Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: The Worst Offensive Draft Class in Years (including QB)

[BrAinPaiNt]

1. Scout: "This is not a good class"

A scout and I went to lunch in Indianapolis, and before the waiter could say hello, the scout was ranting about the state of quarterbacking in college and the NFL.

On college quarterbacks: "Not a single one who makes you go, 'Wow.' The best teams can hope for is that one of these guys becomes Trent Dilfer."

Wait...what? Did you say Trent Dilfer?

"This is not a good class. No matter how much you guys in the media try to spin it."

So, there's that.

He calmed down after the food arrived. He had been hungry and grumpy. Now, he was just grumpy.


Read the rest.... http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ance-the-worst-offensive-draft-class-in-years


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Found this article due to this tweet...

Clarence Hill ‏@clarencehilljr 20m20 minutes ago
Clarence Hill Retweeted mike freeman

The great talent evaluator Jerry Jones also said he didn't know if there was a franchise qb in this group

Clarence Hill added,

mike freeman @mikefreemanNFL
Scout on QBs in draft: "This is not a good class. No matter how much you guys in the media try to spin it." http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...nce-the-worst-offensive-draft-class-in-years…
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I don't know if Clarence is saying Jerry said that or not...I have seen some quotes from Jerry about QBs in this draft but I don't recall if he has said he didn't know if there was a franchise QB in this group.

 

[CATCH17]

I agree that that the offensive class isn't flashy.

This is a nuts and bolts draft. Foot soldiers everywhere and that's good. That's what we need.


I disagree about the QB's obviously. Carson Wentz is a absolute talent and i'll be shocked if he isn't a playmaker at the position throwing for 30+ TD's and running for 5 to 10 a season.

 

[tm1119]

Wentz & Goff > Winston & Mariota

I'd much rather gamble on Wentz and Goff over last years top QB's. Mariota is another athletic spread option college QB who won't succeed in the NFL, and WInston has a lot to like but makes terrible decisions (on and off the field) and his TD/INT ratio is most likely never going to be great. Maybe there isn't a sexy wow factor to this class, but I think it will turn out just fine in the long run. WR is the only position I would consider fairly week in this draft class.

 

[MrPhil]

I thought this quote was interesting:

"Another factor: I've heard repeatedly from team officials that they think the best player in the draft is Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott—not any quarterback, not Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, not any receiver. Running backs are not supposed to be the most captivating prospects for a passing league, but here we are."

I could support picking Elliott if they deem none of the QBs worth #4 although I would prefer it after a short trade down. My rationale is that I would want #4 to have the most impact possible on my team and Elliott would presumably touch the ball 20-25 times a game not to mention pass protection and any catches.

I have been a fan of Elliott since last year and although I would still prefer Wentz, given the supposed quality of the QBs, I am warming up to Elliott fast in this draft.

 

[Mr Cowboy]

The QB position will only get worse, as far as prospects being developed at the College level. Same with OL, because of the spread offenses. That is why it would be smart to take one of the top guys in this draft and sit them and develop them for a year or two under the mentorship of Romo. This may be the best chance of developing a franchise QB. Next year's crop of QB's will be worse, and get worse from there on. Getting the best QB prospect in the draft and developing them in a pro system for a couple of years is the wave of the future, out of necessity.

 

[CATCH17]

I thought this quote was interesting:

"Another factor: I've heard repeatedly from team officials that they think the best player in the draft is Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott—not any quarterback, not Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil, not any receiver. Running backs are not supposed to be the most captivating prospects for a passing league, but here we are."

I could support picking Elliott if they deem none of the QBs worth #4 although I would prefer it after a short trade down. My rationale is that I would want #4 to have the most impact possible on my team and Elliott would presumably touch the ball 20-25 times a game not to mention pass protection and any catches.

I have been a fan of Elliott since last year and although I would still prefer Wentz, given the supposed quality of the QBs, I am warming up to Elliott fast in this draft.

I'm not high on Elliot but i'll concede to everyone else on this and say it would be nice if we could trade down, draft Elliot, and still get a DL and DB in the 2nd.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think both media and fans have spun the QB's in the draft to a point beyond their talent level (the QB's-- not the fans).

 

[MrPhil]

I'm not high on Elliot but i'll concede to everyone else on this and say it would be nice if we could trade down, draft Elliot, and still get a DL and DB in the 2nd.

After a potential franchise QB at #4, what you describe is my second preferred outcome for the draft.

 

[RS12]

Wentz and Lynch are much better athletes than Dilfer ever was. Better arms too. Somebody needs to ask him for lottery numbers.

 

[Direwolf63]

None of these QB's are ready to start on day 1. I don't know if that's what the scout is referring to or not. These guys all need to sit for a year or 2.

But all 3 QB's are tall. Strong guys - Goff needs to gain weight. Their arms are strong enough or very strong. They all have good mobility - quick on their feet - can avoid a pass rush. Their footwork is generally good - Lynch needs work. They are all smart guys. Eager to learn. Hard workers. No off-field issues.

I'd really like to know what he sees that we don't. I get it. He's the expert and we aren't. But what specifically does he see? And more than just "Trent Dilfer".

Is it the system they played in college? What is it about them that is unlearnable that will make them fail? Why are they so much worse than Winston and Mariota?

Lots of questions. No answers.

 

[silver]

Just draft one of the top 3. I dont care if we use the 4th pick or a second round pick. Draft one. The worst thing that can happen to us is to come out of the draft without a QB of the future and have to rely on what's available. I don't care if this is the worst class ever, they are a whole lot better than Weeden, Cassel or whoever is available out there.

 

[tyke1doe]

I agree that that the offensive class isn't flashy.

This is a nuts and bolts draft. Foot soldiers everywhere and that's good. That's what we need.


I disagree about the QB's obviously. Carson Wentz is a absolute talent and i'll be shocked if he isn't a playmaker at the position throwing for 30+ TD's and running for 5 to 10 a season, walking on water and staying dry when it rains.

For @Risen.

 

[tyke1doe]

None of these QB's are ready to start on day 1. I don't know if that's what the scout is referring to or not. These guys all need to sit for a year or 2.

But all 3 QB's are tall. Strong guys - Goff needs to gain weight. Their arms are strong enough or very strong. They all have good mobility - quick on their feet - can avoid a pass rush. Their footwork is generally good - Lynch needs work. They are all smart guys. Eager to learn. Hard workers. No off-field issues.

I'd really like to know what he sees that we don't. I get it. He's the expert and we aren't. But what specifically does he see? And more than just "Trent Dilfer".

Is it the system they played in college? What is it about them that is unlearnable that will make them fail? Why are they so much worse than Winston and Mariota?

Lots of questions. No answers.

I take these reports with a grain of salt. The off season, pre-draft time is all about miscommunication and misdirection.

So a scout whose job it is to get his team top prospects is going to tell some reporter what his team's intentions are?

There's so much smoke blowing during the off season it's surprising people don't die from coughing.

I look at it this way: If the consensus is that none of these quarterbacks are franchise quarterbacks, then they'll fall and be available for the Cowboys to either jump back into the first round or snag at #34.

So as I see it, we win either way.

 

[Alexander]

Like Kaepernick, no one wants to trade for Robert Griffin III, team officials say. They know Washington will eventually release him.

But unlike it is in Kaepernick, the interest in Griffin is massive. Teams think they can remake him. League sources said at least a dozen teams are interested. It's probably even more than that.

Shocking.

 

[RandyOh]

It doesn't matter if there is no Andrew luck in this draft ready to come out and play right away. We are in the position to develop a qb for a few years opposed to relying on a rookie like the browns will right away or very soon. As long as they have the tools & traits then they are worth it.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

LOL...let's waste a #4 and pick a QB in 2016 .... baaa....baaaaaa!

 

[Killerinstinct]

I see some Wr's I like and RB's too. Heck the O-linemen look good too. QB is the position that is lacking and since that is all the media focuses on then we get stories like this.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It's not just physical attributes when it comes to QB... it's (obviously) very cerebral and that's something you simply can't tell from watching them play at the college level.