AzPatsFan

My friend who is a Cardinal's fan and thought that the Cards might draft a QB with the fifth pick had done some exhaustive research on Ryan Mallett.

He says that the problem with Mallett is mostly guilt by association, rather than an inherent self destructive thuggish stupidity. At Michigan he was a country boy out of his element. He fell in with a bunch of low life friends, and got involved with their self destructive escapades.

He was satisfied in playing a pro style set at Michigan; and was a coming star in that system. When Michigan changed Coaches, the new Coach was determined to go to the currently fashionable "Spread", that requires a lot of running ability from the QB position, which is not Ryan's style or ability.

He transferred to a team playing a pro style system adapted to his style. He was not thrown off the Team, or that he transferred because he lost out in a QB contest, which many players seem to do.

Some people said he was just a stupid jock thug, and too dumb to learn a NFL QBs job, but when the Wonderlic results came in, he had a 26, the dividing line between the successful QBs and the washouts. By comparison, Cam Newton and Locker's Wonderlics fell into the category that has all the QB failures in it.

Check out the "26, 27, 60 rule" for measuring a QB candidate, aside from his obvious athletic triangle numbers, which don't really count for much in a QBs play. The Rule says have a Wonderlic above 26, so you can understand your QB job. Play long enough to start 27 games in college, so you have some continuity and experience. Finally express your accuracy by throwing for more than 60% completion rate. The successful QBs all exceed that, and the failures and washouts simply don't. It is eerie what it shows.

At Arkansas, he played in a pro style set, throwing the football. Separated from the low lifes he fell in with at Michigan, he was much more a model citizen. But he still had some college high jinks in his background at Arkansas but nothing but youthful exuberance. His Coach at Arkansas, Bobby Petrino says the scrutiny of Mallett is way overdone, and has taken on a life of its own. Coach Petrino said he doesn't recognize Ryan from the false, grotesque picture that has attached itself to the Ryan, that he coached and knows.

With the careful attention to detail, the Patriots may have decided that the stories were really overblown or happened too long ago. He has a Coach's son attitude, and is a film rat. He is known to like to work at his sport. That had to appeal to Belichick. Ryan appears to have grown up somewhat at Arkansas. By the time he is ready to play, in a year or three, for the Pats he should be even more mature. The adversity that Mallett has faced, helped him "grow up" and Belichick likes that in his QB backgrounds. It reveals whether he maintains an even keel and POISE in the adversity, or comes apart under the pressure.

Meanwhile the Pats have drafted the best arm in the QB class and not with the third pick in the Draft, but rather in the Third Round. His rookie contract should be affordable, and can be expected to have an opportunity to sit, learn and grow up some more.

The Patriots appear to have drafted three #1 draft picks, in Nate Solder, Ras-I Dowling, rated in the top 20 by Mel Kiper, and now Ryan Mallett.

Real World

I like the pick alot. It's not often that you get a chance to draft what some people believe is arguably the best QB in the draft, or certainly one of them, in the 3rd round. The fact that the Pats had three 3rd round picks makes the risk here even more sensible. Mallett was a DND to me for most teams because of his apparent substance abuse issues (according to what I've heard whispered about), but if there is a set up where that can be overcome, it's one like the Patriots. One where you have a no nonsense established coach, a strong locker room, and a best in the league QB and leader in Tom Brady. This isn't a reach for Kevin O'Connell. This kid has legitimate skills. Plus, he fits the Brady skill set. Good arm, good feet, but slow as a snail in the 40. I really like the pick. Worst case you missed on a 3rd rounder that you had three of.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Patriot_in_NY

Sheer genius pick....... particularly on the heels of the Ridley pick (which I also love). Riddley cleared the roster spot by erasing Taylor and Morris in one swoop, and Vereen replaces (gulp...... Faulk ).

BB cleared the way for Mallet before selecting him. A stable of BJGE, Woody, Vereen & Riddley (all puppies) is > then BJGE, Woody, Faulk, Morris, Taylor (with the last two all but useless now).

Reducing RB's to carrying 4, which allows us the luxury of carrying 3 qb's. Mallet makes Hoyer better (pushing on his azz), and even Brady too....

This whole thing has win, win, win on it.

Very little downside. If Mallet fizzles, he goes the way of KOC? Big whoop.

jeffbiologist

So let me get this straight. This kid is immature, fell in with the wrong crowd yada yada right? So now we are going to PAY this kid more money than he has ever seen before in his LIFE, hand him a clip board and tell him to not get in trouble and that's going to work?? I am all about giving people a second chance but this guy is a Cocaine arrest from the from page of the Globe ala Matt Jones. Arkansas players are known problem children, have either Felix Jones or DMF lived up to their hype?? OConnell, like Mallett, was the MAN his whole life. He couldnt handle coming in and holding the clip board, is he even in the league anymore? He never had half the problems Mallett has.
Reward? Only if the franchise gets hurt will he see the field in the regular season. Risk? A high 3rd pick has VALUE, we could have traded it for a 2nd next year!!(LMAO!!). If we are "team building" today, I dont like it. TB is not the type to take a guy under his wing, much like Flutie that way. Especially if he QUIT the Michigan team. If he had persevered and was the backup QB at Michigan TB would have helped.....transferring to ARK was the easy way out.

upstater1

Just wondering if you watch college ball. Because the starting QB at Michigan was a frosh. He replaced 2 blue chippers who were pocket passers. one was named Forcier.

Mallet would have NEVER played at Michigan. This same coach, when at WV, would have played Pat White over Sam Bradford had Bradford been competing for that job.

Sfpat

Actually, we're paying him 3rd round money (not high 1st) and 3b at that and the immaturity was three years ago when he was 19. Most people mature quite a bit between 19 and 22. How many times can you pick a franchise caliber QB in the third round, then allow him to sit for 3-4 years to "mature".

AzPatsFan

I am not a college football addict. But your point is well taken, and essentially what my friend alluded to with the Coaching change at Michigan. So there should be no stigma attaching to Mallett about transferring under the circumstances.

Getting away from the self-destructive low life "friends", was certainly a good thing.

Patsfanin Philly

Absolutely. I think this is the year we see much less roster turnover than the usual 11-12 (20% of the roster) unless you count injured players coming back to be turnover. It wouldn't shock me to see the Pats trade some of the remaining picks into next year or package a few (#159 and 219) (trade value 27.8+ 3.8=31.6) to the Eagles for #149 (31.8)......After all we haven't had the annual trade with Philly yet.

TealSox

I've got the same thoughts that most of you have...

1. Low Risk, High Reward selection. For a third round pick and third round money, Mallett comes to the Patriots at an extremely discounted price. Formerly regarded as a consensus first round pick in 2010 and a top 5 QB in 2011 by some, Mallett almost instantly improves the Patriots depth at the QB position.

2. The Patriots Utilize Their Unique Position. As a team with a Hall of Fame quarterback at the helm, the Patriots aren't susceptible to the pressures of forcing a young, talented QB into the starting role too early. Aaron Rodgers and Steve McNair stand out as two QBs that were allowed to mature and develop into the role successfully due to the fact that they had a resilient coaching staff and weren't forced to fail too early.

3. I Love A Player With a Chip On His Shoulder. I hope Mallett has a bit of bitterness toward every team that passed on him and brings that resentment to the weight room, the practice field and the locker room day after day. Brady has that chip, much like Randy Moss does and all they did was become the best players in the NFL at their positions.

4. Belichick Cares About the Future? It was mentioned during the pre-draft that the Colts aren't likely to select a future franchise QB. Why? Because the GM would likely leave at the same time as Peyton Manning, allowing the problem of replacing Peyton to be put on the shoulders of some other lame duck. Whether Belichick is looking to use Mallett as trade bait, he could had very well stumbled upon the future of the Patriots given the "best case scenario" come three or four years from now.

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"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up."Vince Lombardi


Pats fan since 1993

letekro

I guarantee you've never seen him play and I guarantee you never saw KOC play either, if you are trying to draw a legitimate comparision between the two. KOC was a developmental PROJECT. Mallett is ready to start in the NFL NOW. If Brady is not careful, he will lose his job to this kid. Will Brady let it happen in the next 2-3 years, probably not, but this kid will push him big time. When Brady's skills start to erode, this kid will be there to step in.