Slimm's 2019 Quarterbacks (seniors) | Page 9 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Slimm's 2019 Quarterbacks (seniors)

Honestly a lot of these Senior quarterbacks wouldn't be on my draft board if I were really doing the picking. Most of 'em I'll have a UDFA grade on. I just thought it would be a good idea to add some of 'em back so people can see how they all stack up to one another on my board. Everybody has a different one they like.
 
Fair.

I think there's only so many in there that I'd even bother with.

Drew Anderson and Easton Stick, because they both have great combinations of arm talent, speed, elusiveness, play making, and probably most importantly, leadership. Neither of them have any fatal flaws that I see, be they mechanical, a general air of screw-up, lack of intelligence (both very smart), or even size (I don't like Stick's weight but he has a plan to get to 205 which would work, and he's built like Rodgers was).

But going back to leadership, Drew Anderson elevated TWO offenses to levels well beyond what they had been achieving, and made those offenses permanently better by showing them the way. It's true that Stick inherited an NDSU program that had a history of winning championships, but when you're 44-3 as the team's QB, including a win against Iowa, and going 8-0 as a freshman, does it matter? It's pretty impressive to keep all that going and to go even further, putting your own stamp on it. Championships don't just happen.

In a draft class that is BEREFT of guys that give you both things, high level performance AND pro level arm talent...those are the only two seniors that have them both. The. Only. Ones.

But I would take Drew Lock at some point, because the bottom line is he's got great arm talent and will get a lot of chances to improve himself, and he's a genuinely good guy (from what I understand). It's not as if he's got that Will Grier checkered past. At a certain price tag I think you'd be nuts to just keep saying, "No" to him.

I'd take Gardner Minshew and Ryan Finley, because the NFL needs reliable backups as well, and those guys have strength/limitation profiles that actually fit what they're trying to be.
 
Feel free to name anyone I've clearly forgotten, but there are only five senior QBs in this class that have legit NFL starting caliber arm talent.

They are, in no particular order, Drew Lock, Nick Fitzgerald, Jordan Ta'amu, Drew Anderson, and Easton Stick.

I've taken a pretty close look at every other guy and seen enough to know they don't have the de minimis arm talent to be considered a typical NFL starter (e.g. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Teddy Bridgewater at the low-end).

The NFL has surely made some exceptions at various points, with respect to arm talent, and they surely will again. But that's what you're looking at with any of the seniors except those five.
 
Last edited:
Clayton Thorson has plenty of NFL arm talent. That's not his issue.

I don't consider Nick Fitzgerald a quarterback.
 
Thorson's velocity is not comparable with NFL starters. That's a measurable thing. I suppose he could start throwing better and faster somewhere down the road, but as things stand he's sub-standard.
 
Here are some of my thoughts on Easton Stick. Read the thread.



I don't talk much about his weaknesses there. But the ones that I saw are thus:

- Doesn't like middle pressure. Seems really adept dealing with outside pressure, but clearly doesn't like middle pressure.
- Turfs some of his throws on comebacks and square-ins, between the numbers. I can speculate on why, but it would just be speculation.
- His deep ball drives me nuts. It's a technique thing as he's got no shortage of arm. He goes for a LOT of air, and it ends up coming back to bite him.
- He's greedy. Can see him at times pull ball down while staring at an open guy underneath, wants to make something happen deeper, depending on situation.
- His anticipation is up and down. Sometimes good, sometimes not great.
- Some very close misses at times on big plays where he scrambles around after eluding a sack. Bottom line, like NBA, it's a make or miss league. Close doesn't cut it.
- Listed at 6'2" & 221 lbs but he definitely is not that heavy. His head trainer at NDSU tells me he aims for 205 lbs.

And some of the positives...

- Big arm. Capable of 55 mph velocity on 35 yard throws, which is incredible. Quick release
- Very fast, agile, elusive. Good ball carrier. Natural athlete.
- Uncanny sense for pressure on the edges, ability to step up and make edge rushers miss.
- Excellent feet in general. Very quick, very active, very bouncy, great knee bend (no locking of that front leg!). Fast feet belie a fast mind.
- Actual quote to me from his NDSU head trainer: "Flacco's arm, Marino's release, Slash's legs".
- Proven capability making the reads on RPOs.
- Excellent feet and execution from UNDER CENTER.
- Gets his head around off play-action, locates the defense quickly & accurately, pulls trigger immediately with good throw selection.
- Uses his eyes to look off the safety. Has taken some pretty good safeties out of the play that way.
- Generally pretty accurate with the football. Varies his throws pretty well according to what's needed.
- Leader. 3-time captain (first sophomore captain in more than a decade).
- Dean's List every semester. Took him 3 years to graduate. Already on his Masters. Academic All-Conference every year.
- Easton Stick is 44-3 as the QB at NDSU (incredible). In 2016 as a sophomore, he beat Iowa.
- Wentz had gone 4-2 in 2015, got hurt, Stick took over as a FRESHMAN, went 8-0, got them to the FCS Championship Game.
- Stick won his own FCS Championship in 2017, and is working on another in 2018 (they're 10-0).
 
Nick Fitzgerald isn't a QB. I can't understand anyone projecting him as one. Maybe he can try for WR
 
ckparrothead said:
I prefer it when you do that.

I'd love to say Will Grier's arm strength is essentially disqualifying. It very nearly is. But the bottom line is I disqualify him because he doesn't fit. He's a gunslinger with a peashooter. That doesn't seem like it'll work.

Generally speaking, I've seen every different kind of player make it. So it's hard to be all about one thing or one profile for a successful player. So to me the important thing is that the player fit what he's trying to be. Will Grier has that gunslinger's personality, attitude. But he's trying to do it with a weak arm. To me he'll be writing checks his arm can't cash. His only hope is that his legs can do it instead. I don't think he has THAT kind of ability in his legs/athleticism. Nor the right sort of athletic awareness.
Click to expand...

Ryan Fitzpatrick might be good comp for Will Grier. He just slings it. Average arm. Gives no shits.
 
ckparrothead said:
Here are some of my thoughts on Easton Stick. Read the thread.



I don't talk much about his weaknesses there. But the ones that I saw are thus:

- Doesn't like middle pressure. Seems really adept dealing with outside pressure, but clearly doesn't like middle pressure.
- Turfs some of his throws on comebacks and square-ins, between the numbers. I can speculate on why, but it would just be speculation.
- His deep ball drives me nuts. It's a technique thing as he's got no shortage of arm. He goes for a LOT of air, and it ends up coming back to bite him.
- He's greedy. Can see him at times pull ball down while staring at an open guy underneath, wants to make something happen deeper, depending on situation.
- His anticipation is up and down. Sometimes good, sometimes not great.
- Some very close misses at times on big plays where he scrambles around after eluding a sack. Bottom line, like NBA, it's a make or miss league. Close doesn't cut it.
- Listed at 6'2" & 221 lbs but he definitely is not that heavy. His head trainer at NDSU tells me he aims for 205 lbs.

And some of the positives...

- Big arm. Capable of 55 mph velocity on 35 yard throws, which is incredible. Quick release
- Very fast, agile, elusive. Good ball carrier. Natural athlete.
- Uncanny sense for pressure on the edges, ability to step up and make edge rushers miss.
- Excellent feet in general. Very quick, very active, very bouncy, great knee bend (no locking of that front leg!). Fast feet belie a fast mind.
- Actual quote to me from his NDSU head trainer: "Flacco's arm, Marino's release, Slash's legs".
- Proven capability making the reads on RPOs.
- Excellent feet and execution from UNDER CENTER.
- Gets his head around off play-action, locates the defense quickly & accurately, pulls trigger immediately with good throw selection.
- Uses his eyes to look off the safety. Has taken some pretty good safeties out of the play that way.
- Generally pretty accurate with the football. Varies his throws pretty well according to what's needed.
- Leader. 3-time captain (first sophomore captain in more than a decade).
- Dean's List every semester. Took him 3 years to graduate. Already on his Masters. Academic All-Conference every year.
- Easton Stick is 44-3 as the QB at NDSU (incredible). In 2016 as a sophomore, he beat Iowa.
- Wentz had gone 4-2 in 2015, got hurt, Stick took over as a FRESHMAN, went 8-0, got them to the FCS Championship Game.
- Stick won his own FCS Championship in 2017, and is working on another in 2018 (they're 10-0).
Click to expand...


His highlights are outstanding. His instincts and accuracy are the two areas that make me doubt him. Think he needs a great situation, but, as you note, at least the talent is there to make up for some of the plays he flubs. Beautiful throwing motion, but he'll miss badly on some relatively easy passes. He also puts the ball in harm's way quite a bit. Just started watching him this week, so I need to compare some more tape, but he's interesting for sure.
 
Lovethefish said:
Ryan Fitzpatrick might be good comp for Will Grier. He just slings it. Average arm. Gives no ****s.
Click to expand...

I like where your head is at there.

Of course Fitzpatrick is a Harvard guy and did close to a perfect Wonderlic. I don't think Grier is nearly that smart.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
His highlights are outstanding. His instincts and accuracy are the two areas that make me doubt him. Think he needs a great situation, but, as you note, at least the talent is there to make up for some of the plays he flubs. Beautiful throwing motion, but he'll miss badly on some relatively easy passes. He also puts the ball in harm's way quite a bit. Just started watching him this week, so I need to compare some more tape, but he's interesting for sure.
Click to expand...

Know what's interesting about that?

Felt like i was re-reading something I wrote about Carson Wentz's NDSU tape. Missed throws, put the ball in harm's way quite a bit, instincts and accuracy.
 
Two guys that are playing much better as the season wraps up are Drew Lock and Nick Fitzgerald. Just much better. Both were brutal earlier in the season.

Lock really does have exceptional arm talent, but I just don't care much for how mediocre the rest of his traits project to the next level. His success is going to be overly reliant on his situation and surrounding talent. He's not going to elevate any sort of stagnant accommodations. Stagnant accommodations are going to find you more often than not in the NFL.

I think CK has it right in terms of arm talent and Nick Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, he just doesn't process what he's seeing fast enough. He lacks any sort of anticipation as a passer and is subject to running very hot and cold. He's a streaky player with serious next level flaws as a quarterback. His already poor accuracy tends to literally vanish at times. He was suspended to begin the season also.

I think the main thing you have to determine with Fitzgerald is how dedicated he would be to work tirelessly to improve some of his biggest flaws. You might consider him as a late round flier or UDFA if you believe he's going to be a hard worker. It'll take him time and the right situation to develop some, but he does have some arm talent.

Lock is going to be overdrafted if he goes in the 1st round. I've always viewed him more as a mid rounder. The red flags that teams typically ignore are all there with Lock, which is my concern. He's one of those spectacular QB purgatory prospects in the mold of Tannehill, Bortles.
 
I know this is off topic but Slimm, CK, j-off , would you say Falk is similar to John Beck? That’s who he kind of reminds me of. With the weak arm but accurate.
:offtopic:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom