At least he came back with an actual response.. you aren’t answering the question. Do you think he will suck? Or get hurt? Or both? Due to his size.
J I am a Bryce Young fan but I am not advocating for the Texans to pick him. I am merely trying to dispel these false narratives that some are putting out into the world. Everyone has their own opinion about which QB they like or don’t like which is fine. Anytime you take a QB in the first round it’s 50/50 whether or not they work out. Me for example, of the four QBs being mentioned I would put Richardson 4th because he hasn’t demonstrated the essential tools to be successful as a NFL QB even though he is a freakish athlete.
Wilson is the QB in question. We have to get to the point of winning seasons and the playoffs before we focus on the SB. Could be wrong but don’t think I said I would be satisfied with just making the playoffs
https://theathletic.com/4281870/2023/03/07/nfl-combine-takeaways-jaxon-smith-njigba-cj-stroud/ • I’ll be stunned if Jaxon Smith-Njigba doesn’t have a bunch of 100-catch seasons in the NFL, and I think he’ll go higher than I’ve seen him on some early mock drafts. Of all the wonderful Ohio State receivers that have come out of Brian Hartline’s room in the past few years, rival coaches I spoke to thought he was the best prospect to this point. (Marvin Harrison Jr. will surpass them all next year, but he’s not draft eligible yet.) At 6-1, 196, Smith-Njigba is the closest thing to a sure thing in this year’s receiver crop. Last year, the Buckeyes produced two first-round wideouts in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and both were 1,000-plus-yard receivers as NFL rookies. According to the coaches we’ve spoken to who faced all three of them, Smith-Njigba is much more physical and has better change of direction than Wilson and Olave. There has been some skepticism about Smith-Njigba’s speed, but his quickness is elite, and he displayed that in Indy. His 20-yard shuttle time of 3.93 seconds was the fastest by a receiver at the combine since 2013, and his 3-cone drill time of 6.57 seconds was better than anyone at this year’s combine. Hartline, a former NFL receiver himself, wasn’t surprised at all. “Jax has a great feel of the game within the game, start there,” Hartline told The Athletic on Monday. “He knows how to use his body and how to win at the end of the play with whatever the job description is. There’s kind of a knack for that. Some guys just get it. As coaches we can try to enhance that, but from Day One, he always had that knack. There’s just something a little different for what Jax does. “His change of direction is definitely the best that I’ve had. Garrett was pretty explosive. They all have their own niches, but when he changes direction out of a break, he doesn’t slow down. This game is really all about change of direction, and his is different, and I think it’ll be really hard for anybody to keep up with him when he changes direction because he is that elite at it, and that literally is the common denominator for creating separation in football. “He’s kind of unguardable. He’ll be über-productive in the NFL. I think he will be a guy that leads the league in receptions and receiving yards. No one’s gonna be shocked. That’s just who he is, and he’s only gotten better, Like C.J. (Stroud) said, he’s the quarterback’s best friend.” • […] The NFL coaches I spoke to in Indy are intrigued by his (Richardson’s) potential but think he’s extremely raw. Could he be utilized similarly to how Brian Daboll brought along Josh Allen and then how he deployed Daniel Jones this season with the Giants, which entails letting him be an athlete, moving the pocket, using more QB run game, cutting the field in half, using more play-action and more RPOs and limiting the true drop-back game? That seems like the recipe for Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis. “I knew that was what Anthony was gonna look like throwing the ball,” one NFL QB coach told The Athletic on Monday. And the reason why I’m so high on him is you can see him throw with touch on film; you can see him take a good drop and be accurate, throwing the right type of ball. He just needs to play quarterback more.” The coach said Florida’s Billy Napier told him Richardson is the best athlete he’s ever been around, which carried a lot of weight with him considering that the Gators head man has been at both Alabama and Clemson previously. Richardson’s physical presence wowed NFL coaches when they first eyeballed him in person. “When he weighed in, and they called out ‘244,’ a bunch of people were like, ‘Holy crap!’” the QB coach said. “It’s just he looked like he weighed 220, the way he was built and carrying it. But he’s just so BIG. His bone structure; thick wrists; a big head. He’s just a big dude. And he throws it as good as any one. On those 10-yard outs, you don’t see him loading up the back leg and really driving off like some guys do, he’s so under control. “I think he’s unique. Cam’s taller and not nearly as fast, and Anthony throws it better than Cam. Josh Allen at Wyoming was the biggest guy on the field. He was crazy inaccurate, but he had played a lot. I think there’s pieces of Cam and Josh Allen and Lamar (Jackson) and Daunte Culpepper in there. I had him first on my quarterbacks in this class. He’s an outlier to me. I’m not a fan of projects, but he is so otherworldly talented, and I’ve seen him on film doing it right. You saw it in the Utah game. He is gifted enough as a runner and so big and strong enough physically to buy enough time to mentally catch up as a passer and turn the corner. That’s what Jalen Hurts did this year.” The QB coach said it was probably for the best that Alabama’s Bryce Young didn’t throw Saturday, especially if he was going to be in the group with Richardson, Will Levis and C.J. Stroud. “It would’ve been unimpressive. His arm is not even close to those guys, and the things that make Bryce Young special don’t show up in routes on air. You’re not going off-platform or processing anything out there.” But Young, the coach said, was very impressive in his interview. Both Young and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker excelled in their sit-downs. “Hendon was great. He is trending to overtake Will Levis on my rankings. Will is more talented as far as arm strength and size, but I think Hendon might run faster, he’s more nimble and has more throws in his arm. He was so mature. He remembered both offenses, from Tennessee and from Virginia Tech, in such detail. He talked about the route depths and the reasonings behind certain things. He was very even keel. I would be shocked if he doesn’t make it in some capacity. “Bryce was super smart; really soft spoken; not quite Sam Howell soft spoken. He was so detailed about his preparation.” • C.J. Stroud isn’t the physical specimen of Anthony Richardson or Will Levis, but he still wowed folks in Indy. The 21-year-old from Ohio State threw for more than 8,000 yards in two seasons with an 85-to-12 TD-to-INT ratio, he torched the Georgia defense in his final college game, and he was razor sharp in his throwing session Saturday. Every throw looked smooth, effortless and natural. His deep ball was even more impressive than some NFL personnel folks expected. “It’s the consistency he has with his arm, not only the accuracy but knowing when to throw what type of ball,” said the NFL QB coach. “C.J. is excellent at choosing the right club per se.” This is a guy rival coaches have been raving about the past two years: “He’s the most accurate quarterback I’ve ever played against,” said one longtime college defensive coordinator who has faced a bunch of future top-10 draft picks. “It’s like he couldn’t have handed the ball to his receivers any better, and they’re 30, 40 yards downfield. He’s got high-level NFL accuracy and NFL vision. I think he understands the game so well and gets it out in under three seconds. He has a very high football IQ and really understands what you’re trying to do to him.” Stroud didn’t just shine on the field but off it as well in his interviews, and even in between them. A quick story: Early in the week in Indy, Stroud was amid other prospects in the speed dating circuit of formal interviews, being escorted from one suite to another inside Lucas Oil Stadium to meet with front office folks, coaches and scouts. Then he spotted a familiar face, an NFL team staffer he recognized from a recruiting trip he took to a school he didn’t attend. Even though the guy wasn’t one of the coaches who actually had been a point person in his recruitment, Stroud not only remembered him, he also remembered his now 12-year-old son who he’d met on a recruiting trip four years ago. He even asked to FaceTime with the kid right then and there and proceeded to laugh it up with his little buddy like he was the kid’s uncle. So much for combine jitters.
• This NFL Draft has a terrific crop of tight ends, with a bunch of freaky dudes. The biggest, Georgia’s Darnell Washington, dazzled at 6-7, 264 pounds with 11-inch hands and ridiculous 34 3/4-inch arms. He clocked 4.64 40 — sixth-fastest among tight ends — and a 10-2 broad jump and 4.08 20-yard shuttle, the third-fastest at the entire combine. He also made a jaw-dropping, twisting, one-handed catch that very few people on the planet could have made. All great stuff from a guy who is already viewed as an elite blocking tight end, evoking visions of a bigger, more athletic Marcedes Lewis. Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz, a Penn State transfer who is coming off a leg injury, also exceeded his Freaks List cred (he was No. 11) by clocking a 4.55 40, vertical jumping 40 inches and broad jumping 10-8. Those are remarkable numbers for a guy 6-7 3/8 and 255 pounds. His 4.12 20-yard shuttle time ranked behind only Washington among tight ends. Iowa’s Sam LaPorta isn’t a towering prospect like those other skyscrapers, but he’s a fantastic football player and also showed he is a heck of an athlete. At 6-3, 245, he ran a 4.59 40 and vertical jumped 35 inches. Good numbers to go with excellent film. Miami’s Will Mallory, the best thing on what was a dismal Hurricanes offense in 2022, ran a 4.54 40 — best of the group — and vertical jumped 36 1/2 inches. He was 6-4 1/2, 239. Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, another guy whose season was ended by injury, didn’t run quite as fast as I expected, but a 4.61 40 at 6-6, 253 is still terrific. His 1.54 10-yard split is even more impressive, as are a 36-inch vert and 10-5 broad jump. The only number that he didn’t exceed or match from our Freaks List data was the 40, where he had done a 4.51 last offseason while weighing a few pounds less. Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, a terrific receiving tight end who really blossomed as a walk-on at University of San Diego after only playing one season of high school football, did not work out in Indy but is a guy we heard could go in the first round. We heard a similar projection for Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer, who displayed solid athleticism in Indy, clocking a 4.70 40 at 6-4 1/2, 249 and a 9-10 broad jump. • The edge rushers, as often is the case, didn’t disappoint. Georgia’s Nolan Smith, a former five-star recruit who has been as advertised, ran a 4.39 40 at 6-2, 238. His vertical was 41.5 inches, and his broad jump was 10-8. Those are amazing numbers for a DB, much less a defensive end. The only thing that might have diminished them to some degree was that they were posted at the same time Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore was showing out. At No. 30 on our list in 2022, Adebawore should have been much higher. He clocked a 4.49, at 282 pounds — running faster than any player of 280 pounds or more in the past two decades. He also vertical jumped 37 1/2 inches and broad jumped 10-5. In the spirit of Donald, the super-explosive Wildcat figures to be a problem for teams when he slides inside. A couple of other defensive ends who turned heads were Louisville’s Yaya Diary, a 6-3, 263-pounder who ran 4.51 and vertical jumped 37 inches, and Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness, a 6-5, 272-pounder who clocked a 4.58 40 and also had the second-fastest 3-cone among edge rushers at 7.02 and second-fastest 20-yard shuttle at 4.32. “I really love this kid’s film,” one NFL defensive coach told me Friday. “I don’t think people are talking enough about how good he is. He’s really explosive.” • Van Ness’ teammate from Iowa, Jack Campbell, was terrific in Indy. He is a huge linebacker at 6-5, 249, and Iowa coaches have been raving about him for a while. It’s not just his film that is terrific. His 4.65 40 time at that size is good. His 37.5-inch vert is outstanding, as is his 10-8 broad jump, but his 4.24 20-yard shuttle and 6.74 3-cone times might be even more impressive. The latter was the only time among linebackers below seven seconds. It was the best time by a linebacker in four years in Indy. Another linebacker I really like and think is undervalued, as least according to draft chatter so far, is Washington State’s Daiyan Henley. At 6-1, 225, he’s not that big but is very versatile and plays exceptionally fast — even faster than the 4.54 40 he ran. His 1.55 10-yard split was one of the fastest times in Indy.
Color me skeptical I guess. I just find it a little too coincidental. I'm not a huge fan of any of these QBs but gun to my head, I'm taking Stroud. I like his accuracy and his back shoulder throws are money. Agree about AR - we see the hype for a freak athlete or two every year but you need more than athleticism for the QB position. He is a project.
If you want an example in todays world I may point to Kyler Murray whos battled a variety of different things within his short time in the NFL and I would consider him to be "thicker" than Young, but to his credit this publication still considers him durable! : https://www.draftsharks.com/fantasy/injury-history/kyler-murray/10217
[...] This draft cycle, Anthony Richardson from Florida and Will Levis from Kentucky will test how much risk teams are willing to assume in their pursuit of an elite quarterback. Both quarterbacks have eye-popping traits but lack the production of a top prospect, yet both will likely be drafted in the top 10. Where they rank can vary depending on the eye of the beholder, so let’s look at how each prospect differs to decide which one is a more worthy bet. Richardson’s traits Richardson has elite arm strength. He can throw with distance and velocity with ease, and he has a quick release. When he missed, he usually missed high, sometimes due to miscommunications with his receivers on option routes. Missing occasionally might be a part of his game, but he can cut down on them with improved footwork and timing, which can be fixed with coaching. South Carolina, 12:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, third-and-6 In this clip, Richardson senses penetration up front and side steps even though the threat was eventually blocked. He side-stepped unnecessarily and didn’t set his back foot perpendicular to where his target was running. The side of his foot pointed upfield when it needed to be angled toward the sideline. When his feet are right, Richardson can make throws into tight windows on ropes or with touch. The offense he ran in Florida didn’t feature a lot of screens or run/pass options that could have boosted his completion percentage. Additionally, his receivers didn’t get open consistently and didn’t track passes well. Still, it’s always concerning when a quarterback has to greatly improve his accuracy. Perhaps the most encouraging part of Richardson’s game is his resolve to hang and maneuver in a tight pocket. His pocket movements and reactions aren’t always efficient, and sometimes he puts himself in front of pressure unnecessarily with too much movement, but given his experience level, his pocket movement is an encouraging sign. He can learn to manage the pocket more efficiently, but it’s hard to learn the willingness to stay in and maneuver inside a tight pocket. He’s also willing to step up and make throws while getting hit. Tennessee, 13:20 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10 On this play-action protection, Florida’s tight end had to block an edge rusher and was quickly beaten. Richardson evaded him with a quick jump up into the pocket and had to navigate through additional pressure. When he was in the clear, he got his eyes up and quickly found an open receiver. Throwing off-platform, he got the ball over the cornerback for an explosive pass play. Richardson is a big-play threat with the ball in his hands, and he just had one of the most impressive combines ever. He’s a slashing runner who doesn’t waste time dancing. He’ll lower his shoulder, deliver hits and run through arm tackles. In the NFL, you want to see him take fewer hits, but he has the speed to create room to slide, fall or get out of bounds, which is a big distinction from other quarterbacks who are physical runners. His ability to be a threat in the option run game will give him a floor while he learns the intricacies of passing. When he feels an opening or doesn’t have a clear picture, he’ll take off, but when he drops back, he makes a concerted effort to exhaust his reads and stay in the pocket. Why Richardson is a gamble Richardson’s lack of production was due to his inexperience and the offense he ran. I wouldn’t call the Florida offense pro-style, but it featured a lot more dropback and play-action concepts than an average college spread offense — 53 percent of his passes traveled at least 10 air yards. As a result, there weren’t a lot of “easy button” throws for Richardson to pad his stats with, and the Gators didn’t fully utilize Richardson’s running ability with their option package. They called a lot of their core concepts over and over again — possibly because of Richardson’s inexperience — so the Florida offense was somewhat predictable. His numbers weren’t great, but playing in this system might have helped his long-term development by giving him more dropback reps. Pre-snap, Richardson makes good reads and knows where to look and go. He also consistently sniffs out blitzes and adjusts his protection, though I didn’t see him get to his hot routes or sight adjustments often on film, which might partially be a function of the offense. Post-snap, Richardson can struggle to adjust against coverage disguises. His interceptions are not often purposeful throws into traffic but rather products of reading the defense incorrectly, which could improve with experience. Where Richardson needs to improve — and are those issues fixable? AREAS NEEDING IMPROVEMENT | FIXABLE? Sailed passes | Misses could be attributed to footwork, which is correctable Navigating the pocket more efficiently | Could improve with experience Post-snap processing | Could improve with experience Florida State, 9:32 remaining in the second quarter, first-and-10 This clip was from Richardson’s last college game. Florida State’s weakside safety tried to bait Richardson into throwing the vertical to the weak side. Before the snap, he dropped down like he was going to play low. After the snap, he faked like he was going to rotate to the middle of the field before spinning back to the weak side. Richardson saw the safety’s final drop and knew the seam would be open to the opposite side. His feet were calm, and he threw a perfect pass for a touchdown. Overall, Richardson has the tools to be an elite quarterback on par with the top playmaking quarterbacks in the NFL. There are a lot more translatable skills on film than I thought before watching his tape. He consistently gets through multiple progressions and wants to stay in the pocket.
Levis’ traits Levis can throw with great distance, but more importantly, he can make throws with elite velocity. He throws with a smooth stroke and a quick release. He throws with good accuracy to all levels of the field and can make throws off the platform and under pressure. His career completion rate (64.9 percent) doesn’t reflect how accurate he is because his receivers struggled to create separation at times, especially against strong competition. His footwork reflects his pro-style coaching, as he consistently throws from a wide base. His overall arm talent is on par with the elite NFL quarterbacks. Tennessee in 2021, 3:03 remaining in the third quarter, first-and-10 On this throw against man-to-man coverage, Levis gets just enough touch on the ball to get it over the trailing corner but throws it with enough zip that other defenders don’t have time to help on the pass. Some strong-armed quarterbacks can struggle with touch, but Levis has excellent control. As a runner, he has a good burst and is powerful. He can be useful in an option attack, but his athleticism translates to the NFL more as a scrambler. He has the strength and balance to rip away from pass rushers and the straight-line speed to make big plays in the open field. Why Levis is a gamble Levis couldn’t beat out Sean Clifford at Penn State and had to transfer to Kentucky to start, and he has never had high-level production. His most productive season came in 2021, when he threw for 24 touchdowns to 13 interceptions in 13 games as a junior. He had his best season in yards per attempt (8.3) as a senior with a worse supporting cast. A lot of struggles could be attributed to his poor protection and lack of talent at wide receiver. His offensive line had constant breakdowns in protection, and his receivers weren’t able to get open, struggling to execute even basic pick plays. It is concerning to draft a quarterback high without seeing consistent production, but it was obvious on film that the Kentucky offense was often overmatched. Where Levis needs to improve — and are those issues fixable? AREAS NEEDING IMPROVEMENT | FIXABLE? Awareness of the pass rush | Feel for pass rushers seems to be an innate skill Post-snap processing | Could improve with experience Too many turnover-worthy throws | Tends to be difficult to improve/change Levis makes great rhythm throws, meaning first-read throws, but he rarely goes through more than two reads in a play. This could be a result of his bad protection and doesn’t mean he can’t do it, but there aren’t many examples of him doing it on film. He seems to prefer high/low reads. He reads them out quickly and throws them with anticipation. When he knows where he’s going with the ball pre-snap, he’s fine, but he has trouble processing when the defense changes the picture post-snap. Tennessee in 2021, 6:42 remaining in the third quarter, second-and-10 On this play, Levis wanted to throw a speed out against off coverage. As the ball was snapped, the free safety in the middle of the field bailed to play a deep half. This was a rhythm throw, so Levis didn’t see the safety, but if he had, he would have known the corner was going to play the out route aggressively. The corner didn’t drop, was flat-footed and jumped the pass. Levis didn’t see the safety rotation or the corner’s body language and threw a pick six. Florida, 11:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, third-and-11 This clip is from the 2022 season. The defense got out of its disguise before the ball was snapped and dropped into a Tampa 2 zone. Levis wanted to go to the curl/flat side, but it’s not a good combination against this type of coverage because there are too many underneath defenders. Levis tried to stick with the curl, hoping the receiver could find space to open up, but Levis’ eyes attracted more defenders. If Levis had moved off that read to the seam in the middle of the field, he might have had a touchdown, but instead he threw to a covered curl route. He had a clean pocket and plenty of time to move to another read. Levis is willing to stand in tight pockets and take hits while making throws, but he doesn’t manipulate and navigate within the pocket much and is more likely to take off running if he sees space. He can get rattled early in games when facing pressure and run himself into trouble. Florida, 12:06 remaining in the third quarter, first-and-10 Here, Levis has a clean pocket, but instead of remaining calm and staying in it, he tries to exploit a rush lane, only for it to close up. The ability to feel the rush and move subtly to buy time within the pocket is innate. It’s hard to see Levis developing into a high-level pocket manipulator. So, who’s worth the risk? I’d bet on Richardson. He’s younger — he’ll be 22 by Week 1, while Levis will be 24 — and Richardson’s biggest flaws seem to be correctable with more coaching and experience. The strides Richardson will have to make to reach his potential are not for the risk-averse, but quarterbacks with Richardson’s physical tools don’t come around often, and his floor isn’t as low as some perceive. Richardson’s explosive ability as a runner means the team that drafts him can build an option-heavy attack with him — something Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson have proved can be successful — and Richardson has the arm talent to connect on schemed-up throws off play action. Though I prefer Richardson, Levis isn’t a bad consolation prize. He has the tools to develop into a top-tier quarterback, with a rare combination of elite arm talent and good athleticism. Others might see Richarson’s long development curve as a no-go in the top 10, but it seems like the growing consensus is that he’s worth that type of risk. As one general manager told The Athletic’s Mike Sando, “I like Anthony Richardson better than Levis, and I don’t think I’m the only GM who feels this way.”
Guy wanted an example of a small QB in recent memory dealing with injury. Looking down the list of starting NFL QBs and isolating the "small" guys was easy. They are so rare that I found the only example in the whole league and welp that particular player dealt with injury who isnt a historic outlier at the position. Your comment is not wrong, but if the sample size is so small and you have to go to HOF type guys to make a case then you're expecting something extremely rare to occur and I just dont follow along. Hell I could be wrong AF in a few years, but it still wouldnt change my opinion that generally speaking in a sport as violent as football having size on your side is your friend.
Why can't we be the ones trading. Who says Chi has to have all dat pahweh. Let's trade with the Colts right now and force the bears hand. 1.) the Bears have to draft their Defensive end, 'generational' like Mario and Clowney. 2.) Colts draft either Bryce or Stroud 3.) Arizona drafts defense 4. Texans draft the qb that wasn't taken by the Colts (comfortable with either one.) 5. Seattle goes with Richardson and have him sit a year 6. Detroit trades the pick to Atlanta so that ATL can get Levis 7. Raiders draft the fastest guy in the draft at 7 8. Detroit goes with Carter Texans pick up an extra 2nd and 3rd in this draft. That's my fandom talking but Colts should trade with either us or Arizona F da Bears. I just don't want the Bears getting all that compensation. That should be us with the first pick! Is it petty? hell yes.
I absolutely believe this for two reasons and I believe AR is their guy. 1) Seahawks signed Matt Flynn to a big deal the same season Russell Wilson was drafted. Russell beat out Matt.. 2) Anthony Richardson is probably a year or two away from being a starter. Geno Smith signed a 3 year deal which means that last year probably isn't fully guaranteed. Once his contract is off the books, AR will be ready to take over.
This take is pretty funny. So many top-rated QB's have declined to throw at the combine, and we're saying it's fishy that Bryce isn't? Also, I didn't see where he didn't want to get weighed at his pro day. He has virtually nothing to prove, outside of an absolute bombshell or injury, Bryce Young won't make it past #3 in the draft. Throwing at the combine is a lose-lose.
Top players sit out of the combine all the time. No one questioned Jalen Carter sitting out this year, Kyler, Burrow, Reggie Bush, etc…Some elect to test, some don’t. It’s really not that big of a deal. The pro day delay is interesting but think it’s safe to assume any significant injuries will be revealed as the draft process goes along. Like his official measurements, speculating and debating seems relatively useless since we will eventually find out.
