Slimm's 2019 Quarterbacks (underclassman)

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Jeff Brohm is one of those type of coaches that I'm talking about when I say it gets more difficult for me to evaluate players nowdays because I simply cannot figure out what some of these coaches are even trying to accomplish. All they know how to do is throw it 60 times a game out of the shotgun. There's no identity or toughness along the line of scrimmage. They can't even get 1 yard on a handoff to the RB when they need a yard.

I'm a big proponent of Elijah Sindelar as a next level quarterback prospect, but I've never understood the musical chairs Brohm plays at the quarterback position between Sindelar and Blough. Sindelar is by far the better quarterback. However, Brohm benched him last night at halftime due to three bad interceptions in the first half.

Now, make no mistake - they weren't great decisions by Sindelar. He lobbed one up deep downfield into double coverage that was picked off, but he couldn't anticipate his receiver and one of the DB's getting tangled up and falling down, leaving only the other defender there to catch the ball. His other option on that play was to simply take a sack and a huge loss of yardage. Which was probably the correct decision.

The second interception he misread the coverage by the linebacker. However, it was more just a great play by a terrific Senior linebacker (Nate Hall) who you'll find in the top 10 of my Senior linebackers.

The third and final interception was another bad decision where Sindelar chose to throw late to the flat as he was being tackled. Again, should've just taken the sack.



But I want to get to what my real point is. Sindelar threw the ball 30 times in the first half. They only handed the ball off to a running back 5 times in the first half - and 3 of those were in situations where they only need 1 yard for a first down. They could barely get 10 inches on those plays because they just don't know how to run the football. It's not important to the coaching staff. This is simply putting too much on the quarterback. He's asking his quarterback to be perfect throwing the ball 60 times a game against B1G defenses. That type of philosophy is simply not going to work in a conference like the B1G. That ain't C-USA or the Sun-Belt where you can get away with that. There's simply no threat of run and they do not force defenses to play honest. They know Sindelar is going to throw it every play. I know he's going to throw it on every play.

Despite this, Sindelar led them to 17 first half points (not counting a missed field goal).

Blough led them to 10 points in the second half - and he almost fumbled away their chances. Purdue's defense held Northwestern and Clayton Thorson scoreless in the second half. If Sindelar plays the second half of the game, I believe Purdue wins. Furthermore, it baffles how as soon as they put Blough in the game, they suddenly start trying to run the football.

D.J. Knox is the most underutilized RB in college football. He's been on my RB rankings for 2 years, but they just won't use him. He was averaging 11 YPC last night.

Lastly, defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal (yes, he's the son of former fullback Lorenzo Neal) cost Purdue the game at the end by getting flagged for throwing Northwestern's RB to the ground after the whistle. Purdue had no timeouts and it gave Northwestern the first down they needed to run out the clock. Brohm left Neal in the game, unlike Sindelar.

I just don't agree with the way this guy coaches. He's clueless in my opinion. But I'd gladly take his quarterback. Kid makes all the throws. Tough guy. Upside is legitimate.

 

[mrbunglez]

Watching Tua Tagovailoa play tonight, kid looks like he’s on another level. He’s going to be great. When’s he eligible for the NFL? Next year or 2020?

 

[Birdmond]

We’ll be talking about Joey Burrow now that he’s transferred to LSU. I’d also be willing to bet both Burrows and Dywane Haskins will be eventual first round picks. Meyer was in love with JT Barrett and there was never an open competition. Both Burrows and Haskins are special football players.

Sticking with it. They’ll be the best two QB’s in college football.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Sticking with it. They’ll be the best two QB’s in college football.

Neither of em have played enough football to warrant being on anyone's draft board, but this is going to be an interesting post.

Burrow doesn't have the physical tools to be an elite prospect, but he plays the position in a throwback way that appeals to somebody like me. He understands defenses and what they're doing.

I just watched him against Miami and what stands out is the way he plays the position mentally. He never really makes a mental mistake. Burrow isn't necessarily going to make the wow plays, but he's always going to put the offense in the best play possible. I watched him check out of bad plays based on what the defense was doing all night. He took on the defensive coordinator himself and stayed one step ahead all night. Very impressive.

I mean - to watch a college quarterback go under center nowdays and use a hard count to draw the defense offsides and accumulate free first downs is just something you don't really see anymore. So few of these coaches nowdays even put their quarterbacks in a position to take advantage of using a hard count - they can't because they're always in the shotgun. This was big boy football LSU played tonight, and it was ran through a junior QB making his first start against a team ranked in the top 10. Excellent stuff.

But there's a reason Burrow isn't in Columbus anymore, which brings me to my next point...

After studying Dwayne Haskins against Oregon St., if this is who he really is, then he'll be the #1 quarterback on my board. I just need to see it over the month of September or so to add him.

I haven't seen an Urban Meyer quarterback get through progressions that fast since Alex Smith. But that wasn't even the best part...

I was absolutely blown away by the kid's accuracy and timing. Ball placement is fantastic and zips balls into tight windows. His throws were so on time and so accurate, it still allows receivers to make RAC even in the tight windows.

Certainly the top underclassman quarterback I've scouted so far. He looks a little Cam Newton-ish the way the ball comes out if his hand and the velocity/trajectory.

Check back around October....

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Stidham has a lot of arm talent and he's a quality kid, but that's about it. Kid is way too panicky in the pocket. Very reminiscent of Blaine Gabbert. Doesn't have a good feel for pressure. Holds the ball too long.

Not a 1st round quarterback in my opinion.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

Stidham has a lot of arm talent and he's a quality kid, but that's about it. Kid is way too panicky in the pocket. Very reminiscent of Blaine Gabbert. Doesn't have a good feel for pressure. Holds the ball too long.

Not a 1st round quarterback in my opinion.

Agree Slimm - wanted to like Stidham last year, but he just doesn't have the poise you need from an NFL QB. I think he's a little better than Gabbert - will make more plays when there's no pressure - but that's not saying much.

On the other hand, he doesn't look as athletic as Gabbert, so maybe it's a wash.

 

[Birdmond]

Burrow doesn't have the physical tools to be an elite prospect.

Burrow is physically superior to Mayfield in every category. He was ahead of JT Barrett last season until he broke his hand. Teammates nicknamed Burrow Tom Brady junior. He’ll be an elite prospect.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Burrow is physically superior to Mayfield in every category. He was ahead of JT Barrett last season until he broke his hand. Teammates nicknamed Burrow Tom Brady junior. He’ll be an elite prospect.

Mayfield wasn't elite to begin with. A lot of people are in for lesson in regards to him too.

JT Barrett wasn't an NFL quarterback prospect in my opinion. Not even close.

Burrow isn't Tom Brady until he leads his team to come from behind wins again and again. Like Brady did against Alabama in the Orange Bowl.

I've watched Burrow throw the football. I've watched him play. He's not elite. I'll bet whatever you want to bet on it.

 

[Rolltide03]

Be nice if we somehow acquire multiple picks for the following year so we have ammo to get Tua

 

[mrbunglez]

I really really like Tua Tagovailoa. He kind of reminds me of Russel Wilson but better. I want to see this kid in a Dolphins uni.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Arizona is going to lose a lot of games trying to make K. Tate a pocket passer. That's not what he is and it's not what makes him special. They've lost 4 in a row going back to last year because Tate isn't running the football.

He needs to be running for 150+ yards for Arizona to win these games. That's what he is.

I wouldn't give you a nickel for him as an NFL quarterback. He has no idea what he's doing, and his footwork and throwing mechanics are all over the place. He's just so fast and elusive he's easily able to extend every single passing play to buy himself an extra 7 or 8 seconds to complete a pass. He's a special athlete - but he's a long ways from being a quarterback. I'd probably try him at RB, similar to how I viewed Denard Robinson when the NFL was trying to convert him to a slot receiver.

 

[ckparrothead]

Looking into Dwayne Haskins's work against Oregon State this weekend.

This was a wildcard for me because he only took 57 attempts in 2017. What stood out for me then, as well is in the Spring work I reviewed for him, is just this unerring accuracy and delivery. That was on full display against Oregon State.

You have to be pretty incredible at something to be looked at as a good pro prospect. To me, he's looking like he might be pretty incredible at just flat out delivering a good, catchable pass to anywhere on the football field. It's an over-simplification, but sometimes it's simple.

He moves with great balance and care to protect the throw. He's not trying to be a gunslinger, not trying to prove anything to anyone. But he's got the kind of pure talent that many of those gunslinger types have.

Looks like a pro, to me.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Looking into Dwayne Haskins's work against Oregon State this weekend.

This was a wildcard for me because he only took 57 attempts in 2017. What stood out for me then, as well is in the Spring work I reviewed for him, is just this unerring accuracy and delivery. That was on full display against Oregon State.

You have to be pretty incredible at something to be looked at as a good pro prospect. To me, he's looking like he might be pretty incredible at just flat out delivering a good, catchable pass to anywhere on the football field. It's an over-simplification, but sometimes it's simple.

He moves with great balance and care to protect the throw. He's not trying to be a gunslinger, not trying to prove anything to anyone. But he's got the kind of pure talent that many of those gunslinger types have.

Looks like a pro, to me.

That's well said.

 

[mrbunglez]

What do you guys think of Steven Montez out of Colorado. He played well today against Nebraska. He had command of that offense to beat Nebraska in the final minutes.

 

[ckparrothead]

Another day for Dwayne Haskins in terms of pure accuracy. I saw him miss three passes today. One didn't count on the official play sheet.

That puts him 42 of 53 for 546 yards, 9 TDs and 1 INT after two games.

This is not an atypical way for a good QB to start out the year, but that's usually because Weeks 1 and 2 are the weeks where you end up playing FCS opponents. Oregon State and Rutgers are not good but they're still FBS. Rutgers had just beaten another FBS team 35-7 the week before. Oregon State put a beatdown on an FCS team today.

I also understand there's a lot of system stuff going on here. Tate Martell has been in the game and completed 13 of 14 passes to date. The difference between the two is pretty obvious, in terms of how quickly and decisively the ball comes out.

Still, this accuracy and consistency on Haskins is a cut above the group. And I get the feeling we haven't really seen what he can do as a play-maker because he hasn't really been challenged yet.