Plenty of people knew who Russell Wilson was before the draft. His biggest concern was his height, and some people even said if he were a few inches taller he'd be taken in the 1st round. I believe it was Gruden who said if Wilson were 6'5", he would have gone #1 over Luck and RGIII. Did Seattle know he'd be this good? No. Also, how do you know Bridgewater will be a bust? How can anyone be that confident?
A lot of "trade the pick" talk. That's rare, man. The Texans are the least aggressive team in free agency/trade in sports. The Redskins are the most aggressive team in free agency/trade in the NFL. Hell, they even went over the cap along with the Cowboys, the 2nd most aggressive team in free agency/trade in the NFL.
I think a big selling point is that no doubt, he would have been the first QB taken last year if he were eligible. If he stayed in college and played while going to grad school, he'd likely be the #1 QB in the 2015 draft as well if Winston doesn't come out because I don't really see another QB out there who would leapfrog him. So he's possibly the best QB prospect to come out in at least a 3 year window. My biggest concern on passing on a QB with the #1 pick is, where are you going to find your franchise QB then? It's not Keenum. 2nd or 3rd round? Possibly but unlikely. Next years draft? Well, you probably won't be drafting as high, probably won't get the best QB in the draft and the guy you would get wouldn't be as highly rated as Bridgewater anyway. Trade? Where? Yeah, if you pass on Clowney or Barr you can ask where you're going to get elite pass rush from, but you can still get productive, contributing pass rushers later, sometimes elite ones (Robert Mathis 5th round, Justin Houston 3rd, Dumerville 4th), moreso than you can find franchise QBs later on. Same goes for right tackle.
I guess I'm less convinced that Teddy is by far the best QB in the draft. I do feel that QB play is important. I also don't want to get stuck with a Flacco level of QB that then demands franchise QB money but probably isn't worth it. I would increase my lotto chances and go Hundley later in the 1st/early 2nd.
Bad for the Texans, less talent available. Bad for TAMU, Manziel even more likely to declare. Bad for Mariotta, that offense is not what he'll run in the NFL - he's wasting his time in it.
Just saw that on Twitter. That makes Bridgewater more valuable, and it wouldn't hurt to watch the Jags panic and draft Manziel with the #2 pick. I'd consider it, and wondered about it before. So much potential locked into a rookie deal for a couple more years, but his injury history makes it a difficult choice for me. He'd perform a lot better with an improved Texans O-Line and our receivers, but will he ever learn to stop running? I don't mind scrambling and taking off for a 1st down every now and then, but he takes off way too much. Salary cap hit.
With the new rookie scale, I think the gamble is far less than it used to be. And to Major's point (which I fully agree with it) - which is more likely: finding a franchise QB in rounds 2-4 (especially with Rick Smith potentially calling the shots (shudder)) or finding a pass rusher who can wreak havoc in a well-designed, well-coached system? We have bountiful evidence now that QB play is vital - when Schaub was healthy and good, this team won a lot of games; when he was hurt/bad, they lost a lot of games.
I think you take him and start the season with Keenum unless Bridgewater just kills it in preseason (then again, TJ and Case both killed it this preseason). If Case makes a tremendous leap with a better o-line and we are winning, well, that's a good problem to have. Eventually you'll haul a couple of really good draft picks for one of them if they are both promising.
Yeah I was a huge Russell Wilson fan coming into that draft and thought Seattle got a steal. Height was so overplayed, almost like the QB equivalent of the 40 time. But you can get solid starters in the 2nd/3rd round, but a franchise/super bowl caliber QB would be tough to do. Especially since about 5 teams "need" a QB every year somehow.
First thing I thought was, this is good for the Texans, increases the value of the #1 pick (if we hold on to it) because less top QB talent is avalaible and teams trade up and pay the price for QBs. If you wanted Mariotta at #3 (i.e. Jaguars) now they have to trade up to #1 for Bridgewater if they want their QB (let's say they have the other QBs ranked significantly below those 2). Also, #1 and #2 pick in next years draft: Winston Mariotta
Blockbuster trades just don't happen that often. And I'm not sure the Texans have ever even made a trade in their franchise history. They're a very "missionary sex" franchise.
If Jameis Winston was eligible for this years draft, the Texans would have struck the lottery.... Can you imagine Winston with the recievers and weapons the Texans have ... look at what mel kiper and other nfl experts think of him <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Yzmvdpk-uuU#t=53" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/plBl9Fb2zl0#t=140" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ------------------------------- Jamies highlights <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/avFtRIpagxY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rLk6K0vx_DM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/x8IfDj2hLfM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3vkgD1rJKZc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sRU_mJdZuws" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Does it? Wilson: 3,175 yards, 72.8%, 33 TD, 4 INT Bridgewater: 3,268 yards, 71%, 25 TD, 3 INT (with 2 games left to play) That's pretty comparable. Wilson didn't fall because of his statistical performance his senior year. He fell because he's short and there were questions of his ability to play from the pocket in the NFL. Also, switching schools didn't help and his 3 years at NC State were OK but not spectacular. Compare to Bridgewater who's height isn't a concern (to most), is a pocket passer who plays in a pro style offense (all 3 years), and was on scouts radars early. Knowing how the NFL works and what scouts look for, it's really not surprising that Wilson dropped while Bridgewater won't.
This is what Chuck thinks of your trade suggestion. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/b3uYrOVCgJk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
