Someone else replied on Eli. That reply is valid for Flacco, imo, also. Both guys have the ability to seriously up their games during the playoffs and in pressure. Moreover, both have the skill-sets to be elite all the time, but for consistency issues. If you want to describe them as "average" QBs with at times great mental fortitude and leadership, go ahead. Cause I agree that is good enough. To that end, the question was at least valid on Schaub for a bit... it increasingly became clear that when you took Schaub and added pressure (mental, physical, whatever), his game took a big hit. To the question of a QB to make the Texans Superbowl contenders, I don't think that guy is on the roster. Fitz simply isn't a good enough QB normally and doesn't have any crazy leadership qualities, etc. Mallet is unknown to an extent. In the limited time we saw him, he seemed in some ways to be "average" in different ways from Fitz, but still average. Might he blow up in the playoffs? Who knows... I'm not betting on it. Savage? Who knows? Basically, I don't think Fitz or Mallet and suspect Savage have the every Sunday normal game to at least potentially be a top 10, top 15 quarterback, nor the ability to up their games to that definitive top 10 and potential top 5 quality in the playoffs against better teams. The Texans should draft a QB in the first round this year. They've drafted 1 first round QB in their history. QB is the most important position in the league. You don't have to get your QB in the first round, but other methods also seem to have not worked. This draft is the time.
i am 1,000,000 x down with this. he will need a season on the bench though. mallett can hold it down.
I agree. Nobody special in this one. I think Carr would go 1st if available. But I do think this batch is significantly better than the recent Manuel & Locker drafts. I think Mariota will be good enough to start though. 15-22nd best QB range upside. And I think Winston can be right up there too, 15-22 caliber upside. Just my opinion. I'd like to roll with Fitzpatrick, Mallett, Savage and either another draft pick or a high upside, low risk project like Matt Barkley or RG3. Not Hoyer.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. just said on ESPN conference call he doesn't think there's a franchise QB in the 2015 NFL Draft</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/543062709445480448">December 11, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Petty comes from the same college offense as RGIII, Kevin Kolb, Case Keenum, and Johnny Football. RGIII and has talent, but seems to have leadership issues along with foot in mouth disease. Manziel hasn't played enough for us to judge. Kolb is a bust and Keenum will probably never get another chance. I just don't trust QB's coming from that system. It's just like Andre Ware and David Klingler out of the Run and Shoot era. I loved my UH qb's..but what they did in college just didn't translate over to the NFL.
All valid points BUT the main difference with Petty and most of the guys listed? Height and weight. Petty has prototypical size that BoB likes. He also has the intangibles. Work ethic, discipline, doesn't party.. doesn't say dumb crap like RG 3.
Eh, he's 6-3. I don't think you get to the "prototypical" height unless you're 6-5, maybe 6-4. 6-2 or 6-3 is still Tweener range. That's only an inch on RGIII or Fitzpatrick who are still in the 220-225 lb range. Kolb is 6-3 too.
I agree with Mel Kiper about there not being a franchise QB...but I do think there can be a couple QBs that are at least good enough to be on winning teams. Mariota, imo, is so greatly overrated that it hurts my eyes when I see opinions of him that have to do with his greatness. He is going to be incredibly average in the NFL. I like Cook. I dont think we'd have a shot at Winston unless teams are really scared of his off field issues. Obviously way too early to discuss, but the Texans might have a shot in the first round at Cook. In the second round, Petty will probably be available, although I dont have full confidence in him, like I do with Cook. Petty scares me for a few reasons. First, the spread offense he plays in...great for numbers but far different than what he'll be seeing in the NFL. Second, his passes dont have much zip on them, although he seems to have good touch. Problem is that a lot of his passes that go for big yards are the result of his crazy athletic and speedy receivers. In many instances, his receivers have 5 yards of cushion, so it's difficult to assess his accuracy. I know that he does struggle with accuracy and he sometimes just throws a ball up with hopes that his receiver can come down with it. Im also weary of QBs that just focus on one receiver...those quick read offenses that arent meant for the QB to go through progressions. Petty will have a lot of work ahead of him, so I do have some concerns with him. Someone from Baylor (sammy) tell me that Im wrong about Petty...I wouldnt mind the Texans taking a shot on him, but imo, it would have to be 2-3rd round.
I think all of these schools moving to the spread offense is really hurting the market for NFL QBs. Most of these QBs are piling up stats by throwing quick 5-yard hits that turn into 60-yard TDs. Few of them are really NFL ready. Look at Andrew Luck. He ran a pro-style offense at Stanford and he's doing pretty well. EJ Manual, RG III, Geno Smith, Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel (so far) not so much...
The intelligent quarterbacks with pro tools tend to select schools that run pro style offenses, like Andrew Luck and Ryan Tannehill. The ones that don't, like Manziel and McCoy tend to wind up running the spread. I think to an extent, the opposite of what you're saying is true. A 3-star guy winds up tearing it up in a spread and winds up gaining momentum as an NFL prospect when the truth is, that guy just doesn't have the tools. Never did. Just the stats. As the NFL shifts to include more spread tendencies I think the idea of converting a spread QB into a pro QB seems sexier right now. Back in the day nobody wasted much time on Jason White, BJ Simmons, Brad Smith or Timmy Chang. You're seeing a few more highly rated pro style QB's choose spread offenses but it isn't the norm and it isn't an intelligent choice for a kid with NFL aspirations to make.
Could very well be...my concern would be that if the Texans wait until the 3rd or 4th round to grab a QB, then we're just treading water. If they see someone they like, whether its Cook or Petty or whoever, then I want to make sure they get that guy. For instance, if the Texans really wanted Garoppolo last year, then they should have gone for him, even if it means reaching a little. This team needs a QB and the more half assed they are about getting one, the further behind they fall. We all know how well Rick Smith drafts, so by reaching for the QB BO'B wants, I think it's safe to say that were not missing out on other prospects that could help this team.
I watched almost every Baylor game, Petty appears to have everything you'd want, size, zip, smarts and leadership. He's a little older but that actually could be a good thing. I don't know enough to comment on if he can grasp a pro style offense, make accurate pre-snap reads, look off defenders etc. but I think after he goes through his evaluations Petty will go in the second round. By the way, he's 6'3" 230 lbs, Luck is 6'3" 234. Also, Trayvon Boykin has a shot to be Russell Wilson like. Somebody is going to take him 3rd-5th. I watched that kid go from nothing to amazing in 16 months.
