NYPhin24
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WQAM Radio Interview with QB Colin Kaepernick & Omar Kelly
(Radio interview here)http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...ck-worth-a-1st-round-investment.html#comments
Is Colin Kaepernick worth a 1st or 2nd round investment?
by: Omar Kelly April 7th, 2011 | 10:50 AM
A significant part of the NFL draft process is about finding a player you like, doing your homework on his performance, skill-set, personality, and makeup, and getting a conviction about him.
The ones a General Manager, executive, scout, or coach like gets pushed up on their boards. The guys the power players fall in love with get put on their “must-get list” with a grade assessment that corresponds with what type of pick should be invested.
Is Colin Kaepernick worth a 1st or 2nd round investment?
Even though former UM tight end Jimmy Graham was projected as a fourth-round prospect in last year’s draft class the Saints used a third rounder to ensure they got him because he was on their “must-get list”
Teams must determine if a player is worth the financial and time investment it takes for one of these college prospects to become an NFL player. Those teams that get more right than wrong build winners.
No evaluation is harder to do than quarterback, which explains why so many teams miss. But just like bad relationships, experiencing one – or two – duds doesn’t mean you should stop trying to fall in love, or like.
This year I’ve fallen in LIKE with Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick because of his unmatched athleticism, and the big arm you folks know I’m a sucker for. Much like Flacco, Kaepernick won me over at the Senior Bowl when I heard his passes whizzed by me.
Plenty of teams and talent evaluators like Kaepernick, who has worked out for about a dozen teams, including the Miami Dolphins.
I’m told by insiders from two different teams that Kaepernick won’t get past the second round. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projects he’ll be taken by the San Francisco 49ers early in the third round.
Kaepernick is rated in the second tier of quarterbacks, behind Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert and Auburn’s Cam Newton, who are both viewed as top 10 selections. He’s in the mix with players like Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett, Washington’s Jake Locker, FSU’s Christian Ponder and TCU’s Andy Dalton.
All of those individuals could become first round picks, so why can’t Kaepernick?
The only issues that keeps me from putting Kaepernick on my man crush list is….
1. A hitch in his throwing motion, which could become troublesome on out-routes. It’s a similar problem to the one that has plagued Byron Leftwich (58 touchdowns and 41 interceptions), and hurt Tim Tebow during the draft process last year.
2. The fact Kaepernick hasn’t played the highest caliber of competition at Nevada. If he was competing in the SEC, Big 10, ACC, hell….even the Big East we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
3. And the belief that Kaepernick’s experience running a Pistol offense means he’ll need a season or two to blossom into the quarterback he has the potential to become.
During an interview I had with Kaepernick we addressed all those issues.
Despite all his warts, it’s possible that some bold team will fall in love with Kaepernick, much like the Ravens did with Delaware’s Joe Flacco in 2008, and get froggy. Why not the Miami Dolphins?
“Kaepernick has the size, the speed and the strong arm, but not fundamental mechanics you want coming into the league,” Kiper said during Wednesday’s conference call.
“It’s the same with Tebow,” Kiper said, referring to Denver’s 2010 first-round pick, who started the last three games last season and completed 50 percent of his passes. “With the pads on, they go back to the same old ways.
Keapernick has worked on speeding up his delivery, but Kiper points out those type of fixes are short-term.
“That’s fine. It’s an optimistic viewpoint. But until you get into an NFL scenario, that’s wen you’ll see if he can maintain those changes. Does muscle memory take over?”
They absolutely do, which is why I’d never endorse changing a player throwing mechanics at this point considering it’s gotten him to this point.
“I think he’s a [good] prospect, but long term. You’ve got to be patient with him. I think [starting in] year two or year three he’ll be better off. But this is a league where they force players to play…. Kaepernick will probably play [quickly], and he’ll struggle.”
But is Kaepernick worth the investment?
(Radio interview here)http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...ck-worth-a-1st-round-investment.html#comments
Is Colin Kaepernick worth a 1st or 2nd round investment?
by: Omar Kelly April 7th, 2011 | 10:50 AM
A significant part of the NFL draft process is about finding a player you like, doing your homework on his performance, skill-set, personality, and makeup, and getting a conviction about him.
The ones a General Manager, executive, scout, or coach like gets pushed up on their boards. The guys the power players fall in love with get put on their “must-get list” with a grade assessment that corresponds with what type of pick should be invested.
Is Colin Kaepernick worth a 1st or 2nd round investment?Even though former UM tight end Jimmy Graham was projected as a fourth-round prospect in last year’s draft class the Saints used a third rounder to ensure they got him because he was on their “must-get list”
Teams must determine if a player is worth the financial and time investment it takes for one of these college prospects to become an NFL player. Those teams that get more right than wrong build winners.
No evaluation is harder to do than quarterback, which explains why so many teams miss. But just like bad relationships, experiencing one – or two – duds doesn’t mean you should stop trying to fall in love, or like.
This year I’ve fallen in LIKE with Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick because of his unmatched athleticism, and the big arm you folks know I’m a sucker for. Much like Flacco, Kaepernick won me over at the Senior Bowl when I heard his passes whizzed by me.
Plenty of teams and talent evaluators like Kaepernick, who has worked out for about a dozen teams, including the Miami Dolphins.
I’m told by insiders from two different teams that Kaepernick won’t get past the second round. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projects he’ll be taken by the San Francisco 49ers early in the third round.
Kaepernick is rated in the second tier of quarterbacks, behind Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert and Auburn’s Cam Newton, who are both viewed as top 10 selections. He’s in the mix with players like Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett, Washington’s Jake Locker, FSU’s Christian Ponder and TCU’s Andy Dalton.
All of those individuals could become first round picks, so why can’t Kaepernick?
The only issues that keeps me from putting Kaepernick on my man crush list is….
1. A hitch in his throwing motion, which could become troublesome on out-routes. It’s a similar problem to the one that has plagued Byron Leftwich (58 touchdowns and 41 interceptions), and hurt Tim Tebow during the draft process last year.
2. The fact Kaepernick hasn’t played the highest caliber of competition at Nevada. If he was competing in the SEC, Big 10, ACC, hell….even the Big East we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
3. And the belief that Kaepernick’s experience running a Pistol offense means he’ll need a season or two to blossom into the quarterback he has the potential to become.
During an interview I had with Kaepernick we addressed all those issues.
Despite all his warts, it’s possible that some bold team will fall in love with Kaepernick, much like the Ravens did with Delaware’s Joe Flacco in 2008, and get froggy. Why not the Miami Dolphins?
“Kaepernick has the size, the speed and the strong arm, but not fundamental mechanics you want coming into the league,” Kiper said during Wednesday’s conference call.
“It’s the same with Tebow,” Kiper said, referring to Denver’s 2010 first-round pick, who started the last three games last season and completed 50 percent of his passes. “With the pads on, they go back to the same old ways.
Keapernick has worked on speeding up his delivery, but Kiper points out those type of fixes are short-term.
“That’s fine. It’s an optimistic viewpoint. But until you get into an NFL scenario, that’s wen you’ll see if he can maintain those changes. Does muscle memory take over?”
They absolutely do, which is why I’d never endorse changing a player throwing mechanics at this point considering it’s gotten him to this point.
“I think he’s a [good] prospect, but long term. You’ve got to be patient with him. I think [starting in] year two or year three he’ll be better off. But this is a league where they force players to play…. Kaepernick will probably play [quickly], and he’ll struggle.”
But is Kaepernick worth the investment?
