OT: Clausen Pro Day
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/news/story?id=5070895
While I despise Clasuen about as much as the next guy, I have to admit that his performance at his pro day caught me off guard. Somewhat hampered by his turf toe, he still managed to complete 57/59 passes.
Like many of you, I attributed his recent success to the "If Michigan had Golden Tate and Michael Floyd our QBs would look better" rule, but, there is no doubting his game has improved.
So ... do we think he can make it in the NFL or is he the next Brady Quinn. Allegiances aside (if you can) what do you all think, and why?
Edit: I'm already on the record as saying "NO".
MGoClaussen approves this post.
But seriously I think he could be a good NFL QB.
My question is what the hell happened on those two incompletions? They are running scripted routes in shorts and Tshirts on a familiar field with no defenders. He has been practicing those routes to those receivers for months now, and he threw two incompletions?
He overthrew some guy on Notre Dame who was apparently very slow. Those were the reports at least, that Floyd was supposed to workout but some guy who averaged 10 yards a catch was there instead.
Clausen threw to Aldridge-FB/RB, Grimes-WR, Tate-WR, Schwapp-FB and Parris-WR. I hadn't heard Floyd was supposed to be there.
Rotoworld implied that Clausen was either expecting Floyd to be there, or had been working out with Floyd instead of of Parris so wasn't used to speed difference between the two. Keep in mind though rotoworld has guys they like, and guys they don't so they present their information with great bias IMO. I was just relaying what I read though.
Both balls were just over thrown to Robby Parris. He laid out for the first one but it went off his fingers and the 2nd looked to be the right distance but Parris seemed to miss time his step before going for the ball and hit the turf. It looked weird because the turf seemed to bounce back at him and it threw him to the ground. Parris will hopefully garner a FA offer after the draft is over, he doesn't have a lot of speed and made up for it with good hands this past season.
Clausen has been throwing for just over a week now I believe he said, not months, and said he feels about 75% now.
Its kinda funny that there is that much information out there about the 2 passes he did not complete. Any word on what the 1 pass Colt McCoy missed looked like. Seriously I would hope most missed balls would be just off someones fingertips.
ND streamed the Pro day live so I got to see it, thats the only reason why I know at all. But you're point is well taken and I fully agree.
here is all 59 throws I think, its been edited but I wasn't exactly counting, both misses are in there towards the end.
but I think that he's going to be something like Jeff George: a talented guy who can't rally a team to save his life. I heard an interview with a guy who covers the NFL draft the other day and he said that current NFL players who played with Clausen at ND had bad things to say about his locker room behavior.
I remember reading that he had grown up quite a bit last season--per his ND teammates. Having Notre Dame struggle so much may have been a blessing in disguise for his pro career.
As for his future success, a lot depends on his situation. I'm convinced that lots of QBs get ruined playing too early for really bad teams in the NFL, but who knows.
April 10th, 2010 at 12:00 AM ^
as long as Stafford isn't one of them, I'm ok with it
I think he will end up being an all pro. He's been the top dog at every level. Why not now? He's one of those guys you hate to play but you'd love him if he was on your team. Well maybe not.
then his career is probably doomed just because its Oakland. But he has the tools to make himself a good NFL QB. He is a better QB coming out of college than Quinn was and should have a better career than Quinn has had and probably will have.
Depends on if he gets too involved with the perks of being an NFL QB. If so then I think he'll be pretty good.
What kind of perks are you referring to?
What other perks would be worth mentioning?
Hahaha. Hookers are never free. Someone always has to pay.
"Hookers" are not free, by definition. However, there are a number of girls who are technically not hookers, who run around looking for NFLers to sleep with. You pay these hookers in fame, not money.
Blow, on the other hand, is never free. But it's close when you make 10+ mil a year.
A free hooker is a slut right?
Also known as a Michigan State graduate.
I have never doubted Claussen's accuracy or the accuracy of him referred to as a douchebag. I will never overlook or forget how he has composed himself and I hope he is a FAIL.
I think that he could be, with time. I'm not surprised he went 57/59 while playing catch, and firmly believe he could have done nearly as well as a freshman. That doesn't actually display much about his accuracy (meaning the ball goes exactly where he wants it to), since there are no defenders, the receivers adjust, etc.
That said, he IS accurate (critical for the pro game), and his toughness has improved dramatically under tough situations. I don't ever see him as perennial All-Pro, but can certainly imagine him as a solid starter someplace. Of the top QBs in this draft, he is probably the most prepared to run a pro offense behind a shaky line, as he would if he went near the top of the draft.
In Don Banks' last mock, Clausen went to Minnesota at 30. I think that would be ideal for this guy. That would give him time to grow up a bit and mature as a leader.
Clausen is extremely accurate when he has time, but I'm not sold on his ability to diagnose a blitz and react to pressure.
But I'd be scared too with Tim Jamison and BG closing in on me.
He is most likely going to Buffalo, I have mixed emotions on Clausen becoming the leader of the franchise so dear to me. On one hand he has talent, on the other he never has won anything, and seems like a immature jerk.
I always thought of him as a good QB but with a horrible line. I hear a lot of talk about Buffalo going with Trent Williams out of Oklahoma.
I think Trent will have success somewhere in the NFL, but I'm not convinced it will happen in Buffalo. I don't think Buddy Nix or Chan Gailey have confidence in Trent as anything more then a stopgap. They want to get a QB, and hopefully they draft some o-line in a talent rich and deep in later round talent.
Another Buffalonian uneasy about the thought of Clausen playing for the Bills!! I'm right with you.
That being said...
His arrogant "I just ate a turd sandwich, wanna smell my breath" smile is quite distracting. I can't see established NFL veterans like Ray Lewis, rallying around this kid.
Personality always counts for something, just ask Joe Flacco.
While I dislike him as much as anyone here I think he will make it in the NFL, but not without some struggles. He is a much better prospect than Quinn, whose stock had taken a big fall even before the draft.
... I think it's his ability to handle even a smidgen of pressure that would really concern me as a GM. I think, barring injury, he'll have a decent NFL career, but I just can't see him being a franchise player.
I appreciate that Clausen probably isn't as big a tool as he looks/acts/sounds/is percieved to be, but there is something inherently unlikable about him which will never go away. He might not be a bad teammate, but nobody will run through a wall for him. I just don't think that he will be successful in the league, even though he is quite talented. Also, Buffalo would never draft him, they don't want another quarterback from California.
For an AWESOME avatar ...
Seeing as you currently have 1 point, I guess I'll be the first to welcome you to these here boards.
Thanks. I did steal the picture from a hockey forum, but I was a goalie, so it had to be.
Is just one ugly man.
I think Jimmah is going to be a good NFL QB. I have been of the opinion he was a victim of a bad running game and a worse O-line. Sam Young has got to be, without a doubt, the most overrated LT in a long time.
Also, now that Quinn is out of Cleveland (quick last good Cleveland QB? Kosar? Sipe?) he is going to have a much better chance to make it as an NFL QB. Just my two cents.
As much as it pains me to say this, I think he can succeed in the NFL.
FORGET SUH THE LIONS SHOULD DRAFT CLAUSEN
/NFL Draft overhype cynicism
... threw up in my mouth a little. Not because of your joke, but the fact that it is not out of the realm of Lions stupidity to do something like that.
and so have the horrible personnel decisions. Mayhew and Schwartz have made some great moves this off-season and had a very good draft last year so they deserve a little benefit of the doubt.
that Buffalo would pass up on Clausen in the first round and go after Tebow in the second round.
colt mccoy completed all his completions but that doesnt really affect my thoughts as to how successful his pro career will be(all world with 10 straight superbowl wins of course :P). he should be above 90% comp % during a pro day where there arent any defenders.
i think hes got the best chance of all the quarterbacks in this years class to start and be successful as a rookie. hes got the best throwing motion of the quarterbacks and obviously hes been in a pro style offense, so he wont have to sit out a year or two so he can learn the offense.
bills have said that theyre going to skip on clausen in the 1st and pick tebow in the 2nd. while this is probably stupidest thing ive ever heard, it could just be posturing by the bills in order to keep teams from wanting to jump them in order to draft clausen.
would be a horrible decision. I know someone will take him higher than he should go but I just don't see why.
His tears cure cancer, do I need to say anymore?
"colt mccoy completed all his completions" wow man, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around that one, you may have just inadvertently opened up a wormhole in the internets.
Get a little too out of control?
I've noticed the disappearance of several threads recently, we all must be getting out of hand.
Kid was a stud QB coming out of high school, and when healthy and he had sufficient protection, Clausen showed that he could make all the throws you needed to as QB. Even during this year's game, he looked great throwing the ball. While I still think he looks a little weird, the guy will probably be a good pro. In fact, I'd rather have him than Tebow, McCoy, or even Bradford.
They said something on ESPN today how one of the insiders "heard" that Buffalo would skip taking Claussen and pick Tebow. I might not like Jimmy or Notre Dame, but that's just plain stupid. The kid's got talent, just needs to get coached up and maybe sit behind Edwards (or whoever) for a few years.
There's no question that Clausen has all the physical tools necessary. But name one big college win that he was chiefly responsible for... just one. I can't.
If I'm an NFL GM, I don't invest in people who don't know how to win. A QB needs the "it" factor, the leadership, the integrity to get it done late in the game. Chad Henne has "it", Tim Tebow certainly has "it". Jimmy does not. For further evidence see 1) failed late game comeback against a feeble USC team last year where the refs simply handed him three opportunities; 2) Michigan last year. We lost to Illinois, for Christ sake.