Mayock’s Take
Posted: April 23rd, 2016 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 199 Comments »Mike Mayock offered some thoughts on the Eagles and the draft recently on a conference call with the media. PE.com has the comments.
“The first guy I looked at was Goff,” said Mayock when discussing when he started watching film on the pair. “After I watched four games of Goff I said ‘I think this is going to be my first guy. I think this is going to be my top quarterback.’ I liked everything about Jared Goff. I thought he was a top ten pick in just about any draft.”
“About a week later, I put in the first tape of Carson Wentz and it was against Northern Iowa, and I remember it like it was yesterday, I was like ‘Holy crap, that is a great tape. I hope the next one is as good.’ And the next one was as good, as was the next one, so right away I knew that we had a first-round quarterback on our hands and you needed to figure the kid out. Senior Bowl, best quarterback there. Combine, outstanding. The pro day really sold me on the kid just because of the way he was with his coaches and teammates and the respect he earned, the intelligence of the kid, the intangibles that helped make him, so he’s always been my number one quarterback since back in the fall. He crossed off every checkmark since.”
After going through all of the tape and getting to know both of the top quarterback prospects, Mayock came away very, very impressed with the duo, so much so that he even dealt with his fair share of criticism for how highly he regarded them.
“I took a lot of abuse a month or two ago for saying that I though Wentz and Goff were every bit in the conversation with last year’s Mariota and Winston, and I still believe it and apparently two other NFL teams do if they’re willing to give up that kind of fire power to move up to get those guys,” said Mayock.
While Mayock has studied each quarterback extensively, he’s spent a lot of time with Wentz, examing how he handles himself both on and off the football field. When asked if Wentz would fit well in Philadelphia if he is indeed the No. 2 pick, Mayock sees a good fit.
“People came away (from the Scouting Combine) buzzing about this Carson Wentz kid,” Mayock explained. “I go to his pro day in Fargo, North Dakota. I spend a day and a half. His teammates love him. His coaching staff love him. He has more freedom at the line of scrimmage for a college quarterback than anybody I’ve seen since Andrew Luck.
“He changes the plays, he’s never gotten a B in school, he’s intelligent, he’s got a great work ethic, he loves the game of football and if you’re talking about having a passion and being the face of a franchise, this is the kid and I do believe he could handle Philadelphia because he’ll work so hard and be so humble, I think the blue-collar Philly fans (would) love him.”
Man, Mayock really loves Wentz.
Part of the fun of talking about the draft is the different opinions on guys. I prefer Jared Goff over Wentz, but respect the heck out of Mayock and like the fact he sees this differently than me.
Mayock does make a compelling case for Wentz. The description above reminds me a lot of Andrew Luck.
Good QB
Good leader
Good student
Good person
Good athlete
That sounds like a guy you would want to build your franchise around.
Luck was different because he played at Stanford and also had been around the game of football his whole life (his father Oliver was an NFL QB). Luck had tremendous pressure on him throughout his career. That helped prepare him for life in the NFL. Wentz flew under the radar in high school and for most of college. He’s adjusted well to the spotlight, but things will only get more intense once he’s picked and a particular fanbase begins to live and die with him on a daily basis.
Mayock was asked to share his thoughts on possible OL targets for the 3rd round pick.
“I think with third round value a guy that’s rising, especially with coaches around the league … (Halapoulivaati) Vaitai, Big V they call him from TCU. He could go in the third or fourth round, can play both sides, offensive coaches around the league love him. Shon Coleman from Auburn could be there but he’ll probably be gone. Jerald Hawkins from LSU, more of a left tackle, narrow base, probably not as powerful as you’d like for a right tackle, and then some guys that I have in the fourth round but might go in the third are Caleb Benonoch from UCLA, a guy on the rise Alex Lewis from Nebraska, he could very well be a third-round tackle. I think they’re probably the logical conversation.”
I’ve liked Vaitai for a while. I had him to the Eagles when I did a mock draft for PE.com. At the time, I had him in the 7th. That felt low, but there wasn’t any buzz on Vaitai at the time.
He would make sense for the Eagles because he is 6-6, 320 and can play LT or RT. That’s a big, powerful frame. He also has good feet.
I also had Benenoch to the Eagles in that mock draft. He’s younger and less experienced, but shows a lot of potential. He is a better run blocker, while Vaitai is the better pass protector.
Shon Coleman played LT at Auburn. He could play LT or LG in the NFL. He’s a very good run blocker, but needs work on his pass protection.
The Eagles don’t have to grab an OL in the 3rd round. It just feels like that is a strong possibility, since they still could use OL help and this is a very deep position in the draft.
*****
Back to Wentz for a second.
Here is something I wrote about him during the Senior Bowl.
Wednesday was a cold, wet, windy day. I sat with Steelers and Packers scouts and they were griping about how cold it was. I don’t mean that as a dig at them. But if people from Pittsburgh and Green Bay are cold, you know it’s nasty weather.
Those conditions didn’t mean a thing to Carson Wentz. He had another outstanding day. There is something funny about looking at the field and seeing the huge, star QB being from North Dakota State while the small scrappy guy is from USC. Something backward about that.
Wentz looks like the real deal, in terms of size and play. His passes cut through the cold winds of Mobile with no issues. Compare that to Cody Kessler, the USC kid. His passes were obviously slower. He doesn’t have the ability to drive the ball the way Wentz does.
And Wentz doesn’t have to put his body completely behind the throws. He looks natural. He does things with ease. There were times Kevin Hogan made some impressive throws, but he had to really get behind the ball. You won’t always have a clean pocket and obvious target so you can’t count on being able to make throws that way.
The most impressive throw by Wentz came when he put the ball over an underneath defender, but in front of the Safety. The WR was along the sideline. He was open, but still somewhat in traffic. Wentz showed good vision in seeing him there and then made the throw, which combined velocity, ball control and accuracy. You can’t gun that in since the ball has to go over a defender, but it still needs zip so the S can’t close on it. Wentz did that with ease. That’s an NFL throw.
It would be fun to have a QB that is such a naturally gifted passer.
_
I think Mike Mayock is auditioning to be the new Eagles’ personnel director after the draft.
More like Public Relations Director
[…] Tommy Lawlor Mike Mayock offered some thoughts on the Eagles and the draft recently on a conference call with […]
My guts just has been telling me Wentz over Goff all weeks long. Now I can smoothly go to sleep. Thanks, Mike.
I just don’t get how people seem so sure it’s 1. Goff 2. Wentz. I haven’t seen anything I’d consider a good source definitively say that?
Definitive sources have said 1. Goff , it doesn’t mean they’re correct. Mike Silver (though Cal graduate so skepticism is reasonable yet he is somewhat tight with Fisher) and Adam Schefter have said the Rams will take Goff.
I’m not getting into Eagles part. If you don’t know that portion with all that’s out including TL….
It sounds like you haven’t been doing much reading then.
Obviously they don’t announce early picks before the draft anymore because the NFL wants the draft to be an event, but every indication is that the Rams want Goff and communicated that to the Eagles.
HR said in his presser to Les…you have to connect the dots
https://cdn.meme.am/instances/51291681.jpg
I have read that Goff is considered a more pro-ready prospect while Wentz still needs to sit for a year or two to get more experience before starting.
Both are said to have traits of a starting franchise QB.
Since the Rams are in desperate need of an immediate starter, it makes sense that they would go with the QB who is closer to a finished product.
Goff’ has played more games than Wentz and his stats are a better as well.
All of the experts have mocked Goff to the Rams for the reasons mentioned above as well.
The Eagles have said they would be happy if either QB fell to them.
Howie has stated in interviews after the trade that they traded up for a QB and didn’t care which one fell to them. He absolutely knows who the Rams are taking, and there is zero reason to think it would be anyone but a QB, else they both just made the craziest trades in the history of sports, to give up so much when there is no consensus #1 pick. Just a few weeks ago all the pundits had Tunsil going first. Now on many boards he s second or third OL!
Here is my final and perhaps only mock this year. Just didn’t get to watch as much tapes as I would have like:
Round 1 Pick 2: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (A+)
Round 3 Pick 16: Max Tuerk, C/OG, Southern California (C)
Round 5 Pick 14: James Bradberry, CB, Samford (B)
Round 5 Pick 25: Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia (B+)
Round 6 Pick 13: Willie Henry, DT, Michigan (A-)
Round 7 Pick 12: Ricardo Louis, WR, Auburn (C)
Round 7 Pick 30: Stephane Nembot, OT, Colorado (D-) Wentz or Goff in the first. Both have positives and negatives. Just pick whoever LA doesn’t and label him a franchise qb until otherwise. Tuerk in the third due to versatility and overall talent. May come around slow due to ACL but I think he is worth it. Bradberry in the fifth due to pretty damn good measurables and upside. He will be a bit of a project but with a 5th, you take a guy you think can grow. With his frame, he may even be able to play S.
Marshall seems like another guy to take a bit of a flier on. Seems like a good prospect set back by an ACL injury and Gurley. Not much to say on Henry and Lewis. Finally Nembot is a massive individual who will swallow blockers. He is a bit slow of the ball but I could see him somewhere on the right side in the future.
I dig the players, but I remain convinced we’ll have to trade down from 3-16 to get more talent.
Here is what I wound up with doing a few trade downs (but some that included me giving up more than one pick)
Round 1 Pick 2: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (A+)
Round 3 Pick 31 (DEN): Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State (B)
Round 4 Pick 17 (ATL): Connor McGovern, OG, Missouri (A)
Round 4 Pick 18 (IND): Yannick Ngakoue, OLB, Maryland (B+)
Round 5 Pick 18 (DEN): Kevon Seymour, CB, Southern California (A+)
Round 5 Pick 25: Travis Feeney, OLB/ILB, Washington (B+)
Round 6 Pick 13: Justin Simmons, FS, Boston College (B+)
Round 7 Pick 12: Wendell Smallwood, RB, West Virginia (C+)
Round 7 Pick 30: Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan (A+)
And here is one from Fan Speak using the CBS board with I can’t trade down . This is literally the first time in dozens of these I’ve shared that I could get Kwiatkowski.
2: R1P2 QB CARSON WENTZ NORTH DAKOTA STATE
79: R3P16 C NICK MARTIN NOTRE DAME
153: R5P14 OLB YANNICK NGAKOUE MARYLAND
164: R5P25 OLB NICK KWIATKOSKI WEST VIRGINIA
188: R6P13 DT MATT IOANNIDIS TEMPLE
233: R7P12 OT DOMINIQUE ROBERTSON WEST GEORGIA
251: R7P30 WR DOM WILLIAMS WASHINGTON STATE
FWIW, I tried my hand at a mock and this is my best one that I was able to put together after trading up to #2.
I didn’t move down, which the Eagles may do, and I doubt that Garnett will fall to round three but we can dream.
Your Picks:
Round 1 Pick 2: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (A+)
Round 3 Pick 16: Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford (A+)
Round 5 Pick 14: C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame (A+)
Round 5 Pick 25: Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts (A+)
Round 6 Pick 13: Charone Peake, WR, Clemson (A+)
Round 7 Pick 12: KeiVarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame (A)
Round 7 Pick 30: Deiondre’ Hall, CB, Northern Iowa (A+)
Maybe Goff vs Wentz will some day be like Manning Vs Brady. I’m ok with that as long as Wentz represents the Brady side.
So you don’t want him if he turns out to be like Manning?
Just saying I’d rather be on the Brady side of that matchup.
I’d be happy with either one. No guarantee either will be a quality starter, much less a star, but it sure will make the next few years exciting. In some ways the practices will be more interesting than the games.
I know Howie and Co. are trying to win now, etc., but considering their big bet isn’t going to see the field for a year or two, I’m guessing the word we’ll hear a bit for all their other draft picks will be “raw.” Let’s take a guy in the third who just transferred from DL to OL and shows promise, but not polish. Might develop into a guy with second round ability. Look for that junior DB who washed out of college and had to enter the draft when everyone though he’d benefit from another year in the fifth. Take a flyer on a rugby player in the seventh even.
We can still win the crappy East next year, but we’re building a team for 3 years from now first.
This is the first time since Chip’s first year that I’m not insistent that we need to win the division and/or make the playoffs. This team has a lot of transition taking place, so I’m really going to focus on a few key items.
– being competitive each week (i.e. not laying down like dogs vs. dog crap teams like Detroit and Tampa)
– having our D improved and playing with an edge. I want teams scared to play us because our D is going to be smacking people
– Bradford (if he’s not traded) playing 16 games and improving his trade value. We absolutely must recoup some type of value for him prior to his time here ending.
– beating the Giants twice again; I f-ing hate them and their fans
– beating the Steelers in a surprise upset win; I f-ing hate them and their fans.
– seeing what young guys want to step the F up on this roster.
But it that all adds up to 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 w/o the playoffs, I’ll be ok with it.
“It would be fun to have a QB that is such a naturally gifted passer.” sammy b?
I think Wentz has better raw arm talent than Sam and if he ever really gets his footwork and technique together i think he could throw the leather off the ball.
Sam is different – he throws about the prettiest ball i have ever seen, it is technically flawless almost, fast release, smooth consistent motion, never gets out of control, has plenty of zip and just glides through the air.
I think Sam’s issues are the mental side, where he has never managed to put his physical talent together to convert it into elite NFL talent and has ended up as just a guy. I think he still could have a 2nd wind to his NFL career, right system – 2-3 elite WR’s who will get open for him and a good defense that means he is not pressured to win the game… but that is looking increasingly unlikely… hence why the team is trying to find someone who has the chance to be better than an average NFL QB that Bradford has proven to be so far.
What makes you think We talk can do all or any of that?
What makes you think he can’t? Just curious.
see my question above, posted it as a new post
I heard experts predict he can leap tall building in a single bound, but he hasn’t had the opportunity because there are no tall buildings in North Dakota. You can only leap the sod huts in front of you.
Sam’s issues were primarily the following:
2010 – OC, Pat Shurmur
2011 – New offensive system/OC, Josh McDaniels
2012 – New offensive system/OC, Brian Schottenheimer
2013 – Torn ACL
2014 – Torn ACL
2015 – New offensive system/OC, Pat Shurmur/Chip Kelly
He had to learn new offenses each of his first 3 years in the league. Coming back from a 2nd ACL tear, he had to learn another new offense. This year will be his 5th new offense to learn in 7 years.
Whichever QB is taken by the Rams, he has the odds stacked against him to be successful, as Fisher will most-likely be gone after this season as well as first time OC, Rob Boras (previously a TE coach last year).
I definitely think he has a chance to be successful, but at the same time, I understand the trade for a young QB to groom. I just think Sam gets a bad rep for not being successful despite his unusually bad circumstance of playing for the poorly run and poorly coached Rams.
coming around. knew y’all would
Let’s say the grade on the prospect is the same…3rd do the iggles go RB of OL???….gotta be RB..we seem awfully thin at that position with Mathews likely to get hurt.
OL. I would take my chances at getting a better RB next year in the second round.
Lets say Mathews goes down with an ACL week 2
We have Sproles who can carry the ball 10-15 times a game if needed, especially in a west coast system where they use a lot of RB passes as an extension of the run game. He is actually really durable and that should not over work him.
And then you are looking for 15-20 carries or so from other RB’s on the roster, and hope you can weave their different skill sets together to create production. The NFL does this every year – RB’s get injured and then you have to make it work with back up RB talent. The list is almost endless, but take KC last year since Doug was there. Charles goes down Spencer Ware (Seahawks 6th) and Charcandrick West (UDFA) managed to sustain the offence into the playoffs.
Eagles have found some decent RB’s as UDFA’s or late rounders with Howie and Duce and we would hope that they find and develop a guy.
I find it crazy that we are stressing over the 3rd RB as a fanbase. We need a longer term solution, but both Mathews and Sproles could have 2 more years left in them of quality production so it really is not a pressing need… just wait and find the right guy who falls to you at some time in the next 2-3 drafts.
Fragile Mathews Mad Libs
Lets say Mathews goes down with a (body part) in week (number)
And it would be true almost all the time for any season.
Yeah….not really our 3rd rb when Matthews is softer than a box of cotton. That’s ok…we still have Barner ready to breakout.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I’d love to see Barner upgraded with some of the unsigned free agents, a draft pick, some UDFA guys, Josey, Mostert, and/or Al Bundy.
Hey…those names sound familiar. Seriously, I hope we get another quality rb ASAP. I like Matthews but I know he won’t be available all 19 games.
I want to see this guy at RB.
https://youtu.be/9ANevj68kQY?t=36s
Already better ball security than Barner.
So, in this scenario we are running the ball 40 to 50 times a game? Obviously Barner is getting his 20 carries a game as lead back…
Depends on what goes on before we pick.
OL. There are going to be alot of really good guys left on the board at pick 79. Compare that to last year where the quality guys were off the board by pick 60.
You can manufacture RB to an extent if you have a good OL.
Joe Haeg, Connor McGovern, Chrisitian Westerman, Graham Glasgow all make this team better than Paul Perkins.
Plus next year is stupid deep at RB.
I agree. OL always tend to go higher than you think they will pre-draft. If we want to get anyone decent need to go there in the 3rd. RBs drop.
How do we get two guys on that list? I like all 4 of those names (looked into them after you’d been pumping them up), but I want to be able to trade down and still get 2 of those guys.
You don’t. We traded pick 83 in 2014 for 101 and 141. These simulators got you expecting unrealistic value.
Best case to get two OL is pick one of the aforementioned group at 79 and then hope a Lewis, Vatai or Thuney is still around in the fifth.
At 79 it’s going to be one of the OL, a S, or Kwiatowski.
You’re not speaking my language there. I have dreams of solving things I hate with our O-line in this draft………..
Again, I’d love to come home to Anna Kendrick and Karlie Kloss in my bed and not get murdered by my girlfriend at the same time.
Alas. We all have dreams. But then we must wake up.
Some people are living the dream…
http://nypost.com/2013/07/14/wife-of-brooklyn-net-andrei-kirilenko-says-hes-allowed-to-cheat-on-her-once-a-year/
Amazing on multiple levels!
Even the picture was worth the click-thru. Damn…
That hope just went up in a puff of Wentz.
I know. And I’m happy to get a QB. I just hope we get the right o-line protecting him long term.
And yes, the trade ups from the simulators are not realistic. So maybe trade down a little from 79, still get a guy we like then take what we get extra and package it with one of the 5ths and move back up into the 4th and see if we can get a 2nd.
But yes, a ton of guys mid-rounds sadly won’t happen.
Been away on vacation did I miss anything?
Yeah, outside of the rains on Friday into Saturday I’ve had water my plants / new grass a tad more than normal due to the mini-drought we’ve had over the past few weeks.
Hope Jack slides to us at 8
I think he’s gonna slide right past us!
I bet Vick isn’t going to slide and Foles will slide awkwardly.
Ironically, one had too much forward momentum and the other one not enough.
Dream Team III
Nope. See you in 2019.
GE deserves all the rights and props should Bradford be traded against all (Eagles fans) odds.
any chance shon coleman from auburn lasts until our 3rd round pick? hearing he could be the steal of the draft
That’s a good question. Although I hope I’m not left cursing that we passed him like when we whiffed on getting Clemmings last year in a similar spot.
He had a stress fracture(not even a stress fracture IIRC, some technical term that meant a stress fracture could possibly develop) in his foot. Chip didn’t seem to like guys with any type of red flags – injury or character. I think Howie is more flexible.
Chip drafted Hicks, signed Murray and Mathews and traded for Bradford and Alonso….
Seriously! Signing a guy with injury red-flags was practically Chip’s calling card!
“Stress reaction”
Edit: Disagree on the injury stuff. I think Chip overvalued his ability to mitigate injury risk and took plenty of guys with injury history
Yeah, that was a bad take.
But still worth part of the discussion.
Each the character stuff is valid
From the article above:
“Shon Coleman from Auburn could be there but he’ll probably be gone.”
Albright facts!
I see two reasons why he could slip to our pick. He’s 24 and will turn 25 this year. Overaged prospects tend to drop. Second, he battled back from cancer. While that speaks well to his character and mental toughness there’s always a possibility, however slight, that the cancer could come back.
He’s super super super raw and old. Great athlete. But you’re talking about an older poor mans Greg Robinson.
Good luck to the kid, it’s a hell of a story. He’s just a really big project.
my buddy says dahl and seumalo are better prospects but will be gone by RD2. i admittedly dont watch o line prospects when i watch college ball so i have no idea. howie needs to hit on at least one o line prospect in this draft no?. i think we draft 2 guys and a back up MLB…
I dig Seumalo a lot. Especially because he can play center.
They’re both solid. I’ll be shocked if they’re gone by the end of round 2, your buddy is on drugs. They’re both more 4th-5th round guys to me with a chance one goes tail end of the third.
Dahl’s an undersized Air Raid tackle who has to move to G. The best adjective to describe him would be “battler”. He’s a bit all rough around the edges technicque wise and a tad underpowered but he’s scrappy. To me he’s a backup with a 50-50 shot of developing into a starter in year 2 or 3.
Semualo is a little more powerful than Dahl, very versatile, having played all over at Oregon State. I don’t see him at T in the NFL. I think he can be a starter but he’s probably more of an average unspectacular G with the ability to cover C. He’s solid to me but just doesn’t move the needle personally.
Both are interior OL only. I would put both behind Whitehair, Garnett, Martin, McGovern, Tuerk, Haeg, Glasgow, Westerman,
Both fall more into the Joe Thuney, Austin Blythe tier for me (versatile backups with strong developmental potential) add in postional devaluation and I don’t see any way either go in the 2nd.
Long term OL needs:
-Tackle who can play when Peters inevitably gets hurt
-Competition for LG
-Backup C who can play some G in a pinch
-Swing Tackle of the future
Ideally we can address the first two.
Mayock knows more about football than I ever will, but after watching some highlights of Wentz I’m… underwhelmed. He may have that classic dropback QB-type build but he is indeed an above average athlete for the position – not only deceptively fast but surprisingly shifty as well. I can see why people might compare that part of his game to Andrew Luck’s. Unfortunately as a passer I don’t see it. He has nice short-to-mid range accuracy and can put zip on the ball even without a great throwing platform. But his deep ball is very Folesian – it flutters all over the place and he seems to underthrow it way too much. In three games worth of film I never once saw him hit a guy in stride more than 20 yards down field. The judgment questions are also real. I saw him throw into double and triple coverage a lot and while he seems good at throwing to the back shoulder or to low/high windows where his receiver can make a play, he forced a lot of throws as well and threw several bad interceptions. There were also more than a few McNabb-style worm burners. Obviously the intangible stuff we’re in no position to evaluate. There’s some ability there for sure but he doesn’t look like a #2 overall pick to me. Hopefully I’m very wrong.
You never saw him hit a receiver in stride? Did you read Tommy’s last post? Go watch the first clip…
If you actually watched it, the WR had to slow down to catch it..
Was talking about deep balls in specific, and like I said, only watched about three games’ worth of plays. He was consistently off target with deep throws even when guys were open.
I’ve been away so sorry if this is covering old ground. I will support either QB, I realize we are trying to project and this isn’t about any of us “knowing” how the QB’s will turn out, but….why do we think this isn’t a Manning v. Leaf scenario? If Wentz needs to fix his footwork and learn to process faster, well isn’t processing information fast one of if not the most important attribute. Everything talking about Wentz seems to be about what a great athlete he is. And that scares me. And I’ve heard some say he doesn’t get to his 2nd or 3rd reads (like RGIII?).
And saying he is smart and will learn is useful but not at all persuasive. Smart does not necessarily equal being able to see/process/throw in 2.3 seconds.
I like being aggressive, I would love to solve our QB issue, I’m just asking for some feedback so I can feel better about this.
I think a lot of that is based on the fact that both guys have the right attitude, the right dedication, and the right personality to project success.
that’s not enough! I just re-read the Eagles Rewind Wentz review and I’m even more worried.
Cam Newton was even more raw albeit he’s twice the athlete that Wentz is but Cam panned out after years of coaching. So maybe Wentz will get it faster since he seems smarter than Cam.
Not sure how Cam is twice the athlete then Wentz
http://www.mockdraftable.com/player/6592/
Wentz is way more athletic than people think.
Arm strength.
Strength.
Cam is heavier and faster
Wentz is an above-average athlete not a freak.
Cam was 10lbs heavier at the combine, ran a 4.56 compared to Wentz’s 4.77.
Wentz very marginally better agility times.
Cam outjumped him cleanly
Put it this way, if they were DE or TEs Cam would be the world class athlete, Wentz would be solid.
Again, given that QBing has very little to do with overall athleticism (hi Tom and Peyton) but Cam is a superior athletic specimen.
“Again, given that QBing has very little to do with overall athleticism”
I need this on a t-shirt!
My point wasn’t that cam isn’t a freak, he just ain’t twice the freak wentz is
it’s really just hi tom now. no other qb worth his salt is a statue. new age.
Think things need to be put into context a little with Wentz. He has only started 23 games – and missed a lot of 2015. A lot of people like to watch his Iowa State game because it is his game against a 1-A team. It is also his first college game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_bj2XUqpeg
Compare that to his last game vs Jacksonville state:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKLxQbsBwKM
His speed of processing his reads has increased significantly by the end of 2015. He absolutely does go through a 1-2-3 progression – although like a lot of college QB’s it is only half the field most of the time. The question is speed, there are times when he gets to his 3rd option or checkdown fast, but other times seems to take a lot longer.
He can lock on to reads at times… but a lot of times that locking on results in completions, he identifies the WR will get open and just waits for it to happen and then power the ball there. Now that is not going to work at the NFL because safeties and elite LB’s will eat you alive… but at times he looks off safeties and confuses the defense with his eyes.
I think people tend to think he is slow processing his reads based on 2 things – the fact he generally is asked to only read half the field so if the WR is open on the far side of the field he doesn’t look there as part of his read progression, and he often locks onto his 1st or 2nd read.
Thanks
I agree
Probably heard the same great athlete as Cam and Marcus.
It’s a risk, you aren’t going to feel comfortable until the results are in. But trying to strike gold drafting a QB late is a risk too.
I think if you’re uneasy about that transition to the NFL game, you’re going to have to be “wait and see.” It is totally a risk on the part of the team, but I think they’ll apply the McNabb template to it in order to make the chances of success as high as possible.
Dan Marino —
Not athletic compared to Wentz. A veritable statue.
Not smart compared to Wentz. A 16 on his Wonderlic versus CW’s 40.
All Marino did was translate what he saw to his arm about as quickly as anyone who ever played QB.
In a manner consistently inferior to John Elway. I’ll contend you cannot have grown up in the 80s and like both.
BUT ELWAY RAN!!!!!!
FOR SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elway needed a great RB to win!!!
And Marino lost home playoff games like it was his job.
Dolphins ownership was criminally negligent. He rarely had a good defense. He rarely had a good running back. His O line was shit. And his receivers were not on a high level compared with other great QBs
But he had BOTH Keith Jackson and Keith Byars; that’s more than enough!
Unless you think Richmond Webb and 4 clowns wasn’t good enough on the O-line.
Not at a frequency or style to excess. His high number of rushes for a reason is 66.
MM–
You may be right.
But then I didn’t grow up in the ’80s.
Pfft. Montana 24/7
Not saying Montana isn’t better, but I don’t put him in the Elway / Marion debate. He was drafted an NFL “generation” earlier.
I think Bill Walsh said that Montana was the fastest QB he’d coached, in terms of footspeed? That was surprising to me.
I’ve also heard that Montana could dunk a basketball.
I like both but then again I was already grown up in the 80s.
Yeah, I think it was a fan boy type thing when you were a kid at the time.
Hence why I really like both Brady and P. Manning, but I get why folks who grew up with them might argue back and forth.
WEARZ UR RINFGZ MURINO!?!?!?
I am cracking up, that just hit the spot this morning.
Dan Marino is overrated.
Not from what I remember. It was almost like he could see the entire field at once as a panorama without having to go through progressions. And no one got the ball out quicker.
Marino once said, “These guys talk about getting in the zone… I was in the zone for 20 years.” Shit! Can you imagine?
Good one.
Whats his name for Broncos was
Jim kelly underrated
Jeez, all I wrote was the guy had one of the quickest releases in NFL history.
And he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.
I can’t explain his 5,000 yard-and-48 TD season in 1984 . . . guess it was like, I don’t know, Foles’s 2013 season. Or his remaining 16 seasons as an NFL starter.
Life as an Eagles fan
Overrate our own players.
Underrate other teams players.
Marino had a different type of athletic ability – as you say – the ability to translate what he sees on the chaotic field in what can be measured in tenths of seconds to his very quick and accurate arm. A combination of mind and arm athletic ability that he was just born with. Had nothing to do with Wentz like running, or jumping or pushing type of athletic ability or IQ test smarts.
I know when just playing QB with my kids and a bunch of others in a pick up game after the snap i am like “What the hell is going on here? Wait, just give me a second, maybe i should throw over here, but then maybe that guy will get open to my left….” and it seems like it would be only fair to give me 5 seconds just to figure out where i want to throw.
Also this post-snap hard to define Marino type of athletic ability is why with all of the tens of thousands or more playing football in the US, or of football playing age, with incentives to become very rich and famous, we can only find maybe 10 people capable of playing QB at a very high level at any given time. And someone with a golden boy pre-NFL career like Barkley becomes a scrub all of a sudden in the NFL.
Wentz has lots of measurable athletic ability, but question marks on his post-snap Marino type of ability that few have.
He wasn’t completely a statue, one of the best things he could do was dance in the pocket just enough to get out of harm’s way. His pocket awareness was top notch. But yes, he didn’t move that much.
Leaf had a ton of character/work ethic red flags. He was known as a huge party boy; his profile was way more like Manziel. I don’t think Wentz has any of these issues.
Also, just because quarterbacks were drafted one-two before (twice if you consider RG3) and the second turned out to be a major bust, doesn’t mean that’s the inevitable outcome each time.
The situations will be different every time; for one (and the thing I think we have to latch onto here), Wentz won’t be expected to start right away. There will be time for improvement, no matter what flaws people might see in his game now.
From what I can tell, people with desired athletic traits will always be overrated due to their so-called “potential”, “eye-test”, etc. I call these people projects and don’t like them. I don’t care if someone can nail the uprights while kneeling at the 50 yard line or they can outrun a linebacker. Those things aren’t what make a great QB. I am not even 100% sold on Cam; let’s see if he can do it again.
Cam gave up. Incomprehensible. I think he is the quintessential player who was given all his atleticsm and rides those gifts. Sure he practices but does he really wotk harder than his peers? Does he work herder than the fedex guy??
I hope he never gets back.
I am rooting for rg3. . Think he gave it all
Well, we used to say that sports builds and reveals character. Perhaps it showed a weakness in his character. It will be interesting to see if he can overcome it. I think Vick is one of the rare people who did just that.
I think we all saw that gap in character every time we endured his “look at ME” celebrations .. those who called this early on got called haters and racist .. it was nice to see Cam demonstrate so viscerally his character flaw on the biggest world stage & justify those who saw thru him
..and if he is smart and team oriented enough to overcome this flaw – more power to him (literally because he will be repping products everywhere) glad to celebrate his continued success
I’m hoping Howie drafts OL heavy after we take our QB. Gotta give him time and protection regardless of who’ll it be next year.
Necessary no matter who winds up being our QB. I remain in doubt about long term starters at one tackle, one guard, and center.
Long term has to be secondary to short term. I think we find a veteran RT on the scrap heap, keep us with needed depth for this year. We may not be able to get a lot of help there in the draft this year.
I’m figuring we’ll get more picks when we trade Taylor Hart, Maragos and Beau Allen, possibly Sproles, Huff and Braman to S.F., so we can draft plenty of lineman and R.Bs
Chip pulls a Ditka type deal and gives us all of his draft picks for all of his guys.
And you had better include Barner in that trade.
But…but…he has giant biceps now?!
Maybe he can hold the ball in his teeth and walk (run?) on his hands.
My short list in the 3rd is pretty much made up of Joe Dahl, Conner McGovern, and Joe Haeg unless someone really umexpected slips. I’d love to trade down to grab another 4 or 5, but I’d be afraid to miss out on one of those guys. The drop off after them is fairly large in my opinion.
I’ve been a big fan of the way seattle builds their team. They go get explosive athletes and have their staff coach them uo. While their OL has been a weak point for them, they havent invested high draft picks into the position very often. JR Sweezy was a Dl convert. They reached for Justin Britt due to his explosiveness.
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/introducing-the-trench-explosion-formula-tef
Follow the link for an in depth explaination, but the quick take away is this…College talent is gravitating towards defense. The explosive athletes are playing om the DL and many OL prospects are just overwelmed due to a lack of explosiveness and power. What they call the TEF sets a good baseline for explosivness in the trenches. While this is not gospel, analytics such as these need to be taken into account during the evaluation process. It is no secret that DP wants a bigger, more physical OL so it would not be suprising if they had their own formula similar to TEF.
So what did the Eagles give up to get their franchise QB?!
3rd round pick 2016 – shoot we still have one pick in that round!
4th round pick in 2016 – unfortunately no chance to get a shot at another Jaylen Watkins, Matt Barkley, Casey Matthews or a kicker!!
1st round pick in 2017 – should the Eagles make the playoffs in this mediocre NFCE we won’t have a pick in the latter half of the first round next year which I can live with.
2nd round pick in 2018 – after winning the Super Bowl behind season MVP Wentz who needs the second round pick in a couple of years?!
All in all this trade doesn’t seem too bad to me at all.
Now let’s draft some O Line and kick some ass this year!
Correction: They gave that up to have a (not very good) chance at a franchise QB. No one would bat an eye if they knew it would work out.
Aight aight sir. But how can you miss if you don’t shoot?!
And lets not forget that we traded small lottery tickets for one big lottery ticket.
I don’t like a full embrace of the lottery mentality with the draft because it can lead folks to not hold front offices accountable for bad picks and/or getting poor value in trades. I need to be able to pillory everybody and everything when things aren’t as good as I demand.
Too many variables not to include words like luck and lottery. Physical traits, intelligence, wisdom, character, integrity, locker room fit, head coach, position coaches, money, contract issues, family, friends, geography, sleep, diet…. And thats just a partial list.
I like the list and agree with the variables. I need our staff to manipulate and account for them better than the other 31 staffs.
But I do agree that due diligence and accountability are necessary.
FUCK OZZIE NEWSOME AND HIS BOATLOAD OF BAD PICKS!
Essentially the 2018 2nd rounder is the only part where we “overpaid” for the pick if you use the JJ chart and future pick = 16.5th pick of that round valuation. I happen to use that, so I think we slightly overpaid, but……………………
We can get that (and maybe a tad more) back in trading Bradford
So this valuation, it sets future picks at 16.5 spot of the actual round of future picks, or the 16.5 pick discounted a round per year?
Actual round.
Honestly, that seems absurd. If the Eagles trade away their pick in the mid-third for a pick in the third next year, I find it hard to believe your reaction would one of acceptance at the fair value they received.
It doesn’t matter what it seems like; some teams use that valuation of future picks. I didn’t make that up for my own purposes.
No, but you choose to only use the one that is least flattering to the Eagles to evaluate the recent trade.
You’re correct. I applied a high standard to the deal. Howie has often exceed it in his trades. He didn’t this time. And that being said, the overpay using that standard wasn’t bad.
It all comes down to how much they believe in Wentz (and Goff).
I like Wentz a little better than Goff, but wouldn’t be shocked that much if Goff winds up being our guy.
I really like both. More of a Goff fan, but don’t hate Wentz.
Really, the points will be irrelevant. If we get a franchise QB, we win. If we are still searching when we finish paying off this trade, we lose.
What if we get a franchise QB, but struggle with putting talent around him due to lack of draft picks? That’s my fear with the whole deal.
I would set it at 13 (actual draft position this year) and discount point value 20% per year for future picks, but I’m lazy so I don’t know who “wins”. For pick we get from Browns, we already know it’s a late compensatory selection, and that would also have to be discounted
Greg did a nice job of laying it out with 3 different generally accepted approaches.
Flip that. Do you think they could trade a 4th this year for a 1st in 3 years? This kind of stuff gets overblown by fans and media. It was smart of the Eagles to spread it out, probably also smart for the Browns.
One thing I think is brilliant, is that the future 1st and future 2nd isn’t in the same year. Without a 1st and a 2nd, you’re basically not getting any of the top levels of prospects. We’re in a position where we might miss out on the top level prospects, but at worst will still have a probable mid-round 2nd round pick in 2017, where a good player who can start should be there and while we will miss a second rounder in 2018, we’ll still have a, hopefully, late first round pick.
Missing both is borderline detrimental purely because you won’t add any young talent to you roster, the equivalent of continually missing on your early picks, with some early picks, you still have to draft well to diminish the fact that you haven’t got as many players to add, but you should still get talent without getting lucky in the later rounds.
By reading Wentz’s scouting reports I now can conclude he’s accurate, inaccurate, quick decision maker, slow decision maker, strong arm, OK arm, and smart.
Sounds like what I’ve read too.
that is very accurate actually from what i’ve read. all of the above. But there also seems to be a consensus about his athletic ability and measurements. Prototypical measurements with ability to move and run better than an Alex Smith and maybe closer but not the same level of a Steve Young or Cam Newton.
Also, the leadership thing is not doubted, as well as character, work ethic, and with a chip on his shoulder.
I think there’s a set of things he’s been exceptional at. And other things, not so much. As you might expect for a guy with less experience. He’s great at stick throws. Bad at touch throws. Etc.
His running ability is very much on par with Mcnabbs. I think the best comparison for him is acctually a Mcnabb/Big Ben hybrid.
He has good accuracy for the most part, but has a habit of rushing the throw and throwing off of his back foot which then leads to accuracy issues. Can be corrected.
As far as getting the ball to the WR he can absolutely do, but his ball placement does need to improve to help the receiver gain additional YAC.
Does have a pretty quick release, but can hold the ball higher to quicken the release.
He can decide where he wants to or should go pretty quickly, but the decision to tjrow the ball is slowed due to the fact he waits for the receiver to get open instead of throwing where the receiver will be open.
I think a fair comparison for him coming out of college is a Mcnabb/Big Ben Hybrid. I put Mcnabb in there because his running style is pretty comparable to Mcnabbs early years running style.
He has a great arm, im not sure why anyone would just label it as ok.
Albright facts.
I’m 100% sure he’s going to be the first qb taken..if not he’ll be the second or third..per source..
It is a smoke screen, they are taking Tunsil, best left tackle coming out of college in years.
If they do, it means something disastrous has occurred and they have to fall back on plan B
They know the Rams are taking a quarterback, that’s how the eagles know they are getting their guy.
By disastrous I mean a sudden injury, failure of a drug test, etc. For one of the QBs, unforseen. Would have to be that cataclysmic.
If not Tunsil, Then it is Lynch
Hopefully we can also get a 3rd for Peters at the same time we make that pick.
John Middlekauf, who was a scout with Eagles in Chip’s first year here, is being quite critical of Kelly on twitter. Started with simple obversation about how Kelly and Baalke’s philosophies might not mesh:
Responding to a question about Duke Williams
John Middlekauff
@JohnMiddlekauff
10m10 minutes ago
John Middlekauff Retweeted Manuel Portela
Chip would not touch that guy, Baalke loves these types. League is fascinated to watch these 2 operate this week
Then someone asks him about Baalke in general:
John Middlekauff
@JohnMiddlekauff
5m5 minutes ago
He’s not that bad, more nervous of him letting chip influence him. Chip is awful at the draft
He then responded to my question regarding whether Chip was awful at talent evaluation or talent valuation:
John Middlekauff
@JohnMiddlekauff
5m5 minutes ago
Awful, repeat awful at valuation (cause he doesn’t care) hit or miss on evaluation
fantastic question
“Awful, repeat awful at valuation (cause he doesn’t care)”
Unforgivable! I cannot stand a disregard for valuation.
It’s actually a good point. The desire to draft Taylor Hart with a 3rd or 4th is a perfect example.
Agreed. Making those moves all the more frustrating.
When you’re Bill Belichick and have won multiple SBs, you can say screw what the rest of the league thinks. I want this guy. Take him in the 2nd round!” Chip didn’t earn that type of leeway.
Nor do you have a roster full of past “hits” upon whom you can fall back.
Off Eagles, but Philly related.
Bummed the Flyers lost.
Excited to see they made the playoffs a year earlier than expected.
Inflamed to see how poorly Giroux and Voracek played this series.
Interested to see how Hexy can keep selling off guys I don’t want and bringing up young talent.
God Voracek was awful that series. It wouldn’t surprise me if he comes out with an injury tomorrow requiring surgery. He got knocked of the puck way too easily.
That clandestine injury nonsense is such a crock. Either he’s too hurt to play and should have been shut down for surgery or he should be held to account. In either case, I don’t count a post-season reveal of a fictitious injury as legitimate.
You could be right, but it happens all the time with these guys, and not just on the Flyers.
Its the absolute worst. Everybody involved with after the fact injury / surgery excuse making of stuff that wasn’t disclosed is a filthy liar.
He hasn’t looked right since he came back from that previous injury. Not sure what his deal was. I bet Giroux was nursing something too. But the top line has to produce no matter what, and they definitely came up too small in this series.
“But the top line has to produce no matter what, and they definitely came up too small in this series.”
So true in all sports.
I was unable to watch the game, but I am generally impressed by the Hextall/Hackstol influence. On a totally subjective note, I’d rather lose round 1 to the clearly superior Caps, than beat the Caps and lose to Cindy’s sorority.
Go Caps!
Yeah like those ex Flyers on the Caps .. cant ever get over hextall’s goal vs devils from the the blue line
The thing that always strikes me is how much more skilled other teams are than the Flyers. Other teams make crisp outlets, connect on passes. The Flyers seem to pass into skates, have hands of brick receiving passes. It’s awful.
They have a few guys who can do that, but they’re in need of more.
The forwards were wasting a lot of energy in the defensive zone, helping the pathetic defense to not get pantsed along the boards. I don’t remember the Flyers trying even one stretch pass the whole series. That tells you that the forwards have too much defensive responsibility. But that’s what you have to do when your defense is that bad. They need Moran to develop quickly, so that they can have defensive stopper. But he didn’t show anything this year with the Phantoms, so it could be a long wait.
fwiw blabbity blah blah
https://twitter.com/JordanRaanan/status/724284289320390657
https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/724347178228039682
Interesting.
And not being a medial professional, I had to look it up. Messed up cartilage basically.
Medial Mike
Better than medial collateral.
If accurate…he may need microfracture in the future, or he had one and that’s why he’s been so slow to recover