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someone read Peter King's column today
- Thread starter Midswat
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someone read Peter King's column today
peplaw06
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Have you heard Sturm lately on LBs? He's started to liken LBs to RBs as it pertains to the draft. He's not solidly against taking LBs high in the draft yet, but you can tell he's heading that way. It's an interesting thought... The highest impact players on the defensive side, and there have been a lot of them having injury issues, a few are retiring early, etc.
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I didnt, I stole it from CZ
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Lee is fine, but I do think Jack would probably replace McClain. If not this year then certainly for 2017. Maybe Jack plays SOLB alongside Lee and McClain this yr, while replacing McClain on nickel downs.
I guess the concern over the knee is he still cant (or wont) run full speed, although he did do some other testing at a recent pro day and did pretty good. I think he has a recheck for all teams to see this week or next week, could be a big deal for his draft stock.
ThoughtExperiment
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This is exactly why I think he's taking so long:
Why Myles Jack's recovery time for a torn meniscus takes 4-6 months- UCLA Blog: Orange County Register
And he's right to do so. Like the article says, you can have the torn part of the meniscus removed and be back in a few weeks, but long term your knee will never be the same. If you get it stitched and repaired, it takes a lot longer to come back, but you're pretty much as good as new. Look at Russell Westbrook -- he's as explosive and plays as many minutes as ever and it's like the injury never happened.
Why Myles Jack's recovery time for a torn meniscus takes 4-6 months- UCLA Blog: Orange County Register
And he's right to do so. Like the article says, you can have the torn part of the meniscus removed and be back in a few weeks, but long term your knee will never be the same. If you get it stitched and repaired, it takes a lot longer to come back, but you're pretty much as good as new. Look at Russell Westbrook -- he's as explosive and plays as many minutes as ever and it's like the injury never happened.
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That's good news if true.
Still, to me QB is the way to go at 4. Not opposed to Jack as a player, but I don't think they can put off the QB position any longer and odds are we wont be in this position again anytime soon.
It'd be great if we could somehow land one of these premier position players (whether its Ramsey, Bosa, Jack or Elliott) at #4 and then get in position to get Lynch by trading back up into 1st round, but I don't think Lynch lasts past 15th pick or so. In fact I have my doubts he makes it out of the top-10
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Yea I'm starting to think Lynch won't make it to 15. There are still those rumors out there that the Eagles would take him at 8 if both Wentz and Goff are gone. Especially after the show he put on at his pro day.
If the rumor that the Browns do prefer Goff over Wentz are true and if Wentz is there at 4 I have a very strong feeling Wentz will be our guy. And he should be. Like you said I don't think we will be drafting this high again anytime soon. This is the best chance to get a QB as talented as Wentz (or Goff).
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What makes anyone think or believe Dallas will be drafting a QB at #4, no matter who is available? I still say it ain't happening and would be shocked if they did that. They simply really do believe they have 4-5 more good years out of Romo, and like Moore and Showers. They might draft one late and sign some ham and egger veteran as a backup, but they won't use a #4 pick on a QB this year.
I'd much rather see them take Zeke Elliot at #4 barring a defensive pick - which is where I am sure they're gonna go.
Thinking they might recover back to 8-8 next year? Optimism!
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What makes you so sure they won't take a QB at 4 (if they guy they really like is there)? You reference a comment Jerry made a couple weeks ago but don't forget Stephen said the exact opposite of what Jerry said at the end of the season. And based on Jerry not being allowed to draft Johnny Manziel (because of Stephen) there's a good chance Stephen gets what he wants again in this draft. I don't see them taking Goff or Lynch at 4 but if Wentz is there the odds go up dramatically that they will draft a QB at 4.
And believe me, NO ONE (except maybe Jerry) believe Romo has 4-5 good years left in him. The fact that they didn't restructure his contract to get extra cap room tells me that Romo has 2 years left on this team. After 2 years his cap hit drops considerably. With his cap hit dropping so much and the salary cap increasing again they will be able to escape Romo's contract. Romo will be what 38-39 years old by then.
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It wasn't and hasn't been "just one comment from Jerry" it's been a drumbeat. They talked Jerry out of drafting manziel sure, but that doesn't mean he's not still the final triggerman.
Yet, they all pretty much say that. McClay, Stephen and Ginger. And, there's still time for a restructure. You're ruling that out already?
We'll find out in 16 days, 23 hours and 47 minutes. I highly doubt they take a QB at 4, and would about die of shock if they did. Just like a RB last year.
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I'm not ruling it out because like you said there is still time, however if they were that confident he'll be here another 4-5 years why didn't they do his contract first. They could have saved more money by reworking his contract instead of reworking multiple contracts. The fact that they are hesitant to rework his deal speaks volumes. Also I've only heard Jerry say he believes Romo has 4-5 years left. Stephen said that backup QB and the future of the QB position is priority. Now that doesn't mean they will take one at 4 however if they guy they really want (Wentz) is there at 4 I honestly think he will be the pick.
If Wentz is gone by 4 though there is no way they draft Goff or Lynch at 4. If fact if what Mike Fisher said last week is true if Wentz and Ramsey are both gone at 4 then Elliott will likely be the pick at 4.
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We don't know that they're 'hesitant.' Possibly they don't know yet if they're going to need the cap space a rework would provide this year.
He's not saying anything there at all about drafting a QB or that drafting one is a priority. He is saying he knows a hole needs to be filled for a backup QB, if anything. That usually means signing some veteran QB.
We have no one saying drafting a QB is a priority, but we do have them saying it isn't.
If he is there at 4, they skip him. That's my belief. I have zero faith in these fucks to ever do the right thing.
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They spent a lot of time going to these top QB's private workouts (which our guys conducted) in addition to their pro days, and bringing 6 of them in for national visits. They are clearly considering the position early.
They like Moore and Showers...
okCould be true, but there's a big difference between where we'd be drafting at 8-8 as opposed to 4-12.
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Its a direct quote from Stephen after the season, he flat out said if a franchise QB was there for us at 4 we'd take them. I think I even posted the entire article about it at the time it was released.
But hey "SMOKESCREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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I'd love to see where he said exactly that.
Yeah, just like all the RB workouts and visits last year.
The goalpost isn't "considering" one, it's actually drafting one, which I seriously doubt they will do.
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Here you go dickbag, like I said I posted this quite some time ago:
Stephen Jones says the Cowboys would take franchise QB over impact player with 4th pick
Read more here: Stephen Jones says the Cowboys would take franchise QB over impact player with 4th pick | The Star-Telegram
The Cowboys executive VP spoke at the Scouting Combine.
By Clarence E. Hill Jr.
The biggest question surrounding the Dallas Cowboys and the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft is whether they can pass on an immediate impact player for a potential franchise quarterback of the future?
The team is admittedly doing their due diligence in evaluating first-round quarterbacks for the first time since taking Troy Aikman first overall in 2016 in hopes finding a future franchise quarterback to takeover for Tony Romo.
But the Cowboys also believe that Romo has a few successful years left and hope to win big while he is still going strong.
“He may play three of four more years,” vice-president Stephen Jones said. “If that were the case that is great because that means he is playing lights out for three or four more years. That means we are successful.”
Of course, arguably the best way to help the Cowboys be successful with Romo still at the helm is to use the fourth pick to take an immediate impact player at position of need.
The Cowboys have huge needs at running back, linebacker, defensive end and cornerback and there could be players there to help them win in 2016 like Ohio State defensive Joey Bosa, Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey and UCLA linebacker Myles Jack to name a few.
But there is also a good chance to that either Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz _ the top two quarterbacks in the draft _ would be still on the board as well.
As of now, Jones said a franchise quarterback trumps all.
"I mean you have to look at it," Jones said. "You’re not naive to it but if you have the opportunity in this league, in our situation, to get a potential franchise quarterback, then you have to make the investment. You have to have the patience. You sacrifice maybe that opportunity that maybe is impactful right now."
Read more here: Stephen Jones says the Cowboys would take franchise QB over impact player with 4th pick | The Star-Telegram
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Peter King MMQB Draft stuff:
Over the weekend, I spoke with 10 team officials with power over their teams’ draft board and draft process. Three of them are in the middle of organizing their draft; they finished one side of the ball Friday and will finalize their boards on the other side of the ball beginning today. So it’s a myth that the hay’s in the barn for every team right now. One GM I talked to Saturday was going to spend Sunday in his bunker, studying tape of the top 10 quarterbacks. This is why we’re in ghost-chasing time. We all think we know what Philadelphia’s going to do with the eighth pick in the first round, and maybe even Eagles GM Howie Roseman has a good idea of what he’s going to do with the pick, but with 17 days before he has to exercise it, why wouldn’t he still be looking at players, discussing internally what to do and waiting on the medical re-check of some draftees Thursday and Friday in Indianapolis?
So I thought what I’d do this morning is give you what I picked up over the weekend from the 10 Men in the Draft Bunkers.
Three questions first:
Who do you think will be the first player picked in the draft?
Eight of the 10 evaluators said Mississippi tackle Laremy Tunsil. One split his vote between Tunsil and Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey. The other said Tennessee will trade, and a team will move up to pick North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz.
Who will be the first quarterback picked?
Seven votes for Wentz. Three votes for Cal quarterback Jared Goff.
What team is most likely to trade into the top five of the first round?
Rams: four votes. Eagles: three votes. Bucs: one vote. Niners: one vote. One vote went to no team. “Price is too high,” this person said. “I don’t see anyone trading into the top five.”
* * *
UCLA’s Myles Jack performed well at his mid-March pro day as he continues to recover from the knee surgery he underwent last September.
Photo: Damian Dovarganes/AP
UCLA’s Myles Jack performed well at his mid-March pro day as he continues to recover from the knee surgery he underwent last September.
Speculation and rumors, 17 days from D-Day
• Myles Jack is in play in the top 10, but his medical recheck is big. A knee injury shelved the UCLA linebacker for most of his 2015 season, but two teams in the top 10 (and maybe more) are anxiously awaiting the result from his Indianapolis re-check. He’s the kind of sideline-to-sideline playmaker who would interest Jacksonville at No. 5 if he checks out well.
• Regarding the Titans at 1. New GM Jon Robinson hosts Jalen Ramsey today in Nashville for a visit, and there’s definite interest there, with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau thought to like the versatility of Ramsey for Tennessee’s barren secondary. One personnel man said over the weekend that the Titans have a definite solid offer for the pick and, if it’s sweetened, could be persuaded to go down a few spots. Which team? Philly’s the common thought, because Roseman trades, and going from eight to one is onerous but possible in terms of price tag. “But no team’s going to do three ones, the way Washington did for RG3,” said one evaluator. “No player in this draft is worth that.”
• Regarding the Browns at 2. Last week I heard Wentz strongly at this pick. This weekend one of my panelists said: “It’s definitely Goff. Believe it.” Next week, could it be Brian Sipe? But I will say this about the pick: Goff’s the name I hear coming out of that building right now. We’ll see.
• The strength of the draft. Middle-class draft. Read these quotes from four of my evaluators:
“Twenty-five to 55 is the same player, to me.”
“Eleven to 40 is the same guy.”
“To us, 18 to 48 you can get the same player.”
“Load me up with twos and threes in this draft. That’s where I’d want a lot of picks.”
And get this, from Gil Brandt: “It’s the kind of draft where the 50th player on some team’s board will be the 17th player on another team, and the 17th player on the first team could be the 50th on that other team.”
• Robert Nkemdiche’s the true wild card in this draft. One guy put it best about the Ole Miss defensive tackle with top-five talent and top-five off-field issues: “There’s not that much special talent in this draft. He’s special, potentially. Coaches with security will take a chance on a guy like this with such good tools.” I heard like things from a couple of others—namely, that Nkemdiche is a very likely first-round pick, though it may be late. Maybe a Pete Carroll (Seattle picks 26th) or Bruce Arians (Arizona picks 29th) will feel confident enough, with the kind of strong locker room each has, to put Nkemdiche in the mix. He’s articulate, he’s an artist, he plays the saxophone. He’s a tough riddle.
• The Eagles and a quarterback? Don’t dismiss it. Look at my first Factoid of the Week lower in the column, about the guaranteed money in the contracts of Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel, and you’ll see why it’s not ridiculous for Philadelphia to be thinking quarterback high in this draft.
• On the quarterbacks. Even this far out, the lines are drawn here: Goff and Wentz in the top five, Paxton Lynch in the teens, Connor Cook around 30 and then it’s anyone’s guess. One evaluator: “I would love to take a shot at developing Christian Hackenberg.” Another: “Hackenberg’s fractured.”
• Other draft niblets, in three-dot fashion: Talked to two men who like Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley over Tunsil … “Best defensive tackle draft I’ve seen, easy,” said one veteran evaluator … I love the individuality of teams’ grades. I asked a few guys which first-round pick will shock the world on April 28. And one evaluator said he wasn’t positive this player would go in the first round, but said he definitely has first-round talent: Alabama back Kenyan Drake, who backed up Heisman winner Derrick Henry. Great straight-line speed … “The defensive tackle crop’s so good it’ll push some deserving players into the second round. The depth is so good that you’ll get some guys you can use right away in the third and fourth.” … I love this, too, reading various front offices from afar. One guy: “San Francisco will not trade up from seven. Trent Baalke loves his picks too much and has too many needs to give them away.” Another guy: “They want to trade Anthony Davis and Antoine Bethea.” … Interesting analysis out of one evaluator, who sees 90 early defensive starters in this draft, and 40 offensive starters. “Ninety’s a huge number,” he said … Much love for Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, who has nerve damage in his knee from an injury in the Fiesta Bowl. No idea where he’ll be picked … Much love for Ezekiel Elliott too. But a running back, at four (Dallas)? Or anywhere that high? My evaluators think that’s too high, but beauty’s in the eye of the Joneses. We’ll see.
Over the weekend, I spoke with 10 team officials with power over their teams’ draft board and draft process. Three of them are in the middle of organizing their draft; they finished one side of the ball Friday and will finalize their boards on the other side of the ball beginning today. So it’s a myth that the hay’s in the barn for every team right now. One GM I talked to Saturday was going to spend Sunday in his bunker, studying tape of the top 10 quarterbacks. This is why we’re in ghost-chasing time. We all think we know what Philadelphia’s going to do with the eighth pick in the first round, and maybe even Eagles GM Howie Roseman has a good idea of what he’s going to do with the pick, but with 17 days before he has to exercise it, why wouldn’t he still be looking at players, discussing internally what to do and waiting on the medical re-check of some draftees Thursday and Friday in Indianapolis?
So I thought what I’d do this morning is give you what I picked up over the weekend from the 10 Men in the Draft Bunkers.
Three questions first:
Who do you think will be the first player picked in the draft?
Eight of the 10 evaluators said Mississippi tackle Laremy Tunsil. One split his vote between Tunsil and Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey. The other said Tennessee will trade, and a team will move up to pick North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz.
Who will be the first quarterback picked?
Seven votes for Wentz. Three votes for Cal quarterback Jared Goff.
What team is most likely to trade into the top five of the first round?
Rams: four votes. Eagles: three votes. Bucs: one vote. Niners: one vote. One vote went to no team. “Price is too high,” this person said. “I don’t see anyone trading into the top five.”
* * *
UCLA’s Myles Jack performed well at his mid-March pro day as he continues to recover from the knee surgery he underwent last September.
Photo: Damian Dovarganes/AP
UCLA’s Myles Jack performed well at his mid-March pro day as he continues to recover from the knee surgery he underwent last September.
Speculation and rumors, 17 days from D-Day
• Myles Jack is in play in the top 10, but his medical recheck is big. A knee injury shelved the UCLA linebacker for most of his 2015 season, but two teams in the top 10 (and maybe more) are anxiously awaiting the result from his Indianapolis re-check. He’s the kind of sideline-to-sideline playmaker who would interest Jacksonville at No. 5 if he checks out well.
• Regarding the Titans at 1. New GM Jon Robinson hosts Jalen Ramsey today in Nashville for a visit, and there’s definite interest there, with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau thought to like the versatility of Ramsey for Tennessee’s barren secondary. One personnel man said over the weekend that the Titans have a definite solid offer for the pick and, if it’s sweetened, could be persuaded to go down a few spots. Which team? Philly’s the common thought, because Roseman trades, and going from eight to one is onerous but possible in terms of price tag. “But no team’s going to do three ones, the way Washington did for RG3,” said one evaluator. “No player in this draft is worth that.”
• Regarding the Browns at 2. Last week I heard Wentz strongly at this pick. This weekend one of my panelists said: “It’s definitely Goff. Believe it.” Next week, could it be Brian Sipe? But I will say this about the pick: Goff’s the name I hear coming out of that building right now. We’ll see.
• The strength of the draft. Middle-class draft. Read these quotes from four of my evaluators:
“Twenty-five to 55 is the same player, to me.”
“Eleven to 40 is the same guy.”
“To us, 18 to 48 you can get the same player.”
“Load me up with twos and threes in this draft. That’s where I’d want a lot of picks.”
And get this, from Gil Brandt: “It’s the kind of draft where the 50th player on some team’s board will be the 17th player on another team, and the 17th player on the first team could be the 50th on that other team.”
• Robert Nkemdiche’s the true wild card in this draft. One guy put it best about the Ole Miss defensive tackle with top-five talent and top-five off-field issues: “There’s not that much special talent in this draft. He’s special, potentially. Coaches with security will take a chance on a guy like this with such good tools.” I heard like things from a couple of others—namely, that Nkemdiche is a very likely first-round pick, though it may be late. Maybe a Pete Carroll (Seattle picks 26th) or Bruce Arians (Arizona picks 29th) will feel confident enough, with the kind of strong locker room each has, to put Nkemdiche in the mix. He’s articulate, he’s an artist, he plays the saxophone. He’s a tough riddle.
• The Eagles and a quarterback? Don’t dismiss it. Look at my first Factoid of the Week lower in the column, about the guaranteed money in the contracts of Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel, and you’ll see why it’s not ridiculous for Philadelphia to be thinking quarterback high in this draft.
• On the quarterbacks. Even this far out, the lines are drawn here: Goff and Wentz in the top five, Paxton Lynch in the teens, Connor Cook around 30 and then it’s anyone’s guess. One evaluator: “I would love to take a shot at developing Christian Hackenberg.” Another: “Hackenberg’s fractured.”
• Other draft niblets, in three-dot fashion: Talked to two men who like Notre Dame tackle Ronnie Stanley over Tunsil … “Best defensive tackle draft I’ve seen, easy,” said one veteran evaluator … I love the individuality of teams’ grades. I asked a few guys which first-round pick will shock the world on April 28. And one evaluator said he wasn’t positive this player would go in the first round, but said he definitely has first-round talent: Alabama back Kenyan Drake, who backed up Heisman winner Derrick Henry. Great straight-line speed … “The defensive tackle crop’s so good it’ll push some deserving players into the second round. The depth is so good that you’ll get some guys you can use right away in the third and fourth.” … I love this, too, reading various front offices from afar. One guy: “San Francisco will not trade up from seven. Trent Baalke loves his picks too much and has too many needs to give them away.” Another guy: “They want to trade Anthony Davis and Antoine Bethea.” … Interesting analysis out of one evaluator, who sees 90 early defensive starters in this draft, and 40 offensive starters. “Ninety’s a huge number,” he said … Much love for Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, who has nerve damage in his knee from an injury in the Fiesta Bowl. No idea where he’ll be picked … Much love for Ezekiel Elliott too. But a running back, at four (Dallas)? Or anywhere that high? My evaluators think that’s too high, but beauty’s in the eye of the Joneses. We’ll see.
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Big write up on Connor Cook from LaConfora. Its long but there's some good stuff in here.
TE, you better skip over this one.
Connor Cook, the QB no one is talking about, won't last long in NFL Draft
April 11, 2016 11:42 am ET
The draft is less than three weeks away and there is the usual, persistent buzz about the perceived top two quarterbacks available: Carson Wentz and Jared Goff. There is also intrigue surrounding 6-foot-7 Paxton Lynch and much public hand-wringing over the swoon of Christian Hackenberg. But when it comes to Connor Cook, who by many accounts is the most tested and pro-ready quarterback in this draft, there's nearly complete silence, from the scouring community and media.
Hmm.
In fact, until former Super Bowl-winning head coach and noted quarterback guru Jon Gruden began openly gushing about Cook on ESPN last week, and exclaiming out loud what some scouts and execs had been whispering about the quarterback for quite some time, it was difficult to find much being said or reported about the former Michigan State star anywhere outside of East Lansing. Seemed a little fishy to me. And after spending a week sniffing around on the situation, and speaking with numerous accomplished evaluators who don't have a dog in this fight (i.e. they are not going to be taking a quarterback on the first two days of this draft), I am more convinced than ever that Cook is going to be selected higher than many would want you to believe.
The kid with the NFL frame and the most decorated college passer of the bunch who played against the best competition of the group and won the most games of any of them (and in the history of his school) and who stayed out of trouble during five years on campus and led his team to the College Football Playoff this winter and won the Johnny Unitas award is getting virtually no pub and flying completely under the radar. Meanwhile, every visit or move the other quarterbacks make is seemingly being dissected by the media, scouts, general managers and coaches. Interesting.
Looks like a classic case of teams hoping a prospect is there for them to pounce on, of them publically sleeping on someone who has caught their eye, and of them being perfectly content to do whatever they can to ensure that perception -- "he's maybe the fourth-best quarterback in the draft" -- becomes reality. Only I'm not buying that it plays out that way, and neither are several NFL people I trust.
There is at least one team mulling a move up from the second round to the late first round to grab Cook if he is there. Several teams -- again, teams who are not going to be drafting passers high enough to grab Cook -- have him rated the second-best quarterback in the draft on their boards, according to league sources -- and Cook's itinerary has been as full as any of the quarterbacks in this draft. In all likelihood, he is not going to go in the top 10, as Goff and Wentz very well may, but I wouldn't be shocked at all to see him be the third quarterback selected, and for that pick to come in the first round.
"We like him, we like him a lot, actually," said an executive from a team that has Cook as the second-best quarterback in the draft. "We have him right up there with the other two or three (quarterbacks), actually even higher than a few of them. We like the kid a lot. We don't think there is a whole lot separating some of these quarterbacks and Cook is the most ready to play. Goff, look at his tape against Utah, it's not pretty. And Wentz, there is a lot to like there, but he needs to go somewhere and sit for a year or two and develop. If Cleveland takes him at two that is going to be a disaster. There aren't any sure things at this position -- really at most of the skill positions in this draft -- and Cook is definitely high up in that quarterback mix for us."
Another scout who has spent abundant time on the quarterbacks in this draft said: "We're not going to end up taking him, but there are plenty of people in our building who like him as much as the other two. I don't see him going in the top 15 picks, but after that he is in play. There is a lot to like there, he played in a pro-style offense, he can handle the big stage. He has some things he needs to tighten up and work on -- like all of the quarterbacks in this draft -- but overall I like him." Cook has some impressive qualities, for sure.
At 6-4, 220, with good speed and athleticism, the frame is there, as are the bloodlines, with both his parents and his sister accomplished athletes as well. He played for a strong college prep program in high school, he's fought through injuries at times to play, he's faced elite competition in the Big 10 and thrived to become one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Michigan State history, a program that has recently produced NFL starters Kirk Cousins and Brian Hoyer. He threw for 3,131 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a senior, and was named the MVP of the 2013 and 2015 Big 10 Championship games. Yet somehow he's become the Rodney Dangerfield of this quarterback class, seemingly unable to get much respect -- at least overt respect -- through the pre-draft process.
None of this is lost on Cook, of course. How could it be? This is the longest, most-drawn out, highest-profile job audition possible, with every nuance scrutinized across all platforms. So while the Ohio native is focused on the task at hand, it would be impossible not to notice what is -- and this case, is not -- being said about you. The decided lack of buzz about Cook, in the end, could very well be a good thing, though in real-time it's understandably puzzling.
"I hear it, I hear it for sure," Cook said of what's being said about the quarterbacks, "and I respect those guys a lot. I respect Goff and Wentz and Hackenberg and Lynch and all of those guys. But I think I played against really good competition and I played in some big-time games on some big-time stages with a lot of stuff riding on it -- seasons riding on it; championships riding on it -- and I think I played pretty well in those types of game. And to be considered the fourth-best quarterback, I don't really understand why. If it's scouts or coaches, I don't know, I'm obviously not with them watching the film. Maybe it's my completion percentage, maybe that's it. But I think I have the resume to be a first rounder."
The reality is, on the prescient metrics, Cooks grades quite well. He's studied the situation himself, including researching what Hall of Fame Coach Bill Parcells valued most when evaluating college quarterbacks. Once again, Cook checks virtually every box, and most of them probably merit a gold star sticker as well.
"If you look at the Bill Parcells rules to draft a quarterback I think I measure up pretty well," Cook said after completing a visit with the Buffalo Bills over the weekend and driving to visit his girlfriend in Pittsburgh for a brief respite from his circuit of NFL teams. "He should be a college graduate and start at least 30 games (Cook graduated last year with a degree in media and information) and I started 40. He must have 23 wins; I have well over 23 wins (Cook was 35-5 as a starter). He must have a completion percentage over 60 percent; that's the only thing I don't have (Cook completed 57.6 percent of his passes as a starter).
"If you look at his other rules he has to be at least a three-year starter. I did that. So he has to be consistent, and it wasn't like I had just one good year. I proved myself each year I played and I got better as a junior than as a sophomore, and I was better as a senior than I was my junior year. So I don't know why there isn't more talk and I'm not one to be boastful or anything, but this is important stuff, this is the NFL Draft and I am a competitor and I want to be the best. And when people talk about me in a negative way it does upset me, but you can't do anything about it, and I think I've earned every bit to be considered a first-round draft pick."
Some have lazily ascribed Cook's low-key run up to the draft to the fact that he wasn't a team captain, but that's not anything that has resonated with the scouts and evaluators I spoke to. Several scouts who have dealt directly with Cook said they have been very impressed with his personality, some coordinators have raved internally about his demeanor following his visits there. He's also a kid who gave his MVP trophy of the Big 10 Championship to his offensive linemen to parade around the team hotel after their defeat of Iowa, and someone who was clearly one of the leaders and premier players on one of the best college football teams in the country.
"The team captain thing is totally overblown, totally overblown," said one scout who has done extensive work in the Big 10 and on Michigan State in particular. "(All-American center) Jack Allen is the alpha male of that program. Period. There was no way he wasn't going to be named the offensive team captain. He is the toughest guy there.
"You wanna know somebody else who wasn't a team captain in college? I'll give you a hint -- it's somebody you work with ... Boomer Esiason. You think he wasn't a tough guy? You don't think he was a leader? It was just the same sort of situation with him at Maryland at the time, and that's a Pro Bowl quarterback. I'm not saying Cook doesn't have some things he needs to work on, but not beating out Jack Allen as offensive team captain isn't an issue for me at all."
Cook's profile received a boost last week when he went down to Orlando to be grilled by Gruden as part of his annual examination of the top quarterbacks in the draft. And it quickly became evident what the offensive savant thought of Cook. Gruden proclaimed him the best QB in this draft, and expressed his dismay why he isn't in play with the top pick.
"This is awesome man, this is great stuff, you seed the whole field," Gruden said at one point while reviewing film with Cook, in a way that only Chuckie can. "My pass offense got better by meeting you, Cook."
Gruden clearly has a soft spot for quarterbacks in general, but he raved about Cook's prowess in a way reserved for very few. "You started making plays that really weren't there -- not just making system plays ... making plays that I've never seen before … Your mentality playing the quarterback position is different than any kid I've had in here in three years."
Of all the praise coming his way, what had Cook beaming about most was when Gruden referred to him as a "gunslinger" -- Gruden, you'll recall, worked with a young Brett Favre, the quintessential slinger of them all, in Green Bay. "Coach Gruden is a great guy, he's really funny, and he seemed to really like me for whatever reason," Cook said. But there was no time to revel in that.
From Orlando it was back to campus on East Lansing for about 12 hours (about long enough to do some laundry) and then Cook had visits with the Ravens and Bills before a weekend of respite in Pittsburgh and then back to the grind. Cook begins a visit with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, then heads to Miami to meet the Dolphins on Tuesday, then he is with the Denver Broncos on Wednesday and with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.
He has already met with the Cleveland Browns -- where offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton handed him a bundle of pass plays, run plays and protections to study for 15 minutes and then saw how many Cook could recall and correctly draw up on the board. "That was a cool challenge and I thought I did pretty well," Cook said. And following the visit with the 49ers, Cook has trips with the Jets and Bears scheduled as well, and then a workout for the Rams.
Literally every team in the market for a quarterback of the present, or the future, has done at least some amount of work on him – some more exhaustive than others – and when draft day finally comes around, I doubt that Cook remains a forgotten man anymore. Certainly not for as long as some would have you believe. He may not go as high as Gruden would draft him, but then again, this time of year you never really know.
"I'm just going with the flow at this point and trying not to get too caught up in where I go," Cook said. "Obviously, I want to be drafted in the first round, but it's all about going to the right team as opposed to what round and what pick you are. If I can go to team with a good coaching staff and I am lucky enough to go to good organization, I'll be very happy."
TE, you better skip over this one.
Connor Cook, the QB no one is talking about, won't last long in NFL Draft
April 11, 2016 11:42 am ET
The draft is less than three weeks away and there is the usual, persistent buzz about the perceived top two quarterbacks available: Carson Wentz and Jared Goff. There is also intrigue surrounding 6-foot-7 Paxton Lynch and much public hand-wringing over the swoon of Christian Hackenberg. But when it comes to Connor Cook, who by many accounts is the most tested and pro-ready quarterback in this draft, there's nearly complete silence, from the scouring community and media.
Hmm.
In fact, until former Super Bowl-winning head coach and noted quarterback guru Jon Gruden began openly gushing about Cook on ESPN last week, and exclaiming out loud what some scouts and execs had been whispering about the quarterback for quite some time, it was difficult to find much being said or reported about the former Michigan State star anywhere outside of East Lansing. Seemed a little fishy to me. And after spending a week sniffing around on the situation, and speaking with numerous accomplished evaluators who don't have a dog in this fight (i.e. they are not going to be taking a quarterback on the first two days of this draft), I am more convinced than ever that Cook is going to be selected higher than many would want you to believe.
The kid with the NFL frame and the most decorated college passer of the bunch who played against the best competition of the group and won the most games of any of them (and in the history of his school) and who stayed out of trouble during five years on campus and led his team to the College Football Playoff this winter and won the Johnny Unitas award is getting virtually no pub and flying completely under the radar. Meanwhile, every visit or move the other quarterbacks make is seemingly being dissected by the media, scouts, general managers and coaches. Interesting.
Looks like a classic case of teams hoping a prospect is there for them to pounce on, of them publically sleeping on someone who has caught their eye, and of them being perfectly content to do whatever they can to ensure that perception -- "he's maybe the fourth-best quarterback in the draft" -- becomes reality. Only I'm not buying that it plays out that way, and neither are several NFL people I trust.
There is at least one team mulling a move up from the second round to the late first round to grab Cook if he is there. Several teams -- again, teams who are not going to be drafting passers high enough to grab Cook -- have him rated the second-best quarterback in the draft on their boards, according to league sources -- and Cook's itinerary has been as full as any of the quarterbacks in this draft. In all likelihood, he is not going to go in the top 10, as Goff and Wentz very well may, but I wouldn't be shocked at all to see him be the third quarterback selected, and for that pick to come in the first round.
"We like him, we like him a lot, actually," said an executive from a team that has Cook as the second-best quarterback in the draft. "We have him right up there with the other two or three (quarterbacks), actually even higher than a few of them. We like the kid a lot. We don't think there is a whole lot separating some of these quarterbacks and Cook is the most ready to play. Goff, look at his tape against Utah, it's not pretty. And Wentz, there is a lot to like there, but he needs to go somewhere and sit for a year or two and develop. If Cleveland takes him at two that is going to be a disaster. There aren't any sure things at this position -- really at most of the skill positions in this draft -- and Cook is definitely high up in that quarterback mix for us."
Another scout who has spent abundant time on the quarterbacks in this draft said: "We're not going to end up taking him, but there are plenty of people in our building who like him as much as the other two. I don't see him going in the top 15 picks, but after that he is in play. There is a lot to like there, he played in a pro-style offense, he can handle the big stage. He has some things he needs to tighten up and work on -- like all of the quarterbacks in this draft -- but overall I like him." Cook has some impressive qualities, for sure.
At 6-4, 220, with good speed and athleticism, the frame is there, as are the bloodlines, with both his parents and his sister accomplished athletes as well. He played for a strong college prep program in high school, he's fought through injuries at times to play, he's faced elite competition in the Big 10 and thrived to become one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Michigan State history, a program that has recently produced NFL starters Kirk Cousins and Brian Hoyer. He threw for 3,131 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a senior, and was named the MVP of the 2013 and 2015 Big 10 Championship games. Yet somehow he's become the Rodney Dangerfield of this quarterback class, seemingly unable to get much respect -- at least overt respect -- through the pre-draft process.
None of this is lost on Cook, of course. How could it be? This is the longest, most-drawn out, highest-profile job audition possible, with every nuance scrutinized across all platforms. So while the Ohio native is focused on the task at hand, it would be impossible not to notice what is -- and this case, is not -- being said about you. The decided lack of buzz about Cook, in the end, could very well be a good thing, though in real-time it's understandably puzzling.
"I hear it, I hear it for sure," Cook said of what's being said about the quarterbacks, "and I respect those guys a lot. I respect Goff and Wentz and Hackenberg and Lynch and all of those guys. But I think I played against really good competition and I played in some big-time games on some big-time stages with a lot of stuff riding on it -- seasons riding on it; championships riding on it -- and I think I played pretty well in those types of game. And to be considered the fourth-best quarterback, I don't really understand why. If it's scouts or coaches, I don't know, I'm obviously not with them watching the film. Maybe it's my completion percentage, maybe that's it. But I think I have the resume to be a first rounder."
The reality is, on the prescient metrics, Cooks grades quite well. He's studied the situation himself, including researching what Hall of Fame Coach Bill Parcells valued most when evaluating college quarterbacks. Once again, Cook checks virtually every box, and most of them probably merit a gold star sticker as well.
"If you look at the Bill Parcells rules to draft a quarterback I think I measure up pretty well," Cook said after completing a visit with the Buffalo Bills over the weekend and driving to visit his girlfriend in Pittsburgh for a brief respite from his circuit of NFL teams. "He should be a college graduate and start at least 30 games (Cook graduated last year with a degree in media and information) and I started 40. He must have 23 wins; I have well over 23 wins (Cook was 35-5 as a starter). He must have a completion percentage over 60 percent; that's the only thing I don't have (Cook completed 57.6 percent of his passes as a starter).
"If you look at his other rules he has to be at least a three-year starter. I did that. So he has to be consistent, and it wasn't like I had just one good year. I proved myself each year I played and I got better as a junior than as a sophomore, and I was better as a senior than I was my junior year. So I don't know why there isn't more talk and I'm not one to be boastful or anything, but this is important stuff, this is the NFL Draft and I am a competitor and I want to be the best. And when people talk about me in a negative way it does upset me, but you can't do anything about it, and I think I've earned every bit to be considered a first-round draft pick."
Some have lazily ascribed Cook's low-key run up to the draft to the fact that he wasn't a team captain, but that's not anything that has resonated with the scouts and evaluators I spoke to. Several scouts who have dealt directly with Cook said they have been very impressed with his personality, some coordinators have raved internally about his demeanor following his visits there. He's also a kid who gave his MVP trophy of the Big 10 Championship to his offensive linemen to parade around the team hotel after their defeat of Iowa, and someone who was clearly one of the leaders and premier players on one of the best college football teams in the country.
"The team captain thing is totally overblown, totally overblown," said one scout who has done extensive work in the Big 10 and on Michigan State in particular. "(All-American center) Jack Allen is the alpha male of that program. Period. There was no way he wasn't going to be named the offensive team captain. He is the toughest guy there.
"You wanna know somebody else who wasn't a team captain in college? I'll give you a hint -- it's somebody you work with ... Boomer Esiason. You think he wasn't a tough guy? You don't think he was a leader? It was just the same sort of situation with him at Maryland at the time, and that's a Pro Bowl quarterback. I'm not saying Cook doesn't have some things he needs to work on, but not beating out Jack Allen as offensive team captain isn't an issue for me at all."
Cook's profile received a boost last week when he went down to Orlando to be grilled by Gruden as part of his annual examination of the top quarterbacks in the draft. And it quickly became evident what the offensive savant thought of Cook. Gruden proclaimed him the best QB in this draft, and expressed his dismay why he isn't in play with the top pick.
"This is awesome man, this is great stuff, you seed the whole field," Gruden said at one point while reviewing film with Cook, in a way that only Chuckie can. "My pass offense got better by meeting you, Cook."
Gruden clearly has a soft spot for quarterbacks in general, but he raved about Cook's prowess in a way reserved for very few. "You started making plays that really weren't there -- not just making system plays ... making plays that I've never seen before … Your mentality playing the quarterback position is different than any kid I've had in here in three years."
Of all the praise coming his way, what had Cook beaming about most was when Gruden referred to him as a "gunslinger" -- Gruden, you'll recall, worked with a young Brett Favre, the quintessential slinger of them all, in Green Bay. "Coach Gruden is a great guy, he's really funny, and he seemed to really like me for whatever reason," Cook said. But there was no time to revel in that.
From Orlando it was back to campus on East Lansing for about 12 hours (about long enough to do some laundry) and then Cook had visits with the Ravens and Bills before a weekend of respite in Pittsburgh and then back to the grind. Cook begins a visit with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, then heads to Miami to meet the Dolphins on Tuesday, then he is with the Denver Broncos on Wednesday and with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.
He has already met with the Cleveland Browns -- where offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton handed him a bundle of pass plays, run plays and protections to study for 15 minutes and then saw how many Cook could recall and correctly draw up on the board. "That was a cool challenge and I thought I did pretty well," Cook said. And following the visit with the 49ers, Cook has trips with the Jets and Bears scheduled as well, and then a workout for the Rams.
Literally every team in the market for a quarterback of the present, or the future, has done at least some amount of work on him – some more exhaustive than others – and when draft day finally comes around, I doubt that Cook remains a forgotten man anymore. Certainly not for as long as some would have you believe. He may not go as high as Gruden would draft him, but then again, this time of year you never really know.
"I'm just going with the flow at this point and trying not to get too caught up in where I go," Cook said. "Obviously, I want to be drafted in the first round, but it's all about going to the right team as opposed to what round and what pick you are. If I can go to team with a good coaching staff and I am lucky enough to go to good organization, I'll be very happy."
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Well they didn't sign any of the best available free agent QB's. Considering they are looking for a future franchise QB (as well as backup) I don't believe FA is where they're looking to find one. Unless you think McCown or Fitzpatrick is the guy they are looking at as the future franchise QB. Common sense tells you they are looking at the draft. Again, Wentz is the only QB I think they would take at 4.