5 First Round QBs

I keep reading people saying it’s a “bad year” to draft a QB. I don’t watch much college football, so I’ve been bummed to read that. However I saw McShay say on ESPN a few minutes ago that he expects 5 first round QBs this year. They were, in order:

Kenny Pickett
Matt Corral
Malik Willis
Desmond Ridder
Sam Howell

All the QBs went between 12 and 25 overall. I understand everyone wants there to be an Andrew Luck at the top of the draft. I get that. But just because there isn’t a Joe Burrow for #1 overall doenst mean there isn’t a Justin Herbert still available in the 1st round for this franchise. And fortunately having 2 picks inside the top 33 (not including the 1st overall) gives the Lions some ammo to get someone they love (if that person exists).

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Well for one, McShay’s the worst draft analyst out there. Him or Kiper, so I don’t really put much stock in his hot takey opinions. That said he’s not the only one who has four or five going in the 1st round, so it’s not like it’s out of the realm of possibility, QB’s just get overdrafted so badly. I just listened to a mock featuring Dane Brugler, my favorite draft analyst, and in it only 2 QBs went in the 1st round. That seems more realistic to me.

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Couldn’t agree more. I’m not saying we need to come away with a QB in this draft, but those who are already dismissing that possibility are being a little short sighted, IMO. There are some talented guys with legitimately question marks. The thing is, if they didn’t have those question marks they would be top 10 picks.

Drafting a QB can be such a gamble odds wise, relating to them being successful. They need to draft someone to build towards the future, that’s a given. McShay also said all 5 he has going in the first round have lower draft grades than last years first round QBs drafted. 3 he has as late first round draft grade and 2 second round draft grades, but people gamble to get that extra 5th year on the rookie contract. The workouts and combine will play into the QB projections a lot too. Time will tell, but the Lions need at least 1 QB to develop for 2 years from now. Goff is not the long term solution. I’d guess their 2nd first rounder or second round pick will be a QB.

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I’m just gonna take this time to voice how I feel about myself and my analysis of the situations

  1. I am aware that I’m clueless
  2. I’m hoping for Hutch
  3. I have a weird feeling about Willis being a good one. I wouldn’t be mad.
  4. if you place any bets based on my prognostications and analysis, you will likely lose more money than you make.
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I really want Hutch as well. He embodies everything we should be looking for in a player on and off the field. He is the type of guy that you can build a defense around, IMO.

I personally really like the upside of both Willis and Ridder. I think Pickett is the safest QB, but I don’t think he possesses top 5 QB upside like the other guys do. Not so sure how I feel about Carson Strong honestly, and I just don’t have a good feeling on Corral. Similar to how I felt about Justin Fields last year and although his book is far from written yet, he has definitely struggled as a rookie.

Watch Willis’s energy. Dude CARRIES himself like a leader. This amplifies abilities. Dude has faith. I’d like to interview him and see how relentless, committed, and determined he is. What I see on the field looks good.

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Most QBs struggle as rookies. Especially when their team and FO is a shit show.

Kenny Pickett is the best QB in this draft. I like Ridder’s upside, but I’ve made the switch. Pickett is the best QB because he is safer and he is no slouch athletically either. I think coming back for his senior year did for him what it did for Joe Burrow and Mac Jones and he plays in a pro style offense.

I can just see him being a Steeler though.

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Like I said the book is far from written on Fields. I personally wanted nothing to do with him as something about him just didn’t feel right. I’ve been wrong before and I will be wrong again, so only time will tell that story.

I don’t see Pickett lasting into the teens, let alone the twenties. I personally believe he will be the first QB off the board. My issue with Pickett is his tiny hands and I just don’t see the high end upside to me. His upside is a faster Kirk Cousins to me. That is still a very solid NFL QB, but for my money I would prefer Ridder/Willis.

I don’t see any way five go in the first round. Just don’t see it. By pick 25, some serious drugs must be involved.

I guess the hype train hasn’t started yet though.

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This is how I feel about Sam Howell.

With Fields, it took me until the end of his last season to get on board. Then it finally clicked with me. The thing that threw me off was I was expecting a better runner, he is built like a truck but is more of a straight line guy then add to that he throws such ropes that I didn’t think he had touch. But the guy is incredibly accurate deep. He still has some finer points to work out though. I expect a huge leap next year.

I’ve seen the tiny hands comments. I get it, but its a little weird to me TBH. I think people are obsessing about it. The guy has slung the ball all year.

The concern with the hands is about his ability to consitently grip the football. Can he still hold on to the ball properly in wet/windy/snowy conditions. What about when he takes a blindside hit, how easily will the ball come loose Things of that nature are a long term concern IMO. I read something today that said he has a double jointed thumb that helps him grip the ball better which may lessen those concerns, but who knows how true that is.

I don’t think the Lions will draft a QB, and it doesn’t really have all that much to do with the perceived weakness of the class. I think Holmbell is still bought in to the idea of Goff being the guy here. Maybe there would be some reconsideration if there was a generational prospect the caliber of Peyton or Luck, but there isn’t.

We’ll see what they end up doing, but I suspect they see building the team around Goff as the fastest and least risky path to success.

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I mean if I hear his teammates call him the microwave, that could have a small hand in pushing him down the draft board

(Bada boom.

Thank you. Thank you.

I’ll be here all day.)

We’ll probably find out more at the Senior Bowl

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If Goff can show some consistency in these final weeks I may agree with that notion. Campbell has preached having a vision here and from the outside looking in perspective, I believe he wants a very good OLine, solid running attack, and respectable defense before they bring in a QB. If there is a guy sitting there at the Rams pick that they like a lot though, you gotta pull the trigger.

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Fields plays like Daunte Culpepper to me. He’s looking for wide open receivers. The problem is he doesn’t have Randy Moss. And he’s not built like a 260 lb tank.

If they do in fact believe this, then there is zero reason to have any faith in the current regime. Not that I have much, but relying on Jared Goff as the person to being them to contender status would make it zero point zero percent.

Jared Goff is a fine bridge QB to get the franchise through a rebuilding year or two. That’s the beginning and end of it.

Bears O-line from left to right:

tired stewie griffin GIF by Family Guy

ratatouille GIF

tom and jerry eating GIF

Uh Oh Oops GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

What Jared Goff has shown over the last few games is he is still capable of playng solid football. Nothing special, but nothing like the shit show we saw early in the season. The Jared Goff we have see recently will likely be better then any rookie QB coming out. It is possible Campbell/Holmes think they are better suited building this team with Jared at the helm is the easiest way to be competitve faster. I don’t think that is an awful way of thinking

The issue is if they think Goff is the long term answer. At some point in the first three years of this rebuild they need to find that long term answer, especially with the extra first round picks we have.