How Important is College Experience at QB?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

^^^ As I said the biggest problem with drafting a guy like Tanhill (or Brady or Cassel) isn't the lack of experience, but the lack of film. 

There is a logical reason why nobody used a first round pick on Brady.  While hindsight says he should have been first round talent.  It would have made little sense for any team to take him round one.  How far he feel didn't make much sense either -- he should have been grabbed by the end of the 3rd, not at the tailend of the 6th.  But there wasn't enough film on Brady to warrent him being taking in the top half of the first round, same with Tanhill.   

It is hard to judge exactly what he can or can not do.  If we are talking about taking a chance with a 6th or 7th round pick on a player with insufficent film is one thing. (or for that matter a 2nd or 3rd).  Very risky to do so with a pick in the top half of the draft.  Although less so now with the new CBA than it was with the old CBA. 

[Pappy13]

^^^ As I said the biggest problem with drafting a guy like Tanhill (or Brady or Cassel) isn't the lack of experience, but the lack of film. 

There is a logical reason why nobody used a first round pick on Brady.  While hindsight says he should have been first round talent.  It would have made little sense for any team to take him round one.  How far he feel didn't make much sense either -- he should have been grabbed by the end of the 3rd, not at the tailend of the 6th.  But there wasn't enough film on Brady to warrent him being taking in the top half of the first round, same with Tanhill.   

It is hard to judge exactly what he can or can not do.  If we are talking about taking a chance with a 6th or 7th round pick on a player with insufficent film is one thing. (or for that matter a 2nd or 3rd).  Very risky to do so with a pick in the top half of the draft.  Although less so now with the new CBA than it was with the old CBA. 

I completely disagree that Tannehill and Brady are alike. I have no clue why Brady fell to the 6th round, but it wasn't JUST because of lack of tape on him. He played in 25 games for Michigan so obviously he played enough to get a pretty good idea of what he was like. People just didn't think he would make a great QB. Sometimes things just happen weird like that. They were wrong. Sure he should have been taken earlier in retrospect, but that happnes practically every year. Not to the level of Brady, but guys just get missed and then end up having great NFL career's all the time, it has nothing to do with lack of game tape on them.

Honestly, I don't know what you people are reading about Tannehill or maybe you just aren't because he graded out higher than Jake Locker last year. He's only a couple points behind Luck which most are saying is the best pure QB prospect in decades. All this talk about he would be a 2nd round pick if so and so came out is pure speculation. Instead of there being 3 QB's expected to be taken in the first round, their would be 4, that's it. Now there's a big difference between #8 and #25, I get that and yes if you want to believe that Tannehill is really a player better taken at #25 rather than #8, I won't argue with you there, but to say that he's a 2nd or 3rd round pick is just not true based on how the scouts have viewed his talent. He's moved up because he's a QB, there's no question, but he's not being considered in the top 10 JUST because he's a QB. There's a TON of potential there. Should potential make you a top 10 pick? That's debatable, but it doesn't take you from a 3rd round pick to the top 10. That's just inacurate.

[MikeO]

I think it helps, but you have to understand that if a guy started all 4 years, his NFL success may not be because of that. It may be because the guy was obviously talented, as evidenced by the fact that he started all 4 years in college.

Most quarterbacks have poor coaching in college or run a "college system" that isn't in the NFL. So basing their college stats/days on NFL success has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Big Ben went to Miami-OH, Flaco to Delaware,  and Pennington went to Marshall, none are NFL factories by any means but they have (had) successful NFL careers. Then you got a guy like McNabb who was in a "freeze option" offense in college and started 4 years at Syracuse and he made the transition to the NFL with no issues in the west coast offense.

Give a talented QB quality coaching on the NFL level and I don't care how many games they started in college, where they played their college ball, or anything that happened in college. It's not the same game. College results mean little. Hell, read what they said about Marino heading into the 1983 draft. Your eyes will pop out of your head! lol

[MaineDolFan]

I give the "but" on Newton only in this aspect:

...but can he do it again, or was he a flash in the pan?

[Pappy13]

There's more than just 1 reason that Ryan Tannehill's stock has risen. Most of you seem to be assuming or suggesting it's only because he's a QB and only because no other QB's are rated highly other than Luck and RGIII. We'll that's not exactly accurate.

Part of the reason that his stock has gone up since the end of the year is also because that some people have taken a closer look at him and have changed their mind a bit on what he offers. At the end of the year most people looked at his stats and his production on the field and graded him based mostly on those numbers, but then they started to take a closer look. They took another look at those games where he didn't have great stats or production and they  realized that a lot of the time he was putting the ball where it needed to be put and his WR's were letting him down. Don't forget that at one time Tannehill was the #1 WR on the team. Tannehill didn't have a Fleener or a Kendall Wright to throw the ball to.

They also were impressed with his pro day. He'd been working on some things since the end of the year and his footwork, mechanics and accuracy showed to be improved since the end of the year. Combine that with the fact that he only played a year and a half at QB at A&M and it became apparent that he's still learning which suggests his production in the NFL might be better than what his college stats would suggest.

Now are people talking themselves into this just because he's a QB? It's possible, I can't say it's not, but there's also the possibility that Tannehill is actually a much better QB than his stats and production in college suggest.

Most of what I read now there's no question as to whether or not Miami should take him at #8 if he's there, the only question seems to be whether or not Miami should risk waiting that long and should move up to get him.

[MikeO]

I would rather have Tannehill at 8 who might need half a year or a year on the bench but has a ceiling of being "great".....than Brock Osweiler who will be there in Rd 2 and who will need probably 2+ years on the bench and has a ceiling of being "just ok."

Osweiler will be a dumb pick!

[Spider-Dan]

I really dislike using Rodgers/Brees/Brady/Marino as justification for reaching on QBs.  For every future HOFer that is drafted too low, there is plenty of Blaine Gabbert/Mark Sanchez/Brady Quinn/Vince Young/Matt Leinart/Jason Campbell/J.P. Losman/Byron Leftwich/Kyle Boller/Rex Grossman/Joey Harrington/Patrick Ramsey to go around.

If you're telling me that Tannehill has an elite NFL skillset, then fine.  When you draft players like that, sometimes you get Cam Newton or Philip Rivers, and sometimes you get Alex Smith or Ryan Leaf.  Them's the breaks.

But don't draft Tannehill just because, well, you have to do something!  If you're going to reach, reach for the next Aaron Rodgers (RG3) and not the next Matt Ryan (Tannehill).

[Diehard_Dolfan]

But don't draft Tannehill just because, well, you have to do something!  If you're going to reach, reach for the next Aaron Rodgers (RG3) and not the next Matt Ryan (Tannehill).

I think everyone agrees that we don'r want them to take Tannehill just to say "we took a QB!"  We want them to take Tannehill if, they truly feel he is "their" guy!  I don't think anyone would be upset with Matt Ryan either...  Ryan has shown some promise. 

[MikeO]

Albert Breer of NFL Network reporting Miami was very high on Tannehill BEFORE they hired Mike Sherman. Hiring Sherman has re-enforced their stance Tannehill.

Breer said its not a lock Miami takes him at 8 but they do like him alot. Also he said its unlikely Miami would trade up to take him.

[MaineDolFan]

I do not think you would find many fans of this team upset if Matt Ryan were the QB of this team.  He is head & shoulders above what we have had in a long time.

I'm with MikeO on this one.  If Miami is able to grab Tannehill without crippling themselves in the draft to do so, I say do it.

[Spider-Dan]

Sorry, I used a really bad first example in that analogy; instead of Aaron Rodgers, I should have said John Elway or Peyton Manning.

When I mentioned Matt Ryan, I meant "draft day Matt Ryan"; the Matt Ryan that was a reach at #1 and a huge question mark, not the Matt Ryan that has proven a great value at #3 (and would have been a Carson Palmer-like pick as #1).

[Fins4ever]

IMO, the "IT" factor is more important than experience. That was the problem with Henne. He just never looked like a leader or took command. It would have went a long way if he would have put Marshall in his place instead of lowering his head and remaining quiet.

That said, even though I have watched quite a bit of tape on Tannehill but am still unsure if he has it or not. Just look around the league. All the great one's just ooze passion!

[MikeO]

I do not think you would find many fans of this team upset if Matt Ryan were the QB of this team.  He is head & shoulders above what we have had in a long time.

I'm with MikeO on this one.  If Miami is able to grab Tannehill without crippling themselves in the draft to do so, I say do it.

I am for that IF Philbin/Ireland/Sherman like Tannehill. If Miami doesn't like him or doesn't think he is "the future" then I have no problem with them passing on Tannehill. I have total faith in Philbin/Sherman, two very good offensive minds, in spotting a quality QB. Now, Ireland does have final say but even he has to realize the QB position can't be ignored anymore

[MikeO]

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/40525/bill-polian-advocates-vikings-dolphins-trade

Bill Polian is for Miami trading up to #3 for you know who. Giving up a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick

[EKnight]

Good god I hope not. It is a stretch to take him at 8 for many people (myself included). Now someone thinks Miami should give up three players for him? Baaaaaaaaaad idea. -EK