Cam Newton looking better and better!

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Since when are those tools to be successful in the NFL?

Two of the major tools he lacks: footwork and accuracy. Those make or break quarterbacks.

He's not that fast either.

He is 16th in the NCAA out of 116 qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage (66.1%) and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 30/7 as the Panthers entire quarterback corp. has a touchdown to interception ratio of 9/22 with an average completion percentage of 50.95 and if any stat means anything to you, it should be the two in bold.

[MHS831]

Many of the people who want Cam are the same folks who think Armanti should be our QB. Look at the skill set, work ethic, character issues. What successful QB has ever overcome these? 1--Micheal Vick, and the jury is still out on him.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Post the pros about Bradford. The main difference is Sam being able to read a defense and move through progressions while Cam cannot. Stop reaching

Here is the entire scouting report.

The Good

He processes information quickly. He scans the field and is able to work the progression of the play. By working the progression, we mean check out receivers in order to see if they are covered and getting the ball to the open guy. He has the vision to find the next receiver quickly.

He has made good decisions. He has thrown for 4464 yards, with 48 TDs with only 6 interceptions. That gives him a QB rating of 168.3. He is a playmaker and has 5 rushing TDs. He converts an above average number of 3 downs which is critical in the NFL.

He can run but is much more of a pocket passer than most other spread QBs. That will give him an advantage in the draft over a Tim Tebo or Chase Daniel. He moves around in the pocket to avoid the rush but still keeps his vision down field. He is not nearly as accurate moving as he is when he can set his feet. If he goes to a team like the Lions, he had better work on that because behind the Detroit offensive line he will be running a lot.

He has above average but not great arm strength. Many of his long TDs are due to hitting excellent wide receivers that are able to run the ball after the catch.

He has very good touch and a quick release. However, on swing passes he tends to push the ball out rather than throw it. That is surprising given how often the team runs that play.

The Average

He does not have exceptional accuracy. He has completed 68.3% in 08 as compared to nearly 77.8 percent by Colt McCoy. While some of those incompletions are throw-aways, he does miss more open receivers than you would like.

A lot of his statistics come in garbage time. The Sooners scored more than 60 points in their last 5 games. When a team is down by 40 points, their defensive backfields are easy pickings and the D-lines are gassed.

The Concerns

Most of the passes in the Sooner playbook are out of the shotgun formation. That brings us to perhaps the biggest concern that GMs have about not only Bradford but almost all of the college spread formation quarterbacks—what about his footwork? The QB is under center for nearly all plays in the NFL.

Traditionally, shotgun or spread offense rookie QBs struggle with the 3, 5 and 7 step drops fundamental to the NFL passing game. Many high pick shotgun/spread formation QBs have failed. Nearly always their downfall has been due to footwork/accuracy problems. It is nearly impossible to have NFL level accuracy by a quarterback that lacks consistent footwork. The passing windows are microscopic compared to those in college even in good conferences. Timing of the throw is critical and timing is determined by footwork.

A second and nearly equally significant concern is the ability of Bradford to make pre-snap reads. An NFL quarterback must be able to read the defense before the snap to determine if the play needs to be changed or not. The Oklahoma system involves the team looking to the sideline to get the play. The reading of the D is done by the coaching staff in the booth, relayed to the sideline and given to the QB.

In the NFL, the QB must make the reads. Is the opponent going to blitz? Are they in zone, man or a combination coverage? Each of these possibilities requires different patterns and play calls. Many of the Big 12 QBs have never been responsible for making those reads. The problem is made more significant by the multiple defenses the NFL uses. While he had NFL quality receivers, they were not facing NFL quality defensive backs. These guys are bigger, faster, smarter, and hit a lot harder than any college conference defenses.

Yet another major question the NFL will have is Bradford's ability to anticipate the player coming open and hitting the spot where he will be when the ball gets there. Often that ability is what separates the very good quarterback from the Hall of Fame one. The Sooner offense is not built to require that. Almost all the patterns require a WR to stop in the open area because the Big 12 plays so much zone. In cases where he has faced man coverage, he has at least convinced me that he can anticipate the open receiver.

Overall

I think another year would be very helpful for Bradford. However, with so many of the NFL bottom feeders in such desperate need of QB help and so few quality prospects in the senior class of 08, it is more than likely that he will declare. He will be the first or second QB drafted depending on the combine. He will not be able to play in most of the college all star games because he is an underclassman. His prime competitor for the first QB taken will be Georgia QB Matt Stafford.

In the preseason rankings, Stafford was ranked #1. Matt and the team did not have the kind of season most of the experts had projected and his stock has dropped a little. I project now that one of them will be the choice of the 0-16 Lions with the first pick. The other could go in the top 10 to Kansas City, Jacksonville, or San Francisco. If not, the second QB might fall to the mid teens with Minnesota, Chicago, or even Washington or Philadelphia depending on what they do with their current starters. But don't feel sorry for the second in the draft. He will still be set for life with his first contract. That is one of the biggest problems the NFL has.

[MHS831]

He is 16th in the NCAA out of 116 qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage (66.1%) and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 30/7 as the Panthers entire quarterback corp. has a touchdown to interception ratio of 9/22 with an average completion percentage of 50.95 and if any stat means anything to you, it should be the two in bold.

He runs the spread offense. Tony Pike had numbers as good.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Many of the people who want Cam are the same folks who think Armanti should be our QB. Look at the skill set, work ethic, character issues. What successful QB has ever overcome these? 1--Micheal Vick, and the jury is still out on him.

Armanti Edwards goes up to about Cam Newtons waist and Michael Vick is about half the size of Cam Newton.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

He runs the spread offense. Tony Pike had numbers as good.

Tony Pike is also the only quarterback that played for the Panthers this year that did not throw an interception. Also Tom Brady, Joe Flacco, and Ben Rothlisberger ran the spread offense.

[TheRealDeal]

He is 16th in the NCAA out of 116 qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage (66.1%) and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 30/7 as the Panthers entire quarterback corp. has a touchdown to interception ratio of 9/22 with an average completion percentage of 50.95 and if any stat means anything to you, it should be the two in bold.

Accuracy =/= completion percentage.

He throws a lot of swing passes. A lot.

[panthers55]

You lack the ability to look deeper into games, it's been proven time and time again. It's like talking to a child. Do some in depth analysis of his games without using stats or words like winner and leader. I've said the same thing about him each week and nothing has changed.

If we draft him the words of Cash Money Millionaires comes to mind, "Give me a project b*tch" except for us it would be "Give me a project, b*tch"

If you want to have a discussion about issues and opinions, then lets do that. But to make personal attacks means you have lost perspective here. You make it win-lose, and employ the trap of trying to building yourself up by belittling others. Thinking this is always about win-lose and some kind of competition for you. Surred on by the desire to prove your superiority through popular opinion to validate delusions of gradeur.

Fine as long as it stays opinion and reason instead of middle school name calling. I get caught up enough in that as it is. Lets elevate the discussion or let it go. The choice is yours.

[MHS831]

Armanti Edwards goes up to about Cam Newtons waist and Michael Vick is about half the size of Cam Newton.

So the bigger the player, the better the QB?

Lets get Shaq

[MHS831]

Tony PIKE 2009

211 for 338

2520 yards

62.4%

29 TDs

6 ints

12 sacks

149.82 rating

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

So the bigger the player, the better the QB?

Lets get Shaq

Well we would like our QB to see over the offensive line you know.

[TheRealDeal]

If you want to have a discussion about issues and opinions, then lets do that. But to make personal attacks means you have lost perspective here. You make it win-lose, and employ the trap of trying to building yourself up by belittling others. Thinking this is always about win-lose and some kind of competition for you. Surred on by the desire to prove your superiority through popular opinion to validate delusions of gradeur.

Fine as long as it stays opinion and reason instead of middle school name calling. I get caught up enough in that as it is. Lets elevate the discussion or let it go. The choice is yours.

Popular Opinion? Me? :willy_nilly:

[MHS831]

Tony Pike is also the only quarterback that played for the Panthers this year that did not throw an interception. Also Tom Brady, Joe Flacco, and Ben Rothlisberger ran the spread offense.

Did Flacco, Ben, and Brady steal a computer, negotiate with colleges for $$$? Did they ever get criticized for poor work ethic? Did they run the simplest offense in the NCAA? Were they drafted with the first overall pick?

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Tony PIKE 2009

211 for 338

2520 yards

62.4%

29 TDs

6 ints

12 sacks

149.82 rating

Once again Tony Pike is also the only quarterback that played for the Panthers that did not throw an INT.