Question about Tannehill
 

I really like Ryan Tannehill, but I only watched so much A&M.

Isn't it true he had his worst games against good competition?

I'm going to take the silence I'm facing as an "oh shit, you mean he isn't a surefire franchise QB?"

I don't know.

I'm pretty neutral on Tannehill, but doesn't it stand to reason that players would have their best games against inferior competition and vice versa?

A&M plays a serious schedule, though. There aren't a lot of puffballs on their schedule.

I typically gravitate towards players that play their best when they are needed the most.

Players like Luck and (get ready for my new thrill this offseason) Brandon Weeden do that.

Tannehill has not displayed that ability to my mind. I think he had a pretty good game against LSU, and every other good team he's faced, he tanked.

What? Seriously?

I like Russell Wilson, but don't want to touch him because he's 25.

Weeden is 28 FFS.

I understand. I'm absolutely crazy for loving a rookie who will be 29 years old. I know.

I just think this guy is a talent. If he was 25 he'd be a 2nd rounder.

If the Chiefs are going to march onto the field with Cassel, or Manning, or Matt Flynn, they're going to have Ricky Stanzi at backup.

As of now, that's not enough; this staff currently has no faith in Stanzi. I'd take Weeden in a backup role if the value was right.

Russell Wilson just turned 23 in November. He's also about 5'10.

Great against better competition

Stanzi had 3 major tests in conference in 2010, a Big-10 Conference in which Stanzi has started for 3 seasons...and these teams have a book on him. Facing Wisconsin (11-2), Michigan State (11-2) and Ohio State (12-1), Stanzi put up the following stats:

7 Passing TDs and NO Interceptions The elite QBs of the NFL threw for between 15-19 Pass Attempts per Passing TD in "key" games, and some QBs hit as low (good) as 10-12 Pass Attempts per Passing TD. Stanzi averaged a very low (good) 11.9 Passing TDs per Pass Attempts in these 3 big matchups Besides a stellar/perfect NO interceptions in these big 3 games, Stanzi hit on a 67.4% Completion Percentage as well

Iowa/Stanzi played the Arizona Wildcats this season, coached by defensive guru Mike Stoops. Stoops/Arizona only allowed two QBs to throw for 3+ TDs in a game against them this season -- not Andrew Luck (he had 2), but it was Oregon's Darron Thomas and yes...Ricky Stanzi.

I don't like Tannehill in the first b/c I don't see him as better than Stanzi.

Homer.

Tannehill's ceiling might be higher but his floor is much, much lower.

Stanzi is basically NFL-ready right now. He could start opening day 2012 if needed.

Tannehill has at least 2 years of work, maybe more, before he could be ready and that's assuming he continues to develop. He might not.

Not really.

Mock draft: With Barkley, Jones staying put, A&M's Tannehill moves into top 10

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Now that Black Monday has passed, several teams in the top 10 of the draft are going to be run by new general managers or at least have new coaches who will have a major voice in the selection process.

These teams—in particular, the Colts and Rams—need a lot of talent and the new men in charge will have little allegiance to the current players on the team. So don’t be shocked to see a number of well-known veterans cut or traded by these bad teams.

Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill will benefit from some his peers' decisions. (AP Photo)
No matter what happens with Colts coach Jim Caldwell, whose status is still up in the air, look for Indy to take Andrew Luck with the first pick. There was more evidence on Saturday, as ESPN reported that the Colts plan to select Luck.

Meanwhile, with Oklahoma’s Landry Jones and USC’s Matt Barkley staying in school, you can bet Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s stock is rising and will continue to climb right up until draft day.

There are still a number of underclassmen who have yet to make their intentions known, but based on the information we have now, here’s how our newest mock draft shakes out:

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck*, QB, Stanford. Regardless of the fact that Bill and Chris Polian are no longer running the team, the Colts must make the smart choice by drafting Andrew Luck because no one knows whether Peyton Manning will be able to play at his pre-injury level.

2. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon*, WR, Oklahoma State. With a new head coach (expected to be Jeff Fisher) on board, the Rams will likely trade this pick to a team that wants Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. If they keep the pick, they will have a hard time passing on Blackmon, who showed he is an elite talent in Oklahoma State’s Fiesta Bowl win over Stanford.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil*, OT, USC. The Vikings know that if Christian Ponder is going to develop, they have to find a left tackle to upgrade their pass protection. Kalil is the best offensive tackle in the draft and should be able to start as a rookie.

4. Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin III*, QB, Baylor. The Browns will likely have to trade up if they want to secure Griffin. They know they need to find a long-term solution at quarterback because Colt McCoy has not shown the goods in his two seasons.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jonathan Martin*, OT, Stanford. The Bucs need to think long and hard about taking Trent Richardson to upgrade their rushing attack. But without quality pass protection, Josh Freeman will never become a top-level quarterback. So Martin is the logical choice.

6. Washington Redskins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M. Tannehill is still developing after switching from wideout to quarterback in 2010. With his elite athleticism, size (6-4, 225) and strong arm, he fits the mold of a Mike Shanahan quarterback.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina. Aaron Kampman hasn’t played much in two seasons with the Jaguars because of injuries, and that has hindered the Jaguars’ ability to pressure the quarterback. Coples is a strong, physical end who could upgrade their pass rush quickly.

8. (tie) Carolina Panthers: Devon Still, DT, Penn State. Throughout much of the 2011 season, the Panthers started two rookie defensive tackles—and the inside pass rush was weak. Still is a powerful man who can control blockers, shoot gaps and disrupt running plays in the backfield.

8. (tie) Miami Dolphins: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina. Considering Cameron Wake is the Dolphins' only established pass rusher, Brown brings the skills this team needs. He has the explosiveness and edge pass-rush ability to be an ideal fit rushing from outside linebacker in the Dolphins’ 3-4 scheme.

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff*, OT, Iowa. Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled greatly over the second half of 2011, and if the Bills can’t provide better pass protection in 2012, their passing attack will not improve.

11. (tie) Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro*, G, Stanford. The Chiefs had offensive line issues for much of 2011, and though they would prefer to get a young offensive tackle, they grab DeCastro here to shore up their interior line.

11. (tie) Seattle Seahawks: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Sidney Rice had injury problems in his first season in Seattle, and the Seahawks’ offense needs a high-level receiver to open things up and help Tarvaris Jackson make the next step as a starting quarterback.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Alshon Jeffery*, WR, South Carolina. Without Anquan Boldin, the Cardinals' passing attack struggled with consistency the past two seasons as defenses were able to focus on Larry Fitzgerald. Grabbing Jeffery who has rare size (6-4, 233), makes perfect sense because he would be a nice complement to Fitzgerald.

14. Dallas Cowboys: Morris Claiborne*, CB, LSU. Dallas' secondary was exposed over and over again in 2011, and veteran corner Terence Newman really struggled. That leads Dallas to select the most physically gifted cornerback in the draft.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Kuechly*, LB, Boston College. The Eagles don’t have many glaring needs, but linebacker is definitely one. So they take Kuechly, who would provide needed playmaking ability at the second level.

16. New York Jets: Trent Richardson*, RB, Alabama. Shonn Greene has not developed into a top back, so they grab Richardson—an elite prospect who slid down to them because the value of running backs has fallen in this pass-first league.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland), Mark Barron, S, Alabama. The Bengals have not received consistent play from their safeties, and Barron would fill that need. He is a smart, instinctive defender who consistently makes good decisions and is in the right spot to make impact plays.

18. San Diego Chargers: Nick Perry*, OLB, USC. San Diego's defense didn’t make enough impact plays, and too often could not get off the field. So they grab Perry, who should fit in well in the Chargers’ 3-4 scheme.

19. Chicago Bears: Dre Kirkpatrick*, CB, Alabama. Though the Bears want to upgrade their offensive line, there aren’t any top-level linemen left on the board. They select the 6-3 Kirkpatrick, who excels in tight man coverage and has the long arms and ball skills to break up and intercept passes.

20. Tennessee Titans: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona. Kenny Britt had major knee surgery in September, and the Titans want to shore up the position. They choose the underrated Criner, who can make an immediate impact as a big-play wideout.

21. Denver Broncos: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska. The Broncos may consider drafting a quarterback in the first round. But in the end, they add a cornerback because Champ Bailey is not getting any younger.

22. Cincinnati Bengals: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State. Cedric Benson will be a free agent this offseason, and the Bengals will likely draft a potential starting back rather than pay Benson big bucks.

23. New York Giants: Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State. With Kareem McKenzie nearing the end of a long career, the Giants jump at the chance to grab Zanders as their future right tackle.

24. Houston Texans: Dontari Poe*, NT, Memphis. The Texans’ 3-4 defense was very good in 2011 even though it didn’t have a big nose tackle. Houston gambles that Poe (6-5, 350) will fulfill his considerable potential after not being a dominant producer at Memphis.

25. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta): Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor. After grabbing their quarterback of the future early in the draft, they take the man he threw the ball to at Baylor to be a big-play receiver.

26. Detroit Lions: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama. The Lions have struggled to find high-quality starting cornerbacks and are willing to take a gamble on Jenkins. If he can take care of his business off the field, he has tools to be a playmaking cornerback.

27. Baltimore Ravens: Vontaze Burfict*, ILB, Arizona State. Burfict decided to come out early despite not having a great junior season. If he gets back on track, he would be an ideal replacement for Ray Lewis down the road.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brandon Thompson, NT, Clemson. Longtime nose tackle Casey Hampton is 34 and had injury problems this season, so Pittsburgh continues its D-line youth movement by grabbing Thompson. He can learn under Hampton for a season or two before taking over as the starter.

29. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Fletcher Cox*, DT, Mississippi State. The Patriots’ defense struggled big-time this season, and Cox would be an excellent addition in an under-tackle role next to nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina. The 49ers need receiving help to work with top wideout Michael Crabtree. They jump at the chance to grab Jones, who has the size (6-4), strength and run-after-catch ability that the 49ers desperately need.

31. New England Patriots: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina. Andre Carter, the Patriots’ best pass rusher in 2011, is 32 and had season-ending quadriceps surgery last month. The Pats have to find other pass rushers, and Ingram has the tools to be effective off the edge.

32. Green Bay Packers: Jerel Worthy*, DT, Michigan State. Worthy did not play like a first-rounder in 2011. But he has top-10 talent and the Packers are willing to gamble here because they need to upgrade their defensive line.



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This. I think he has great physical upside, but is going to be raw.