McShay Mock - Please God no....

[thebandit27]

Let's make the exception the rule!

 

It's not an exception. As Bobonators already pointed out, there's very little difference between Bradford's "slight" build (6'4, 223 lbs) and many of the NFL's premier passers.

 

http://espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=188934

 

Tony Romo - 6'2", 226 lbs

Tom Brady - 6'5", 225 lbs

Aaron Rodgers - 6'3", 219 lbs

Eli Manning - 6'4", 225 lbs

Drew Brees - 6'0", 209 lbs

Matt Hasselbeck - 6'4", 225 lbs

Kurt Warner - 6'3", 220 lbs

 

There are also several other highly drafted QBs from recent years that fit the same frame:

 

Chad Henne - 6'3", 228 lbs

Mark Sanchez - 6'2-1/2", 227 lbs

Matthew Stafford - 6'2", 225 lbs

Matt Leinart - 6'5", 225 lbs

 

Sure, some guys are bigger, like Petyon Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Donovan McNabb and Philip Rivers, but that certainly doesn't make the guys with similar body styles to Bradford (i.e. the guys listed above) too small to play. I'm pretty sure that was his point.

[Coach Klein]

agreed. based on his college injury history , Sam Bradford will get broken in half by NFL defenses.

once again...what college injury history? yes he hurt his shoulder this year. he then came back too early and re-injured it. other than that i cannot remember another injury that Bradford has suffered. and all of the sudden one extensive injury makes him injury prone. I personally would not mind Bradford.

[Mike in Syracuse]

I wouldn't mind giving Brohm a shot quite frankly b/c we'll have little alternative..but lets be honest, for you to say that strictly on collegiate careers alone, Bradford (or even Clausen) don't have any more talent than Brohm coming out of college is INSANE. What exactly do you base that statement on? Surely not numbers and surely not scouting reports.

 

The QB situation will fix itself?

 

Last year Trent Edwards was 5-1 and was wildly heralded as the "FUTURE". Brohm was regarded as a great prospect before last years draft. You can put Peyton Manning behind our OL and he'll look like ****. No qb can play well when he's getting hit in the mouth every play.

 

Fix the OL first and your QB play automatically improves. I'm just not ready to pull the plug on anyone that's on our current roster.

[BB2004]

For all of these people who are against Bradford, please tell me what changed your opinion from last season (when he would have likely been taken 1st or 5th in the draft) to this season? He had a shoulder injury and all of a sudden he is the most likely player to bust out of the 2010 draft class? Give me a break.

 

If Bradford falls to us it would be a steal.

 

I agree with you but obviously time will tell. When healthy, Bradford showed that he had what it took to be a good quarterback going into the next level. Is it that some are concerned that he is too injury prone? By the way, don't you think the Redskins will take him at #4 expecially if they don't resign Campbell?

[John Adams]

Kill me now if we use our top pick on a guy with a slight frame (Rob Johnson), injury prone(Losman, Johnson, Edwards), and has football intelligence(Edwards) who could be molded(Bills have failed to develop every QB except Kemp, Ferguson, and Kelly) in to a GOOD starter.

 

The USFL developed Kelly...so the Bills don't even get credit for developing him.

[truth on hold]

Let's make the exception the rule!

No let's get a big dumb lug like Jamarcus Russell who has the strongest arm the NFL's ever seen and who's been benched in favor of journeymen.

[thebandit27]

Last year Trent Edwards was 5-1 and was wildly heralded as the "FUTURE". Brohm was regarded as a great prospect before last years draft. You can put Peyton Manning behind our OL and he'll look like ****. No qb can play well when he's getting hit in the mouth every play.

 

Fix the OL first and your QB play automatically improves. I'm just not ready to pull the plug on anyone that's on our current roster.

 

Most of Trent's early 2008 performance was due--in my opinion--to the fact that he was playing against bottom-feeders in Oakland, St. Louis, Seattle, and Jacksonville, all of whom won 6 or fewer games and finished in the bottom 7 in pass defense. His 1 quality win early that year came against SD, who was dead last in the league in defense at the time and fired their D-coordinator (Ted Cottrell) after that game.

 

Also, I can't say that I agree with your last statement. I'd say the only thing that automatically improves with a better OL is the running game. QB play is largely dependent upon the ability of the QB, and I happen to think that this team doesn't have much in that department. The QB can have all the time in the world, but if he's no good, he still won't be successful.

[Mr. ChumChums]

I was listening to either Mike Mayock or Mel Kiper (can't remember which) talking about Bradford on some ESPN radio podcast. Their main concern isn't his injury risk... it's his O-Line in college. Up until this season, Bradford played behind a stone wall of an O-Line that protected him silly. What many of the scouts wanted to see this year was how he would've performed under a relatively new/inexperienced/crappy O-Line.

 

Unfortunately, he got injured, and that question on whether he would be able to perform under fire from NFL blitzing defenses still lingers. Would we want to draft him given our line? Would he be able to perform under fire?

 

This seems to me to be too big of a question mark for us...which is why I've been leaning towards Clausen over Bradford recently. Clausen played under fire and performed, so in my untrained opinion, he has a greater chance of succeeding (in Buffalo at least). Of course, the issue that they brought up with Clausen is that he's coming out of school as a junior...and there's a REALLY long history of QB's who come out early turning out to be major busts.

[sharper802]

As we move closer to the draft we'll know how good Bradford really is.

 

My guess is that Bradford will be selected well before the Bills select at #9 overall.

 

I'd love to see the Bills show some savvy for a change, trade their R1 pick down a few slots to pick up at least another R2 pick, and then select their starting LT to build their new "young gun" O-line around for the next decade.

 

A stud LT next to Levitre, Wood, and Incognito would give us a very young, but very talent O-line fo the long term.

Totally agree. You need a willing partner for a trade and a decent player to fall to that spot that some other team covets. Bradford falling to that spot with no other QB's taken at that point would be the best thing to happen to the Bills. They could move down 4-6 spots and still land a QB, LB, LT and perhaps pick up a second or a number 1 next year. The farther they move down the easier the player is to sign at less money with probbakly the same chance of success. Hmmmm... what other team in the AFC east consistently does that???

[sharper802]

The USFL developed Kelly...so the Bills don't even get credit for developing him.

Fair point although that wouldn't being giving the credit Marchibroda is due....

[sharper802]

For all of these people who are against Bradford, please tell me what changed your opinion from last season (when he would have likely been taken 1st or 5th in the draft) to this season? He had a shoulder injury and all of a sudden he is the most likely player to bust out of the 2010 draft class? Give me a break.

 

If Bradford falls to us it would be a steal.

My opinion didn't chnage. Please feel free to make fun of me but honestly what is the difference between Bradford and Jason White? Same team, same offense, same trophies, both injured(shoulder vs knee). One is supposedly a 1st round pick and the other went undrafted?

[yungmack]

I think the quarterback that has the best chance of succeeded here considering the environment is Jimmy Clausen. I am starting to think that they should push to get Vick or McNabb and sign a franchise Left Tackle, if they can do it without screwing it up again (another Mike Williams pick).

 

 

Yeah, but Jim Kelly won't like it. After all, Clausen is not only from California, he's from freakin' SoCal!

[bobobonators]

It's not an exception. As Bobonators already pointed out, there's very little difference between Bradford's "slight" build (6'4, 223 lbs) and many of the NFL's premier passers.

 

http://espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=188934

 

Tony Romo - 6'2", 226 lbs

Tom Brady - 6'5", 225 lbs

Aaron Rodgers - 6'3", 219 lbs

Eli Manning - 6'4", 225 lbs

Drew Brees - 6'0", 209 lbs

Matt Hasselbeck - 6'4", 225 lbs

Kurt Warner - 6'3", 220 lbs

 

There are also several other highly drafted QBs from recent years that fit the same frame:

 

Chad Henne - 6'3", 228 lbs

Mark Sanchez - 6'2-1/2", 227 lbs

Matthew Stafford - 6'2", 225 lbs

Matt Leinart - 6'5", 225 lbs

 

Sure, some guys are bigger, like Petyon Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Donovan McNabb and Philip Rivers, but that certainly doesn't make the guys with similar body styles to Bradford (i.e. the guys listed above) too small to play. I'm pretty sure that was his point.

 

That was exactly my point. Thanks for addressing it Bandit.

[bfw1234]

I don't think there's any chance that the Bills are going to use their first pick on a QB. I think Gailey is going to look at all the tape from the last 2 years and I wouldn't be shocked if we wind up using a QB that's already on the roster. No QB coming out this year has any more talent than Brohm did coming out of college.

 

Fix the line, install a real offense and the QB situation will fix itself.

 

ditto

[Billsguy]

I don't think there's any chance that the Bills are going to use their first pick on a QB. I think Gailey is going to look at all the tape from the last 2 years and I wouldn't be shocked if we wind up using a QB that's already on the roster. No QB coming out this year has any more talent than Brohm did coming out of college.

 

Fix the line, install a real offense and the QB situation will fix itself.

 

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

The lines are the reason the Bills stink. The fact that the Bills started such an inexperienced O-line last year just destroyed any chance the QB's would succeed.

 

The QB's had no chance. The desire to draft a QB in the 1st round is really a mistake. Why draft a rookie QB just to watch his brains get beat out?

 

First you build a house on a solid foundation before you worry about the furniture in the living room.

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

Bradford is the most accurate qb to come out of this draft. Yes he plays in the spread, but his accuracy and route anticipation is uncanny, and he can make all the necessary throws. Doesn't have the strongest arm, but more than makes up for it with his timing and very quick release. Played a good deal at Oklahoma taking snaps from under center, so does have experience in this regard. Is kind of a stationary qb, who was rarely if ever forced out of the pocket. Played behind a great line in Oklahoma up until this year. Durability is a rather fair issue, but his upside trumps any possible downside. He's not quite the franchise qb prospect that Matt Stafford or Sanchez were last year, but even they had question marks. It's about high time The Bills get better at the quarterback position and Bradford is the safest bet to achieve that. Whether he's there at 9 is doubtful. I expect Shanahan or Carroll to pick him up before we get to pick.

[Lockport Bills]

For all of these people who are against Bradford, please tell me what changed your opinion from last season (when he would have likely been taken 1st or 5th in the draft) to this season? He had a shoulder injury and all of a sudden he is the most likely player to bust out of the 2010 draft class? Give me a break.

 

If Bradford falls to us it would be a steal.

 

 

Totally agree. I just hope Bradford is gone by our pick so I don't have to watch the Bills foolishly pass on him.

[bobobonators]

I couldn't agree more.

 

The lines are the reason the Bills stink. The fact that the Bills started such an inexperienced O-line last year just destroyed any chance the QB's would succeed.

 

The QB's had no chance. The desire to draft a QB in the 1st round is really a mistake. Why draft a rookie QB just to watch his brains get beat out?

 

First you build a house on a solid foundation before you worry about the furniture in the living room.

 

I couldn't disagree more. What 99% of the OT people keep forgetting is taht just b/c we draft a QB at 9 doesn't mean he has to start from day 1. Quite frankly, he would be better off on the sidelines for at LEAST 3/4 of the season, if not the entire season so he can get comfortable with the pro system.

 

Your house statement is cute, but really, it doesn't apply every time to the NFL. Just b/c we go with an OT at 9 doesn't mean our problems on the OL are solved..and the same with picking a QB at 9. However, i'd much rather take a chance on a QB at nine and miss as opposed to taking a chance on an OT at 9 and missing the mark.

 

Also, who's to say how bad our O-line really is when you have the likes of Edwards, Fitz, JP, and Brohm starting for you? Is the O-line really that bad, or is it the QB as well, or a combination of both? Look at Green Bay and how many sacks they give up, yet Rodgers still manages to put up insane numbers. Should he be benched until a "solid foundation" is formed? nonsense.

 

Point is, we could spend the next 10 years trying to find an O-line that actually gels while we keep throwing the likes of Edwards and Fitzy out there who would still get sacked 30 times a year playing behind the Colts offensive line.

 

You take the franchise QB fellas. We're not building a house, we're building a football team. And a winning football team requires a god-damned productive QB.

[bobobonators]

Bradford is the most accurate qb to come out of this draft. Yes he plays in the spread, but his accuracy and route anticipation is uncanny, and he can make all the necessary throws. Doesn't have the strongest arm, but more than makes up for it with his timing and very quick release. Played a good deal at Oklahoma taking snaps from under center, so does have experience in this regard. Is kind of a stationary qb, who was rarely if ever forced out of the pocket. Played behind a great line in Oklahoma up until this year. Durability is a rather fair issue, but his upside trumps any possible downside. He's not quite the franchise qb prospect that Matt Stafford or Sanchez were last year, but even they had question marks. It's about high time The Bills get better at the quarterback position and Bradford is the safest bet to achieve that. Whether he's there at 9 is doubtful. I expect Shanahan or Carroll to pick him up before we get to pick.

 

McShay had Bradford (as a sophmore last year) rated as the number 1 QB prospect if he declared - over Stafford, and WELL OVER Sanchez. Not that that really means anything now..but just noting it.

[RyanC882]

Totally agree. You need a willing partner for a trade and a decent player to fall to that spot that some other team covets. Bradford falling to that spot with no other QB's taken at that point would be the best thing to happen to the Bills. They could move down 4-6 spots and still land a QB, LB, LT and perhaps pick up a second or a number 1 next year. The farther they move down the easier the player is to sign at less money with probbakly the same chance of success. Hmmmm... what other team in the AFC east consistently does that???

 

 

I like this idea a lot. No more reaching for players high in the draft.