my Blaine Gabbert advertisement of the day...

[football karma]

I encourage you to read the entire article over at SI --a good QB draft overview:


The top QB right now. Gabbert is the QB prospect who has generated the most momentum for being the top passer taken with Luck out of the mix. Though Gabbert played in the ever-more-prevalent spread offense at Missouri, NFL scouts do not seem to penalize him for it, as they have other recent spread quarterbacks entering the league. It might have something to do with him being about 6-4, 235, with a big arm.
"The thing that sticks out to me is that he's a lot more athletic than you think he is,'' the NFC scout said. "He's like Ben Roethlisberger and Josh Freeman, in that he's a guy who can extend the play even when he's got guys hanging off him. That's the trait that makes those guys so special. They're so big and they can shake guys off. He's not as strong as Roethlisberger and Freeman, but he has some of the same skills.''
Gabbert also gets high marks for largely carrying his team's offense, despite the lack of other great skills players. He scores well too in terms of his work ethic and football savvy.
"Missouri's spread offense isn't like Florida's,'' the scout said. "They don't have great athletes all around him and it's not a simple spread like in some places. He's doing it all on his own. You can see him scanning through his progressions, reading the field, and he has to move, extend the play, and create. And he's a mature kid and will put in the work. I could see him going near the top, in that third, fourth or fifth range.''

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...01/12/2011-nfl-draft/index.html#ixzz1ArHjcvyQ I co

 

[DoTheDew]

He scores well too in terms of his work ethic and football savvy.

If nothing else, this alone is enough for everyone to consider him a solid prospect. Combine a strong work ethic and football mind with the physical tools and you have an NFL QB. The only thing that keeps guys like that from succeeding is bad injuries.

 

[TJ]

Did Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco and Josh Freeman clone themselves a few years ago? Seems as if every single QB in this draft is being compared to one of the three.

Kinda funny if you ask me

 

[NashDishesDimes]

I like Gabbert alot. I had a chance to sit in the 2nd row behind their bench in the insight bowl and pretty much watched him the whole game (playing and sidelines). Hes very focused, his teamates respect him, plays with fire, and doesnt seem rattled much. He didnt seem to speak much but when he did - people listened.

The part about Newton in that artcle was really discouraging. Comparing him to Jamarcus russel and his work ethic is pretty much the worst thing you want to hear. I dont know how much truth there is to this. He seems like he would/could be a hard worker..

 

[Pariah]

Did Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco and Josh Freeman clone themselves a few years ago? Seems as if every single QB in this draft is being compared to one of the three.

Kinda funny if you ask me

Football trends just like anything else, and this is just a result of that. Just like every slot WR is a Wes Welker type.

As for Gabbert at #5--I'd rather not take him there because I think we'd be passing on BPA by at least 10 spots or so. But, I do realize the need is great and the position is of the utmost importance, so I might warm to it.

 

[D-Dogg]

I wouldn't take him at #5, but if he is there I could easily see the Cards reach for him, especially if he has a great combine.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Football trends just like anything else, and this is just a result of that. Just like every slot WR is a Wes Welker type.

As for Gabbert at #5--I'd rather not take him there because I think we'd be passing on BPA by at least 10 spots or so. But, I do realize the need is great and the position is of the utmost importance, so I might warm to it.

The highest grade, according to the most recent Scouts Inc. ratings is 97 of which there are 4.

Gabbert is 96... and going to the Cards in their mock.

PS: J. Freeman was an 85, and was drafted 17th.

Top 10 of 25 on Kiper Big Board with Scout Rating

Fairley (97)
Bowers (97)
Peterson (97)
Green (97)
Dareus (96)
Quinn (96)
Amukamara (96)
Gabbert (96)
Miller (95)
Kerrigan (94)

Other QBs:

Locker (92)
Newton (89)
Mallett (88)

 

[vinnymac]

I like Gabbert also. i am a big Razorback fan and he is definitly better than Mallet. Just don't draft Newton with the #5. He is a run first QB. If you watch Newton in games he beat teams with his legs not with his arm. I am not big on one read then run qbs.

 

[Stout]

No one was pimping this kid until recently. I'll pass, thanks. There's a few prospects that inexplicably rise to the top suddenly, AFTER the season.

 

[conraddobler]

No one was pimping this kid until recently. I'll pass, thanks. There's a few prospects that inexplicably rise to the top suddenly, AFTER the season.

If this guy played at a huge university like Ohio State or Florida or USC, he'd easily be the number one pick.

No one talks about him because he's from Mizzou, and no one talks about Mizzou.

Seems like a lot of the goldilocks stuff going on, not too hot, not too cold, just right.

Bam, Levi Brown.

 

[BirdMan21]

No one was pimping this kid until recently. I'll pass, thanks. There's a few prospects that inexplicably rise to the top suddenly, AFTER the season.

People didn't think he would come out. They thought he would let Luck be #1 this year with him being #1 next year.

 

[D-Dogg]

No one was pimping this kid until recently. I'll pass, thanks. There's a few prospects that inexplicably rise to the top suddenly, AFTER the season.

Like Cutler?

 

[Evil Ash]

Until he shows that he can take the snap from under center, I want nothing to do with him. PERIOD. THE END.

 

[Gaddabout]

This guy has David Klingler written all over him, IMO. Klingler was a No. 6 pick IIRC. Same M.O., nice size, good arm, somewhat mobile, played his entire record-setting college career in the run-and-shoot. Went to Cincinatti, stunk it up for two years, and got beat out by Jeff Blake.

 

[Rats]

No one was pimping this kid until recently. I'll pass, thanks. There's a few prospects that inexplicably rise to the top suddenly, AFTER the season.

I was pimping him as far back as Oct.

 

[Stout]

If this guy played at a huge university like Ohio State or Florida or USC, he'd easily be the number one pick.

No one talks about him because he's from Mizzou, and no one talks about Mizzou.

Seems like a lot of the goldilocks stuff going on, not too hot, not too cold, just right.

Bam, Levi Brown.

How? Guys like Roethlisberger, who went to smaller schools than Gabbert, were pimped and heard about as early picks early in their last years. Gabbert was a ghost until, as every year, he started to become a chic pick for people to pimp.

 

[Stout]

People didn't think he would come out. They thought he would let Luck be #1 this year with him being #1 next year.

That doesn't make any sense. If he is that good, his name would have been generating buzz, as in 'will he or won't he'. Please show me something showing the consensus is that people thought he'd be the #1 pick next year. I call complete bs.

Like Cutler?

Like Jamarcus Russell? Hey, I bet I can come up with way more late risers that busted than succeeded.

I was pimping him as far back as Oct.

You're the only one I can recall.

 

[DoTheDew]

How? Guys like Roethlisberger, who went to smaller schools than Gabbert, were pimped and heard about as early picks early in their last years. Gabbert was a ghost until, as every year, he started to become a chic pick for people to pimp.

Gabbert was considered a top recruit coming out of high school. Some sites had him graded higher than Luck as a prospect at the time. He's been on the radar since way back then. We just didn't hear about him because he wasn't the full time starter. Same thing as Cam Newton.

Unlike Big Ben who I don't believe was regarded as a blue chip prospect coming out of high school (which is why he ended up at Miami of Ohio instead of a BCS autoqualifying school).

 

[Gaddabout]

Unlike Big Ben who I don't believe was regarded as a blue chip prospect coming out of high school (which is why he ended up at Miami of Ohio instead of a BCS autoqualifying school).

That's because BR played receiver until his senior year because his high school coach started his son at QB.

 

[schutd]

If it came down to a big ole tons o pocket presence tough to bring down guy vs the spate of super athletic slash type QBs that have been coming out (Tebow/Newton/ et al) I think Id rather reach for a gabbert type. Look whos ending up in the finals every year; Ben, Tom and Payton. Brees.

When you as a defense go up against the latter type QBs, guys who have the instincts to do everything themselves, trying to save plays using their athleticism alone instead of their teammates, if youre able to take away the weapons of QBs like that, you can then focus solely on him, knowing hes going to drop into do-it-myself mode and he becomes one dimentional in terms of trying to defend.

Patient packet passers who rely on their teammates to finish broken plays win more. Thats what I want.

 

[joeshmo]

No one talks about him because he's from Mizzou, and no one talks about Mizzou.

No one was talking about the #12 team in the country?

 

[D-Dogg]

Like Jamarcus Russell? Hey, I bet I can come up with way more late risers that busted than succeeded.

JR was talked about WELL before the draft...he came from LSU iirc, and had national spotlight. Unlike Gabbert. Unlike Cutler.

Not saying Gabbert will be any good - I don't want a project QB at #5. But saying he will suck because he's only getting attention now is a stretch...and he's getting attention BEFORE the combine...watch him fly up the board after good combine workouts.

Still won't want him.

 

[Mulli]

JR was talked about WELL before the draft...he came from LSU iirc, and had national spotlight. Unlike Gabbert. Unlike Cutler.

Not saying Gabbert will be any good - I don't want a project QB at #5. But saying he will suck because he's only getting attention now is a stretch...and he's getting attention BEFORE the combine...watch him fly up the board after good combine workouts.

Still won't want him.

Who talked about Josh Freeman?

 

[seesred]

I thought many were saying that Skelton looked like the Ben's of football! 6-6,240. Now Gabbert looks like Ben. At #5 this team needs a player can start yesterday, Can Gabbert? Get me Orton or Kolb and draft me a big guy who can create havoc on the other teams offense at number 5.

GBR
40

 

[chickenhead]

This guy has David Klingler written all over him, IMO. Klingler was a No. 6 pick IIRC. Same M.O., nice size, good arm, somewhat mobile, played his entire record-setting college career in the run-and-shoot. Went to Cincinatti, stunk it up for two years, and got beat out by Jeff Blake.

I almost laughed out loud during the national championship game when they were talking about Emory Blake and mentioned that viewers would remember his father's remarkable career in the NFL. Maybe I'm not being fair--he did play for 14 years, which is remarkable in itself. But the Cards fan in me just remembers him from the musical chair years at QB. Oh yeah, they're back.