Ricky Spanish

Oh for sure, Stroud was not the #1 problem against Michigan, just like Young wasn't the #1 problem against Georgia. And to your second point, yeah they lost both but by a combined 4 points between the two contests. Alabama lost by 1 against LSU (31-32) and by 3 to Tennessee (49-52). The LSU game was the worst game Bryce played in college. Won't argue that. But the Tennessee game Young had 455 passing yards and 2 TDs. Can't blame him for that one. Still though, Bryce's worst college game is still better than the worst college game from either Stroud (against a 1-8 Northwestern team) or Richardson (Kentucky). I dunno, we'll see. I will say with Richardson, his worst games came at the beginning of the year and he progressively got better as the season went on, which is encouraging. Stroud and Young were just studs the whole time.

You can isolate any one game for any prospect and say they suck because of it. Looking at a one game sample doesn't do much, you have to look at the overall body of work. You can't write Richardson off for his game against Kentucky, just like you can't write Stroud off for his Northwestern Game. All three have played well at different points throughout their college career, and all three have had some bad games. CJ Stroud turned it on under the brightest lights against Georgia this past postseason, but he "shrank" against OSU's biggest rival in Michigan twice. Young looked very "mediocre" against Georgia in the CFC game in 2022, but then turned it around and went Beast mode against Kansas State in his final College Bowl game. Richarson is a lottery ticket that has a ton of bad tape but so much potential he could be a gamechanger. I'm good with any of them, but at this point it's Young, Richardson, and Stroud for me in that order.

Yep. Volume stats were down but efficiency stats stayed damn near identical.

Young did those things because this most recent Bama team wasn't the same Bama team that Jones had. Look what he did in 2021 with a better supporting cast. Then look at what he did in 2022 when his good supporting cast left. He elevated the team so much that you still think that 2022 Bama was still 2020 Bama.

I honestly thought it would be much much worse, at least from a Mod's perspective. We've had to get involved very little, most discussion, while vehement and often biased toward another prospect, have remained relatively civil.

Seems like Smith might be on the block. He apparently has a very team friendly contract. It would add a pass rushing LBer to the fold. I'm not against it for a day 3 pick.

Potential draft picks get a scout profile of them at the end of the season to estimate their value and where they'll be drafted. Dude was probably told he's a 1st round grade so he left to get paid in the pros. Can't blame him.

Objectively speaking they had one of the worst rosters in the league entering last season and they still ended up 7-10. It was a hell of a job coaching done by Arthur Smith and co. If their QB can play up to par, the Falcons worry me more than both the Saints and the Bucs. I think it could come down to us and ATL for the division title if our Rookie QB plays well enough.

Another one of our guys went on the underdog podcast, Smitty this time, and broke down WRs. Say what you want about him, but Smitty seems to have a great understanding of his former position and is able to identify some talent/traits for the position that others seem to overlook (He called Kupp the best receiver in the 2017 class). With some of these guys potentially available at 39, this is worth the watch:

Yes you can, that's exactly what evaluating draft prospects and predicting their success in the NFL entails. "Player A can do x, they should be able to keep doing x at the next level." "Player B has the skillset to excel at Y in the pros based on his college tape". Of course there are better players at the NFL level. That has nothing to do with what you said about batted balls and pocket navigation though. Feels like you went in a different direction with your follow up response, but I will reiterate, generally speaking good pocket awareness translates well to the pro game. No it's not guaranteed, nothing ever is, but it is one of those things, like innate accuracy with your throws, that you tend to either have or you don't. Young has fantastic feel and pocket navigation. Stroud could clip the wings off a fly. Both are great skills that historically translate well to the NFL regardless of the level of athlete they play against at the next level. And I will clarify, height has *little to do with batted balls, not nothing. Of course higher release points make it more difficult to bat balls and is ideal, but the bare bones numbers show that taller QBs get their passes tipped just as much, if not more, than the shorter ones not named Baker Mayfield.

Justin Herbert had over twice as many batted balls than Kyler Murray last seasn. Height has nothing to do with it. Throwing lanes and arm angles. Pocket feel and navigation also translates very well to the NFL. I do agree he won't be able to hold onto the ball as long as he did in College, but he is capable of diagnosing plays and making a quick read very fast.

It is pretty funny. Like, I Love the idea of Bryce as our QB. If Stroud or Richardson are the pick, I'll be friggin THRILLED as all hell regardless. I honestly don't give a poo who we choose because the staff will have done their due diligence enough to make an educated decision one way or the other, and I will support the crap out of that QB and not revel in any failure they might endure just so I can say I was right. I'm not an emotional child though.

Matt Waldman has a good scouting breakdown on Richardson: https://www.footballguys.com/article/2023-anthony-richardson-rsp-sample-scouting-report Says his accuracy issues aren't as bad as people think. in fact he throws more downfield than anyone, and throws a consistent catchable ball. I am legitimately warming up to Richardson at 1.

So I just read something that makes a ton of sense and pushes me more towards drafting Richardson than I was before (even though I love Young as a prospect and he's my current #1): Drafting a bust at QB isn't as bad as drafting one that's mediocre. And it's so true. It's easier to move on from a guy who sucks than to be handcuffed to a Derrek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill, or Daniel Jones, who play well enough to be a starter and demand 30-40+ million on a contract, but aren't good enough to get you over the hump while demanding that kind of money hindering the rest of the team's development. Damned if reading that didn't make me want to swing for the fences.

Looks like it's a short king summer bois

I'm laughing at the juxtaposition of drafting smoll boi Young in the first then this monster of a human in the second. Their height would average out to a normal NFL player.

Guys, I literally made the Richardson highlight thread for shits and giggles and have zero sources.

This is true, but we will also have a ton of cap next season with the opportunity to sign one of the impending FA WRs that may hit the market. All of the following are on the last years of their contracts and may potentially hit FA: Tyler Boyd (Likely to hit FA if they sign higgins) Tee Higgins (Likely to hit FA if they keep boyd to save money for burrow) Jerry Jeudy CeeDee Lamb (Probably won't hit FA) Justin Jefferson... (Severely doubt it, but vikings could balk at a large contract, who knows?) Calvin Ridley Donovan Peoples-Jones (Quietly having a good start to his career, may sneak up and make bank next offseason) KJ Osborn There are plenty others with potential to be low end WR1s as well, but I doubt every single one of the guys listed above is re-signed to a new deal next offseason and we should be players in signing whoever makes it to FA.

Yeah, no, I speak for the mod team when I say stop it.

And yet somehow, also feel like it's taken 10 years at the same time.

All the physical gifts in the world don't mean poo if you can't run an NFL offense.

Seattle is the perfect spot for him. I hope they take him, would love to see him land up there.

Wouldn't be surprised to see us trade back in the 4th to try and recoup some picks for later in the day just to give us more shots at depth along the trenches and or STs guys.

This reeks of a team outside the top 2 spreading false rumors on the offset chance he falls to them. Looking at you Jim Irsay.