Interesting Reggie McNeal article...

[hh8604]

http://www.statesman.com/search/content/sports/stories/other/01/22bohls.html
Shrine was right time for A&M's McNeal to shine

Sunday, January 22, 2006 SAN ANTONIO — A year after he wowed NFL scouts and football fans everywhere with his mobility, athleticism and passing accuracy, critics have spent the last year taking note mostly of what Reggie McNeal could not do.
He didn't have that strong an arm, they said. (It looked plenty strong on that 66-yard bomb to Jason Carter on Saturday.)

He wasn't a diligent student of the game. (His coach said he was a smart player who soaks up everything in meetings.)
And foremost, he wasn't a leader. (Well, two out of three ain't bad.)
Thank goodness McNeal didn't have a fifth year of eligibility as Texas A&M's quarterback. The way he was being panned, he wouldn't have even made the Aggies' roster.
Interestingly, at this time a year ago, McNeal was considered a better passer and more complete quarterback than Texas' Vince Young. He finished his junior season on a high note, leading the Aggies to a Cotton Bowl appearance, and was primed to raise his stock even higher.
By September, he was rated as the No. 2 quarterback on Mel Kiper Jr.'s draft board, behind only Southern California's Matt Leinart.
Now, if Young were any hotter, he'd have to wear a fire extinguisher on his belt. He could possibly become the first pick of the NFL draft, while you can hardly find McNeal's name. Kiper listed his top six quarterbacks this week, and McNeal didn't crack the list.
Behind Leinart and Young were Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, Alabama's Brodie Croyle, Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst and Bowling Green's Omar Jacobs.
"I hope I boosted (his stock) up," McNeal said Saturday after being named the MVP of the 81st annual Shrine Game. "Maybe I answered some questions about throwing the deep ball."
He looked every bit the MVP, hitting 9 of 11 passes for 211 yards, scrambling for 32 yards and directing two final scoring drives to give the West a 35-31 victory in the Alamodome.
"Write this down," said NFL evaluator Dan Shonka, a former scout with three NFL teams. "Reggie McNeal will be a better pro quarterback than Vince Young. Vince is a good athlete, but he could be a $50 million mistake."
Shonka loves McNeal's arm strength, decision-making and his ability to throw into tight spots, something he's not sure Young can do. Shonka's Ourlads.com Web site raved about Kurt Warner when he was stocking groceries, and he begged the Eagles to take a Longhorn rookie named Priest Holmes before recommending him to the Ravens.
The truth is, McNeal is a much better NFL prospect than most give him credit for, but he needed a strong game here and could use an equally good performance at the NFL combine.
"I thought he was the best quarterback here this week," said A&M Coach Dennis Franchione, who coached the West.
McNeal may have done more this week than anyone to improve his draft position, NFL guru Gil Brandt told the Associated Press. "He just looks good," Brandt said. "I think he was the biggest surprise there, coming off this year, which was not the best."
McNeal took a lot of heat in 2005. The bottom line is he is a solid but flawed quarterback with 34 college starts and a dubious 16-18 record.
The Aggies' latest 5-6 season could hardly be blamed entirely on McNeal, what with injuries to five wide receivers and a horrible defense. After all, he threw for 1,963 yards, but Baylor's Shawn Bell passed for 1,964. McNeal ranked just seventh in the Big 12 and 56th nationally in passing efficiency. Young, meanwhile, ranked third.
Some insiders also say McNeal sulked at times, not so much disrupting the team as doing nothing to bring it together.
"He could have been a better leader," one A&M athletics official said.
In fact, the introverted McNeal wasn't voted one of the team's permanent captains at season's end, a telling statement. And he wasn't voted by his teammates to the leadership council until his final season, when a player at each position serves on the group. The quarterback rep for McNeal's junior season was walk-on Ty Brannon.
Franchione denies that he had any rift with McNeal and strongly defends him.
McNeal turned down the Senior Bowl's invitation to play as a wide receiver. He's no Matt Jones.
"Some think because a guy's fast and athletic, he can't be a good quarterback," Franchione said. "But Reggie is that and he understands coverages and has great awareness."
More performances like Saturday's, and more NFL teams are going to be aware of him.
"He'll definitely be a first-round pick," Shonka said. "There'll be 32 stupid teams if he isn't."

 

[gollum]

"Write this down," said NFL evaluator Dan Shonka, a former scout with three NFL teams.

Tells me all I need to know.

"I thought he was the best quarterback here this week," said A&M Coach Dennis Franchione, who coached the West.

Hmmm, wonder what that would have done for his future recruiting let alone support from the alumni had he not backed up his former quarterback?

"He'll definitely be a first-round pick," Shonka said. "There'll be 32 stupid teams if he isn't."

Why take him in the first if he's going to be there in the 3rd? That is unless you prescribe to the Jerry Jones, zone in on a project so hard you can't sleep at night philosophy, ala Q.

I'm not anti-McNeal, but I've watched him play since high school(I used to live in Lufkin). There, he got away with throwing the ball deep because he had two very tall receivers who could outjump high school cornerbacks. In the Shrine game, he did the same a couple of times. He is not a first round pick...he has a strong arm, and is fast & elusive, but there's a big difference between suceeding in college and high school with those skills and suceeding in the pros...just ask Michael Vick...he had the same traits. Reggie may one day develop into a good professional quarterback, in fact I hope he does, but he's 3rd-4th round material now at the most.

 

[SALADIN]

I'd take a flyer on him in the 3rd.

 

[cowboyjoe]

I agree with Reggie, I live in Lufkin, know what he can do, his greatest asset was his speed, and like you said, when he threw the ball, was wrs outjumping cornerbacks. Next, you could hear his last year at a&m that some of the offensive linemen werent really blocking for him. His leadership is to a degree a big question. What I would do is this, dont think any team is going to jump on him in 1st round. Maybe lower 2nd, but definitely in 3rd. I would if the Cowboys take him, let him know he is going to play some WR, special kickoff return teams, etc, and he would be our 3rd QB or emergency QB, he has to earn respect of the players.
Like previous reports, if McNeil shows good in offseason and preseason, then you could trade Tony Romo,teams were offering to trade a 3rd round pick for him, like the Jets. Or if parcells is too high on Romo, and Drew Henson does real well, I still have hopes for Henson, think he has more upside than Romo, trade Henson.

 

[Letemburn]

3rd or 4th round i would take. We have no 4th though, so more then likely no.

 

[Derinyar]

I think I would consider a 3rd on McNeal. Could be a very good decision in a couple of years.

 

[RCowboyFan]

Some insiders also say McNeal sulked at times, not so much disrupting the team as doing nothing to bring it together.
"He could have been a better leader," one A&M athletics official said.
In fact, the introverted McNeal wasn't voted one of the team's permanent captains at season's end, a telling statement. And he wasn't voted by his teammates to the leadership council until his final season, when a player at each position serves on the group. The quarterback rep for McNeal's junior season was walk-on Ty Brannon.

Enough said. Thats the most telling statement on McNeal for me. You can't have QB in NFL, who is not a leader. No matter the arm strength, or athletic ability.

I have seen him play 3-4 games in College, I just came away unimpressed considering the hype I saw him get. Yeah, he had a good Shrine game, but thats nothing compared to the tape on him in college.

 

[Cornish83]

One of his touchdown passes was a terrible decision and he was lucky it wasnt picked.

 

[jterrell]

I don't know if Shonka is gonna be absolutely right in his judgment of McNeal or not but I am certain he is not going in round 1.

He wasn't invited to the Senior Bowl and the top 2 guys opted not to even go so that left plenty of spots. It means he essentially wasn't ranked top 8 by the scouts at his position. I'd say he probably should be 5th to 7th and warrant a round 3/4 pick.

Ourlads was 1 of our advisors during the Jerry and Lacewell years; they absolutely loved Kareem Larrimore(whose coach vouched for him as well after a seemingly tenuous relationship).

 

[joseephuss]

I don't know if Shonka is gonna be absolutely right in his judgment of McNeal or not but I am certain he is not going in round 1.

He wasn't invited to the Senior Bowl and the top 2 guys opted not to even go so that left plenty of spots. It means he essentially wasn't ranked top 8 by the scouts at his position. I'd say he probably should be 5th to 7th and warrant a round 3/4 pick.

Ourlads was 1 of our advisors during the Jerry and Lacewell years; they absolutely loved Kareem Larrimore(whose coach vouched for him as well after a seemingly tenuous relationship).

Seems Ourlads may not consider attitude when they evaluate players. And attitude is probably the biggest factor in whether a player succeeds at the next level. Larrimore was easily physically suited for the NFL and he was talented. He lacked the attitude.

 

[ghst187]

I've watched Big 12 football pretty closely for many years and McNeal just isn't a great QB IMO. He's too inconsistent. I think he can throw the out routes a little better than Vince but I don't think he's on the same level as Vince yet, and I am by no means a Vince fan. I think consistency will be something that both QBs struggle with. I see McNeal as no better than a 2nd stringer for his NFL duration. Young is either going to be Aaron Brooks or Steve McNair depending on the situation he walks into and whether he's given some time to develop or not. I think McNeal is at best an Aaron Brooks and at worst a Michael Bishop. JMO