viman96
Thread Killer
- Messages
- 21,555
- Reaction score
- 22,657
I do not agree but that is cool because everyone has their own opinion. I think too many in the media feel the need to use qualifiers when describing Dallas and any success they have. With Emmitt, it was because of the OL. With Troy it was because of Emmitt. With Romo, it is because he has better skill positions. With Zeke it is because of the OL. With Dak it is because of the OL, Zeke and skill positions. All are true at some level but then it is with ALL players in the league.
Anyway off my soap box and on to the article (majority of it)
Would you rather have Carson Wentz or Dak Prescott? NFL evaluators make their pick
by Mike Sando
Prescott or Wentz? Which rookie QB would teams rather have, based on what they know now?
No one was posing the question in April when the Eagles traded up to select Wentz with the second pick in the 2016 draft, 133 spots before Dallas took Prescott in the fourth round. But with Prescott ranking among the NFL's top five qualifying QBs in Total QBR, passer rating and completion percentage, an updated assessment is in order.
I asked six NFL evaluators to take their pick between the two. Their thoughts:
No shift on Wentz
Some in the league thought -- and still think -- that Wentz and No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff were over-drafted. Of course, that's easy to say when your team is already set at quarterback.
Most of the evaluators I polled before the draft had Wentz as the top QB prospect. They saw him as a prospect with uncommon athletic ability, training in a pro-style offense, demonstrable toughness, good throwing accuracy and a personality that lends itself to leadership. One GM spoke for others when he said Wentz reminded him of Ben Roethlisberger.
"I think Wentz is more of a pure accurate thrower [than Prescott]," a personnel director said. "It will be interesting to see them when Dak really has to win it. Right now, you have seen enough plays with Wentz, who does not have nearly the supporting cast, and I have seen bigger upside."
Wentz started the season quickly before tailing off some as the Eagles fell behind in games and his job became tougher. Wentz's ability to keep his composure under fire after the Eagles lost right tackle Lane Johnson to a 10-game suspension has affirmed what evaluators thought of him coming out of North Dakota State.
"Lane Johnson gets suspended, and then you see [Commanders outside linebacker] Ryan Kerriganget three sacks in the first half," one evaluator said. "Wentz never bats an eye. He stays back there, and he is going to throw it. He is not scared, he is not nervous, he does not have happy feet. He just stood back there and took it like he was a five-year vet. His technique didn't change."
Prescott gaining ground
Prescott lasted until the fourth round for several reasons. He was transitioning from a dual-threat quarterback to the more polished passer he is becoming. He played in the same college system that produced Tim Tebow, leading evaluators to say they had to do more projecting when determining how he would perform in an NFL offense. A DUI arrest six weeks before the draft did not help Prescott's standing.
"Dak fell because [while] he was a leader who loved the game, he had the DUI, and when he got beat up during spring break in Panama City, his teammates did not help him in the fight," a personnel director said. "Some wondered, 'Hey, if he is such a leader, why did they not help him?'"
Any such concerns seem silly now.
"What did we miss?" a different personnel director asked. "Dak had a Mississippi State team ranked No. 1 in the country. He won a lot of games, he had all the intangibles you wanted, he was a bright kid, and we just ignored it. The accuracy thing, you worry about, but there was enough there. He just needed some polish."
Prescott is looking like the biggest bargain in the draft and a potential franchise savior for the Cowboys, who previously hadn't been able to win without Romo, who is 36 years old and declining physically.
"If you asked me what was the most surprising thing [about Prescott], it is not that he could handle all of it, because he had the personality to deal with a lot of that stuff -- great intangibles and all that," a former GM said. "It is the accuracy. He has thrown the ball much more accurately than I thought he would."
One head coach said accuracy wasn't a concern based on what his scouting department had seen when watching Prescott at Mississippi State. He said the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaches loved Prescott after working with him at the Senior Bowl, and there was never any question about whether Prescott possessed an NFL arm.
"I think people missed on him," the head coach said.
Quarterback is the most important position in the game. It's also the one teams seem to have the hardest time figuring out.
"If teams do not view you as a quarterback who starts right away, then the fourth or fifth round is where you often fall," a personnel director said. "Wentz is more athletic and has a bigger arm, but Dak is very composed, very poised and he doesn't make many mistakes. The way they play him helps that way, with the run game and balance they have. That covers him up a little bit."
Context is key early
Wentz ranks 26th and Prescott ranks 28th in pass attempts per game among 32 players with at least 100 attempts this season. That is by design as both teams manage their young quarterbacks, limiting their exposure to difficult situations. Both players' teams rank among the top seven in points allowed per game, lowering the scoring bar each quarterback must clear to emerge victorious. Prescott also has sensational rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott and the NFL's consensus No. 1 offensive line on his side.
"We all might have underestimated the intangibles on Prescott, but the other factor is the team he is on and how they play and who is around him -- the offensive line, his tight end and receivers and the way they can run the ball," the former GM said. "All those things have made this the perfect spot for him that way. He has a really good group around him, and then he is smart -- he doesn't make many mistakes. That is one thing he didn't do in college. He would miss some throws, but he didn't make a lot of dumb throws. That has showed up in the pros as well and probably was underestimated in the evaluation process."
The verdict
The six league insiders polled here -- the GM, ex-GM, head coach and three personnel directors -- all had Wentz rated higher than Prescott entering the draft. All six said they would still take Wentz over Prescott now, but the gap between the two would be much smaller.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd take either one right now, sign a 10-year contract and go," the GM said. "Dak has done nothing wrong. Just the way Wentz goes about his business, he impresses me a lot. Wentz reminds me of Ben Roethlisberger -- a big guy who can stand back there and throw it."
All agreed that Wentz and Prescott seem driven to excel, which can be pivotal for long-term success as long as the player possesses sufficient talent. All agreed that Wentz is more advanced reading through progressions, an area where Prescott is improving. All agreed that Wentz and Prescott possessed the poise and overall makeup to succeed. Longer term, they want to see how both function as passers when forced to win games with their arms. That is always the ultimate test for quarterbacks.
So, who ya got?
"If you said Wentz for all those draft picks Philly paid or Dak for the fourth-rounder Dallas used, I will take Dak," one personnel director said. "Heads up, I will still take Wentz."
Anyway off my soap box and on to the article (majority of it)
Would you rather have Carson Wentz or Dak Prescott? NFL evaluators make their pick
by Mike Sando
Prescott or Wentz? Which rookie QB would teams rather have, based on what they know now?
No one was posing the question in April when the Eagles traded up to select Wentz with the second pick in the 2016 draft, 133 spots before Dallas took Prescott in the fourth round. But with Prescott ranking among the NFL's top five qualifying QBs in Total QBR, passer rating and completion percentage, an updated assessment is in order.
I asked six NFL evaluators to take their pick between the two. Their thoughts:
No shift on Wentz
Some in the league thought -- and still think -- that Wentz and No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff were over-drafted. Of course, that's easy to say when your team is already set at quarterback.
Most of the evaluators I polled before the draft had Wentz as the top QB prospect. They saw him as a prospect with uncommon athletic ability, training in a pro-style offense, demonstrable toughness, good throwing accuracy and a personality that lends itself to leadership. One GM spoke for others when he said Wentz reminded him of Ben Roethlisberger.
"I think Wentz is more of a pure accurate thrower [than Prescott]," a personnel director said. "It will be interesting to see them when Dak really has to win it. Right now, you have seen enough plays with Wentz, who does not have nearly the supporting cast, and I have seen bigger upside."
Wentz started the season quickly before tailing off some as the Eagles fell behind in games and his job became tougher. Wentz's ability to keep his composure under fire after the Eagles lost right tackle Lane Johnson to a 10-game suspension has affirmed what evaluators thought of him coming out of North Dakota State.
"Lane Johnson gets suspended, and then you see [Commanders outside linebacker] Ryan Kerriganget three sacks in the first half," one evaluator said. "Wentz never bats an eye. He stays back there, and he is going to throw it. He is not scared, he is not nervous, he does not have happy feet. He just stood back there and took it like he was a five-year vet. His technique didn't change."
Prescott gaining ground
Prescott lasted until the fourth round for several reasons. He was transitioning from a dual-threat quarterback to the more polished passer he is becoming. He played in the same college system that produced Tim Tebow, leading evaluators to say they had to do more projecting when determining how he would perform in an NFL offense. A DUI arrest six weeks before the draft did not help Prescott's standing.
"Dak fell because [while] he was a leader who loved the game, he had the DUI, and when he got beat up during spring break in Panama City, his teammates did not help him in the fight," a personnel director said. "Some wondered, 'Hey, if he is such a leader, why did they not help him?'"
Any such concerns seem silly now.
"What did we miss?" a different personnel director asked. "Dak had a Mississippi State team ranked No. 1 in the country. He won a lot of games, he had all the intangibles you wanted, he was a bright kid, and we just ignored it. The accuracy thing, you worry about, but there was enough there. He just needed some polish."
Prescott is looking like the biggest bargain in the draft and a potential franchise savior for the Cowboys, who previously hadn't been able to win without Romo, who is 36 years old and declining physically.
"If you asked me what was the most surprising thing [about Prescott], it is not that he could handle all of it, because he had the personality to deal with a lot of that stuff -- great intangibles and all that," a former GM said. "It is the accuracy. He has thrown the ball much more accurately than I thought he would."
One head coach said accuracy wasn't a concern based on what his scouting department had seen when watching Prescott at Mississippi State. He said the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaches loved Prescott after working with him at the Senior Bowl, and there was never any question about whether Prescott possessed an NFL arm.
"I think people missed on him," the head coach said.
Quarterback is the most important position in the game. It's also the one teams seem to have the hardest time figuring out.
"If teams do not view you as a quarterback who starts right away, then the fourth or fifth round is where you often fall," a personnel director said. "Wentz is more athletic and has a bigger arm, but Dak is very composed, very poised and he doesn't make many mistakes. The way they play him helps that way, with the run game and balance they have. That covers him up a little bit."
Context is key early
Wentz ranks 26th and Prescott ranks 28th in pass attempts per game among 32 players with at least 100 attempts this season. That is by design as both teams manage their young quarterbacks, limiting their exposure to difficult situations. Both players' teams rank among the top seven in points allowed per game, lowering the scoring bar each quarterback must clear to emerge victorious. Prescott also has sensational rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott and the NFL's consensus No. 1 offensive line on his side.
"We all might have underestimated the intangibles on Prescott, but the other factor is the team he is on and how they play and who is around him -- the offensive line, his tight end and receivers and the way they can run the ball," the former GM said. "All those things have made this the perfect spot for him that way. He has a really good group around him, and then he is smart -- he doesn't make many mistakes. That is one thing he didn't do in college. He would miss some throws, but he didn't make a lot of dumb throws. That has showed up in the pros as well and probably was underestimated in the evaluation process."
The verdict
The six league insiders polled here -- the GM, ex-GM, head coach and three personnel directors -- all had Wentz rated higher than Prescott entering the draft. All six said they would still take Wentz over Prescott now, but the gap between the two would be much smaller.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd take either one right now, sign a 10-year contract and go," the GM said. "Dak has done nothing wrong. Just the way Wentz goes about his business, he impresses me a lot. Wentz reminds me of Ben Roethlisberger -- a big guy who can stand back there and throw it."
All agreed that Wentz and Prescott seem driven to excel, which can be pivotal for long-term success as long as the player possesses sufficient talent. All agreed that Wentz is more advanced reading through progressions, an area where Prescott is improving. All agreed that Wentz and Prescott possessed the poise and overall makeup to succeed. Longer term, they want to see how both function as passers when forced to win games with their arms. That is always the ultimate test for quarterbacks.
So, who ya got?
"If you said Wentz for all those draft picks Philly paid or Dak for the fourth-rounder Dallas used, I will take Dak," one personnel director said. "Heads up, I will still take Wentz."
