Athletic article on top prospects

[Mr. Scot]

Saw this tweet responding to John Ellis...

So I looked up the article. You can see it here: NFL Mock Draft 2023

For the unfamiliar, Bruce Feldman covers college football for The Athletic and is a really good info source. He notes that this article was compiled after spending two months talking to different college and NFL sources.

Here's the writeup on Stroud.

1. Carolina Panthers (via CHI): C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

It’s been well-documented that new head coach Frank Reich has an extensive history of playing with taller quarterbacks — Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz among them. This point has come up repeatedly given Bryce Young’s lack of prototypical size — and that there are two very big quarterbacks this year in Anthony Richardson and Will Levis. Stroud has good size as well at 6 feet 3, 215 pounds — and he had no trouble carrying 220-plus in his college career. Reich did push back a bit on that size narrative this month when he noted that he had a very high grade on Russell Wilson in 2012.

Stroud is worthy of the top overall pick. He checks every relevant box. Buckeye coaches have been raving to NFL personnel about his intelligence, according to sources. He is extremely accurate; can make all the throws; has played (and excelled) in many big-game situations; is very football smart; and sees the field well (even if it’s “muddy”).

He also has better athleticism than most are giving him credit for — although he put on an impressive display in the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal against Georgia, going 23-of-34 for 348 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 34 yards on a defense loaded with more NFL-caliber athletes than any other in the college game.

The Coaching Intel

“He’s so accurate and so calm. I wasn’t sure about the (Buckeyes’) previous guy’s ability to read coverage. But I know C.J. can. He has such a good ability to process, and his anticipation is so good. He runs better than you think. He’s the complete package.”

“He’s the most accurate quarterback I’ve ever played against. It’s like he couldn’t have handed the ball to his receivers any better, and they’re 30, 40 yards downfield. He’s got high-level NFL accuracy and NFL vision. I think he understands the game so well and gets it out in under three seconds. He has very high football IQ.”

“His accuracy downfield is really special. He’s bigger than you think and faster and harder to sack than people realize. I thought he’s better than Trevor Lawrence. He’s such a pure passer and can make all the throws. He does really unique stuff. Watch some of the stuff he did against Michigan. There are two plays in that game, one on a deep go-ball and another on a corner route, where the DB undercuts it. It’s to the wide side of the field, and he just drops it in over the outside shoulder. Then, I’m watching him against Georgia, against those guys, and he was dominant in that game. We did our best to disrupt the timing, and he still got us. We played more aggressively at the line of scrimmage and he made a bunch of big plays. On third-and-11s, in real rough spots, he was able to improvise when it wasn’t there. If we didn’t match a pattern or cover a guy just right, he took advantage every time.”

“I think he has a little different personality. He’s very level, which is good. Blank face. I think he’s got that elite mindset that is always neutral: not too high and not too low.”

“I think he’ll be really good in the pros. He’s very smart. They did a good job with him. He keeps his eyes downfield. I think he’s confident. He understands protections. He’s got poise. He’s been on the big stage. Georgia’s defense is as good a comparison to the NFL as you’ll get, and look what he did to them.”

[Mr. Scot]

And for the interested, the equivalent analysis of Bryce Young...

2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

The DeMeco Ryans Era kicks off with another decorated former Alabama star. Young should be a good fit in a Shanahan-style offense that should have a potent running attack that can lean into the play-action game with him moving out of the pocket. Young at 5 feet 10, 195 pounds does not have ideal size. He’s a hard comparison. There’s some Russell Wilson in his game, but Wilson is much thicker, built more like a running back. Young is fleet-footed but not quite as dynamic as Kyler Murray, though he’s still a pretty special talent.

He had a 79-to-12 TD-to-INT ratio playing in the toughest league in college football, winning the Heisman Trophy as a first-year starter. Against ranked opponents, it was 25-to-5. That’s still a strong ratio that also works in the face of the fact that his completion percentage dropped more than 10 percent in games against SEC opponents compared to nonconference games. As one coach noted, some schools might’ve had a lot less success with shorter, less athletic players than top-of-the-line SEC schools did when they tried to heat him up and get in his face. The latter is probably a much more realistic barometer of what Young will have to manage at the next level.

The Coaching Intel

“I am a big believer in Bryce. Been watching him forever. I was really impressed, especially with his intelligence and his decision-making. He’s emotionally mature and really accurate. We heard when Bill O’Brien got there, Bryce ended up teaching him the early stages of their offense. My only concern is that he’s little. At some point one of these gigantic interior guys is gonna land on him and you’ll be scared that he’s not gonna get up. His size scares me because against us, he really didn’t escape. We ran him down three or four times. We’ve got some good athletes, but those are the athletes that you’re trying to run away from at that level.”

“I don’t think people give him enough credit for his feet. He doesn’t look like he’s running real fast, but he is. He’s also so damn accurate on the move. I was really impressed with how well he understands where to go with the ball, if you gave him any tip or tell of what you were doing, pressure-wise. If you do, he’d kill you. In our game, there’s no way he knew it was coming; our safety wasn’t even off the hash. There was nothing to tip him off. Nothing that said throw it out there. We hit pretty hard eight or nine times. I thought he did a really good job of handling that. He slid protection really good. I Zero-ed (blitzed) him a bunch, thinking, f— it. Let’s hit this quarterback as many times as I can. But he did such a great job of seeing it at the snap, especially for being such a young guy in terms of snaps played.”

“If he’s got time, he’s gonna kill you. His arm is good in person but Hendon Hooker has a stronger arm. He’s at his best extending plays in the pocket, and he throws dimes. He also has a very good feel on touch and when to rifle it in there. We changed significantly (scheme-wise) before we played him. We ran Fire Zone and Cover 0 and really heated him up, and I didn’t think he saw it that well when there’re athletic 6-5 dudes running down your throat. I’m not sold on him. I’d take C.J. before him.”

“He shredded us. It was like that old Denny Green line, he was who we thought he was. He completes passes on really good coverage. Incredibly accurate. He never left the pocket. Was impressed by his ability to go through his reads and find receivers down the field.”

[Jaxel]

Tough decision. I am still a bit on the riskier side and would take Young, but again, I would be very excited about Stroud as well.

[CanadianCat]

19 minutes ago, Jaxel said:

Tough decision. I am still a bit on the riskier side and would take Young, but again, I would be very excited about Stroud as well.

I honestly feel like I flip flop every day. 

[Mr. Scot]

Where I'm sold...

He’s so accurate and so calm.

He has such a good ability to process, and his anticipation is so good.

He runs better than you think. He’s the complete package.”

“He’s the most accurate quarterback I’ve ever played against.

It’s like he couldn’t have handed the ball to his receivers any better, and they’re 30, 40 yards downfield.

He’s got high-level NFL accuracy and NFL vision.

I think he understands the game so well and gets it out in under three seconds.

He has very high football IQ.”

“His accuracy downfield is really special.

He’s bigger than you think and faster and harder to sack than people realize.

He’s such a pure passer and can make all the throws.

He does really unique stuff.

If we didn’t match a pattern or cover a guy just right, he took advantage every time.”

I think he’s got that elite mindset that is always neutral: not too high and not too low.”

He’s very smart. 

He keeps his eyes downfield.

He understands protections.

Georgia’s defense is as good a comparison to the NFL as you’ll get, and look what he did to them.”

[rayzor]

As much in the middle as I would like to say and think I am, I keep gravitating ever so slightly towards Stroud. 

He won't have me in the edge of my seat like Young or AR, but that's not a bad thing at all. Might be better for my old ticker to not have a QB live up to the Cardiac Cat reputation like Young and AR would be doing in the regular. Stroud will be that even keeled player with the consistently good performances. He won't have as many highlight reels, but he doesn't need to have them. He'll just win.

[run-run-pass-punt]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Where I'm sold...

He’s so accurate and so calm.

He has such a good ability to process, and his anticipation is so good.

He runs better than you think. He’s the complete package.”

“He’s the most accurate quarterback I’ve ever played against.

It’s like he couldn’t have handed the ball to his receivers any better, and they’re 30, 40 yards downfield.

He’s got high-level NFL accuracy and NFL vision.

I think he understands the game so well and gets it out in under three seconds.

He has very high football IQ.”

“His accuracy downfield is really special.

He’s bigger than you think and faster and harder to sack than people realize.

He’s such a pure passer and can make all the throws.

He does really unique stuff.

If we didn’t match a pattern or cover a guy just right, he took advantage every time.”

I think he’s got that elite mindset that is always neutral: not too high and not too low.”

He’s very smart. 

He keeps his eyes downfield.

He understands protections.

Georgia’s defense is as good a comparison to the NFL as you’ll get, and look what he did to them.”

Yes, me too. The QBs job is to distribute the ball. If there's a guy that can do that at an elite level, and you have the chance, I don't know how you don't grab him.

[Mr. Scot]

1 minute ago, rayzor said:

As much in the middle as I would like to say and think I am, I keep gravitating ever so slightly towards Stroud. 

He won't have me in the edge of my seat like Young or AR, but that's not a bad thing at all. Might be better for my old ticket to not have a QB live up to the Cardiac Cat reputation like Young and AR would be doing in the regular. Stroud will be that even keeled player with the consistently good performances. He won't have as many highlight reels, but he doesn't need to have them. He'll just win.

Drew Brees and Tom Brady were never what I'd call exciting quarterbacks, but you'd sit back and watch them just surgically pick your team apart and wonder how the hell they were doing it.

I'd really like to be on the other side of that scenario, and I feel like Stroud could put us there

[Mr. Scot]

1 minute ago, run-run-pass-punt said:

Yes, me too. The QBs job is to distribute the ball. If there's a guy that can do that at an elite level, and you have the chance, I don't know how you don't grab him.

Those analysis points all sound like they're talking about a professional quarterback.

If he's already that good at the college level, imagine what he could be like with our staff coaching him up.

[hepcat]

34 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

“If he’s got time, he’s gonna kill you. His arm is good in person but Hendon Hooker has a stronger arm. He’s at his best extending plays in the pocket, and he throws dimes. He also has a very good feel on touch and when to rifle it in there. We changed significantly (scheme-wise) before we played him. We ran Fire Zone and Cover 0 and really heated him up, and I didn’t think he saw it that well when there’re athletic 6-5 dudes running down your throat. I’m not sold on him. I’d take C.J. before him.”

I have a feeling this quote was from Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski

[ladypanther]

Young holding on to the ball so long and having to be deep in the pocket is a concern.  It is the guys who can get the ball out quickly who are the most successful.

[Mr. Scot]

Related to the article...

 

[rayzor]

13 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Drew Brees and Tom Brady were never what I'd call exciting quarterbacks, but you'd sit back and watch them just surgically pick your team apart and wonder how the hell they were doing it.

I'd really like to be on the other side of that scenario, and I feel like Stroud could put us there

Young could be a combination of Wilson in his "how the hell did he do that?!?!?!" miracle moments when you think he's done for and Brees in his ability to diagnose,  exploit, and carve up defenses. But he'd be in the run a lot. 

But Stroud could also be a Brees type player only a more mobile one that defenses have to watch because he could also take off running. The fact that Stroud runs so much less makes him more of a threat because it would be more unpredictable and more likely to catch defenses off guard.

[Jackie Lee]

24 minutes ago, hepcat said:

I have a feeling this quote was from Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski

Yeah that was a rough one to watch. NFL teams are going to replicate that with half a second less time to throw before getting hit.