Bradford/Clausen now split among Mock Drafts

[wolfeskins]

i don't know what round it will be but i think it's a sure bet that shanny will take a qb in this years draft.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Russell is an extreme example, it doesn't take much digging to see exactly where Clausen's a much more solid prospect. You look at Clausen in the most adverse conditions, that 2007 season, and you can see that though he wasn't that polished as a player, he held up his end of the bargin that year. His statistics show that. It's the Jason Campbell argument, "yeah the team sucks, but as an individual, the performance was there." And clearly, he can play through injury.

Russell was pretty bad. Even I knew that he was going to be horrible. Scared the crap out of me when I saw we brought him in for a pre-draft interview.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Russell was pretty bad. Even I knew that he was going to be horrible. Scared the crap out of me when I saw we brought him in for a pre-draft interview.

Yeah, I'm right there with you. I didn't ever think, until about two days before the draft, that the Raiders were actually going to draft Russell. I thought they were going with Quinn or Calvin Johnson. Kiffin didn't think Russell could play. Davis STILL thinks Russell will be just fine.

But I know that we might have gone that route if JaMarcus had been available. Thankfully he wasn't.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

just watching that spread shotgun offense makes it hard for me to see how bradfords game will translate to the nfl compared to clausen.

Just learned that Bradford ran a pro style offense during 2007, the year he was a Redshirt Freshman. Bradfords numbers that year were 36 TD's 8 Ints and a 176.52 QB Rating.

Summary: The statistics are there and he has operated in a pro-style offense as a freshman. He does throw pro routes, however, he WILL get nitpicked. Matt Leinart was nitpicked. Aaron Rodgers was nitpicked. Brady Quinn was nitpicked. Bradford won't have any challenges this season, so scouts and draftniks will find the flaws. Bradford is a top-20 pick, but don't be shocked if he doesn't go as high as we expect (Top 5) next April.

Player Comparison: Eli Manning. Like Eli, Bradford lacks the elite arm, but he is a superb decision-maker with great accuracy and decision-making. Both have limited upside.

If you want to see Bradford under Center look no further then this video. To be honest we'll be very lucky if he falls to the fourth spot.

[Lotus]

^ Good find. Very interesting.

[wilsowilso]

I am officially on the draft Bradford bandwagon.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

As an ND fan, for his sake, I hope he doesn't end up here. He won't be successful, even with Shanahan. He'd be the ideal pick for Denver or Arizona or Minnesota. Those are places he could go and win as early as this year. St. Louis could at least build around him. Here, and in Buffalo, there just isn't much in the offensive cupboard to work with for any quarterback.

That's why JC stays around for 2010 and Clausen can sit for at least the first half of the year (or until 2011) when the OL situation is stabilized a bit.

If we get him, I certainly don't expect Clausen to be a difference maker for us in 2010. I think it's doubtful he gets past STL anyway.

[PennSkinsFan]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

I still say trade down and and get one of the OT and Iupati, then a QB.

Mike Iupati has gained some much during Bowl practices. Better yet, he is an OG at Idaho, but most NFL analysts believes he can easily be converted to OT.

[SFREDSKIN]

Originally Posted by PennSkinsFan

Mike Iupati has gained some much during Bowl practices. Better yet, he is an OG at Idaho, but most NFL analysts believes he can easily be converted to OT.

Iupati is a "Road grader"/"Wheat Combine". He looks like a mauler, reminds me Tre Johnson. I hope we draft him.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by PennSkinsFan

Mike Iupati has gained some much during Bowl practices. Better yet, he is an OG at Idaho, but most NFL analysts believes he can easily be converted to OT.

I've repeatedly read the opposite: that he is much better at guard and should stay there.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

That's why JC stays around for 2010 and Clausen can sit for at least the first half of the year (or until 2011) when the OL situation is stabilized a bit.

If we get him, I certainly don't expect Clausen to be a difference maker for us in 2010. I think it's doubtful he gets past STL anyway.

I'm just trying to figure out what we do with a QB drafted at #4 with the current state of the O-line. The price you pay (espically for a QB) drafted at #4 is far too enormous for a player whose going to sit on the bench for a year, and with the uncertainty of the CBA and the NFL future beyond 2010. You certainly can't play him with this bunch we have now, neither can you afford to sit him.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Longtimefan

I'm just trying to figure out what we do with a QB drafted at #4 with the current state of the O-line. The price you pay (espically for a QB) drafted at #4 is far too enormous for a player whose going to sit on the bench for a year, and with the uncertainty of the CBA and the NFL future beyond 2010. You certainly can't play him with this bunch we have now, neither can you afford to sit him.

Phillip Rivers sat for a couple of years and that turned out OK. If we tender JC a mid-level offer, his contract won't break the bank, Clausen (JC2 ??? LOL) would only sit for no more than a year so we'd be fine. I'm sure once the new CBA is completed contracts done this off-season will somehow be "grandfathered", so if there's a new salary cap, a big QB contract won't kill it.

If we need to play Clausen now, he played behind a mediocre OL this year at ND anyway. I have confidence in Shanahan-Allen rebuilding the OL to a point where it's not the sieve it was in 2009. Clausen will be OK.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Lotus

I've repeatedly read the opposite: that he is much better at guard and should stay there.

Sort of makes me think of a rich man versions of Chad Rinehart. When Rinehart came out we thought, "oh, this is great, he might even be able to play Center." Turns out he was really only suited to play Guard. And just now on NFLN I heard them suggest that Ipuati could even play Center. In the end he'll probably just end up at Guard.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

Phillip Rivers sat for a couple of years and that turned out OK. If we tender JC a mid-level offer, his contract won't break the bank, Clausen (JC2 ??? LOL) would only sit for no more than a year so we'd be fine. I'm sure once the new CBA is completed contracts done this off-season will somehow be "grandfathered", so if there's a new salary cap, a big QB contract won't kill it.

If we need to play Clausen now, he played behind a mediocre OL this year at ND anyway. I have confidence in Shanahan-Allen rebuilding the OL to a point where it's not the sieve it was in 2009. Clausen will be OK.

When you say 'OK' do you mean like Rivers is serviceable or are you underselling it?

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

When you say 'OK' do you mean like Rivers is serviceable or are you underselling it?

Big time undersell, I had Rivers on my fantasy team this year and won it all.

If we pick Clausen and he performs at a Phillip Rivers level, I'm pretty sure 95% of us will be doing cartwheels. The other 5% would have to be ND haters.