I think we all can agree that drafting Hackenberg in the 2nd rd was a huge mistake. If he were drafted much lower, there wouldn't be so much heartburn about his "mechanics" as projects don't get drafted that high. Pin this one solely on Macc...
It's a pipe dream to think that a player who was as consistently overmatched in college as Hackenberg was can be fixed easily to play in the NFL. NFL players are really, really good. If you think Hackenberg looked like he was swimming with sharks behind that bad PSU offensive line just imagine what he's going to look like with the Patriots, Steelers or Broncos breathing down his neck. That coach who said he could have fixed him in 2 weeks is blowing pure smoke up our asses. A fairy godmother with the best wand in history couldn't have waved it over Hackenberg and made him an NFL QB last season. I'm hoping the Jets have a fairy godmother of a QB coach on speed dial because that's what it's going to take to make Christian Hackenberg a good NFL QB. That coach maybe could have made him into a mediocre NFL QB but we've been swimming in those for a decade now and I'm ready for a good young NFL QB.
Honestly Brad, I don't care, there are too many polarizing opinions on this guy, personally I'm just going to wait and see. When he played against the Giants in the preseason he was rusty, once he got into a groove, he was accurate and moved the team into the end zone with ease, throwing a perfect fade to Anderson for the TD. The following week he played poorly, its expected from a young QB, highs and lows. The NY media loves negativity especially with the Jets, that's why I don't read any of the articles. Like I said in my previous post, I'm done with the Jets until they actually make a legitimate off season move. I'm going to enjoy playoff football.
I don't understand what al the fuss is about , its a simple fix ,just let Hackenberg attend Jets west with Sanchchez this off season and al will be just fine!
At the end of the day, it's not really about Hackenberg. He'll fail because he's on the Jets. He would have had a fighting chance in a number of other organizations, but the Jets will ruin him just like they've ruined everyone else. We even managed to ruin Brett Favre, so why would Hackenberg turn out any differently. Still, I hope he succeeds. He's had enough negativity directed towards him for a guy who hasn't even taken a snap yet.
Everybody points at Bill O'Brien as Hackenberg's mentor and the guy who was high on him and all that. However O'Brien had the 50 pick, the pick in front of the Jets and he didn't take Hackenberg. If he really thought Hackenberg was going to be an NFL QB of any real ability he'd have jumped all over him on that pick. Instead, a month earlier he gave Brock Osweiler a huge contract despite the fact that Osweiler's team was letting him walk away with no replacement on the roster. That tells you what he really thought of Hackenberg. Osweiler cost 10 times as much as Hackenberg would have in terms of cap space and he was regarded as an iffy starting QB prospect around the NFL. Hackenberg would have been a much cheaper solution and if O'Brien thought he could fix him he certainly wouldn't have been a bigger risk than giving Osweiler a huge contract with real guarantees in it. O'Brien has to believe that Hackenberg's shot at making it in the NFL is not very good. The 50 pick is nothing if you think you have inside info on a potential star QB. You make that pick even after you sign Osweiler. But if you're Bill O'Brien and you think Hackenberg has a real shot in the NFL you never sign Osweiler in the first place. Maybe you even take Hackenberg on the 21. If you think he's going to be a good QB.
Dude panicked after he didn't take Lynch in the first round and Jets fans called for his head. So he reached. Maybe we can do the same to influence him to take someone good next year.
C'mon - private workouts and secret meetings and Mac panicked? He had his eye on Hack the whole time, it was just a question of what round.
That's pretty much what I was thinking, he's struggled more than they thought picking up the O or perhaps his work ethic wasn't what they were expecting. Or perhaps the footwork improvements he supposedly showed after working with Palmer had regressed again. There are a few things that aren't related directly to his mechanical issues that they could be less than impressed with. Or even perhaps there's just more to do than they had banked on - perhaps they did think it was a 2 week fix followed by tons of reps. It doesn't mean they've given up on him, just that it is a bigger project than they thought once they have got him in-house. What does make no sense though is this waiting for the off-season aspect. If Bowles, as he alleges, knew Gailey wanted to retire the whole thing seems badly thought out.
Except I believe he is close enough to the situation and in contact with enough people inside that he does know what's going on. That's what his job is. What makes you think he talks to people there every day and doesn't know what's going on?
The other scenario that could have played out is this: Obrien wanted Hack but their GM who is in charge of player personnel overruled him and selected the center from Notre Dame. Obrien does not have control of the draft, there are reports that he wants more control over player personnel and hence the rumors of him being on the hot seat.
I don't see O'Brien passing on Hack as an indictment of him. I think its just a coach properly rating him as a 4th / 5th round pick and not making a stupid move by selecting him in round 2 like Mac did. As others have said if Mac was patient and selected him in round 4 or 5 we wouldn't be having these discussions on him being a bust, a project etc. Round 4 and 5 QB's are by their very nature projects. That's on Mac, not Hack.
My opinion on Hack is .... They loved the kids smarts, and physical abilities, realized that he was damaged goods from the talent fall out at Penn St. They probably figured it would take an entire season to erase his memories of the beating he took at the hands of his OL. For Mac to predict where he would fall in the draft is impossible . It only takes one team to over draft someone, there's been tons of examples of this in the first round alone. IMO I think he thought Dallas would take him before our 3 rounder came up. So he reached
What I found interesting was how the announcers mentioned Connor Cook has basically had no team practices as Matt McGloin was robbing him blind of snaps in practice.
