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Jason La Canfora
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Texans’ Bill O’Brien drafting Christian Hackenberg makes too much sense
February 25, 2016 3:57 pm ETINDIANAPOLIS — Does Bill O’Brien owe Christian Hackenberg a solid?
NFL Combine
How to watch online, TV schedule, list of playersIt’s a question being whispered, if not openly asked, as NFL execs start to sort through the quarterbacks in this draft and get a bead on who might be going where. So consider it downright serendipitous that on Thursday morning, both the Houston head coach, and the Penn State prospect, were addressing the media at opposite sides of the same room at Lucas Oil Stadium and answering questions about the one year they spent together at Happy Valley.
It was far and away the most productive of Hackenberg’s college career, after O’Brien, a quarterback guru, lured him there as one of the top prep prospects in the country. One could make the case that O’Brien’s successor, James Franklin, mismanaged Hackenberg and the program as well, leading to the quandary NFL teams are facing right now in assessing the NFL hopeful.
There is considerable debate as to where the blame lies for why Hackenberg is now being viewed as more suspect than slam-dunk first-rounder, and how much that development may weigh on the mind of his old coach. Certainly, I would argue that if Hackenberg spent three or four years with the man who recruited him to Penn State he would be looked at as a potential top overall pick, and not as a potential second-day pick. Certainly, O’Brien knows the kid and his family in ways that no other team would or could. And certainly, I haven’t heard much from college or pro people to make me think that Franklin did well enough by the kid, which, coupled with NCAA sanctions and a woeful offensive line and several other factors, ultimately led to him not coming close to accomplishing what many expected he would when he got to Penn State.
Both O’Brien and Hackenberg tried to alternately downplay and sidestep their coupling, but it was impossible not to consider what was, and what could have been, as they met the media. O’Brien praised Hackenberg in generalities, but made a point of saying he is just one of several talented players in this draft.
No NFL coach knows Christian Hackenberg better than Bill O’Brien. (USATSI)
“I’ve known him since he was 17,” O’Brien said. “I know his family. He’s a talented guy and a great kid.”
Hackenberg made a point of stressing that while he would surely love to play for O’Brien, well, he’d be happy to play for any of the 32 head coaches and he realizes he is not in control of this process. Hackenberg stressed how “trustworthy” he is during his talks with the media, and teams will love this kid’s character and all the intangibles. And while I wouldn’t make the case that O’Brien in fact owes Hackenberg anything, I also believe, after years of passing on quarterbacks in the first round and being once again in need of one, Hackenberg might be just what the Texans need.
Some might think the 22nd pick is a little high, but if Hackenberg develops into a solid starting quarterback then no one will care which pick was used on him. There is no greater need with this team that happens to be playing in a very winnable division and that reached the playoffs last season despite playing musical chairs at the quarterback position. At least a couple of quarterbacks will already be gone by the time the Texans pick and if this ends up being a case of unfinished business, I’m not sure how many people will be truly surprised.
In the end, despite there being some questions about the overall quality of this quarterback class, they will be drafted again and again, higher than many expect. It’s going to happen (and I’d put good money on it starting with the Browns taking Jared Goff second overall) and the need remains acute. And Carson Wentz and Paxton Lynch will go as well in the first round, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Connor Cook does as well. So five passers in the top 31 picks, when this is all said and done, just might be in the cards, and you’ll be hearing plenty more about an O’Brien/Hackenberg reunion between now and then. It’s only just begun. Again.
Topics: Carson Wentz, Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook, Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch, Houston Texans, NFL, NFLDRAFT
Agamemnon49ers’ Chip Kelly values QBs with big hands, which Jared Goff lacks
By Sean Wagner-McGough | Staff Writer
February 25, 2016 2:23 pm ETs
I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but Jared Goff, who is largely seen as the most NFL-ready quarterback prospect in this year’s draft class, is apparently lacking large hands. That might sound like a non-story, namely due to every other positive attribute Goff has going for him, but it’s not a non-issue for the two teams that have been commonly associated with Goff to this point.
NFL Combine
How to watch online, TV schedule, list of playersOn Wednesday, Browns head coach Hue Jackson, whose quarterback-needy team holds the No. 2 pick in the draft, placed value on a quarterback’s hand size, citing weather concerns. On Thursday, it was Chip Kelly’s turn. The 49ers’ head coach also stressed the importance of a quarterback having a “big paw.”
So, does that mean the 49ers are ruling out Goff, whose hands were measured at nine inches? Not necessarily, but it doesn’t exactly bode well for Goff’s chances to be selected by his home-town team.
But the biggest reason why Goff’s chances to wind up in San Francisco took a hit is Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers, who own the No. 7 pick in the upcoming draft, revealed on Wednesday that the embattled quarterback is expected to return to the team. After a season that resulted in Blaine Gabbert stealing the starting job and Kaepernick on injured reserved, many presumed that the team would cut ties with Kaepernick in order to save money. But that doesn’t appear to be the case.
On Thursday, Kelly revealed two important details: He wants to work with Kaepernick, and Kaepernick wants to return to the team.
“I don’t know what the narrative is, that ‘Is he on the team? Is he not on the team?’ That’s never been a question,” Kelly said, per The San Jose Mercury News. “I’m excited about working with Colin.
I’ve never thought, ‘I’m going to go to San Francisco and he’s not going to be there.’ I don’t know why everyone else looks at it that way, either.”
Jared Goff is facing questions over his small hands. (USATSI)
Speaking about Kaepernick’s desire to stay a 49er, Kelly said he’s never heard otherwise from the embattled QB.
“He wants to be here. He’s never expressed to me that he didn’t want to be here,” Kelly said. “He expressed to me that he’s excited about getting healthy and getting going. And we’re excited about him getting healthy and getting going.”
In fairness to Goff, Kaepernick’s hands measured at nine and one-eighth inches at the combine in 2011. I’m guessing that one-eighth of an inch isn’t the reason why the 49ers are content with Kaepernick.
AgamemnonSource: Kaepernick's agents have requested permission from the team to seek a trade.
— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) February 25, 2016
AgamemnonQuarterbacks
By Colin Lindsay | August 18, 2015
0 CommentInteresting! Intriguing! Challenging! All pretty good words to describe the potential 2016 draft class at QB. On the one hand, it appears there could be an inordinate number of very good prospects at the position for the upcoming draft. At the same time, though, none of the top-rated guys at the position has yet to firmly solidify themselves as a true #1 prospect overall in the Andrew Luck class. Penn State junior Christian Hackenberg, for example, looks the part of a franchise NFL pocket passer with all the tools to be the next great one including prototype size, size, the arm strength to make all the throws, as well as outstanding football smarts and pocket presence. However, Hackenberg still hasn’t played that way to date, although the lack of a solid supporting cast at Penn State hasn’t helped. Last year, for example, Hackenberg completed just 55% of his pass attempts, while throwing more picks (15) than TD passes (12), although he was at his best with games on the line last fall. Still the top 5-10 talent is there. On the other hand, California junior Jared Goff hasn’t gotten much national exposure playing on a bad west coast team, but threw for almost 4,000 yards, along with 35 TDs against just 7 picks last fall. Goff needs to add a little lower body bulk, but like Hackenberg has a legitimate top 5-10 arm with nice touch and the ability to get the ball down the field. Meanwhile, Michigan State’s Connor Cook is arguably the top senior QB prospect this year. Cook may not have quite the skill set of a Hackenberg or Goff, but he is a legitimate mid-first round prospect with all the prototype tools to be an excellent pro pocket passer including good size, a live arm and enough mobility to escape trouble and make the odd play with his legs, but his footwork isn’t always textbook and he isn’t as consistently accurate as pro scouts would like to see.
The biggest wild card at the position this coming spring could be Ohio State junior Cardale Jones. The previously unheralded Jones came off the bench late last fall to lead the Buckeyes to the national title with wins over Wisconsin in the conference championship game and then Alabama and Oregon in the playoffs. Jones then flirted with the idea of entering the 2015 draft despite his limited resume, but ultimately decided to return to school. However, Jones is no guarantee to start this fall with star sophomore T.J. Barrett back healthy, which needless to say would cause pro scouts some grief. What they did see in his brief tenure last fall was a guy built like Cam Newton or Jamies Winston with a cannon for an arm who will hang in the pocket to make plays downfield. Not surprisingly, though, Jones is also very raw and needs to work on his footwork in the pocket and his ability to read the whole field and find the open man; with Jones there are also some questions about his maturity and football smarts, but again brings a unique set of physical skills to the table.
There is a bit of a drop-off to the next level of QB prospects which includes a number of second-day candidates such as Cody Kessler of Southern California, Dak Prescott of Mississippi State, Mike Bercovici of Arizona State, Stanford’s Kevin Hogan and Cincinnati junior Gunner Kiel. USC’s Kessler, for example, is an ultra-efficient game manager who completed over 70% of his pass attempts for close to 4,000 yards and 39 TDs while having just 5 interceptions in 2014; however, pro scouts are concerned that because he isn’t all that tall and lacks a big arm that Kessler will just doesn’t have the physical skills to be anything more than a game manager type. Meanwhile, at 6-2, 230, Prescott is built more like a FB than a pro QB. In fact, Prescott draws a lot of comparisons to former Florida QB Tim Tebow, especially after he put up some Tebow type numbers last fall when he threw for 3,500 yards and 27 TDs while running for almost 1,000 more yards and 14 scores. Prescott, though, is actually a somewhat better passer at this stage than Tebow as he has better arm strength, reads the field well and is somewhat smoother delivering the ball, but still needs to improve his accuracy and ability to fit the ball into tight windows. ASU’s Bercovici, who may have the best arm in this year’s draft class, could be a real sleeper this year as he hasn’t played much to date, but has put up big numbers when he has gotten the call; indeed, Bercovici threw for just a couple of yards short of 1,000 yards in his first two career starts last season, the most in NCAA history. For his part, Hogan is the mystery man of this year’s QB class; on the one hand, he appears to have all the tools to be an elite QB including prototype size, plenty of arm strength and decent athleticism, however, the sum has never quite equaled the parts especially at key points in big games. Lastly, Kiel is a much travelled gunslinger who originally committed to LSU, but transferred first to Notre Dame where he redshirted in 2012 and then to Cincinnati where he had to sit out again in 2013. Kiel finally got to play last fall and responded by throwing for 3,300 yards and 31 scores, although he also had 13 picks. Indeed, Kiel needs to make better decisions as he will try and force balls into coverage; he can also get antsy when pressured, but has the arm strength to make all the throws and brings a gunslinger’s mentality to the pocket.
What makes the 2016 QB class so interesting, intriguing and challenging is that in addition to Ohio State’s Jones, there appears to be an inordinate number of wild cards at the position. Start with TCU’s Trevone Boykin, a sensational dual-threat who enters the season as a legitimate Heisman favorite after throwing for 3,900 yards and 33 TDs last fall, while running for another 700-plus yards. Boykin is a terrific athlete – he actually started games as a WR a couple of years back when Casey Pachall was at QB – and has the arm to make all the throws, but he’s not huge at barely 6-2, 205 and isn’t all that polished in the pocket, but the talent is there to be something special. Then there’s Everett Golson who led Notre Dame to the national championship game two years ago, but is now at Florida State trying to replace Jameis Winston, the #1 pick at the 2015 draft. Golson proved at Notre Dame that he could make plays, but he’s another guy who lacks prototype measurables – he’s barely 6-feet and his throwing mechanics are hardly textbook – and makes too many mistakes in the pocket.
And while Golson tries to replace Winston, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner, across the country, former Eastern Washington FCS All-American Vernon Adams has transferred to Oregon and will try and fill the shoes of Marcus Mariota, the 2014 Heisman winner and 2nd pick overall at this year’s draft. Adams was phenomenally productive at EWU – he threw for almost 5,000 yards and 55 TDs in 2013 and was on pace to exceed those numbers last fall but missed a few games with an injury – and brings a lot of Russell Wilson-like qualities to the table. However, like Wilson – and Golson – Adams is very short at barely 6-0 and also obviously has to prove that he can play with the big boys in a tough Power 5 conference. And the list goes: Jake Coker, for example, was supposed to be the next great QB at Alabama after transferring from Florida State, but he couldn’t beat out journeyman Blake Sims last fall and is no lock to start this year, but has the size and arm to intrigue NFL teams. Then there is Braxton Miller of Ohio State, who will play WR this fall, but was a dual-threat Heisman candidate in his own right before damaging his throwing shoulder – which still isn’t right – early last season.
The other thing that kind of sets apart the current draft class is that also appears to be plenty of depth at the position including veteran passers like Nate Sudfield of Indiana, Jacoby Brissett of North Carolina State, Blake Frohnapel of UMass, BYU’s Taysom Hill, Travis Wilson of Utah, Brandon Allen of Arkansas, North Carolina’s Marquise Williams, former USC starter Max Wittek who is now at Hawaii, and Chuckie Keeton of Utah State and Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty, both of were granted 6th years of eligibility because of past injuries. Each of those guys has at least some middle round potential with the tools to move up.
There is also some pretty good talent in the FCS ranks. Carson Wentz of North Dakota State, for example, is a top 10 prospect at the position on a number of boards around the league, while John Roberts of Villanova, Vad Lee of James Madison, Yale’s Morgan Roberts, 6-5 John Gibbs of Alcorn State and 6-6 Liam Nadler of Gannon also have big league skills. Meanwhile, several other top juniors who could impact the early going at the 2016 draft should they decide to turn pro this winter include Jeremy Johnson of Auburn, Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs, Patrick Bowles of Kentucky, Baylor’s Seth Russell, and Central Florida’s Justin Holman.
AgamemnonDak Prescott Has Chance to Cement Status as No. 4 QB at Combine
Written by Nicholas McGee on February 25, 2016
Heading into the NFL Scouting Combine, the consensus about who are the top three quarterbacks in the 2016 draft class has not changed. Most have either California’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz as the best signal-caller in the draft, with Memphis’ Paxton Lynch seen as a player with significant upside at No. 3 behind that duo.
Below that triumvirate, though, the picture is somewhat muddled. However, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott is a player who seems to be on the rise going into the Combine. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller recently reported Prescott is “flying up draft boards”, saying scouts are impressed with his football IQ and see him as this year’s Russell Wilson.
Prescott will have another chance to impress league personnel in Indianapolis in the on-field drills and the interview room and, if he can catch the eye like he did in the four seasons he played with the Bulldogs and at the Senior Bowl – where he was voted as the MVP – then Prescott could overhaul Michigan State’s Connor Cook and cement a spot as the No. 4 QB on the board ahead of April’s draft. dakprescott2
Cook has widely been regarded as the next best option behind Goff, Wentz and Lynch but it would be no surprise to see Prescott taken ahead of him.
Prescott enjoyed an excellent 2015 season, finishing with 3793 passing yards and 29 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He added 588 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Having long since established himself as a running threat, Prescott has made considerable strides as a passer and in his mental development, going through progressions and using his eyes well to manipulate defenders.
A confident and decisive passer, Prescott can deliver with velocity when he steps into his throws and does so with accuracy on the short-to-intermediate passes.
Prescott does not have an elite arm strength but puts impressive touch on his deep passes, showing an ability to loft the ball over the heads of defenders and perfectly into the hands of his receivers.
What is perhaps most impressive about Prescott, though, and what should separate him from Cook, is how he deals with pressure. He is not consistently effective in sensing the rush off the edge but hangs tough in the pocket and does a good job of escaping pressure with his legs. Additionally, when hurried he can get enough on his passes to make completions throwing off his back foot.
On the ground Prescott has the strength to be a battering ram on goal-line and short-yardage situations but can also make big plays in space and is more than capable of throwing on the run.
By contrast Cook is only really a threat from short yardage and does not have the mobility to evade the rush with the same effectiveness as Prescott. Indeed, Cook does not appear to pick up pressure well and was completely overwhelmed by Alabama’s front seven in the Cotton Bowl, although the offensive line should take much of the blame for that performance.connorcook
Cook does possess many of the same positive traits as Prescott, he is an accurate passer who can zip the ball into tight windows and throws with touch and anticipation. However, Cook too often stares down his targets and forces balls into coverage while also demonstrating inconsistencies with his footwork, regularly throwing with his weight falling away from the target and losing accuracy as a result.
That is not to say Prescott is without his deficiencies. He has a tendency to pre-determine throws and, while he has generally proven himself to be quite accurate, could do a better job of leading his receivers to the sideline.
In many ways, he and Cook are similar prospects, but Prescott, with his added mobility, proficiency in dealing with pressure and upside as a dual-threat quarterback, is the one NFL teams should be putting higher up on their boards.
Prescott will still have to prove himself at the combine and, should he outshine Cook and impress in the interviews, his name figures to be the next one called once Goff, Wentz and Lynch are gone.
Dak Prescott Has Chance to Cement Status as No. 4 QB at Combine
Agamemnon
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