Clayton: Confident Sanchez has solid showing
 

Confident Sanchez has solid showing
A ball of nervous energy, USC QB Mark Sanchez had a good throwing performance Sunday at the combine.

ESPN.com
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INDIANAPOLIS -- One of the neat things about having a top quarterback participate in the combine is seeing how his personality is exposed before scouts, coaches and GMs for 32 teams.

USC's Mark Sanchez clearly showed his competitive nature Sunday.

Sanchez was in a group that featured 10 quarterbacks, but the only one who didn't throw was Matthew Stafford of Georgia, a close friend of Sanchez's who is competing with him to be the top pick in the draft.

Instead of throwing at the combine, most potential first-round QBs elect to hold their own throwing session in March at their college campuses with receivers they know. Peyton Manning, one of the most competitive quarterbacks in the game, skipped the combine workouts when he turned pro in 1998 and advised Stafford to do the same. Stafford did only the running drills and vertical drills Sunday.

Sanchez, a ball of nervous energy during the drills, elected to do all of them.

"That's just me," Sanchez said Friday, two days before his workouts. "I've got to do this. I feel like I want to do it. I'm a competitive person. I want to win, and that's what I'm about. It would kill me not to throw.''

Sanchez wasn't great in the throwing drills, but he was good enough. He proved he could make all the necessary throws to be a top NFL quarterback. His slant passes to his right were the strongest. He held the ball high and displayed good mechanics. He completed both of his go passes to the right side at 31 and 32 yards. His 40-yard go patterns to his left were accurate and had nice arc. Very few of his passes hit the ground, showing that he has a catchable ball.

I could tell this week that the competitive fire within Sanchez still burns after he had one of the best games of his career in the Rose Bowl. Sanchez completed 28 of 35 passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-24 victory over Penn State. He was ready for his next challenge, so he applied for the NFL draft and skipped his senior season.

"I feel like this really was the right time for me," Sanchez said. "That was obviously the pinnacle of my career. I felt very tuned in, dialed in for that game. I visualized things very well, and we played at heck of a game as a team first. We peaked at the right time, and it was a good way to go out."

Sanchez showed confidence in his throwing motion and mechanics Sunday. He also had a good fan base, led by, of all people, Stafford, who cheered Sanchez when he ran his 40 and encouraged him during the throwing session. Although Stafford didn't throw, he took time to help Sanchez loosen up before the drills. Their friendship goes back to the Nike Elite 11 camp in high school.

Stafford edged Sanchez in the 40-yard dash, running 4.84 seconds twice. Sanchez ran a 4.88 and 4.97. Sanchez topped Stafford in the vertical jump, leaping 32.5 inches to Stafford's 30.5.

Should Sanchez go ahead of Stafford in the draft?

"Absolutely," Sanchez said. "I'd better think that. And I think he should think that, too. That's what we've got to think. As a competitor, that's all I want to do is be the best that I can be. And the best you can do in this draft is be No. 1.''

What? According to the usual people around here, he sucked just like they hoped he would.

Just the people who actually watched him. I'm sure they'll be happy to read Clayton and decide they didn't really see what they saw.

Quite frankly, he was wasn't good, and Clayton is an idiot.

I think you should go find an older chimpanzee to take in as a house pet.

He was awful. I'm not sure how anyone could disagree with that. He didn't really make any good throws.

One of the "neat" things?

What a disastrous first sentence.

He's retro cool, you know.

Indeed.

You're quick on the response, though. Got my typo before I could correct.

Makes me look pretty cool, too, while criticizing another's word choice. ROFL

By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com, TFYDraft.com

Sliders:

Mark Sanchez/QB/USC: Sanchez struggled most of the day and may have pushed himself out of the draft's first 10 selections. He was accurate throwing between the numbers, but Sanchez sprayed the outs and was very inaccurate with his deep outs. Most worrisome is Sanchez showed marginal arm strength and on a number of occasions receivers were slowing up in their deep patterns as his passes were underthrown.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?eref=T1

Sanchez didn't look bad, he wasn't perfect but like the article says he was solid.

By Don Banks SI:

-- Southern Cal's Sanchez did nothing to make anyone believe he's top 10 material at this point. He struggled quite a bit on passes he threw outside the numbers, near the sidelines, and only looked great on slant patterns. I expect any potential chatter about Sanchez being a real option for the Lions at No. 1 to all but evaporate unless he has a boffo pro day workout next month.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?eref=T1

most of that stuff is timing with the WR's and the QB, knowing the speed of the WR and how he breaks. Which is why the Stafford didn't throw.

There's no way that effort can be called "solid".

I'll look into it, but I'm a little leery. Can you send me some Xanax?

:shrug: maybe he isnt used to throwing to WR's that actually have speed.

I didnt think he looked good at all. He did nothing to separate himself from the other QBs.

I think his attitude and demeanor during the workout overshadows any less than stellar throws he might've had. He had a lot of pressure on him but was out there joking around and staying loose. What scares me about Stafford is he seems to get overly stressed in the heat of the moment and appears quick to get a deer in the headlights type aura about him.

Sorry, he sucked today. Hopefully he can display some skill at his Pro Day. If not, we'll see if it affects his draft stock. I personally think it hurts him a little especially with the low number of starts he's had. Someone who started 4 years and then had a bad day at the combine probably doesn't need to worry so much. When you only measure 6'2" and make bad throws all day, your stock starts to go down pretty fast. It's disappointing because I kinda like the kid.

So did he suck or did he do good?

He did not do well, Pat White had the best day for QBs.

He sucked and proved that he was immature and needs at least two more years in college to show that he can perform in the NFL. It is too much of a risk to take Sanchez in the first 7 rounds. The Chiefs should only draft him if he falls to them in the 9th or 10th round. I would rather have an ok kick-off specialist that an immature sexual predator who needs to have his brother as an agent like Sanchez /SensibleChiefsFan

This assumes that the specialist listens to his mommy, of course. Not doing so is a terrible sign of immaturity.

Now I need to go to my room.

Pat White seriously?

Stafford didn’t throw because he didn’t need to throw.

Just curious why you think that having a semi-bad day at the combine = him being immature?

Kind of sounds silly to me.

He did a solid job.

Def not something to hang his hat on Dirk.

Best thing about Pat White is you can get him late, and Pioli will draft franchise QB's in the 6th round every year. /true fan

***Cross-thread humor alert***

more like reeruned

Sanchez didn't need to either, but he did

This would allow Gailey to do all the innovative things that he wanted to do with Hagans, or whatever that WR's name was.

Pioli loves little ****ing option QB's.

It's the Patriots way.

I dissagree, Stafford has almost twice the throws that Sanchez has on the collegiate stage. Like Ryan last year he didnt need to throw.

Yeah, I figured saying pick him up in the 9th or 10th round... or him going back to school for 2 more years... or the "/SensibleChiefFan" would kind of give that away.

Yeah but I have a feeling he will light it up on USC's pro day and then he will be back in the mix.

It could just be the "jitters".

LMAO

Damn I totally missed the /

Sorry about that

Sanchez performed well under "hollywood" scrutiny that allows the maturation process to accelerate. Like I said most of this has to with timing with the WR and the QB. knowing the speed of the WR and how he breaks to the ball.

Could be I suppose

Did you watch him today or are you taking Clayton's word for it? I don't know how anyone who watched him today could say he looked "solid."

I love how Clayton says he threw a catchable ball. Other than when he was throwing the ball well out of bounds, I would agree. His receivers had to slow to an almost stop, but without a defender there to pick the pass off, it was pretty easy to catch as they didn't have to run very fast.

This is why TW is hard to take seriously.
He's got tunnel vision.

I still want Sanchez in the draft, but I'm not so biased by my overall opinion that I can't see.

Possibly with the throws ( I don’t buy into the “hollwood” bs )

That's why I actually like your takes. You allow for reality instead of just hammering home a point that is senseless.

Are you saying he's a SensibleChiefsfan?

Milk, you gonna stand for this shit?

I agree you are not biased and I always respect your opinions and takes.

It seems to me we have tunnel vision Sanchez lovers and tunnel vision Sanchez haters on this board and very few that keep it real.

ROFLROFL

LMAO

Oh...It's on..

snaps under center deals with experience under certain situations and the pressure that comes with it. Sanchez took snaps under a pressure fueled program at USC which if the QB has 3 or 4 bad games his ass is benched for an equally athletic or talented backup. If your talking about experience and pressure Sanchez has lived it while playing QB at USC.

Sure but again IMO I think he has quite a bit more to prove/show than Stafford simply do to Staffords more time under center.

I haven't seen it anywhere on here but does anyone know how Chase Daniels did today?

I know he doesn't have much of a shot to be drafted but I hope he did well.

No one named Chase Daniels participated in the NFL combine.

Oh shut up :)

Gruden said that he thought Sanchez really helped himself so far at the combine. Go figure.


PhilFree:arrow:

But the midget named Chase Daniel didn't do anything to embarras himself.

The fact no one else, outside White stood out means he wont fall. The fact he did all the drills probably looks better in the eyes of a lot of the teams. The focus is more on mechanics and velocity not necessarily ball placement, due to not having worked with the WR's.

Yea the same guy that was sucking off Tebow, not much to figure.

.

Anyone and I mean anyone who makes a real assessment of what a QB can do at the combine is really setting themselves up for failure...

Drew Henson looked like a superstar in shorts.

True, but it is just as absurd to say he looked solid today. If we are just judging Sanchez on his performance today, he failed. Luckily, that's not the case, but it doesn't excuse his pisspoor performance today.

This is why guys don't throw at the combine and get advised not to.

Exactly.

Well said.

The only thing that will annoy me about this is the people that will rip him and say this costs him spots and yadda yadda are the same people that will say Jamarcus Russell sucks, you have to pick a side on whether you think the combine matters to QB's.

Personally I think the combine means very little to QB's.

Jamarcus Russell does suck. What the hell does that have to do with anything?

As I said elsewhere, the thing that matters most is his performance in games.

How he does on the Wonderlic and in interviews are the real important tests for him at the combine, as Hamas points out.

The performance in the combines on the field might raise questions, but he can answer those in his pro day work out and with his tape in games.

He looked like a god throwing at the combine...that's the point.

http://www.nfl.com/combine/workouts Mayock says that scouts and coaches don't care about that. They are looking for the fundamentals like footwork, how they hold the ball, and how strong their arm is.

So, someone can't say that Russell sucks and that Sanchez potentially hurt himself today?

I think the most you can say is that Sanchez didn't help himself to move ahead of Stafford.

correct, which is why individuals shouldn't go apeshit that a certain QB does a good or bad job at the event.

I didn't think Sanchez was awful or great I thought he was pretty much right in the middle...he showed good fundamentals and feet but missed on some throws and there was some bad timing going on.

It wasn't an awe inspiring performance but I didn't think it was anything that had a red flag in it.

This is most likely true, however if he doesn't look considerably better at his pro day, I think some serious red flags will be raised.

But, it has to be a concern that he didn't display the arm strength that most of us that like Sanchez knows he has.

He didn't hurt himself as much as some people think, but neither did he help himself.

I don't really think it's possible for him to surpass Stafford, Stafford is the one with the jawdropping natural ability, all of Sanchez big plusses over Stafford are things that aren't shown in workouts.

Will you at least concede that he needs to throw the ball MUCH better at his pro day to realistically be a candidate at #3? I just can't see Pioli drafting this guy if he throws like that again.

That's probably true, but Sanchez is showing his competitive nature by competing to at least make that attempt.

I guess that's just another sign of immaturity.

What exactly were you looking for I was watching his mechanics and feet...his arm strength didn't show through and the bad timing I was fully expecting since he wasn't familiar with any of the receivers.

I think the only thing he really needs to do is consistently show his arm strength more.

Depends who's evaluating him, some people think his confidence is cockiness.

His arm strength was my biggest concern going into today as I have repeatedly said. He actually showed WORSE arm strength today than what I was expecting, and I didn't expect much in that category. If it isn't significantly better in his pro day, that is a huge concern.

I watched all of Sanchez' throws today and thought he did a great job with his footwork, and keeping the ball high. Gruden seems to really like Sanchez, and what he brings to the table.

In the end, I think that with Crabtree measuring at 6'1, and surgery looming on his foot, he is almost undraftable at the #3 spot. If he waits until after his Pro Day to have the surgery, he may not be ready for Mini Camp. That being said, I think KC would be crazy to pass on a competitor like Sanchez. He has good intangibles, toughness, will only get better with more experience.

I came away liking Sanchez more today after his workout than before. I would be upset to see KC draft another LB like Curry or reach for another player when a QB like Sanchez is waiting and ready to impact a team.
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