and even fool a lot of people into thinking he is starting material. When the big game comes he will wilt. He is not a leader and he doesn’t make the people around him better.
Luke McCown, 6’4”, 200 lbs.
Prolific college passer...Nice size...A very good athlete...Has the arm to make all the throws...Elusive in the pocket...A leader with all the intangibles you look for...Reads defenses well...Works hard in the film room. Is he simply a product of the system?...Inconsistant...Need to protect the ball better...Needs to add some bulk and get stronger. At Louisiana Tech, he passed a lot out of the shot gun and had a lot of success doing that as opposed to taking the snap directly under center.
Jeff Smoker, 6’3”, 224 lbs.
Jeff is a very good QB whose skills translate to the NFL very well. He is a leader and has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches. He has a good arm and moves well in the pocket. He is not afraid to make decisions on or off the field. Had some major off the field troubles with alcohol as a junior that led to his suspension from the team...Does a lot of things well but nothing great...Has slow feet and won't be mistaken for Mike Vick anytime soon. . I don’t think there’s any question of Jeff's potential as a starter or possibly, impact player. Jeff has the talent to be a first day pick. He has talent equal to, or better than, Drew Brees. Jeff, to his credit, has come forward in a very public manner and addressed his problem.
Matt Mauck, 6’2”, 213 lbs.
Matt has proven to be a winner throughout his career. He steps up in big games. Has good mobility. Matt has above average arm strength and is an accurate passer. His best attribute is that he doesn't make many mistakes. He's a smart QB who reads defenses well. Matt is a tough player. He has quick feet and good size. Has good pocket awareness. Throws well on the move. Matt came out early because his stock would never have been higher than what it is now after leading LSU to a National Championship. Matt is old for a college junior; he spent three years in minor league baseball. He seems to have reached his potential. What you see is what your going to get. He doesn't excel in any one area. Matt will probably be a career backup in the NFL.
Craig Krenzel, 6’4”, 225 lbs.
Very smart...Decent arm...Can run if he has to...Tough...Manages the game. Does not possess the necessary physical tools for an NFL quarterback. Arm strength is sub par. Very shaky on throws 15 yards and longer. Despite wins, never led an explosive passing attack. TD/INT ratio over past two seasons was 27-17; decent, but not ideal for a quarterback in a run-based offense. No experience with pro-style offenses. Mechanics, specifically throwing motion, are quirky and unnatural. He should make a living as a great backup at the next level.
Bradlee Van Pelt, 6’2”, 225 lbs.
Fiery player...Team Leader and a winner...Very tough...A playmaker...Good scrambler...A play is never dead with this guy behind center. Bradlee has an overall poor set up and delivery. His throwing motion is elongated (sometimes side arm), and he never sets his feet in the pocket. He continuously throws off of his back foot, which hurts his accuracy and arm strength. He does have an average arm, but can't put the ball much over 40 yards down the field.
I CAN SEE THE EAGLES DRAFTING IN THE LATE ROUNDS
Casey Clausen, 6’3”, 215 lbs.
Plays in a pro style offense. Smart player. Throws a nice, catchable ball. Built well, good size. Stands in the pocket to deliver the ball. Good footwork. Reads the field well, goes through his check downs. Throws very well in the short to medium range passes and gets good velocity on them. Poised, a leader. Good compact release. Arm strength is average. Very average mobility, not a threat to run. His deep ball tends to float a little. Rushes his throws when he's under pressure which will cause problems with his accuracy. Doesn't step into his throws all the time.
SLEEPER
Robert Kent, 6’5”, 221 lbs.
Has all the tools...Great size...Top speed for a quarterback...Throws a nice deep ball...Dominated his competition in college. Competition will always be a major question...Will lock onto his receivers at times...Will need to learn how to read defenses...Throwing motion will need to be overhauled. Shows great velocity on his passes and can throw the ball “way” deep. A lot of arm strength. Great field vision. He uses all his wide receivers on the field and he is able to read defenses. Robert Kent is the top small school prospect at the quarterback position. Although, just because he does play at a small school, he shouldn’t be overlooked. He has a great blend of accuracy, arm strength, and mobility. These great physical tools also combine well with his mental tools. He is very smart and he shows outstanding judgment inside the pocket. He reminds of a smaller version of Steve McNair, because of his mobility, big arm, and overall toughness.
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