Bradford completed 49-of-50 passes

[kellmellus50]

Sam Bradford's impressive workout has implications for Lions
Tim Twentyman / The Detroit News
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford passed his first test to possibly becoming the No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL draft.

Bradford completed 49-of-50 passes at his Monday pro day in Norman, Okla., and was 13-of-13 throwing from a stationary stance, according to reports.

NFL.com's Gil Brandt called the workout "the best he's seen since Troy Aikman" and wrote that it left him "speechless."

Bradford measured 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds, according to Brandt, and showed no negative effects from the shoulder surgery he underwent

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said last week he expects to receive an offer from one team for the No. 2 pick. But he acknowledged it might not be good enough to take, and this Bradford news just makes me stick to my guns on my original theory.


If Bradford is good enough to make someone want to trade up to No. 2 to get him, he’ll go No. 1. If he goes No. 1, no one is going to want to trade up for another QB; Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen is probably the next-best prospect. That means the Lions are going to have to make their pick at No. 2
http://www.freep.com/section/BLOG21

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100330 ... z0jeTn3K7n

[Bartender]

He actually was 50-50 but that 1 incompletion was from a dropped pass that was right in his chest.

He also said he will refuse to sign a contract prior to the draft but I got that from PFT so Idk how reliable it is. If they are tellin' the truth, that could be good for the Lions cuz he could slip to #2 and we can trade down.

[ajaX82]

well we were talking about this in the prospects thread and im not sure it deserves an individual thread, but if you guys wanna chat about it here it will work

[ajaX82]

http://www.freep.com/section/BLOG21

I'll also point out that the article kell posted backs up my thoughts on what Bradford to the Rams means

And that makes it that much tougher for the Lions to trade the No. 2 pick.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said last week he expects to receive an offer from one team for the No. 2 pick. But he acknowledged it might not be good enough to take, and this Bradford news just makes me stick to my guns on my original theory.

I’m sticking with Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy and Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung are also strong candidates. But Suh is smart, driven, multidimensional and productive, a special combination that fits what coach Jim Schwartz wants and needs.

In fact i would say that it mentions all my prior points. Bradford going 1 is still a great thing for us, but i think it makes it more likely than not we stay at 2 still.

Anyone else see Suh as the very likely Lion?

[Roger Murdock]

Just curious but why do you guys want to trade down? Shouldn't you be jumping for joy that Suh, the best defensive player to be in the draft in the last 20 something years as some people are claiming, is available for you guys? Especially with your guys huge needs on the defensive line?

If I was you guys I would draft Suh the second the clock started ticking.

[ajaX82]

Just curious but why do you guys want to trade down? Shouldn't you be jumping for joy that Suh, the best defensive player to be in the draft in the last 20 something years as some people are claiming, is available for you guys? Especially with your guys huge needs on the defensive line?

If I was you guys I would draft Suh the second the clock started ticking.

Well we have so many holes that moving down a few spots and getting more picks means more players to fill holes. But i tend to agree...we need a playmaker on D and Suh could be an anchor for years and years

Others feel different though

[Liqourish]

I've been on the Suh train all along, even when it looked impossible that he'd be around for us to draft.

The draft can't get here quick enough for me.

[TSE]

Just curious but why do you guys want to trade down? Shouldn't you be jumping for joy that Suh, the best defensive player to be in the draft in the last 20 something years as some people are claiming, is available for you guys? Especially with your guys huge needs on the defensive line?

If I was you guys I would draft Suh the second the clock started ticking.

If he was that good, why would Mike Mayock have McCoy as his BPA in this draft? That's why we aren't jumping for joy for Suh. And also because we don't need a DT as much as we need just about every other position.

The best time to trade the pick is probably the last second that ticks off, just in case somebody gets desperate and nervous at the last minute and raises their offer.

[Bartender]

Just curious but why do you guys want to trade down? Shouldn't you be jumping for joy that Suh, the best defensive player to be in the draft in the last 20 something years as some people are claiming, is available for you guys? Especially with your guys huge needs on the defensive line?

If I was you guys I would draft Suh the second the clock started ticking.

If he was that good, why would Mike Mayock have McCoy as his BPA in this draft? That's why we aren't jumping for joy for Suh. And also because we don't need a DT as much as we need just about every other position.

The best time to trade the pick is probably the last second that ticks off, just in case somebody gets desperate and nervous at the last minute and raises their offer.

Then why do you think it is so farfetch'd that TB might like McCoy more then Suh?

[TSE]

Just my read that they really want Suh more. So when I call them on draft day, I'm going to find out I'm right and make the trade to move down 1 spot, and if they say no that's not true then I guess I won't trade Suh to TB, I'll trade him to somebody else. But for now it looks to me like it is more likely that they want Suh than McCoy. I'm prepared fully 100% regardless of which position they take, as I'm fully prepared 100% for what all 31 teams think about the value of the 2 pick as well as any of our players that are available for trade. I would never form a strategy or lock into an assumption that can hurt me if I'm wrong and leave me with no outs. I always have outs and I set them up in advance. If I can't set them up in advance then the preconceived initial A=plan has to revert to a B-plan, such as say picking Okung at 2. But that is an extreme case of unlikelihood that would require too many things to go against the predicted probabilities of how they should play out.

[Roger Murdock]

In my opinion, anyone who thinks McCoy is on Suhs level is out of their mind. There are players like McCoy almost every year, I've never seen someone like Suh. I also disagree with the logic of trading down to fill more holes in a situation like this.

Suh is the most sold I have ever been on a prospect to dominate in the NFL. I understand if you think you have lots of holes and trading down to get additional picks could make you better. However I think it just gives you more picks you need to get right to make it worth it. What the point in trading down a few spots for an extra pick if you wiff on those extra picks (which is always very likely). Basically you've got the safest bet to dominate in years available for you. Sure you could get two starters out of it, but more than likely you will just get 2 players who arent as good.

[TSE]

No thanks, not risking my reputation on a DT that may or may not succeed. I'd be shocked if Suh didn't succeed, but I'm not guaranteeing him and that's a BIG reason why I won't take him, there is NOT full security. I have more confidence that Weatherspoon is a lock to succeed, but a guy like that isn't a candidate for that high of a pick, and he has a lower risk burden to accept. Finding players like him that are so heavy as a lock to succeed yet not so highly priced and high-risk are the types of guys you need to go after. Suh is just an expensive risky prospect, thus to be sure of him as a guarantee requires more certainty than a lower profile pick, and that counteracts against taking Suh. Suh is a DL player, one that many scouts and experts have reservations about on just how much his college domination transfers over to the NFL, and things can go wrong with DL players really freaking fast if something goes wrong or if something about Suh isn't as he advertised.

But if you are THAT sure that he is your best prospect of all-time, well then yeah I would say in general that's a no-brainer, you have to pick that guy. I just don't see him as that exciting of a prospect as everybody else does, even though I'd LOVE to get him. In fact he's the only DT in the draft that I can foresee as a potential pick in my forecasts in any round, I am NOT going to take a DT with any pick, he's the only shot at an exception to that rule, notwithstanding and unpredictable fluke dropping of somebody else, but Suh just misses the cut our of sheer inconvenience and bad timing and circumstances. If we can make a trade before the draft where we give up one or more of our DTs and get close to fair market value for them, then my feelings can change. But if the draft is today and roster transactions aren't expected to happen, then I'm out on Suh at 2 unless it is to deal him.

Now in Suh's defense, I'm also at a disadvantage to anoint him like you have. I don't have access to all of his tape and draft information, and heck I can't even talk to the kid. I'm not going to anoint too many people for a top pick until I'm certain he's passed all my tests. If you want to be on my team at 2, you are going to have to be one impressive football individual cause my grading is tougher and far more accurate and logical than the guys who actually do it in the NFL. If you have flaws I will expose them, and if you have the x-factor and do all the little things right I will uncover them. I'm the ultimate football player lie detector test. But a guy like Weatherspoon I don't need to talk to him or need to see his full tape to feel comfortable vouching for him. I know he's going to succeed and the risk factor gives me more wiggle room to vouch for him than it does for a DT like Suh and at the 2 spot. If you had a link theoretically to all his tape and interviews, and if I were to go through it, well then perhaps I could sign on with you and give Suh the recognition he deserves. But I haven't seen or heard enough to convince me to take him and keep him the way things stand right now.

[OB- wan]

Does anyone wonder what if?

I think we all are relatively happy with Matthew but what if Bradford turns out to be a stud and Matt gets the Honolulu Blue Flu?

If Bradford had come out last year, there was talk he might have been the best QB in the draft then as well. I don't think he looked anywhere near as impressive last year as he does right now but part of me has some anxiety about how Matt will stack up with Sam, especially when Stafford is going to be paid all that money one way or another.

Anyone else wondering if the Lions missed the by a year...
...and a decision by a college kid to go to school one more year...
...and by 1 pick in the year the kid does come out?

[ajaX82]

Does anyone wonder what if?

I think we all are relatively happy with Matthew but what if Bradford turns out to be a stud and Matt gets the Honolulu Blue Flu?

If Bradford had come out last year, there was talk he might have been the best QB in the draft then as well. I don't think he looked anywhere near as impressive last year as he does right now but part of me has some anxiety about how Matt will stack up with Sam, especially when Stafford is going to be paid all that money one way or another.

Anyone else wondering if the Lions missed the by a year...
...and a decision by a college kid to go to school one more year...
...and by 1 pick in the year the kid does come out?

Not really. I think we would have drafted Stafford with or without Bradford in the draft honestly. Though im not nearly as high on Bradford as most (durability, arm strength (not as much anymore but still) and the system he played in jump to mind). I think he comes with alot of questions and frankly I prefer Stafford and am happy with him

[Bartender]

Agreed AJax. Stafford came from a pro-style offense and played behind a crappy OLine his whole career. Stafford comes from the Big 12 spread offense where he had all the time in the world to throw. I prolly would have taken Stafford and Sanchez over Bradford just because they were more pro ready.

[Icness]

I still wouldn't touch Bradford. It's like Greg Oden--is it really worth the $$ for a guy who you can't count on for more than 40% of the games over 3 years? I just don't trust that shoulder, plus he's got a year of not throwing or reading defenses or anything. He might wind up being great but I wouldn't risk it.

[OB- wan]

I like Stafford better than Bradford and I like both of them A LOT more than Sanchize. I hate Sanchez and think he is WAY WAY over hyped because he's playing in New York. I don't like QB's that don't have a gun for an arm. I think best case Sanchize is going to be like a Pennington and manage games well but not have the arm to win games on his own.

I like Matt a lot but I want to see him throw again to make myself feel better. Watching all the analysts cream their pants talking about Bradford gives me QB envy. Matt should be out throwing in a mock pro-day so those of us Lions fans that have a fragile psyche can make it until training camp w/o jumping ship.

[TSE]

I still wouldn't touch Bradford. It's like Greg Oden--is it really worth the $$ for a guy who you can't count on for more than 40% of the games over 3 years? I just don't trust that shoulder, plus he's got a year of not throwing or reading defenses or anything. He might wind up being great but I wouldn't risk it.

That's why Jake Locker is my guy, because if I win on a franchise QB, I'm winning the biggest payoff possible. (or whoever the top couple QBs end up being)

Trading CJ and Stafford THIS season is a fast track to getting on a BETTER track.

[TSE]

I like Stafford better than Bradford and I like both of them A LOT more than Sanchize. I hate Sanchez and think he is WAY WAY over hyped because he's playing in New York. I don't like QB's that don't have a gun for an arm. I think best case Sanchize is going to be like a Pennington and manage games well but not have the arm to win games on his own.

I like Matt a lot but I want to see him throw again to make myself feel better. Watching all the analysts cream their pants talking about Bradford gives me QB envy. Matt should be out throwing in a mock pro-day so those of us Lions fans that have a fragile psyche can make it until training camp w/o jumping ship.

I was off the ship ten years ago. I refuse to get on the ship until they hire a qualified Captain, or until the incumbent Captain starts acting responsibly and fulfilling his duties to his community as they expect him to. I appreciate that he is TRYING, but TRYING ain't ****, only DELIVERING counts, and Mayhew isn't delivering, or setting up an apparent delivery route or process or support staff or distribution plan of any kind. There's nothing but trying and wanting and hoping and other things that don't directly translate to wins like strategy and logic do. We have to employ SOME sort of solid plan that makes sense to fill the holes on this team. You just can't expect to become a great team if you don't do that and Mayhew hasn't shown us anything that shapes up or makes any logical sense.