Lion need is a QB.... Pick 1 of 6 choices
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 1:45 pm
Lion need a QB behind Stafford or to challange him for starting QB
my pick is Kyle Orton
Jimmy Clausen is, quiet possible, the best pure drop back passer in the nation. Highly touted out of high school, the 6-foot-2 passer took the Notre Dame starting QB job in his second game as a true freshman. He went on to start nine games in 2007, throwing for 1,254 yards with a 56.3 completition percentage (138-245) and a 7-6 touchdown-interception ratio. The numbers are not mind-boggling, but put them with a visibly weak offensive line, a lackluster running attack and almost no speed outside, and they are a testament to his ability. Clausen had a breakthrough sophomore campaign in 2008, when he passed for 3,172 yards, completing 60.9% (268-440) of his passes with an impressive 25-17 TD/INT ratio. Right now, he is having perhaps the best season an Irish signal caller has had since Brady Quinn's junior campaign in 2007.
A purely pocket passer with an above-average arm strength, Clausen has efficient footwork and depth on his drop from center. An efficient setup and over the top delivery motion, make him capable of making every NFL throw, including his specialty: the deep ball. Clausen consistently releases his passes before receivers have made their breaks, giving the defense little time to react. He reads defenses well and rarely is fooled by disguised coverage. Very accurate in the medium-to-long range area, this is a coveted trait in the NFL.
http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/prof ... ct_ID=1466
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Sam Bradford's first two seasons at Oklahoma are well documented. He threw for over 3,000 yards as a freshman and dominated the college football world as a sophomore, ending up with a trip to the BCS Championship game and a Heisman Trophy. Bradford could have been a first round pick after his sophomore season since he was draft eligible after redshirting in 2006.
Then 2009 happened. Bradford hurt his shoulder early in the season and it took about a quarter of the Red River Shootout for the Longhorns to send Bradford back to the sidelines. Now we have to wait and see how serious this injury really is. Even if he does not take another collegiate snap, Bradford will be an extremely accurate passer and has a good arm when it is not in a sling.
Bradford was considered by many to be the top player in this draft. But the short comeback from his injury raises a lot of questions. If he does not come back in 2009 (or comes back for another half before injuring his shoulder again), his stock will drop as NFL teams worry about his long-term health. One thing is for sure, if Bradford can stay healthy, he is the best quarterback in this class
However, he does need to improve the speed of his delivery on quick, short passes, as they are a bit slow. He is not a threat to run out of the pocket. Even though he has added bulk over the last two years, he could still use extra lower body strength. Clausen also needs to learn to do a better job taking control of the huddle, and work work on short passes down the middle.
Clausen is one of the hottest commodities in NFL Draft circles. His stock is rising fast, similar to what happened to USC's Mark Sanchez last year. He is not the athlete Sanchez is, but he is every bit as good. He also shares another trait with the former Trojan star: a flair for playing the position. Clausen is a lock to be a top five pick if he, as expected, comes out early. He should develop into a consistent pro passer
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Tebow is enjoying another outstanding season in 2009. Through eight games (all victories for the Florida Gators) the senior quarterback had 1323 passing yards, 551 rushing yards, and 18 total touchdowns (eight rush, 10 pass). He is not on pace to have as many rushing touchdowns as he had in 2007 (when he won the Heisman trophy) or as many passing touchdowns as he had in 2008, but Tebow is still terrorizing defenses despite suffering a concussion earlier in the year against Kentucky. Tebow continues to be an extremely smart quarterback, rarely making bad decisions. At 6'3 and 245 pounds, he is a load to bring down when he tucks it away and runs, displaying stellar speed for a big man in the 4.5 range. He is deceptively nimble and elusive as well. Off the field, Tebow is as solid as they come; a team leader, humanitarian, and just about everything else.
Questions remain about his ability to be a quarterback at the next level. Urban Meyer's Florida offense has put Tebow in ideal conditions to succeed, so it remains to be seen how he will respond in passing situations against NFL defenses. Tebow has no fear sitting in the pocket, but he needs to do a better job of feeling pressure. His delivery on passes also starts way too low and has to change before he can become an NFL quarterback. Defensive linemen will have a field day of knocking the ball out of his hand if he continues with this same throwing motion. Tebow will not be as good in the pros (after all, he is one of the best players in college football history), but he cannot be discounted either. In fact, it would not be surprising to see him off the board in the first round of the 2010 draft
NFL FREE AGENTS AVAILABLE
Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos (27)
Losing Orton for the second half against the Redskins and having him forced off the bench against San Diego showed Orton’s real value to Denver, as the offense became anemic with Chris Simms. Without his efficient passing, the Broncos really struggle to put points on the board. It’s surprising the Broncos haven’t already looked to extend Orton who just does a great job leading the offense to long scoring drives. Maybe they’re hoping to get a little more leverage should the CBA fall through, which could allow the Broncos to keep Orton on a restricted tender. If he’s allowed to hit the open market, all hell could break loose. Orton doesn’t carry the aura of a franchise quarterback, but has now managed two different offenses to winning records.
Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins (28)
A big week of 367 yards and 3 touchdowns in the heartbreaker against the Saints a couple weeks back showed Campbell's potential. His numbers are actually improved across the board everywhere from a season ago, except interceptions where his total has doubled in three less games. Campbell has played better over the second half of the season, but it seems like he’s played his way out of Washington, who seems ready to gamble for an elite quarterback than stick with the so-so Campbell. With a number of talented quarterbacks possibly lining up to enter the 2010 NFL Draft, in a best case scenario, Campbell could possibly get a 1-2 year deal to compete as the starter on a quarterback-starved team.
Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins (34)
Pennington wasn’t finding the same success this year as he had in last year’s great campaign, even before suffering another season-ending injury. His shoulder injury luckily showed no damage to his rotator cuff which has already been operated on twice. He should be able to start throwing again in January, but is unlikely to be retained by the Dolphins where Chad Henne has shown promise as one of the league’s best young quarterbacks. Henne has the arm strength to stretch the defense, something Pennington has always been heavily criticized for lacking. A 33 year-old Chad Pennington coming off a third shoulder injury won’t garner much excitement in free agency, but may have the opportunity to compete for a one-year job on a needy team. Pennington doesn’t have age on his side, the arm strength, or the durability to be considered anything more than a stop-gap solution at this point in his career
http://www.footballsfuture.com/freeagents.html
my pick is Kyle Orton
Jimmy Clausen is, quiet possible, the best pure drop back passer in the nation. Highly touted out of high school, the 6-foot-2 passer took the Notre Dame starting QB job in his second game as a true freshman. He went on to start nine games in 2007, throwing for 1,254 yards with a 56.3 completition percentage (138-245) and a 7-6 touchdown-interception ratio. The numbers are not mind-boggling, but put them with a visibly weak offensive line, a lackluster running attack and almost no speed outside, and they are a testament to his ability. Clausen had a breakthrough sophomore campaign in 2008, when he passed for 3,172 yards, completing 60.9% (268-440) of his passes with an impressive 25-17 TD/INT ratio. Right now, he is having perhaps the best season an Irish signal caller has had since Brady Quinn's junior campaign in 2007.
A purely pocket passer with an above-average arm strength, Clausen has efficient footwork and depth on his drop from center. An efficient setup and over the top delivery motion, make him capable of making every NFL throw, including his specialty: the deep ball. Clausen consistently releases his passes before receivers have made their breaks, giving the defense little time to react. He reads defenses well and rarely is fooled by disguised coverage. Very accurate in the medium-to-long range area, this is a coveted trait in the NFL.
http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/prof ... ct_ID=1466
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Sam Bradford's first two seasons at Oklahoma are well documented. He threw for over 3,000 yards as a freshman and dominated the college football world as a sophomore, ending up with a trip to the BCS Championship game and a Heisman Trophy. Bradford could have been a first round pick after his sophomore season since he was draft eligible after redshirting in 2006.
Then 2009 happened. Bradford hurt his shoulder early in the season and it took about a quarter of the Red River Shootout for the Longhorns to send Bradford back to the sidelines. Now we have to wait and see how serious this injury really is. Even if he does not take another collegiate snap, Bradford will be an extremely accurate passer and has a good arm when it is not in a sling.
Bradford was considered by many to be the top player in this draft. But the short comeback from his injury raises a lot of questions. If he does not come back in 2009 (or comes back for another half before injuring his shoulder again), his stock will drop as NFL teams worry about his long-term health. One thing is for sure, if Bradford can stay healthy, he is the best quarterback in this class
However, he does need to improve the speed of his delivery on quick, short passes, as they are a bit slow. He is not a threat to run out of the pocket. Even though he has added bulk over the last two years, he could still use extra lower body strength. Clausen also needs to learn to do a better job taking control of the huddle, and work work on short passes down the middle.
Clausen is one of the hottest commodities in NFL Draft circles. His stock is rising fast, similar to what happened to USC's Mark Sanchez last year. He is not the athlete Sanchez is, but he is every bit as good. He also shares another trait with the former Trojan star: a flair for playing the position. Clausen is a lock to be a top five pick if he, as expected, comes out early. He should develop into a consistent pro passer
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Tebow is enjoying another outstanding season in 2009. Through eight games (all victories for the Florida Gators) the senior quarterback had 1323 passing yards, 551 rushing yards, and 18 total touchdowns (eight rush, 10 pass). He is not on pace to have as many rushing touchdowns as he had in 2007 (when he won the Heisman trophy) or as many passing touchdowns as he had in 2008, but Tebow is still terrorizing defenses despite suffering a concussion earlier in the year against Kentucky. Tebow continues to be an extremely smart quarterback, rarely making bad decisions. At 6'3 and 245 pounds, he is a load to bring down when he tucks it away and runs, displaying stellar speed for a big man in the 4.5 range. He is deceptively nimble and elusive as well. Off the field, Tebow is as solid as they come; a team leader, humanitarian, and just about everything else.
Questions remain about his ability to be a quarterback at the next level. Urban Meyer's Florida offense has put Tebow in ideal conditions to succeed, so it remains to be seen how he will respond in passing situations against NFL defenses. Tebow has no fear sitting in the pocket, but he needs to do a better job of feeling pressure. His delivery on passes also starts way too low and has to change before he can become an NFL quarterback. Defensive linemen will have a field day of knocking the ball out of his hand if he continues with this same throwing motion. Tebow will not be as good in the pros (after all, he is one of the best players in college football history), but he cannot be discounted either. In fact, it would not be surprising to see him off the board in the first round of the 2010 draft
NFL FREE AGENTS AVAILABLE
Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos (27)
Losing Orton for the second half against the Redskins and having him forced off the bench against San Diego showed Orton’s real value to Denver, as the offense became anemic with Chris Simms. Without his efficient passing, the Broncos really struggle to put points on the board. It’s surprising the Broncos haven’t already looked to extend Orton who just does a great job leading the offense to long scoring drives. Maybe they’re hoping to get a little more leverage should the CBA fall through, which could allow the Broncos to keep Orton on a restricted tender. If he’s allowed to hit the open market, all hell could break loose. Orton doesn’t carry the aura of a franchise quarterback, but has now managed two different offenses to winning records.
Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins (28)
A big week of 367 yards and 3 touchdowns in the heartbreaker against the Saints a couple weeks back showed Campbell's potential. His numbers are actually improved across the board everywhere from a season ago, except interceptions where his total has doubled in three less games. Campbell has played better over the second half of the season, but it seems like he’s played his way out of Washington, who seems ready to gamble for an elite quarterback than stick with the so-so Campbell. With a number of talented quarterbacks possibly lining up to enter the 2010 NFL Draft, in a best case scenario, Campbell could possibly get a 1-2 year deal to compete as the starter on a quarterback-starved team.
Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins (34)
Pennington wasn’t finding the same success this year as he had in last year’s great campaign, even before suffering another season-ending injury. His shoulder injury luckily showed no damage to his rotator cuff which has already been operated on twice. He should be able to start throwing again in January, but is unlikely to be retained by the Dolphins where Chad Henne has shown promise as one of the league’s best young quarterbacks. Henne has the arm strength to stretch the defense, something Pennington has always been heavily criticized for lacking. A 33 year-old Chad Pennington coming off a third shoulder injury won’t garner much excitement in free agency, but may have the opportunity to compete for a one-year job on a needy team. Pennington doesn’t have age on his side, the arm strength, or the durability to be considered anything more than a stop-gap solution at this point in his career
http://www.footballsfuture.com/freeagents.html
