[ESPN] Who will go number 1: Bridgewater vs. Clowney

Honestly, they all do. It's hard to zip the fatter ball and design an offense entirely around timing throws in the NCAA. Louisville in particular is not a zip-bang, lateral, short field offense. And yes, zip-bang is something I just made up to make myself feel smart. Wanna fight, Rick Smith?

 

Aw shucks, guys, please don't be mad at me. We'll continue to battlefight our way back, we're on the right track.

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Even if you were right and he didn't have "zip". Jay Cutler has it.... I don't consider him being anywhere close to an elite QB in the NFL.

Intelligence and feel for the game is completely underrated when drafting QBs. Obviously you have to have the physical tools to be elite but when your best asset is not head and shoulders above average (Schaub's "accuracy") your team will struggle to stay consistent the way ours has, especially recently.

 

Like I said, in the highlight videos, show me which throws he "zips"...very simple request, and Im being serious. I watched the videos once and didnt find anything remotely exceptional about his arm strength. He has great accuracy, but he truly lacks what I would call elite arm strength. Find some of those throws for me and refer me to them (Example: 1:46 of the video).

 

All I know is there is a throw in his highlight video where he can't fully step into the throw and arm whips the ball 53 yards in the air on a line. Prety sure I have never seen Schaub do that before.

 

10:18 mark. 53 yard arm whip rope

 

depends what youre wanting to see regarding arm strength. hes not kaepernick, who has tremendous zip but he(bridgewater) can make all the throws.. he throws on the run about as strong as schaub throws in a comfortable pocket..

at about :53 he makes a very strong throw with zip..
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I'm no football genius or anything, but the very first throw--when Louisville is backed up on their own goal-line--that throw looked like all arm to me. He had nowhere to go and just put it up for his guy 50+ yards downfield. I didn't really like the mechanics on that one, but that was pretty impressive.

The kid seems small, but I'd feel much better with him (at this point) than Clowney, who just got that speeding violation for going 110mph in a 70.

 

Rezdawg? What do you think of those responses?

 

yep... with his attitude, entourage, unusual family situation, lack of work ethic, questionable motor, and falling out with SC.. There is no chance we take this dude 1.1 over Teddy Bridgewater. In fact, I think if we won a couple of these next games and ended up picking 2nd, Rick would trade down and avoid this dude like the plague.

 

On my cell, driving home... Will check it out.

 

I agree...it's more than just zip that matters. And the only NFL QB that is elite that doesnt have zip is Peyton...but he's also the smartest QB to ever play the game. All the other elites...or close to elites...have + arms.

Teddy is an intelligent QB...and he is much smarter than the Cutlers of the NFL. It just depends on what we are looking for...a top 5 future QB...or a top 12 future QB. If we are looking for above average QB play, then I think Teddy is the guy. If we are looking for elite, his arm strength isnt what it needs to be.

 

That's the strongest throw Ive seen him make...but I also dont think it's on par with the zip that the elite NFL qbs make. Having said that, I like that throw.

 

haha, you are clearly a hater.

there is nothing bridgewater can do to appease your unrealistic expectations. bridgewater has more than enough arm strength.. in fact, he already has better arm than many current top tier nfl qb's.

i'll put his arm right there with russell wilson.

 

That's a great throw...but my reference to arm strength is mostly centered around immediate throws on a line, bc those are the throws that NFL QBs make the majority of the time. To me, his intermediate throws are ripe for the picking in the NFL if he isnt spot on with his accuracy. He does have intelligence and accuracy, so he's got that going for him...but I still cant put his arm up against Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Eli, Roth, Ryan, Stafford, Luck, Wilson, Kap, etc...

Again, if we want an elite QB...you need to have elite arm strength, amongst other things. I will remain with the opinion that his arm strength is not where it needs to be...can that develop? Sure. But coming out of college, he's not somebody I would peg as having elite arm strength. And that scares me when we are talking about 1-1.

 

Im a hater? I say that he has good intelligence and accuracy...I also mentioned that he's athletic. So basically, I think he has all these positives...and in one category, I call him average...so Im a hater? Got it.

 

But that's where you are wrong. He can and does throw the ball with zip whenever he deems necessary but unlike RGIII and some other NFL QBs he has the ability to throw the ball with the appropriate velocity needed for his reciever to catch it.

Sometimes throwing harder is just not necessary. In most situation throwing hard only makes the pass harder to catch. You penalize Bridgewater for a skill not many possess. Winston doesn't possess this level of control.

He's thrown 28 TDs and only 4 interceptions 1 of which was because his receiver fell down and another was a tipped ball. He's completed over 70% of his passes, higher than famous Jameis, and he's done that with much more pressure on him and much more responsibility on the line to playcall.

It's no coincidence he has those numbers his ability to throw the right ball at the right spot with the right velocity is uncanny. Don't watch how hard he throws. Watch how easy his receiver catches it. That's no coincidence.

 

Clowney got pulled over for going 110 in a 70. He's not mature enough for the number one overall pick.

 

That ticket will be the most expensive ticket of his life. It will cost him millions of dollars. Where there is smoke there is fire and Clowney's house is burning down.

 

I could catch his balls easy too...that doesnt disprove my point.

In the NFL, he will have to make hard throws...maybe he hasnt had to do so until now, but it's something he will have to do to be considered elite. The jury is still out...and again, his numbers in college are due to his ability to improvise and still make very accurate throws, so it's not shocking that he puts up good numbers...he's a good QB.