NFL Exec.: Cam Would Be Clear-Cut #1, If He Were White (And Other Valuable Nuggets)

[teeray]

The intelligence questions aren't really general intellect so much as they are "can he read an NFL defense" and that has more to do with the system he played in than anything else.

And he's not the only one that's being asked about. This is from Gabbert's profile.

That is code for intelligence. No one is going to just say he is fugging stupid (or at least most won't ) and I dioscovered several draft sources that barely had it as a concern for Colt McCoy.

[panthers55]

Played linebacker at Illinois.

Like mentioned before, the "disingenuous" thing was also applied to Clausen. The reason stuff like that is talked about is because a load of the guys who fail don't do so for purely athletic reasons. Character matters, and scouts are pretty thorough when they report about character issues to teams.

(the "DB who's still a virgin" story speaks to just how far they'll go evaluating these guys)

Again, a lot of draft sites don't talk about the personal side. PFW does, and I don't really have a problem with that.

The problem for me is that these sites are taken at face value as if they are correct. What they are reporting is scuttlebutt and rumors which they hear in conversations with anonymous sources which is not reported other than to say it is an Auburn official or NFl executive. But there are no big disclaimers which say that this is all conjecture and opinion and what people are saying mostly off the record.

The problem is that if you report something in the newspaper or TV, it has to be credible. All Nawrocki has to say is that is what people are saying. He may be right but it doesn't mean that they are accurate simply that they have been said. Plus he can go as far as he wants putting his own spin on it.

[rico6]

So to re-cap, something the Panthers now have to consider depending on if they Draft Cam or not, and the potential fall-out depending on how he then performs...

1) Don't draft Cam, he turns out to be great and all the Racist Cam supporters will blame the Cam skeptics and Panthers for not drafting a great QB when we had chance because of "Racism".

2) Draft Cam, and he stinks and all the 'racist' Cam skeptics get to blame the racist Cam supporters for ruining the franchise by playing the 'race' card in support of drafting Cam #1 instead of more solid picks and/or Gabbert.

How long until Jackson and Sharpton march on Mint against the Duke Lacrosse Players running the Panthers front office?

So I take it that you don't want Cam Newton?

[mav1234]

I has tampered off some maybe by the draftniks but go back and read this very message board. Google Cam "Newton Wonderlic score" and weave your way through to what people (not draftnikss necessarily) were saying about the guy.

How many times have you heard people (including draftniks now) that have said "he has the ability I just worry about between his ears"

People had bigger concerns about Cam's ability to learn an NFL offense and read NFL defenses than they did for Colt McCoy. Some draftniks didn't even mention it for McCoy. If I had my computer I would have some examples.

But i am not sure Cam has been a victim of racial bias, I just get frustrated when people act like it is blasphemy.

McCoy had a higher wonderlic, operated in a spread for multiple years in which he had a chance to show more about how he was able to read a field. I realize a lot of people dismiss this here but when basically 6 games of his career are the only way you can evaluate his passing ability well, you've got very little to work from.

When they say "what's between his ears" they are referring to the total "mental package", beyond just intelligence. it plays a part, but so too does character.

I'm not going to bother going and looking at what people say on message boards. Hasn't the Huddle proven to you that during draft time, the vast majority of posters are irrational and crazy? :P If you feel like wading through crap and want to see what I mean about Mallett getting hit harder, you should google "Walter Mallett Wonderlic" and read what he says about him - even today (such as the fact that Mallett *actually* got a 9 and the 26 or w/e was a lie)

That is code for intelligence. No one is going to just say he is fugging stupid (or at least most won't ) and I dioscovered several draft sources that barely had it as a concern for Colt McCoy.

ESPN outright questions how smart The Golden Calf of Bristol was by saying his wonderlic was a concern. I've not seen any big names say that about Newton.

Plus, plenty of spread QBs get the "concern about reading an NFL defense." Just because Colt McCoy didn't... doesn't mean it's all only for black QBs.

[panthers55]

Would you imply that the people who don't want Newton don't want to win?

Not really. They are simply happier with who we already have or who they think we can getin FA, as opposed to those who want to make sure we have options by picking a Qb in the draft and in FA.

[teeray]

And they said something similar about Josh Freeman who ran a pro style offense for 2 years and had a better wonderlic than both of them (I think, he at least had a similar score to Peyton).

[jpniner]

So I take it that you don't want Cam Newton?

just getting feel for the market for my new business venture, selling crisp White Sheets on the sidewalk before Panther games

///

[teeray]

And Jamarcus Russell who had an pkay wonderlic and ran some pro style offense at LSU. I know he was a bust but it doesn't mean the criticism isn't unfair when they gave Bradford and McCoy a pass.

[CRA]

What media are you reading? :confused:

Clausen got ripped plenty prior to the draft for being an arrogant prick. Negative media was what a lot of people thought contributed to his draft day plunge. Heck, his PFW draft profile last year ripped him for "a sense of entitlement, immaturity, coming across as overly staged, scripted and disingenuous in interviews".

Any of that sound familiar?

(and that was before the infamous Gruden interview)

Post draft, the media's been pretty savage too, but other than the notion that last year wasn't a fair test, it's hard to argue that a lot of that is undeserved.

It was pointed out he was arrogant.....but that it was a double edged sword. All though it was a bad trait in general.....it could work at that position. ALL of his other faults and there were big and plentiful were ignored by the media (pro ready they claimed). If Clausen was fairly criticized (like a Terry Bradshaw pointed out glaring flaws).......he wouldn't of even gone in the 2nd. Hype machine made him into something he never was.

post draft they have been very kind.....Clausen's performance wasn't just bad it was horrific. There hasn't been play that bad in 10 years.....I would probably challenge you to find worse QB play over the past 25 years for a rookie. They largely ignored the epic implosion as the most pro ready QB of the draft basically was forgotten about kindly. Savage?? In 2010?? Only heat/bashing Clausen got was from our small fanbase (and that was only a percentage of it).

[Mr. Scot]

That is code for intelligence. No one is going to just say he is fugging stupid (or at least most won't ) and I dioscovered several draft sources that barely had it as a concern for Colt McCoy.

Here's a review of McCoy from last year.

Lacks physical stature - is short, narrow-framed, small-boned and small-muscled. Does not like to get hit and looks uncomfortable in the pocket when pressured (see Nebraska). Tends to lock on to his primary target under duress. Too often sidearm-slings the ball and does not step into throws. Played in an overly simplified offense that did not force the QB to learn the position and needs to be trained in the mechanics of dropping back from under center. Drifts in the pocket. Downfield accuracy must improve. Shoulder must be carefully evaluated.

Three guesses who wrote it? :lol:

With some guys, the question isn't so much "are they intelligent enough to process the information quickly" so much as it is "will they panic before they finish processing". Depending on how you interpret it, you could attribute it to a lack of brains or a lack of balls (either one will get you killed in the pros).

For the record, that's the big concern with Gabbert too.

[panthers55]

I wouldn't compare him to Vick at all. He will only be compared to Russel (for posterity) if he is a bust.

IMO, the Quarterback he seems to have the most in common with black or white is Josh Freeman.

That is closer to how I envision him as well. Or similar to Roethlisburger.

[Mr. Scot]

Not really. They are simply happier with who we already have or who they think we can getin FA, as opposed to those who want to make sure we have options by picking a Qb in the draft and in FA.

I don't know that it's as much "happier with who we have" - nobody is that - as it is having less faith in the rookie prospects available (something which is a perfectly valid point of view).

[teeray]

Here's a review of McCoy from last year.

Three guesses who wrote it? :lol:

With some guys, the question isn't so much "are they intelligent enough to process the information quickly" so much as it is "will they panic before they finish processing". Depending on how you interpret it, you could attribute it to a lack of brains or a lack of balls (either one will get you killed in the pros).

For the record, that's the big concern with Gabbert too.

There wasn't a mention in there that McCoy would have difficulty learning an NFL offense or reading an NFL defense only that he hadn't played in one.

[teeray]

And if I remember correctly Scot that was the closest I got to questioning his ability to "learning" nfl offenses or reading defenses. In my admittingly quick research the other day.

What does it say about Freeman on ESPN? A guy who ran a pro style offense and had essentially rhe same wonderlic as peyton manning.