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If Cardale Jones had done the exact same thing at any other school, he would barely be talked about.

He could of been talked about in the 3rd-4th round LAST Year maybe.. as a "lightling in a bottle" type pick.. which would of blown up in our faces..

But after the season he just had, most people (OSU fans) would have written him off as a "flash in the pan" if he wasnt a Buckeye..

He is immensely gifted, size, speed, and arm talent, sure..

But the dude basically has to be built from the ground up to play in the NFL. And there's no guarantee he (or anyone obviously) ever is able to grasp being an "NFL Quarterback"

Draft Jones if you intend on him being your 3rd QB that never dresses for 2 season..

That is exactly what I have said all along, and I am a huge Buckeyes homer.

Cardale Jones has many of the physical tools you would want, but he needs completely built as a QB. (and teams generally don't have the time to do that much work on the fly, while the season if going on)

J/C

I think the worst thing about drafting Cardale Jones is that as soon as our QB has one bad game the, "We need to see what we have in Cardale" chants will start flying. I don't think I could take that!

Yeah, it's amazing how many of us Buckeye fans have been pimping him as a guy who the Browns should take.

You say really dumb things.

When you say, "built from the ground up", that says to me that he doesn't already possess tools that are transferable to the pro game. If that's what you mean I disagree completely for the reasons I already stated. If it means that he needs to be developed by sitting behind another player, taking practice reps and working extensively with the coaching staff then we're talking about something else entirely. Jackson's reputation includes developing QBs. There is as much to work with bringing Jones on to the team as Wentz or Lynch.

The read option spread run by Ohio State is not the offense I expect the Browns will run. That offense operates best when you have a QB who can consistently execute the run option. That's not his game. He is a pocket passer. If Johnny Manziel can show on-field progress with his obvious limitations then I'm unconvinced that Jones with the skills he already has can't be molded into an NFL starter.

No, he didn't win the National Championship and then have a uninterrupted meteoric rise to the top of the college football. Despite that his numbers are decent and he is 11-0 as a starter. As I've said before, progress doesn't occur in a straight line. Ask Andrew Luck.

I'm fine with exchanging opinions. But if anyone wants to fall back on the lazy "homer" argument; then let's also apply that same fallacy to Bosa, Elliot, Lee, Apple, Von Bell, etc...

This would be one year where you could do a lot worse than to have an all-Ohio State draft.

I think Cardale could be a better pro than college QB. I like what I'm hearing about his work with Whitfield.

Having said that, he wasn't very good on the field last season. Did he miss Tom Herman? Most likely. Was he looking over his shoulder? Probably, but that seems to happen a lot in Cleveland, too.

I definitely think he'll benefit from being able to focus solely on football if that is in fact what he does. He's saying the right things to make it appear that he is and will continue to do so, but he's been well coached in dealing with these interviews.

If we don't take a QB in the first, I might take him in the 3rd. Unfortunately, I think someone might grab him in the 2nd. I could see Arians trying to groom him behind Palmer.

I don't know if I want the Browns to take Cardale, but I'm going to be upset if (when) the Steelers do.

I was thinking the same thing, I really do not remember a lot of Cardale pimping. There has been a little, but no where near proportional to the number of OSU fans on here.

Whether we go a QB early in the draft or not, I would be OK with Cardale late in the draft. But I think someone will grab him before I would be comfortable taking him.

Prescott is growing on me, if we need to go QB.

If I had to make the pick right now, Wentz would be the guy.

If someone offers us a package to trade down including a future first, I'd probably take it and hope he or A'Shawn Robinson are there later.

Wentz could be THE guy, but he's fairly risky. I'd feel more confident picking Wentz at 2 if I had access to the behind-the-scenes stuff.

I want the great QB, too. I'm just not 100% sold yet. I don't want another fairy tale story that blows up in our faces. Must keep digging.

I understand your concerns but I feel I must point something out.

Other than Andrew Luck, what QB's have been drafted as top 5 draft picks at the QB position that didn't have some question marks?

That's the issue I'm having with those who are against drafting a QB at #2. EVERY QB in EVERY draft has some question marks with very few exceptions.

It may be 20 or 30 years before we are ever in a position to draft a QB this high in the draft with less questions surrounding them than Wentz.

If you're waiting for "the perfect scenario" to draft a QB, you may never draft one as a top 5 pick.

Last year people were talking about drafting him at 19. If not at least in the 2nd round.

People want to take him in the 3rd round, when he's maybe a 5th round prospect.

Just because you disagree with someone, doesnt mean what they are saying is dumb.

You're the most hypocritical person I've ever not met.

I think Lynch is the potential homerun but also a potential strikeout.

Wentz is the double.

Goff is the guy that gives you the best chance to get on base.

Sky King!!!

You're showing your age. I watched that show also.

Says the guy that continuously pleads for people not to insult posters even when they disagree.

Typical Vers.

Quick, what was his daughter's name?

You made that post because you hate Ohio State. Hardly anyone even mentions Cardale. There is no Ohio State bias. Your comments were hateful and petty, but hey, what's new?

Cardale Jones no longer plays for Ohio State, My opinion of Ohio State has nothing to do with the fact that Cardale Jones is a QB prospect that needs probably two years of sitting and learning to have a chance..

I'm ok with drafting Bosa at #2.

If we trade back to the middle of the first and Elliot is the BPA? Heck yeah.. he's extremely talented.

Michael Thomas at 32? Heck I dont even think he will last that long..

But yeah, I'm only critical of Jones because of where he went to school..

You said this earlier:



Cardale hasn't been talked about that much and most OSU fans have written him off.

During the season, you said something similar about Whitner and OSU fans. You were wrong then, too. People are extremely hard on Whit. Much more so than they should be.

Now.........I'm going to say something about what your post could have said:

If Cardale Jones played at a small school like--let's say, South Dakota State, he might be getting talked about as the possible 2nd overall pick, rather than some late-round project.

Cardale Jones’ QB tutor says his mechanics are under construction

by Michael David Smith
ProFootballTalk.com
February 27, 2016

Former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones went from a third-stringer to a national championship-winning starter in 2014, but in 2015 he struggled and went back to the bench. So what kind of pro prospect is he?

According to the quarterback tutor George Whitfield, he’s a good one — but one who needs a lot of polish. Whitfield acknowledged on ESPN that Jones hasn’t quite learned all the subtleties of playing the quarterback position.

“There’s been two main areas we’re trying to work with with Cardale,” Whitfield said. “His footwork, for one, has been under construction since he landed in San Diego. Bringing him from the shotgun up under center, just the mechanics of coming out with the center exchange, the first step from under center, three steps, five steps, seven-step drops.”

Whitfield also said Jones needs to go from being a guy with a big arm to being a guy with an accurate arm.

“His throwing, it’s like taking someone with superhero powers and getting him to use them more consistently,” Whitfield said. “He has an incredible arm. We really haven’t changed anything, but it’s more of trying to get him to be more consistent with that great, big arm.”

Whitfield compared Jones to Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer. But Palmer was a first overall pick, and Roethlisberger led the Steelers to the playoffs as a rookie. Jones is more of a project, perhaps one with a Roethlisberger/Palmer upside.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/201...r-construction/

Connor Cook on playing for his hometown Browns: 'It would be surreal'


By Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland.com
February 26, 2016


INDIANAPOLIS -- Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, the Hinckley, Ohio native and Walsh Jesuit grad, interviewed with his hometown Browns here at the NFL Combine Thursday night and would love a chance to play for them.

"I think it'd be great,'' he said. "Obviously, growing up a Browns fan, growing up going to the games as a little kid, watching it and visualizing myself being out there, playing in that stadium, playing in the NFL, it would just be a dream come true. It would be surreal."

Cook, who won the 2015 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Big Ten Quarterback of the Year Award, is one of the quarterbacks the Browns are considering in the draft, most likely with their No. 32 overall pick or later.

If he lands in Cleveland, he'll follow in the footsteps of Brian Hoyer, another Jesuit high school player and MSU alum who played for his hometown team.

Cook (6-4, 217) has been working out in San Diego with quarterback guru George Whitfield, the native of Massillon, Ohio. His workout partner is Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, who's also on the Browns radar.

"First and foremost he can throw the ball nearly the length of the football field,'' Cook said of Jones. "The first time he went out there, he was on his knees and threw the ball from the 50 through the uprights not having thrown one pass. So he has a very strong arm, obviously.

"Cardale and I are good friends. We've known each other since the Big 33 in high school. We were able to play with each other then and have very similar personalities, funny, like to goof around, obviously when it's time to work, we get after it."

Unfortunately for Cook, he spent the bulk of his combine podium interview deflecting criticism. He was questioned about not being a team captain, about his apparent snub of Archie Griffin when he was presented with the Big 10 Championship MVP trophy and his decision to skip the Senior Bowl.

He had answers for all three, and Whitfield, who's been coaching him on and off the field, complimented him afterwards for how he handled himself.

As for not being elected captain, he said he was voted a game captain four times last season.

"It's an understandable question: Why wasn't he captain?'' he said. "I'll just be completely honest with (teams). We had a lot of leaders on that team, we had 22 seniors, I believe, we had the leadership council, like I said. If you want to go back and talk to any of my teammates and ask them if I was a great leader, they would say yes."

As for not going to the Senior Bowl, he said his shoulder, which kept him out of the Ohio State game, still wasn't healthy.

"Obviously, the last few games, I had somewhat of a dinged-up shoulder, and I didn't want to risk anything else further than that. I felt like the best thing was to go to San Diego to start training, to start lifting, and getting my body ready for Indianapolis."

In regard to the trophy incident, he said it was blown out of proportion.

"I was excited. I was a little nervous. I didn't think I deserved the MVP, first and foremost. I was thinking about what I was going to say once I got the microphone, wanting to give it to my offensive line just for the way that they played throughout the entire game, especially the last drive. But it just happened real quick, I didn't think anything of it,'' he said.

When he watched it, he realized how bad it looked.

"The first thing that I did was apologize on live television, on BTN, just saying obviously I didn't mean to do it, I felt bad about it, and I was sorry. Then I called Archie Griffin that night and talked to him. I remember, he even said that he didn't even realize what happened until after, when people hit him up. He didn't think anything of it.''

Cook was eager to meet with teams and clear up the misconceptions "that I'm a cocky football player, arrogant, stuff like that. And it couldn't be further from the truth. ... I'm a nice, humble, hard-working kid."


http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/02/connor_cook_on_the_playing_for.html

For the record, should anybody care, here are my Qb rankings. This is based on tape review and my projections. What I am lacking is any insight into their heart, desire, work ethic and intelligence as well as medical and other intangibles. I have concerns over Connor Cooks "leadership" issues but will assume that is adequately addressed. I will am also assuming that his shoulder is healed. He said it wasn't completely healed for the Senior Bowl which is why he declined the invitation.

1 - Lynch
2 - Cook
3 - Wentz
4 - Goff

I would love any of these guys at #32. Lynch is the only one I would consider at #2 though I Would not be upset with Wentz if Hue likes him.

For some reason, people saying they are humble rubs me the wrong way.

Having said that, what does being humble have to do with playing football?

I also think the not being a captain thing is overblown. It bothered me a lot for awhile, but what does it really mean? If the knock was "he's a bad leader," that would bother me. I haven't heard that. He lost a popularity contest, big deal.

I wish he'd been more consistent.

I'm not that high on Lynch, and his new medical questions only strengthen that. Link

He has a pretty long wind up on a lot of his throws. When he tries to speed it up, he loses a lot of accuracy. He also didn't make a lot of NFL throws.

Cook is kind of my wild card. I wish he would have had better receivers.

Roger that - when I read "I'm a nice, humble, hard-working kid" I thought that's something you'd want other people saying about you, but it shouldn't be you saying it about yourself.

Not worried about that medical at all with Lynch.

He definitely has a lot to learn coming from that stupid A$$ offense (all these Qb's do) but watching him throw, he just looks like an NFL Qb to me. I love how, when he gets pressured out of the pocket, he doesn't just take off and run. He clears the pocket and looks down field hoping to throw.

Of the 4 I think he has the best accuracy.

He is by far the best at taking a hit in the pocket and not taking the sack. How frustrating is it when we hit Big Ben for a sack only to have the defender bounce off and Ben throws for a 1st down. Lynch is the only one of these Qb's that I see do that. Wentz is a good runner but when he gets hit in the pocket he goes down.

I loved Lynch in the Houston game. I like to look at Qb's late game comebacks. He led his down the field for a makable game winning FG to end the game. Unfortunately for them the K missed it.

I didn't see the Auburn game and cannot find videos of it, but this was supposedly his worst game. But give a good SEC team a couple weeks to scout that offense, who would expect him to have a good game?

Just saw this morning Billick and Charles Davis talking to Lynch. They asked him "If you could have only one game for people to watch which would it be? What was your best game?" His reply: Ole Miss ... or maybe Auburn. Followed by a laugh.

Just curious, did you watch the full game or did you watch it on draft breakdown? Watching the full game I felt like it was a huge choke job. No excuse to give up that big of a lead. Get some first downs, don't turn the ball over, manage the clock. I didn't see that as a positive for him.

draftbreakdown is the only place i have found to watch game film. I don't get to watch a lot of live football. I realize I get all the passes but miss out on situational football.

I did notice that they had a lead and lost it. Idid wonder why they couldn't do more to hold the lead. But didn't see anything that puts the blame squarely on his shoulders other than him being the Qb.

Bone chips floating loose in his AC Joint and you're not concerned at all?



I wish he worked the pocket more and made better throws with a defender coming. When he has time and can wind up and set his feet, he looks like an NFL QB. When he has to speed things up, he looks like Branon Weeden. Admittedly, a much more athletic Weeden.


When he has time, maybe. Under pressure, no way.



Lynch is not Roethlisberger. Against NFL players, I don't see them bouncing off (Mingo maybe). Wentz doesn't have them bounce off, because he is better at avoiding them altogether. I'd rather my QB not get hit.



Wentz has the best numbers on 3rd down and in the redzone. Situational QB Stats Link He won the UNI game with a clutch TD throw. You love that Lynch almost won a game, okay.

There is a difference between expecting someone to have a good game, and watching someone have a bad game. Auburn was a good SEC team?

What am I supposed to get from this?

Paxton Lynch/ Memphis v. Auburn Full Game

Nothing other than I thought it was funny and showed he has a cool personality

I wasn't meaning to criticize, just something I've noticed over the years that trying to evaluate QBs on those cut ups is a losing proposition. It's that sort of thing that killed Carr in people's minds in 2014, when they didn't realize he injured his shoulder on the second drive of the USC game after his TE dropped a red zone TD pass on the first drive.

In this case, a huge play missed by watching pass and QB run plays only was after Houston made it a two score game, the Cougars best defender Trevon Stewart came up from his safety spot to the line. They had a toss called to that side and Lynch didn't check out of the play. Stewart was almost on the RB by the time the ball got there, causing the back to fumble in their own territory. They quickly scored a TD, and you saw how the game ended.

Plus, I don't want a QB with a tiny head.

I didn't take it as criticism. There are clearly deficiencies in this method. But it is also the most efficient time wise for those of us who do this as a hobby rather than for a living.

Lots of Qb's will miss that on an occasion or two so hard to know how much to make of it. If it happens a lot then definitely a concern. I don't think any Qb coming out of college will b good at stuff like that. The question is, what is their ability to learn and how hard are they willing to work at it. This in my mind is really what separates Qb's out. This is also the hardest to gauge.

https://twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ/status/703647369892462592

Your mind is made-up and closed, thus I doubt you will "get" anything from anything anyone has to say unless they are praising Wentz.