NFL Network is replaying past drafts all day today. Currently, the 2011 draft is being replayed. Interesting to listen to the "experts" commentary knowing what the future would hold for these picks. A few thoughts..
*Yes, at the time, there was shock that Blaine Gabbert fell all the way down to pick 10! And Christian Ponder was the perfect pick for the Vikings offense. Throw in the Titans selection of Locker and this makes for a scary Thursday night!
*I had forgotten how highly regarded Prince Amukamara was. The panel couldn't figure out why he dropped all the way down to the Giants.
*Favorite comment by Mayock when Hou took Watt...not an exact quote, but something to the effect of "I though the pick was gonna be Gabbert, but Watt is good"
Anyway, for anyone desperate for anything draft, its kinda fun to look back.
Lol.
Exactly. It’s always funny because each year is pretty much the same aside from the times when you have like a Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck type prospect. The early rankings of players come out late the prior year into January and February and you will often see QB’s rated outside the top 10 and then all of a sudden they rocket up the board two months before the draft. I think a lot of it is obviously due to the importance of the position, but I think it is more “exciting” for these analysts to talk about QB’s than it is to show a guy like Quinton Nelson putting on a blocking clinic.
Even though I don't feel this year's class is as good as 1983 or 2004, it is still better than 2011. 2011, and to a lesser extent 1999, show the dangers of elevating obviously flawed QB's just because they happen to be QB's. Guys like Locker and Gabbert would not be in the Top 4 of this year's QB crop. At least teams have finally learned from busts like Gabbert, Cade McNown, etc., that there is a certain minimum of arm strength necessary to be an NFL QB. I think someone like Locker is a warning sign not to overrate Lamar Jackson just because the Top 4 QB's are off the board.
Also the last time 3 QB's were taken 1,2,3 it was 1999, and that was Tim Couch, Akili Smith, and Donovan McNabb. Two of them sucked.
Also the last time 3 QB's were taken 1,2,3 it was 1999, and that was Tim Couch, Akili Smith, and Donovan McNabb. Two of them sucked.
I think Couch could have been a good NFL QB if he did not get the crap beaten out of him too much too early in his career. He had an injury from which he never fully recovered and became a bit "gun shy" (a la David Carr). Having a quality OL is important when it comes to developing a young QB
Same thing. I will always recall the talking heads on tv saying he was dropping much further than they figured. He was BPA for a bunch of picks in a row. And when he fell to us I was high on the pick.
However, he was never aggressive enough as a CB, and to me underperformed a good bit. I still see Brandon Marshall basically toying with him a few years ago as Prince backed into the end zone while BM just went up and got the ball for a game winning td. That was the day the music died with me and Prince...