How do you rate the criteria for a great QB?

[Steely Dan]

Everybody seems to have a differing opinion on what the most important skills are for each position. Some like speed others like power and others like agility or something else. So if you were going to build the perfect player for each position what would you do? (These are not based on combine numbers but actual field play)

 

Here's my opinion; (The #1 is they are in the top ten at their position in the NFL. The #10 is assuming below average for the players at their position in the NFL. All of the criteria cannot be considered best in NFL.) Please use the criteria I've listed or explain another criteria you'd use. This is harder than ya think.

 

We'll start with QB's and I'll add other positions later for those who want to participate in these discussions. My choices would be centered around a power running game. It chews up the clock and rests the defense. By chewing up the clock the other teams offense is off the field longer.

 

QB:

 

1. Accuracy - Inaccurate QB's can cause turnovers and trouble moving the chains.

2. Ability to read defenses - Helps the QB audible to a better play when necessary

3. Character off field - He is the face of the franchise most of the time

4. Ability to feel pressure and escape - Avoiding sacks is obviously important

5. Intelligence - Smart players get better (Polian and Levy ideal)

6. Character on field - Must be fairly even tempered to keep teammates calm and not cost team penalties

7. Ability to quickly find open man - The less time it takes to get rid of the ball the better

8. Arm strength - Ability to make all the throws

9. Height 6'3"-6"5" - Taller QB's can see the field better

10. Ability to lead - If the above are true leading by example and being very good at the position sort of take care of themselves.

 

When I was doing this I found that things I thought were very important weren't as important as they seemed.

[PDaDdy]

I don't know that I really agree with your break down. You could roll up everything between the ears as "football smarts". This includes feeling pressure, reading defenses, audibles etcThe other problem is that some traits mean nothing if you don't have a bare minimum in some other traits like arm strength. If you were the best ever in every category but had a really weak arm you'll never be successful. You could be the fastest, strongest, tallest QB ever but if you are dumb as a rock it doesn't matter.

 

Here is how I rank it and what I want to see in a QB. Some QBs that have an exceptional characteristic like Mobility can succeed even though lacking in other areas.

 

1) Football Smarts (Need to be a student of the game and know what to do)

2) Arm strength (Once you figure out where the ball needs to go you have to have the arm to get it there. Can't be taught)

3) Accuracy (If you have sufficient arm strength to make the appropriate throw, it has to be on target. Can be learned)

4) Quick Release (Once steps 1 - 3 are taken care of you need to make the decision to get it out before being killed)

5) Leadership (Funny thing. A QB can be a natural leader or a leader by default due to great performance. Coaches are the real leaders)

6) Mobility (GREAT contributing asset but not needed if the QB is high in attributes 1, 2, 3)

7) Height (Doug Flutie, important but not critical)

[Steely Dan]

I don't know that I really agree with your break down. You could roll up everything between the ears as "football smarts". This includes feeling pressure, reading defenses, audibles etcThe other problem is that some traits mean nothing if you don't have a bare minimum in some other traits like arm strength. If you were the best ever in every category but had a really weak arm you'll never be successful. You could be the fastest, strongest, tallest QB ever but if you are dumb as a rock it doesn't matter.

 

Here is how I rank it and what I want to see in a QB. Some QBs that have an exceptional characteristic like Mobility can succeed even though lacking in other areas.

 

1) Football Smarts (Need to be a student of the game and know what to do)

2) Arm strength (Once you figure out where the ball needs to go you have to have the arm to get it there. Can't be taught)

3) Accuracy (If you have sufficient arm strength to make the appropriate throw, it has to be on target. Can be learned)

4) Quick Release (Once steps 1 - 3 are taken care of you need to make the decision to get it out before being killed)

5) Leadership (Funny thing. A QB can be a natural leader or a leader by default due to great performance. Coaches are the real leaders)

6) Mobility (GREAT contributing asset but not needed if the QB is high in attributes 1, 2, 3)

7) Height (Doug Flutie, important but not critical)

 

To me feeling pressure is an instinct and not learned. Some guys can just feel pressure on the backside and step up without turning around. Arm strength is not that important to me. If a guy can throw accurately 40 yards that's sufficient. Arm strength can be improved as well. Intelligence is the ability to learn and retain information and thus is different from football smarts IMO.