Scouts review QB draft class - Great PFW article

[RobbleRobble]

Thought this was a great read: http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFLDraft/Draft+Extras/2004/reynolds011005.htm

The thing that surprised me the most was how high the scouts were on Alex Smith:

“If you rate them as athletes, it goes Smith, Rodgers and Leinart,” he said. “Mentally, rate them Leinart, Rodgers and Smith. That’s kind of a readiness-to-play scale too. We don’t doubt (Smith) will be the best 3-4 years down the road."

“Alex Smith can really run. Not just average. He can run. He had a 55-yard run. I thought he handed the ball off on one tape. I had to rewind it, and it was Smith. He’s going to test out of this world. Right now, he’s 6-3½, but he has to grow into the body. He has the build to be 225 or more. And that’s fine.”

Previously I've thought that there was no way the Cardinals would consider Smith at #8, but this article has me reconsidering. Highest upside of the three QBs? Sounds like a Denny Green pick to me.

 

[Rocco]

Interesting point made about the Tedford disciples being a product of the system. If the rest of the league feels the same, Brooks could drop - buyer beware.

 

[Russ Smith]

Interesting point made about the Tedford disciples being a product of the system. If the rest of the league feels the same, Brooks could drop - buyer beware.

Rodgers you mean. I didn't quite get that statement, Cal runs as "pro style" an offense as you're going to find in college. They often went 3 WR's when they were healthy, they throw to their TE's, to their RB's, when healthy he was quite good at spreading the ball around. So I'm not sure how he can say if you watch film there's only one read to make? I agree with him again Rodgers' height is the question, he's clearly got the best arm of the 3 but he's shorter than they are, if he were 6'4" he'd be a no question top 3 pick.

I have no doubt Leinart is the best "reader of the field" of the 3, in that offense he's asked to do a lot, and you can see many occasions where he's standing back there for 5-6 seconds before someone opens up which tells you he's looking at the whole field(and that he has a great OL).

Smith is the guy of the 3 who runs the simplest offense, because they run exactly what he said, a lot of misdirection and option stuff where the QB and the pocket move and he's basically reading only half the field. I saw him play 2 full games and I can count on one hand the number of times he sat in the pocket and read the field. He has a lot of talent but I think unless he goes to Denver, any NFL offense he goes to will be a big change for him.

I'm anxious to see more of Smith I hope he plays in an all star game, I really want to get a look at his arm. Utah's offense didn't call for him to make many deep throws. Rodgers and Leinart have clearly played against better competition in college, by my count Smith played 3 Pac 10 teams in his 2 years and only topped 170 yards passing once(oregon 2003) so he has more to prove in that area. It would be great if he really does move up that fast because assuming Leinart leaves, that's 3 QB's almost guaranteed to be off the board which makes it more plausible for someone like Johnson or Rolle to slip to us.

 

[Rocco]

Rodgers you mean. I didn't quite get that statement, Cal runs as "pro style" an offense as you're going to find in college. They often went 3 WR's when they were healthy, they throw to their TE's, to their RB's, when healthy he was quite good at spreading the ball around. So I'm not sure how he can say if you watch film there's only one read to make? I agree with him again Rodgers' height is the question, he's clearly got the best arm of the 3 but he's shorter than they are, if he were 6'4" he'd be a no question top 3 pick.

I have no doubt Leinart is the best "reader of the field" of the 3, in that offense he's asked to do a lot, and you can see many occasions where he's standing back there for 5-6 seconds before someone opens up which tells you he's looking at the whole field(and that he has a great OL).

Smith is the guy of the 3 who runs the simplest offense, because they run exactly what he said, a lot of misdirection and option stuff where the QB and the pocket move and he's basically reading only half the field. I saw him play 2 full games and I can count on one hand the number of times he sat in the pocket and read the field. He has a lot of talent but I think unless he goes to Denver, any NFL offense he goes to will be a big change for him.

I'm anxious to see more of Smith I hope he plays in an all star game, I really want to get a look at his arm. Utah's offense didn't call for him to make many deep throws. Rodgers and Leinart have clearly played against better competition in college, by my count Smith played 3 Pac 10 teams in his 2 years and only topped 170 yards passing once(oregon 2003) so he has more to prove in that area. It would be great if he really does move up that fast because assuming Leinart leaves, that's 3 QB's almost guaranteed to be off the board which makes it more plausible for someone like Johnson or Rolle to slip to us.

He seemed to really like Frye as well. Did you ever get a chance to see him play? Know what kind of an offense they had there? I've never seen him play.

 

[Skkorpion]

I'd trade my whole draft to pry Philip Rivers out of San Diego rather than take any of the three QBs being discussed here.

 

[Russ Smith]

He seemed to really like Frye as well. Did you ever get a chance to see him play? Know what kind of an offense they had there? I've never seen him play.

I saw him play earlier this year, posted after the game. Frye played the whole year with a dislocated finger, think it was the thumb. It would pop out during the game and they'd force it back in, very painful, so they said his velocity and tightness on his spiral were well off what they were when healthy.

I was really impressed, he's much more athletic than you think, has great size, made all the throws, really seemed to be a leader. There was a few ducks but again he had a bad thumb. I really liked him if he were there in roudn 2 he'd be a huge steal.

 

[Rocco]

I'd trade my whole draft to pry Philip Rivers out of San Diego rather than take any of the three QBs being discussed here.

Who knows? Might happen. We need someone and I'd rather get a young guy who is a real prospect instead of a suspect or an over the hill vet.

Rumors have the Cowboys wanting to trade for him too.

 

[john h]

I'd trade my whole draft to pry Philip Rivers out of San Diego rather than take any of the three QBs being discussed here.

I would not trade the whole draft but would go with one of our receivers and a #1 or #2. Not going to happen however as I think SD will find a way to keep them both. This will p--- Rivers off but that is life in the bigs.

 

[john h]

Who knows? Might happen. We need someone and I'd rather get a young guy who is a real prospect instead of a suspect or an over the hill vet.

Rumors have the Cowboys wanting to trade for him too.

If Rivers goes anywhere my guess it would be the Cowboys. They need him and if he is available Jerry Jones is like George Steinbrenner. He will do what ever it takes.

 

[Russ Smith]

It would be funny if Dallas traded for Rivers, and then in a year or so Drew Henson takes his job.

Rivers who knows, he has such an unconventional style, throwing mechanics, how he plays. he's either going to be really good or a colossal bust. He's so smart and so experienced that if he's going to make it, you'll know pretty quickly.

 

[HookemCards]

I'd trade my whole draft to pry Philip Rivers out of San Diego rather than take any of the three QBs being discussed here.

I don't like this years QB's as much as in previous years, but I wouldn't trade my whole draft for Rivers. Without seeing him play a down in the NFL, I doubt I'd give up my first this year for him.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I'd trade my whole draft to pry Philip Rivers out of San Diego rather than take any of the three QBs being discussed here.

I wouldn't trade anything above a 4th rounder for him.That's about where he should've went last year.I'd rather have Mickey Rivers.

 

[Rocco]

It would be funny if Dallas traded for Rivers, and then in a year or so Drew Henson takes his job.

Rivers who knows, he has such an unconventional style, throwing mechanics, how he plays. he's either going to be really good or a colossal bust. He's so smart and so experienced that if he's going to make it, you'll know pretty quickly.

Yup, we know he doesn't have a gun. The question is whether his arm is strong enough for our system. I don't know the answer to that and I don't recall Green ever including him in his elite prospect list last year before the draft. Remember him mentioning Manning and Ben R. though.