Quote: I agree with DC. How many of the NFLs elite QBs came from a powerhouse school? Brady and Manning? Flacco, Eli, Matt, Aaron, Drew, Ben, Tony, Phillip and etc. didn't come from powerhouse schools.
This is an interesting idea. Someone should start a thread about this.
First off, we have to debate which colleges are "elite," such as USC, Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, etc Then, we could discuss which universities are fairly well recognized, such as Purdue, Michigan State, South Carolina, Clemson, Maryland, etc. Then, we identify the lower tier colleges, such as Miami of Ohio, South Florida, New Mexico, Colorado State, etc.
Wonder what it will prove?
I think a lot of it has to deal with guys have chips on their shoulders coming out of college because they played for a smaller school. They always have to prove themselves. Also they can carry traditionally weaker teams, which helps them as franchise QBs carrying a team. It also helps when you make the best out of what little talent you have around you.
Quote: If you are in position to draft a premium QB, I believe that you have to take it. (especially on a team like ours that has been starved for quality starting QB play)
I agree. You can always trade a QB at a permium, because there is always going to be somebody like us who needs one.
That said....I'd take Clowney over anybody. He is the player. A once every 40 years guy.....yes, I say 40 years. He throws the best of the SEC around like they are rag dolls.
Think Bruce Smith/LeRoy Selmon wrapped in to one.....maybe a little Randy White to boot. The guy looks like a good college player playing against a JV football team.
He does what he wants most of the time. Factor in he does it against top competition week after week and that tells me he is "The Deal".
Check this out....just look for the guy in Red who looks way bigger than anyone else , then watch him blow up the play....those with a eye will spot him inside 2 seconds.
can't think of anyone else that should be number #1 overall. anyone who passes on him will make the biggest mistake in nfl history.
Rich I don't know - Pass Rusher is an important position but nothing can compare to a true Overall #1 pick QB unless his name is Couch n Carr (of course with debate that an expansion team should never take QB) both were pummeled.
But for the most part its like do you wish to have Luck or Mario Williams. The most Recent at the perspective positions to go overall #1.
Just remember - Clowney has an amazing Hi-light reel but he is not perfect, definitely a great athlete.
I think Bridgewaters will be #1 I think that is his name - I picture him playing but I don't have a picture of his name in my head...lol
JMHO
Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off! Go Browns! CHRIST HAS RISEN! GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
Browns GM Michael Lombardi Tips His Hand on Direction of Future NFL Drafts and Free Agency
– Posted on May 24, 2013Posted in: Cleveland Browns, Draft
By Sam Ingro Senior Writer
In one simple sentence, Michael Lombardi may have just given fans a hard indication of where they will be looking for player personnel moving forward in both free agency and the NFL Draft.
“The SEC,” Lombardi said in an article on grantland.com, “is a whole different animal. If all we did was take guys from Alabama and LSU, we’d be [expletive] great.”
Lombardi’s comments about how highly he thought of the Southeastern Conference were on full display in the 2013 NFL Draft. Thinking back, analysts predicted the Browns first-round pick was between Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner and LSU linebacker Barkevious Mingo, for good reason. The Browns’ front office pulled the trigger on Mingo and got their prize from the SEC they coveted.
That isn’t all that they have brought in from the NCAA powerhouse, however. In spring practices this season, the team has brought in many ex-SEC players, including: Tackle Chris Faulk (LSU), linebacker Kendrick Adams (LSU), cornerback Akeem Augusta (South Carolina), punter Spencer Lanning (South Carolina), wide receiver Tori Gurley (South Carolina), kicker Brandon Bogotay (Georgia), linebacker Quentin Groves (Auburn), safety Kenronte Walker (Missouri) and wide receiver David Nelson (Florida).
Considering the SEC is currently riding a seven-year BCS Championship title streak, it’s hard to argue with Lombardi’s logic. The conference has been absolutely dominant and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The SEC is already set to crank out another premier prospect crop of talent in the 2014 NFL Draft, and you can be sure the Browns are watching them closely.
The SEC talent pool tentatively projected to go in the 2014 first round includes: Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina), quarterback Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), offensive tackle Jake Matthews (Texas A&M), cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy (Florida), quarterback A.J. McCarron (Alabama), offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (Alabama), defensive tackle Anthony Johnson (LSU), defensive end Adrian Hubbard (Alabama), inside linebacker A.J. Johnson (Tennessee), safety Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix (Alabama) and offensive tackle Antonio Richardson (Tennessee).
It’s a bit ridiculous, and yes, the rest of the draft is stacked the exact same way. While Lombardi is at the helm, the Browns will continue to be actively involved in bringing in top SEC talent until they put a winner on the field. Establishing a winning culture in Cleveland comes from finding proven winners, and the players that they are bringing in certainly know how to do that. If you are looking to scout where your next crop of 2014 Cleveland Browns are coming from, thanks to Lombardi, you now have a good place to start.
I think an interesting exercise would be to go back through the last 5 drafts, and pick any player only from the SEC available in each round after say, the 8th pick (25% of teams picking higher) and see how good of a roster you can make fully knowing the outcome of the player ahead of time, then compare that to current NFL teams.
2008 1 - Jerrod Mayo MLB (Tennessee) 2 - Early Doucet WR (LSU) 3 - Andre Caldwell WR (Florida) 4 - Red Bryant DT (A&M) 5 - Matt Flynn QB (LSU) 6 - King Dunlap OT (Auburn) 7 - Steve Johnson WR (Kentucky)
2009 1 - Michael Oher OT (Ole Miss) 2 - Mike Wallace WR (Ole Miss) 3 - Arian Foster RB (Tennessee) 4 - Ramon Foster G (Tennessee) 5 - Captain Munnerlyn CB (South Carolina) 6 - Rick Jean-Francois DT (LSU) 7 - Ryan Succop K (South Carolina)
2010 1 - Markice Pouncey C (Florida) 2 - John Jerry G (Ole Miss) 3 - Aaron Hernandez TE (Florida) 4 - Geno Atkins DT (Georgia) 5 - Reshad Jones S (Georgia) 6 - Trindon Holliday KR (LSU) 7 - Jamar Chaney LB (Miss St)
2011 1 - Justin Houston DE (Georgia) 2 - Stevan Ridley RB (LSU) 3 - Ryan Mallet QB (Arkansas) 4 - Denarious Moore WR (Tennessee) 5 - Ahmad Black S (Florida) 6 - Greg McElroy QB (Alabama) 7 - Spencer Lanning P (South Carolina)
2012 1 - Stephon Gilmore CB (South Carolina) 2 - Cordy Glenn OT (Georgia) 3 - Ben Jones G (Georgia) 4 - Vick Ballard RB (Miss St) 5 - Blair Walsh K (Georgia) 6 - Danny Trevathan LB (Kentucky) 7 - Brad Smelley TE (Alabama)
2013 1 - Eric Reid S (LSU) 2 - Kevin Minter LB (LSU) 3 - Damontre Moore DE (A&M) 4 - Tyler Wilson QB (Arkansas) 5 - Devonte Holloman LB (South Carolina) 6 - Bacarri Rambo S (Georgia) 7 - Chris Gragg TE (Arkansas)
Would get a Lineup of QB: Flynn, Mallet, Wilson, McElroy RB: A. Foster, Ridley, Balard WR: Wallace, Moore, Caldwell WR: Johnson, Doucet TE: Hernandez, Gragg, Smelley LT: Glenn, Dunlap LG: Jerry, R. Jones C: Pouncey RG: R. Foster, B. Jones RT: Oher K: Walsh, Succop
DE: Houston DT: Atkins DT: Bryant DE: Jean-Francois OLB: Minter, Trevathan MLB: Mayo OLB: Holloman, Chaney CB: Munnerlyn FS: Reid, Jones SS: Black CB: Gilmore
P: Lanning KR: Holliday
Sure it's not a world beater lineup but it's not bad.
Thanks for the article pblack...Funny thing though although it explains 25-35% of our UDFA or waived player signings to come in n get a shot. I'm pretty sure only Mingo was SEC in our DRAFTED Class of 5. But I can see a high concentration of our First n Second round picks (considered to be the two IMPACT Rounds) being of SEC guys. But I don't think we pass up on a higher valued prospect...just breaking a tie. For example I could see us having Jordan n Mingo valued very close together. The tie breaker (besides the shoulder of Jordan) could be SEC over PAC.
Hey no secret Alabama had a NFL like starting OL - just ask ND. But all these guys bringing in from UDFA or waived players. I'm like ehhhh cause it reminds me of Butch's little black book from HS prospects he recruited.
JMHO
Defense wins championships. Watson play your butt off! Go Browns! CHRIST HAS RISEN! GM Strong! & Stay safe everyone!
