Kiper/McShay podcast

 

Kiper: Your take on Manziel, Bortles and Bridgewater (come May 8)

McShay: Seems like Manziel is the flavor of the day, that everyone is most intrigued by. I feel really good about where I am with the top 3 QBs and McCarron at 4 probably. I see it differently than most. Teddy Bridgewater is the steady Eddy of the group. I put on his tape, it's not always against great competition but he's quick in his drop, quick with his feet, he knows where he's going with the football, he's decisive, he's smart, he's tough, he'll hang in the pocket and take a big hit and most importantly, he's the most accurate of all these QBs right now. He's the most polished. If I had one game to play, I would say Teddy is our safest best to go win this game in the NFL today.

Manziel - I don't know that I scouted a player like him. I grew up in Boston. I watched Doug Flutie and I think it's probably a little bit like that. There's not many guys like him. Physical traits, probably 6' at best, massive hands, size 15 foot, he's not thick but not as slight as his measurables would indicate. He got that big bone look to him, which is important. At the end of the day, the biggest three things with Manziel, while he can create like no other, he's a gamer, he's tough, he just makes plays man. I love watching this guy on tape and love what he can do and as a teammate, I would respect the heck out of him and would follow him down any path and any ally but as a coach and GM, I don't know that I trust him in terms of his decision making and consistency and staying healthy. You can say that with any prospect but there are odds and probabilities. The durability is a concern long term because of the style of play. The decision making is frightening. Watching coaches copy tape, some of the plays he makes, he eludes 4 guys, he's throwing off his back foot and across his body, you can't make those throws in the league. You can't get away with it. When I watch him against the blitz, it's almost like watching pickup basketball. He has no intention of going through a hot read or identifying a blitzer and beating it with his arm. He's baiting them to come and he'll bail out and roll outside and try to create a play. It didn't work at times this year late in the season when he wore down and I think that's a preview of what's gonna happen at the next level. Even though he was dominate in college football, he has the most developing to do. He of the 3 scares me the most.

Blake Bortles: The only thing he is missing is a big time arm. He has functional arm strength. He has adequate NFL arm strength. It's average. You have to put him in a system where you're not asking him to drive the ball down the field like Joe Flacco but not like you have to hide his arm like Chad Pennington either. He's very intelligent with his reads. He has fast eyes, feet are married to his eyes, he's a gamer, he's tough, he's very mobile for his size and when it's all said and done, he has the best upside of these QBs. It's very close between him and Bridgewater. Bortles is stronger and sturdier and I feel like in the long run, I feel more confident he'll stay healthy. I have almost identical grades on Bortles and Bridgewater, kinda in the mid-first round range and late first round on Johnny Manziel. After that, it's the rest of the group. A.J. McCarron is probably second tier. We have a lot of big name guys: Zach Mettenberger, Jimmy Garappolo, Logan Thomas(oozing with talent but still so much work to do), Aaron Murray, Derek Carr(who I got a 5th round grade on), Stephen Morris, Taj Boyd, even David Fales. You're talking 12/13 QBs who will be off the board in the first 5/6 rounds and a handful more in the 6/7/UDFA range.

Kiper: I think the thing with Bridgewater is that schedule. It didn't allow for many signature wins. That doesn't mean anything. We always harp on games. I go back to Roethlisberger, Culpepper, Peyton Manning. Did Manning going 0-4 against Florida affect how he played in the NFL? Did Roethlisberger looking terrible at Iowa...it was awful. Culpepper played poorly against Auburn. It didn't matter. 

To go back to Bortles, it's ball placement. He needs to work on that and accuracy down the field. The Baylor game, first half he struggled. 10 minute mark 3rd Q, he slipped, he righted himself, he made an accurate throw down the right sideline and from that point on, got in a zone. I think he has upside but it may be a year learning curve for him coming into the NFL. 

The guy who is polarizing because he won and has the intangibles but didn't go to the Senior Bowl, doesn't have the big time arm, very average arm, what kind of pro QB will A.J. McCarron be?

McShay: I think you draft him with the mindset that he can be a very good backup but also a chance to develop into a starter. A.J. McCarron has a functional NFL arm but you have to be on time and can't allow your WRs to get past a certain point and think you can still make the throw vertically because you'll wind up sailing the ball and your WR will have to go make a play. A lot of times Amari Cooper went up and made a play. I love his attitude. He has some dirt to him. He's a tough guy, he doesn't care. There are some guys turned off by the way he is. I love it. He understands situations. He's an intelligent QB in terms of managing the game. I'm not saying he's a game manager but he understands managing the game as a QB. I think he's accurate, he has good accuracy short to intermediate but I'll say this and people will think I'm crazy: for as many starts as he as and as of big a program he played at, 36-4 as a starter, 2 championships, all the accolades he has, I think McCarron has developing to do still. His mechanics in his lower body, it's a little like Manziel at times and a lot like Derek Carr at times. Not transferring weight, not stepping...fundamental basic stuff. He has gotten into bad habits of throwing off his back foot. It's something easily correctable but it's something he's been doing now and it's gotten worse over the last couple years. He has the size, he has some mobility, he has to feel the speed of the game and figure out what does he want to do when the pocket breaks down around him. He's capable of beating it but he hasn't seen it a lot. I think he needs more experience with that. If he works out his mechanics, he can develop into a starter but I draft him in the 2nd round because then the pressure isn't there and if develops into just a really good backup, I can live with it.

Logan Thomas: 

Kiper: I think he can be a TE. I don't see QB unless you wait 2-3 years. He got the size and arm but wildly inconsistent. TE may be his spot.

Jordan Lynch:

Kiper: Great kid. Incredible competitor. He wants to be a QB. He wants a shot to be a QB. I think he's a RB or a safety. He wants to be a QB.

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Kiper/McShay podcast

 

Kiper: Your take on Manziel, Bortles and Bridgewater (come May 8)

McShay: Seems like Manziel is the flavor of the day, that everyone is most intrigued by. I feel really good about where I am with the top 3 QBs and McCarron at 4 probably. I see it differently than most. Teddy Bridgewater is the steady Eddy of the group. I put on his tape, it's not always against great competition but he's quick in his drop, quick with his feet, he knows where he's going with the football, he's decisive, he's smart, he's tough, he'll hang in the pocket and take a big hit and most importantly, he's the most accurate of all these QBs right now. He's the most polished. If I had one game to play, I would say Teddy is our safest best to go win this game in the NFL today.

Manziel - I don't know that I scouted a player like him. I grew up in Boston. I watched Doug Flutie and I think it's probably a little bit like that. There's not many guys like him. Physical traits, probably 6' at best, massive hands, size 15 foot, he's not thick but not as slight as his measurables would indicate. He got that big bone look to him, which is important. At the end of the day, the biggest three things with Manziel, while he can create like no other, he's a gamer, he's tough, he just makes plays man. I love watching this guy on tape and love what he can do and as a teammate, I would respect the heck out of him and would follow him down any path and any ally but as a coach and GM, I don't know that I trust him in terms of his decision making and consistency and staying healthy. You can say that with any prospect but there are odds and probabilities. The durability is a concern long term because of the style of play. The decision making is frightening. Watching coaches copy tape, some of the plays he makes, he eludes 4 guys, he's throwing off his back foot and across his body, you can't make those throws in the league. You can't get away with it. When I watch him against the blitz, it's almost like watching pickup basketball. He has no intention of going through a hot read or identifying a blitzer and beating it with his arm. He's baiting them to come and he'll bail out and roll outside and try to create a play. It didn't work at times this year late in the season when he wore down and I think that's a preview of what's gonna happen at the next level. Even though he was dominate in college football, he has the most developing to do. He of the 3 scares me the most.

Blake Bortles: The only thing he is missing is a big time arm. He has functional arm strength. He has adequate NFL arm strength. It's average. You have to put him in a system where you're not asking him to drive the ball down the field like Joe Flacco but not like you have to hide his arm like Chad Pennington either. He's very intelligent with his reads. He has fast eyes, feet are married to his eyes, he's a gamer, he's tough, he's very mobile for his size and when it's all said and done, he has the best upside of these QBs. It's very close between him and Bridgewater. Bortles is stronger and sturdier and I feel like in the long run, I feel more confident he'll stay healthy. I have almost identical grades on Bortles and Bridgewater, kinda in the mid-first round range and late first round on Johnny Manziel. After that, it's the rest of the group. A.J. McCarron is probably second tier. We have a lot of big name guys: Zach Mettenberger, Jimmy Garappolo, Logan Thomas(oozing with talent but still so much work to do), Aaron Murray, Derek Carr(who I got a 5th round grade on), Stephen Morris, Taj Boyd, even David Fales. You're talking 12/13 QBs who will be off the board in the first 5/6 rounds and a handful more in the 6/7/UDFA range.

Kiper: I think the thing with Bridgewater is that schedule. It didn't allow for many signature wins. That doesn't mean anything. We always harp on games. I go back to Roethlisberger, Culpepper, Peyton Manning. Did Manning going 0-4 against Florida affect how he played in the NFL? Did Roethlisberger looking terrible at Iowa...it was awful. Culpepper played poorly against Auburn. It didn't matter. 

To go back to Bortles, it's ball placement. He needs to work on that and accuracy down the field. The Baylor game, first half he struggled. 10 minute mark 3rd Q, he slipped, he righted himself, he made an accurate throw down the right sideline and from that point on, got in a zone. I think he has upside but it may be a year learning curve for him coming into the NFL. 

The guy who is polarizing because he won and has the intangibles but didn't go to the Senior Bowl, doesn't have the big time arm, very average arm, what kind of pro QB will A.J. McCarron be?

McShay: I think you draft him with the mindset that he can be a very good backup but also a chance to develop into a starter. A.J. McCarron has a functional NFL arm but you have to be on time and can't allow your WRs to get past a certain point and think you can still make the throw vertically because you'll wind up sailing the ball and your WR will have to go make a play. A lot of times Amari Cooper went up and made a play. I love his attitude. He has some dirt to him. He's a tough guy, he doesn't care. There are some guys turned off by the way he is. I love it. He understands situations. He's an intelligent QB in terms of managing the game. I'm not saying he's a game manager but he understands managing the game as a QB. I think he's accurate, he has good accuracy short to intermediate but I'll say this and people will think I'm crazy: for as many starts as he as and as of big a program he played at, 36-4 as a starter, 2 championships, all the accolades he has, I think McCarron has developing to do still. His mechanics in his lower body, it's a little like Manziel at times and a lot like Derek Carr at times. Not transferring weight, not stepping...fundamental basic stuff. He has gotten into bad habits of throwing off his back foot. It's something easily correctable but it's something he's been doing now and it's gotten worse over the last couple years. He has the size, he has some mobility, he has to feel the speed of the game and figure out what does he want to do when the pocket breaks down around him. He's capable of beating it but he hasn't seen it a lot. I think he needs more experience with that. If he works out his mechanics, he can develop into a starter but I draft him in the 2nd round because then the pressure isn't there and if develops into just a really good backup, I can live with it.

Logan Thomas: 

Kiper: I think he can be a TE. I don't see QB unless you wait 2-3 years. He got the size and arm but wildly inconsistent. TE may be his spot.

Jordan Lynch:

Kiper: Great kid. Incredible competitor. He wants to be a QB. He wants a shot to be a QB. I think he's a RB or a safety. He wants to be a QB.

 

Thanks for the post. Very interesting.

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The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

Thanks for the post. Very interesting.

No probs, their offensive line talk is very interesting as well.

 

McShay talking Robinson up as a baby Boselli, meaning potential dominant tackle

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I have no interest in McCarron at all.

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I find it ridiculous that Stephen Morris is considered even close to Boyd level.


Boyd might be available in the 6th. Hey I say wait til then.

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Kiper/McShay podcast

 

... Even though he was dominate
in college football, he has the most developing to do...

 

Did McShay really say this?!?! If so, he's my new fave draftnik-nutjob and everything he says ever is correct always.

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!