everardteach said:
I would like to see the Draft Guide Bound. It would be nice to hear your opinions on Miami's preferences with prospects.
Question: is their a general assumption that Jay Cutler will be picked in the top ten even with the recent QB movement? Do you foresee any possiblities where he falls on draft day? What round have you guys graded Omar Jacobs? What about Brodie Croyle?
I can't speak for Boomer and CK on this, but I can give you my opinion on the three quarterbacks you mentioned.
Jay Cutler is my #1 rated quarterback, period. One thing that has prepared him better for the league than either Matt Leinart or Vince Young is the fact that Jay has been hit, and he has been hit a lot. Yet, he still made plays and single handedly made Vanderbilt a respectable team this past season with a near victory over Florida and a victory over Tennessee. Jay Cutler has the arm strength that I look for in a quarterback. His arm is very powerful. He puts a lot of velocity on his passes, and he can make all the stick throws. He's also very nimble on his feet within the pocket, and when he has to, he can gain positive yards with his legs. Many don't like his gunslinger mentality, but I think it is a plus. Yeah, he's going to commit some turnovers in the NFL because he has a lot of confidence in his arm, but he's also going to make a lot of big plays. There is absolutely no reason he shouldn't be the first quarterback taken in this draft, but some people are going to look at the fact that he played a Vanderbilt and downgrade him simply because of that.
I really have serious questions about Matt Leinart's arm strength. I think he has a great head on his shoulders, shows excellent field vision, and is a master of the touch pass. However, based on what I've seen, the touch pass is the majority of his passes. In the NFL, you can't float the 10 yard out to the receiver with an NFL caliber cornerback in coverage. I have not consistently seen the ability to load up and drill the stick throws from Matt Leinart. I think he will do fine on the downfield throws, because he is accurate and has great touch. I seriously question his ability to throw the deep out patterns though. Also, Matt played in a pro style offense, so mentally and technically he is prepared for the NFL. However, he's not going to have the advantage he had at USC when it comes to having superior talent around him relative to the team he is playing.
I do not like Vince Young at all. I see a guy that is very sloppy in his technique, has no readability skills in the pocket, and simply looks to take off and run whenever he gets the chance. It's going to take a lot of work and patience for this guy to ever be able to play quarterback at the NFL level. Mentally, he simply doesn't have it. Physically, he could be a good quarterback if he would allow a coach to change his mechanics. I think Vince Young is nothing the the product of intense media hype at this point, because I have seen very little substance when I evaluate him as a quarterback. He's a great athlete, but he is a below average quarterback prospect. Due to his athleticism, I'd draft him in the first round as a project wide receiver, but I wouldn't touch this guy till the second day of the draft as a quarterback. This guy is going to get a head coach fired in the NFL.
Omar Jacobs is a guy that I do like though. Omar has horrible mechanics, but they work for him. He's got a powerful and accurate arm, moves around well in the pocket, and most importantly, is a passer. In fact, Omar is a player that avoids running with the ball like it was the plague. He can do it if he absolutely has to, but he'd much rather throw a 15 yard pass than make a 10 yard run. I think that is the type of mentality you have to have to play quarterback in the NFL. As far as his mechanics go, he kind of pushes the ball, but he showed at the combine that it works for him. He threw the ball down the field with a lot of accuracy in the passing drills. I don't like the offense he was in at Bowling Green though, and I do not feel that offense has prepared him for the NFL. Omar is a project that could pay off big down the road. I think he is a third round pick that will need a couple of years of coaching, but he will be a good one down the road. I thin he's a guy that many will look back upon in three years and say "Wow, that guy was a steal."
I like Brodie Croyle as far as his passing skills go. As a pure passer, I'd rate him as the third best prospect in this draft. I can't get over his lack of size though. He's a shade under 6'3" and about 205 lbs, but he is extremely thin in his build. I'm not sure he will be able to gain much more weight at the NFL level, and given his injury history, his lack of size is a definite red flag. However, Brodie has a very strong arm and a very good head on his shoulders. He's a leader, pure and simple, and he has the type of attitude that you never count out. If there is a player that can overcome size limitations, it is Brodie Croyle.
