NFL Draft Clausen, The Most NFL Ready Jr QB EVER? - Page 4

philfree · 05:37 PM

Saw this when I was looking at the Walter mock draft page when i was looking the mock. Thought it was interesting.

Posted Dec. 29, 2009

Junior Quarterbacks - Jimmy Clausen

I bet you never thought in the past month that Notre Dame junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen is one of the most underappreciated quarterback prospects in the history of the NFL Draft. But after reading this blog entry, you just might change your mind.

First, I am going to tell you why you might not like Clausen, and let's be real here, there is a lot of bias against him. Some criticism is warranted, but a lot isn't.

Notre Dame is the most hated football program in America, period. They are the Duke of the gridiron. Automatically, you hate Clausen because he went to Notre Dame, just like you hated J.J. Reddick because he went to Duke. If you want to make an analysis as objective and professional as possible, then you need to cut the crap and get over the Notre Dame hate if you have it - and a lot of that is out there. Think about it: if you put Sanchez on Notre Dame and Jimmy Clausen at USC, then Sanchez is the hated prospect and Clausen is the beloved underclassman.

Maybe you don't like Clausen because of the blond, spiky hair, or the limo appearance he had when he was a senior in high school to declare for Notre Dame. These aren't "low profile" characteristics and automatically, you might have disliked him.

For whatever reasons you're down on Clausen, please put them in the back seat and have an open mind when reading this blog entry.

Clausen just amassed one of the most impressive junior seasons among pro-style quarterbacks in the past 10-20 years.

Let's remember that Clausen had a very bad offensive line this year for Notre Dame. Sure, he had good weapons, but the running game was poor and receivers Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph missed significant action (eight games missed total between them).

When Floyd went out, Clausen stepped up. With a bum turf toe, he didn't play at all in the second half and led the team to a game-winning drive to beat Purdue. The following week, he posted 422 passing yards against Washington. Over the next three games (USC, Boston College, Washinton State), Clausen threw for 774 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Clausen is a huge reason for Golden Tate's big season as well. While Tate is a talented player, he couldn't have done it without Clausen's extremely high level of accuracy.

Numerous times, Clausen played through pain this season. He led his team in games in crunch time, and was without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in the nation this year.

Criticizing Clausen because he had talent around him is a very poor argument. It isn't like Clausen was putting up just above average statistics - he dominated opponents. He showed a very high football IQ and rarely forced the ball in coverage. Did he throw some balls up for grabs? Sure, but Peyton Manning does the same thing occasionally to Reggie Wayne. Drew Brees lofts the ball up for Marques Colston in the red zone. Philip Rivers relies on Vincent Jackson. Quarterbacks can't do it all by themselves.

One statistic that can't be discussed enough is Clausen's 7:1 touchdown-intercpetion ratio, which is absolutely unheard of among junior quarterbacks in pro-style offenses. This is just ridiculous. It doesn't happen and it isn't supposed to happen. Give the man some credit where credit is due.

The bottom line is Clausen certainly needs to be looked at as one of, if not the most polished junior quarterback prospect in the history of the NFL Draft. I didn't say the BEST junior quarterback prospects because he doesn't have the physical skill, but he is certainly one of the most NFL-ready.

Analyze the statistics of a select group of quarterbacks in the spreadsheet below; all of these stats were taken from each quarterback's junior season. Aside from Matthew Stafford (I'm including him because I had him No. 1 overall on my big board), these highly thought-of quarterbacks that have gone on to outstanding success in the NFL.

Clausen simply blows everyone out of the water. His touchdown-interception ratio puts Peyton Manning's 1996 season to shame. His completion percentage is a good five points ahead of Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. Clausen threw six less interceptions than EVERYONE.

Clausen's ranks across the board: 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st.

I just don't understand how someone like Todd McShay can say Clausen is a second-round talent when you consider how his statistics compare to some of the NFL's current greats.

I'm not a fan of just analyzing statistics, and my evaluation of Clausen really doesn't have very much to do with them. All I am doing is putting his season into perspective.

The perspective proves that Clausen is worthy of much more respect than I feel like he is getting at the moment. We will probably never see a better junior season ever again. Charlie Weis leaving the college game means that there is one less West Coast offense in the NCAA.

Over the next 10 years, I fear that nearly all snaps are going to be taken out of shotgun and NFL front offices are going to be throwing darts and evaluating prospects based on physical tools only since the schemes are so easy to execute.

Clausen isn't executing an easy scheme - he is executing the toughest scheme on the national stage. Every week the camera is on him, and every week he delivered. If Notre Dame's defense was just above average, this team would have won 10 games.

If you don't like Clausen because he is cocky, then that is fine. I just hope you are consistent and also say Rivers is a bad NFL quarterback because he is cocky - because a slightly confident leader can't win games in the NFL, right?

Maybe if Philip Rivers went to Notre Dame...
----------------

Stats are here. http://walterfootball.com/mattblog091229.php

PhilFree

**DeezNutz** · 01-01-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Like I said, some of you morons are the same ones that declared Dorsey a bust after his rookie season.

Nuff said.

Who? Link?

TheGuardian · 01-01-2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Who? Link?

I'm not wasting my time. This board was littered with "Dorsey is a bust" "Trade Dorsey now while he still has value" bullshit this whole offseason. Or "Dorsey is wasted in the new scheme" shit.

Point is, fans are too impatient and have knee jerk reactions on a weekly basis.

If we had Larry Fitzgerald this is how it might go down.....

"That guy dropped a game winning touchdown! CUT HIS ASS!"

"But that's Larry Fitzgerald."

"Yeah what good is he catching all of those passes if he drops the one for a sure win?"

I've read plenty of these kinds of conversations here.

I'm going to repeat it....................

WE AREN'T DRAFTING A QB IN THE FIRST ROUND. END OF STORY.

Brock · 01-01-2010, 12:30 PM

There are a few dumbasses who think we should cut Bowe, so yeah, I kind of agree with you on the knee jerk reactions. However, I haven't seen Cassel do anything, anything at all, that justifies passing on drafting a franchise QB, if that's what Clausen is. And I'm not convinced he is.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-01-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Who? Link?

He can't come up with one, because not a single person he's referring to has said such a thing.

Not me, not you, not Mecca, Dane, Hamas, Pest, Milkman - none of us.

TheGuardian · 01-01-2010, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

He can't come up with one, because not a single person he's referring to has said such a thing.

Not me, not you, not Mecca, Dane, Hamas, Pest, Milkman - none of us.

Mecca said Dorsey was not "built" for this scheme. Hamas said Dorsey was being wasted in it. Plenty of people called Dorsey a bust. If you're not one of them, fine.

about it.

I'm not going back and looking it up I think they will both freely admit to these comments.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 01-01-2010, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Mecca said Dorsey was not "built" for this scheme. Hamas said Dorsey was being wasted in it. Plenty of people called Dorsey a bust. If you're not one of them, fine.

about it.

I'm not going back and looking it up I think they will both freely admit to these comments.

Neither of those comments have anything to do with him being a bust. If anything, it's the opposite. They see the talent the kid has, and are frustrated that he's not playing in a system that would make the most of his talents.

He is being wasted in this scheme, even though he's proven to be serviceable in it.

Chiefless · 01-01-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coogs

PhilFree,

I also think if we bring in Charlie Weis as the OC, which I have also read is possible (no link), the possibility we go with Clausen if he is available increases big time.

Interesting wrinkle.

Red Brooklyn · 01-01-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

we're not taking a ****ing QB with our first pick in this draft. End of story. It's not even a discussion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

We aren't drafting a QB in round 1 people PLEASE stop wasting server space with this shit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

WE ARE NOT DRAFTING A QUARTERBACK WITH OUR FIRST PICK. END OF STORY. PERIOD. DONE.

Wait... see now, I heard we were drafting a QB with our first pick... no?

Crush · 01-01-2010, 03:03 PM

I like where this thread is going.

TheGuardian · 01-01-2010, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Neither of those comments have anything to do with him being a bust. If anything, it's the opposite. They see the talent the kid has, and are frustrated that he's not playing in a system that would make the most of his talents.

He is being wasted in this scheme, even though he's proven to be serviceable in it.

This is why you are a dumbass.

One the reasons Dorsey has had such a turn around is because this scheme IS what he does best. He played in a similar gap responsibility system at LSU, even though it was a 40 front instead of a 3-4. He is NOT a Warren Sapp type, get up the field penetrator.

Maybe you should learn something about football instead of just repeating shit you have read here from other dumbasses, and then continue the vile spread of dumbassery. Either way, you are a ****ing idiot. Proven over and over again.

Pioli Zombie · 01-01-2010, 03:52 PM

Dick Clark wrote that.
Posted via Mobile Device

DaWolf · 01-01-2010, 04:21 PM

If the dude couldn't pull his college team up above mediocrity, then what leads anyone to believe he'd make a difference here?

HolmeZz · 01-01-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaWolf

If the dude couldn't pull his college team up above mediocrity, then what leads anyone to believe he'd make a difference here?

Because it wasn't his job to play defense, Einstein.

Mecca · 01-01-2010, 04:54 PM

Lets blame a QB for wins and losses, John Elway had a losing record in college what a scrub he was.

HolmeZz · 01-01-2010, 05:14 PM

I've opposed the idea of taking a quarterback and I'd still prefer a Berry or Suh with our pick, but I'm warming up more to Clausen than I thought I would. He's much more impressive when you watch tape because he makes the right reads and he knows where all his receivers are when a play breaks down. He also has the experience of having dealt with a terrible offensive line(freshman year) so he has the benefit of having taken a beating and knowing he can't be comfortable relying on his blockers all the time. He's also very accurate and can throw on the run. If I had to pinpoint a flaw, he won't have the strongest arm of any QB coming out. He can zip the ball on short/intermediate routes, but he doesn't have the same kind of strength behind his deep balls. He'll underthrow them on occasion. I do like how comfortable he is throwing jump balls and letting his receivers go and make plays. Allowing your receivers to use their abilities is just as important to being a successful quarterback as anything.

01-01-2010, 02:05 AM
philfree Indian Twitter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Free Agency Casino cash: $1236198	Clausen, The Most NFL Ready Jr QB EVER? Saw this when I was looking at the Walter mock draft page when i was looking the mock. Thought it was interesting. Posted Dec. 29, 2009 Junior Quarterbacks - Jimmy Clausen I bet you never thought in the past month that Notre Dame junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen is one of the most underappreciated quarterback prospects in the history of the NFL Draft. But after reading this blog entry, you just might change your mind. First, I am going to tell you why you might not like Clausen, and let's be real here, there is a lot of bias against him. Some criticism is warranted, but a lot isn't. Notre Dame is the most hated football program in America, period. They are the Duke of the gridiron. Automatically, you hate Clausen because he went to Notre Dame, just like you hated J.J. Reddick because he went to Duke. If you want to make an analysis as objective and professional as possible, then you need to cut the crap and get over the Notre Dame hate if you have it - and a lot of that is out there. Think about it: if you put Sanchez on Notre Dame and Jimmy Clausen at USC, then Sanchez is the hated prospect and Clausen is the beloved underclassman. Maybe you don't like Clausen because of the blond, spiky hair, or the limo appearance he had when he was a senior in high school to declare for Notre Dame. These aren't "low profile" characteristics and automatically, you might have disliked him. For whatever reasons you're down on Clausen, please put them in the back seat and have an open mind when reading this blog entry. Clausen just amassed one of the most impressive junior seasons among pro-style quarterbacks in the past 10-20 years. Let's remember that Clausen had a very bad offensive line this year for Notre Dame. Sure, he had good weapons, but the running game was poor and receivers Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph missed significant action (eight games missed total between them). When Floyd went out, Clausen stepped up. With a bum turf toe, he didn't play at all in the second half and led the team to a game-winning drive to beat Purdue. The following week, he posted 422 passing yards against Washington. Over the next three games (USC, Boston College, Washinton State), Clausen threw for 774 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions. Clausen is a huge reason for Golden Tate's big season as well. While Tate is a talented player, he couldn't have done it without Clausen's extremely high level of accuracy. Numerous times, Clausen played through pain this season. He led his team in games in crunch time, and was without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in the nation this year. Criticizing Clausen because he had talent around him is a very poor argument. It isn't like Clausen was putting up just above average statistics - he dominated opponents. He showed a very high football IQ and rarely forced the ball in coverage. Did he throw some balls up for grabs? Sure, but Peyton Manning does the same thing occasionally to Reggie Wayne. Drew Brees lofts the ball up for Marques Colston in the red zone. Philip Rivers relies on Vincent Jackson. Quarterbacks can't do it all by themselves. One statistic that can't be discussed enough is Clausen's 7:1 touchdown-intercpetion ratio, which is absolutely unheard of among junior quarterbacks in pro-style offenses. This is just ridiculous. It doesn't happen and it isn't supposed to happen. Give the man some credit where credit is due. The bottom line is Clausen certainly needs to be looked at as one of, if not the most polished junior quarterback prospect in the history of the NFL Draft. I didn't say the BEST junior quarterback prospects because he doesn't have the physical skill, but he is certainly one of the most NFL-ready. Analyze the statistics of a select group of quarterbacks in the spreadsheet below; all of these stats were taken from each quarterback's junior season. Aside from Matthew Stafford (I'm including him because I had him No. 1 overall on my big board), these highly thought-of quarterbacks that have gone on to outstanding success in the NFL. Clausen simply blows everyone out of the water. His touchdown-interception ratio puts Peyton Manning's 1996 season to shame. His completion percentage is a good five points ahead of Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. Clausen threw six less interceptions than EVERYONE. Clausen's ranks across the board: 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st. I just don't understand how someone like Todd McShay can say Clausen is a second-round talent when you consider how his statistics compare to some of the NFL's current greats. I'm not a fan of just analyzing statistics, and my evaluation of Clausen really doesn't have very much to do with them. All I am doing is putting his season into perspective. The perspective proves that Clausen is worthy of much more respect than I feel like he is getting at the moment. We will probably never see a better junior season ever again. Charlie Weis leaving the college game means that there is one less West Coast offense in the NCAA. Over the next 10 years, I fear that nearly all snaps are going to be taken out of shotgun and NFL front offices are going to be throwing darts and evaluating prospects based on physical tools only since the schemes are so easy to execute. Clausen isn't executing an easy scheme - he is executing the toughest scheme on the national stage. Every week the camera is on him, and every week he delivered. If Notre Dame's defense was just above average, this team would have won 10 games. If you don't like Clausen because he is cocky, then that is fine. I just hope you are consistent and also say Rivers is a bad NFL quarterback because he is cocky - because a slightly confident leader can't win games in the NFL, right? Maybe if Philip Rivers went to Notre Dame... ---------------- Stats are here. http://walterfootball.com/mattblog091229.php PhilFree Last edited by philfree; 01-01-2010 at 05:37 PM..
Posts: 15,048

01-01-2010, 12:30 PM	#48
Brock Say hello to my little friend Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Larryville Casino cash: $9598422	There are a few dumbasses who think we should cut Bowe, so yeah, I kind of agree with you on the knee jerk reactions. However, I haven't seen Cassel do anything, anything at all, that justifies passing on drafting a franchise QB, if that's what Clausen is. And I'm not convinced he is.
Posts: 47,314

01-01-2010, 03:03 PM	#54
Crush Amateur Poster Join Date: Mar 2004 Casino cash: $4907091	I like where this thread is going.
Posts: 15,298

01-01-2010, 03:52 PM	#56
Pioli Zombie Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: olathe,kansas Casino cash: $10004900	Dick Clark wrote that. Posted via Mobile Device
Posts: 11,077

01-01-2010, 04:21 PM	#57
DaWolf Cry havoc... Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10007725	If the dude couldn't pull his college team up above mediocrity, then what leads anyone to believe he'd make a difference here?
Posts: 6,798

01-01-2010, 04:54 PM	#59
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $2207050	Lets blame a QB for wins and losses, John Elway had a losing record in college what a scrub he was.
Posts: 111,215

01-01-2010, 05:14 PM	#60
HolmeZz i guess its bittersweet poetry Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NeW HaVeN, CT Casino cash: $10004900	I've opposed the idea of taking a quarterback and I'd still prefer a Berry or Suh with our pick, but I'm warming up more to Clausen than I thought I would. He's much more impressive when you watch tape because he makes the right reads and he knows where all his receivers are when a play breaks down. He also has the experience of having dealt with a terrible offensive line(freshman year) so he has the benefit of having taken a beating and knowing he can't be comfortable relying on his blockers all the time. He's also very accurate and can throw on the run. If I had to pinpoint a flaw, he won't have the strongest arm of any QB coming out. He can zip the ball on short/intermediate routes, but he doesn't have the same kind of strength behind his deep balls. He'll underthrow them on occasion. I do like how comfortable he is throwing jump balls and letting his receivers go and make plays. Allowing your receivers to use their abilities is just as important to being a successful quarterback as anything.
Posts: 16,520