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What Makes an NFL Quarterback?

The Rev

The Rev

Johannus Paulus II
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Alright everyone, I've been thinking. Why it cannot be argued that the 'Fins need a QB for next year, what makes one better than the other? What makes Tom Brady not get picked until the 7th round and Akili Smith picked in the first along with Ryan Leaf and Rick Mirer? I do not assume to know more than a scout or more than a lot of fans but it seems to me that it's just a crap shoot after all.
Saban himself said that the QB position is the hardest to evaluate. Why is Leinart the best? Why is Quinn better than Cutler in your opinion and where does Young fit in all of this. I really want to know. What makes one better than the other.
If we assume to know which QB is the perfect fit for our beloved 'Fins, then enlighten me and tell me what what makes an NFL Quarterback?
 
Oh my god I am not going to explain this again. IT'S THE SAME PROCESS.

First the daddy bear places his furry little willy...
 
infiltrateib said:
Oh my god I am not going to explain this again. IT'S THE SAME PROCESS.

First the daddy bear places his furry little willy...
Click to expand...

:rofl3:
 
i think alot of it is the team/coaching staff he is drafted into. Kids coming into the nfl are my age (early 20s) and they undoubtedly need good support groups to help them transition into the nfl and deal with all of the pressure they're faced with. Imagine you're 22, given millions of dollars and told by suits who have tons of expectations and no faith/patience to be the savior of an nfl franchise. SOME can do it, but most need a little nurturing...
 
There's probably several factors that play a role in the success of an NFL QB. There are physical attributes and mental. But, I don't think there is an absolute "package" that makes a guy a great QB. Many are different but still great. Look at Montana versus Marino. Or Manning versus McNabb. Probably the most important value is to be able to play in an excellent system. Look what New England has done for Brady. Most QBs shine when the team is under excellent management.
 
Mental toughness is a must in an NFL QB! You may not have all the God given ability but you can make up for it with heart. Which is why Brady is much better than Ryan Leaf. I believe its a certain personality type that makes franchise QB's. Montana had it, Marino definitely had it, Aikman, Manning etc..they all have a certain swagger that can't be taught. You can have all the tools but if your soft where it counts you'll never make it at QB because it's the hardest position to grasp mentally. What do I know though...JMO!
 
It is the hardest to evaluate because you can measure physical attributes well, but the mental abilities for qbs is the most difficult in that qb is the hardest position mentally to play. Qb has to know where everyone is, what each's assignment is, has to read the defense, assess the coverage scheme and execute. AJ had physical skills, but lacked some key mental skills. Jay had mental skills but lacked physical skills. The truly great franchise qbs have both and in abundance. Trouble is, mental aspect is hard to quantify. Its the "it" factor.

As much as many like to say college is an indicator, it is not able to fully predict from college stats and performance. College can play with superior talent, play against inferior competition, and the speed isnt the same. How they transition mentally is huge. Peyton had rookie stats that were poor int wise, good td wise, basically his stats werent bad, but they werent awesome, but he had the mental toughness to use it and learn and progress. Many qbs that have controversy become anxious and press and develop bad habits that they never recover from. What can be seen is the confidence exuded by that qb, Leinart shows a coolness under pressure, a confidence when it is on the line, like he excels with the spotlight. That is a positive for him having "it". Quinn shows alot of the same. Arm is my only concern with Leinart, but many believe it isgood enough, so if it is, I believe mentally he is teh real deal, just by the way he carries himself and commands a presence. Quinn has shown the physical skills, showed the ability to learn, the toughness mentally playing for a team that is always under a microscope of ND hans and boosters. Cutler I like, but is not as NFL ready IMO. He has shown the confidence and toughness playing with a less than superb surrounding cast. He would be a good pickup in the second.

Anyway my $.02 for what it is worth, (not much I know).
 
Psychosikes said:
i think alot of it is the team/coaching staff he is drafted into. Kids coming into the nfl are my age (early 20s) and they undoubtedly need good support groups to help them transition into the nfl and deal with all of the pressure they're faced with. Imagine you're 22, given millions of dollars and told by suits who have tons of expectations and no faith/patience to be the savior of an nfl franchise. SOME can do it, but most need a little nurturing...
Click to expand...

A coach can make the diffrence between a Hall of Famer and a bust
 
Super Teacher said:
Alright everyone, I've been thinking. Why it cannot be argued that the 'Fins need a QB for next year, what makes one better than the other? What makes Tom Brady not get picked until the 7th round and Akili Smith picked in the first along with Ryan Leaf and Rick Mirer? I do not assume to know more than a scout or more than a lot of fans but it seems to me that it's just a crap shoot after all.
Saban himself said that the QB position is the hardest to evaluate. Why is Leinart the best? Why is Quinn better than Cutler in your opinion and where does Young fit in all of this. I really want to know. What makes one better than the other.
If we assume to know which QB is the perfect fit for our beloved 'Fins, then enlighten me and tell me what what makes an NFL Quarterback?
Click to expand...
Real answer is too complex to put into writing...but it's the same thing that the military looks for in, say, a fighter pilot...the "it" factor...that certain something that makes you rub your chin and say "daaamn, how did he do that?"...if the QB in question can't make you do that, keep looking.
 
That is now the $50 million dollar + question isn't it? If anybody could truly answer that, they'd make themselves a heck of a lot of money in the NFL.

My personal take is it seems like it's got a lot to do with a guy who has the necessary tools getting an opportunity with the right system/franchise. Tom Brady was not a dominant QB 4 years ago. He was a guy who could avoid huge mistakes and do just enough to get by. But he got a lightning in a bottle opportunity and worked his tail off to maximize his inherent abilities (average arm, slides well in the pocket, bright guy) and has become arguably the best in the biz. And the Pats did a good job of building him up and protecting him from his own flaws.

Likewise, Steve Young looked like a bust with the Bucs. But Bill Walsh got a hold of him and developed him into a guy who filled the shoes of a Hall of Famer.

On the other hand, guys like David Carr who have everything it takes to be great get thrown in bad situations like Houston and get the snot beat out of them. Tough to develop skills as a QB when you spend most of your time on your back or running for your life (hence the regression of Feeley in his brief tour of Miami). Probably beats your confidence down pretty badly too.

I think there have to be some inherent abilities, but much less than is celebrated at the Combine: guy needs a decent arm (throw the 15 yard out, hit a 30 or 40 yard go route); the ability to slide in the pocket (not what their measuring with the 40 and the cone drills); solid build so he can take the pounding of a full season; great football intelligence (NFL playbooks aren't getting any smaller).

And then there are the intangibles. He's got to be the toughest guy on the team from a mental standpoint. When the chips are down, the QB has to rally folks. And when he makes a very public mistake (like a pick 6), he needs to be able to shake it off and get right back in the saddle. But he's got to have the poise and confidence to make people okay with following him. And if he's a young kid thrown in the fire, he needs to be able to not lose his mojo when it doesn't go his way from the start. Of course there's work ethic. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that the best passers in the game are the ones who are legendary for their preparation.

And then a couple of little things that will probably make me sound crazy. I love the quick release. It gives you extra time to make a decision. Dan Marino had more than a full extra second to decide on his throw compared to a guy like Kerry Collins. That's an eternity in the NFL. Philips Rivers has got that. And does the guy keep his head up and scanning the field when he's moving in the pocket? Roethlisberger and Brady are great at that. They're not moving anywhere near as well as a Vick or a Garcia, but they almost always make the broken play because they'll find a receiver.

You get all that and a patient coaching staff that knows how to protect their guy and let him get his footing and it seems like you usually get a good QB out of it.

All in all, I think scouts have been really hung up on the measurables up until the last few years. So Ryan Leaf and Jeff George are annointed the next great thing. And then the scouts ignore the situations guys faced in college such as a guy who was a wonder as a junior and then got crushed as a senior for some reason (i.e. Marino, Bulger). Or they downgrade a guy for not coming out of the major conferences. After all, 32 teams passed on Ryan Fitzpatrick 6 times before one finally took a chance. The jury is definitely still out, but the kid was a very interesting prospect on paper. The tools to be offered an athletic scholarship to a Pac-10 school and the smarts to go to Harvard. He got it done on the field and then worked hard to take his finals while playing in the Senior exhibition games. He's even reported to have a ton of poise. But he played in the Ivy League so he can't be that good?

As for the current prospects, I've seen a lot of Leinart being a West Coast guy and a Cal fan. He's definitely got the mojo, the brains, and good enough tools. But he's never faced a real pass rush. Homeboy has like 6 seconds on every drop. If he goes to the Titans and Norm Chow, I think he'll be the real deal. If he goes anywhere else, it's gonna be a little rough to start as he makes the transition to the faster game. With all the coaching switches among the bottom feeders this year, it's gonna be a crapshoot for him. Don't expect Carson Palmer out of the gates.

Quinn looks good. He's got it all and he's doing great in a complicated pro-style offense that he assimilated in one year. Even the mojo is definitely there...despite him having been on the losing end of "the greatest game ever played".

Of course, these are all of my personal, very untested theories. If I really knew anything, I'd probably be more tempted to give up the day job instead of popping off on the Finheaven message board!
 
Super Teacher said:
Alright everyone, I've been thinking. Why it cannot be argued that the 'Fins need a QB for next year, what makes one better than the other? What makes Tom Brady not get picked until the 7th round and Akili Smith picked in the first along with Ryan Leaf and Rick Mirer? I do not assume to know more than a scout or more than a lot of fans but it seems to me that it's just a crap shoot after all.
Saban himself said that the QB position is the hardest to evaluate. Why is Leinart the best? Why is Quinn better than Cutler in your opinion and where does Young fit in all of this. I really want to know. What makes one better than the other.
If we assume to know which QB is the perfect fit for our beloved 'Fins, then enlighten me and tell me what what makes an NFL Quarterback?
Click to expand...

What makes it difficult to evaluate the QB position is how much more difficult it is for a QB to be succesful in the NFL. In college, receivers get ridiculously open whereas in the NFL, having one step on your defender is considered open. The defensive schemes are far more complex. The players faster.

What seperates the players who have success are intelligence and accuracy. The three QBs you put up all failed for different reasons. Akile Smith simply couldn't get the mental part of the game or be accurate, which is a quick ticket out of the league. Mire simply didnt have the arm. Leaf blew out his shoulder and was never the same after
 
adamprez2003 said:
What makes it difficult to evaluate the QB position is how much more difficult it is for a QB to be succesful in the NFL. In college, receivers get ridiculously open whereas in the NFL, having one step on your defender is considered open. The defensive schemes are far more complex. The players faster.

What seperates the players who have success are intelligence and accuracy. The three QBs you put up all failed for different reasons. Akile Smith simply couldn't get the mental part of the game or be accurate, which is a quick ticket out of the league. Mire simply didnt have the arm. Leaf blew out his shoulder and was never the same after
Click to expand...

Ah yes, of course! Accuracy! That's one of the biggies. Can't do much with a strong-armed guy who can't get the ball anywhere near his receivers (cough, Gus Frerotte). But you can build an offense around a weak-armed guy who can hit everything within 25 yards of him (hence the WCO).
 
rocket4 said:
Ah yes, of course! Accuracy! That's one of the biggies. Can't do much with a strong-armed guy who can't get the ball anywhere near his receivers (cough, Gus Frerotte). But you can build an offense around a weak-armed guy who can hit everything within 25 yards of him (hence the WCO).
Click to expand...

Exactly. By the way I've read a few of your posts today. Keep writing 'em. You definitely get the game and its nice to read well written posts such as yours. You were on the money with your points in your first post
 
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