Draft Analysis: Where the Quarterbacks Should Go

BomberJet · Apr 19, 2017

playtowinthegame said: ↑

This a good article by Andy Benoit over at Sports Illustrated's MMQB. I highly recommend reading it if you haven't already. Link

I'm only going post this snippet from the article regarding the Jets and Deshaun Watson.

Comparisons will be made to Marcus Mariota, but stylistically the more apt comparison is to Dak Prescott (especially for their similar throwing motions). The question is whether Watson can be as accurate. More finesse than power, he’s better on touch passes than fastballs. Clemson’s offensive system did not demand many fastballs, so Watson’s sample size is small. But the subtle hitch in his delivery and his tendency to separate his feet upon throwing (as opposed to firmly planting his back foot) suggest he’ll never be a high-velocity thrower.

When you consider Watson’s refinement on touch passes, another comparison could be made to Russell Wilson, perhaps the best touch passer in football. He and Watson have different skill sets, but they approach the game in similar ways. Watson, who is very mobile, has Wilson’s tendency to break down and leave the pocket. At times, he’ll do this too early, which harms an offense’s rhythm. But late in his college career, and especially in the win over Alabama for the national title, Watson showed a much more refined sense of pocket poise than Wilson ever showed in his first few NFL seasons. There’s something to build on.

Whoever drafts Watson will take his mobility into consideration. This is where the discussion gets interesting. Not having Russell Wilson’s solidness or Cam Newton’s size, Watson’s body won’t survive the rigors of eight to 10 rushing attempts a game. Can he prosper as just a decent-armed pocket passer who sometimes runs around? That has worked for Prescott, but Prescott also plays behind the NFL’s best offensive line, is accompanied by the NFL’s best running game and has a true No. 1 receiver in Dez Bryant, which regulates coverages and makes the field easier to read. There’s zero possibility Watson will fall into such ideal circumstances.
Not physically gifted enough to take over NFL contests the way he did at Clemson, Watson will have to maximize the opportunities of whatever system he’s in.

The challenge is identifying the most appropriate system. The Seahawks keep Russell Wilson in the pocket on quick-timing throws but leave room for him to run around on other dropbacks. The team that drafts Watson must be willing to reshape its offense in this fashion. One possibility: the Jets. Their new offensive coordinator, John Morton, who has never been an NFL play-caller and is a bit of a mystery, comes from the Saints and may run a variation of Sean Payton’s scheme. That would not fit Watson. But with the entire offensive lineup in flux and the coaches and front office presumably on the hot seat, the Jets, instead of enduring the pains of a long-term system installation, might be incentivized to settle for whatever approach yields the best immediate results. They drafted Christian Hackenberg in the second round last year. Taking Watson would give them a different style of quarterback and thus, the ability to go in a new direction should the outlook on Hackenberg sour. And though it shouldn’t matter, Watson would galvanize Gang Green’s disenchanted fan base.

The Jets shouldn’t take Watson at No. 6 overall—that’s too high. But if they could trade down, or if he’s on the board in the second round (39thoverall), that would be intriguing.
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This article more than ever, convinces me that the Jets should stay away from drafting Watson, or any other QB on the first day.

Too many negatives for the Jets to take Watson at 6 - and if the Jets staff are on the 'Hot Seat' as the writer implies, why would they risk taking a player that more than likely will be another red-shirted clip-board holder? Just don't see them taking another plunge the first day of the draft.

Draft Analysis: Where the Quarterbacks Should Go

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Draft Analysis: Where the Quarterbacks Should Go

BomberJet Well-Known Member

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