Predict the 2009 Ryan Leaf Award Winner

[bunzoburns]

Who do you think will be th biggest first round bust in this year's draft? My vote is for Crabtree. WR is always a crap shoot in the first round.

 

[condon84]

Orakpo = Gholston.

 

[billdog3484]

Sam Bradford. I look at the guys eyes, and to me, he just doesnt have it.

 

[BritPat]

Crabtree's the safest pick in the draft IMO. He's got All Pro written all over him.

I'll go with Stafford.

 

[mmasterkillah]

I think Stafford underachieved in college. I don't think he is going to be a great pro at all, but then again it seems as if simplifying offenses has succeeded as of late (see Flacco, Cassel early on).

Not overly impressed with (in relation to their respective hype levels):
Chris Wells
Orakpo
Alphonso Smith
Brandon Pettigrew (not a top first-round talent IMO)
Danell Ellerbe

 

[PatsFanInEaglesLand]

Matthew Stafford

 

[upstater1]

Crabtree's the safest pick in the draft IMO. He's got All Pro written all over him.

I'll go with Stafford.

I've seen too many big WRs without top end speed flounder in th NFL. USC's Mike Williams comes to mind. I don't think he's a sure fire safe pick, but I would love to see him on the Patriots.

I would not be surprised, however, if he pulls a Mike Williams in the NFL.

 

[upstater1]

Percy Harvin, very slight, falls down easy. Ted Ginn the IIIrd.

Lesean McCoy, not very instinctive, has a lot of L. Maroney in him.

 

[MetalBleachers]

Michael Johnson, Ga. Tech DE/OLB. He's a boom or bust type who has to find the right situation. I wish him well, but I think there's risk there.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

it comes down to sam bradford (he belongs in a disney TV show) or percy harvin (gator WR........'nuff said)

 

[j00fek]

Sam Bradford. I look at the guys eyes, and to me, he just doesnt have it.

yep...............

 

[mcsully]

Lesean McCoy, not very instinctive, has a lot of L. Maroney in him.

I'm going to have to disagree with you 100%.. He reminds me of C Martin but will more open speed.. He has great vision and can skip by tacklers and hit top speed in two steps.. He's going to be a steal for someone in the 2nd round.


matthew bradford oklahoma arm isn't as strong as I thought. He'll have problems with the deep ball in the NFL or making throws towards the sideline, deep outs..

 

[upstater1]

I'm going to have to disagree with you 100%.. He reminds me of C Martin but will more open speed.. He has great vision and can skip by tacklers and hit top speed in two steps.. He's going to be a steal for someone in the 2nd round.


matthew bradford oklahoma arm isn't as strong as I thought. He'll have problems with the deep ball in the NFL or making throws towards the sideline, deep outs..

I saw lots of dancing behind the line and stops for a loss. He can hit the home run, but he'll also put you at 2nd and 9 1/2 on many occasions.

I'm betting Donald Brown is a better back in the NFL.

 

[NE_Paddy]

I've seen two names mentioned here... Brian Orakpo and Brandon Pettigrew. And I have to ask, have you people actually seen any Big 12 play this year?

I'm not saying those guys are guaranteed superstars or anything (any player in the draft can be a bust due to a whole number of factors), but those 2 guys are absolute playmakers.

The only reasoning I can see for people comparing Orakpo to Gholston is that they are both DEs who can bench an insane amount. So what? Brian Orakpo is a smart and disruptive player who I think compares far more favorably to DeMarcus Ware.

And Brandon Pettigrew is just a miss-match waiting to happen. I'm not sure who's better, him or Jermaine Gresham.

My vote for biggest potential bust would go to Sam Bradford. Who knows, there's every chance he proves me wrong, but I don't trust him. I think a lot of his success comes from the fact that offensive holding doesn't seem to be called as a penalty in the Big 12. If he lands with a team that gives him 5 minutes to throw every time he drops back, then maybe he'll be a success, but I can see him getting very flustered by NFL defenses.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

BTW, they award is going to be re-named the Leaf/Gholsten Award..

Put me down for Vontae Davis.

 

[Absurdly Metro]

IMO, you guys will be wrong about Bradford. Admittedly, I'm an OU homer but this guy came out of nowhere (he was on the OU roster as a fourth string qb just as an insurance policy) and has just gotten better and better.

He takes coaching well and is continually working to improve his game unlike more heralded guys who have the big arm (ala Ryan Leaf) and feel no need for hard work.

I don't understand the week arm argument either. Bradford makes ALL the throws. Sure he can improve on some but he already (as a red shirt sophomore) has an uncanny accuracy and unbelievable touch on his passes including the deep ball. He's patient, reads through his progressions well, and seldom locks onto his first or second option. He also rarely telegraphs his throws, already having developed an ability to"look off" defenders. The result is a very high comp % and low int total.

He's also benefited from playing in a pro style offense. Of course, he's still a kid and has a lot of growing to do too. I just hope he ends up with a good coaching staff and system to learn under. If he does, I say he'll be a good NFL qb with a very high ceiling.

 

[NE_Paddy]

I don't understand the week arm argument either. Bradford makes ALL the throws. Sure he can improve on some but he already (as a red shirt sophomore) has an uncanny accuracy and unbelievable touch on his passes including the deep ball. He's patient, reads through his progressions well, and seldom locks onto his first or second option. He also rarely telegraphs his throws, already having developed an ability to"look off" defenders. The result is a very high comp % and low int total.

I don't buy the weak arm argument either. Scouts get too obsessed with arm-strength anyway. I remember reading an article a couple of years ago about how JaMarcus Russell could throw 80 yards from a sitting position on the ground. This was apparently a great thing...the fact that he could throw a pass that would NEVER come up in a game. Great. For me, Bradford has a strong enough arm.

But I think this perceived accuracy and reading through progressions is misleading. It's easy to be accurate and throw to your 4th read when Duke Robinson and Phil Loadholt are in front of you, bear-hugging the pass rushers without being called for it. It's not just an Oklahoma thing by the way, it's all over the Big 12. And hey, if they can get away with it, more power to them. But we've seen Sammy boy struggle in bowl games where the refs actually call holding.

 

[dryheat44]

Any first round QB. The only QB who might be in the draft whom I feel confident can be a NFL starter is Sanchez.

Bradford looks too much like Josh Huepple and Stan White (inadequate arm strength) and Stafford looks like he should be an assistant scoutmaster somewhere. Deceptive athleticism, but I don't see any kind of NFL presence. It's a good year to be Matt Cassel.

 

[AzPatsFan]

My only sure bet for the Ryan Leaf Award is in 2010. Tim Tebow wins in a landslide!

 

[Synovia]

Matthew Stafford

Stafford

32 starts and 57% completion percentage doesn't predict well in Lewin's system