There hasn't been much discussion about the mental makeup of these QB prospects...

[Force Zero Boomer]

....or has there? Sure, the physical traits and abilities need to be there, but what about the brain? Will they be stable team players? Will they work hard to make themselves better every year (like Brady, for example)? Do they have the IQ to run an NFL offense or will they be limited? Are they driven to win? Do they hate losing more than anything? Are they leaders? Will they push everyone around them to better? Will they be locker room cancers?

It seems to me that a lot of these questions can be answered prior to the draft, if the Pats talk to the right people (including the player himself). It is hard to say how a player will react to instant fame and fortune: for some, it's the beginning of the end. They can't handle the money and entitlement, and spiral down from there.

But once the traits and abilities bar has been crossed, aren't those questions the most critical?

 

[Gator Mike]

How the heck are any of us supposed to know anything about the mental makeup of any of these kids?

 

[cmasspatsfan]

....or has there? Sure, the physical traits and abilities need to be there, but what about the brain? Will they be stable team players? Will they work hard to make themselves better every year (like Brady, for example)? Do they have the IQ to run an NFL offense or will they be limited? Are they driven to win? Do they hate losing more than anything? Are they leaders? Will they push everyone around them to better? Will they be locker room cancers?

It seems to me that a lot of these questions can be answered prior to the draft, if the Pats talk to the right people (including the player himself). It is hard to say how a player will react to instant fame and fortune: for some, it's the beginning of the end. They can't handle the money and entitlement, and spiral down from there.

But once the traits and abilities bar has been crossed, aren't those questions the most critical?

That's the job of the guys on the staff when they talk to these guys and talk to their College coaches. Something we're not privy to.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

How the heck are any of us supposed to know anything about the mental makeup of any of these kids?

You look at the evidence, of course. For example, look at how Tom Brady would rally his team on the sideline. Did the player do that in college? How does a player perform in high pressure situations? For example, did he hang in there for some late game heroics despite taking a lot of abuse behind a porous offensive line? Do any of the prospects have criminal records? And there are many other things that could be discussed. For example, Caleb Williams' pink phone and matching fingernails. That strikes me as someone who will want the team to be about him, and that he will be a distraction. I might be reading too much into that one, but it's up for discussion.

And there's more. I know that teams have extensive meetings with players and do personality assessments. Some of the things that come out of those are never reported or just not widely known. For example, Rylan Leaf blew off the Colts pre-draft. That was a big red flag that did come out publicly.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

That's the job of the guys on the staff when they talk to these guys and talk to their College coaches. Something we're not privy to.

We certainly are privy to some of it. Did they lead well during games? Did they persevere under duress or did they struggle? Were they rallying their team on the sidelines of big games? These attributes are just as important as physical traits and abilities.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Teams and posters spend a lot of time assessing the QB's mental makeup in terms of leadership skills and the ability to function at a high level under pressure. The general consensus is that mental makeup, aka the IT factor, is as important as physical skills, is very difficult to assess and virtually impossible to coach up after the draft. Caleb Williams is someone who many posters don't want due to his perceived mental makeup.

 

[scott99]

Unfortunately, it’s tough to know if the QB you pick will wind up with the mental fortitude to be a great QB. You look at Tom Brady, the most mentally tough QB of all time, nothing was gonna stop him from being great, because he had that mindset, that want, that desire to be great.

So many QB prospects come into the league with the physical tools, but the first time they face adversity, they don’t have the mental fortitude to recover. Zach Wilson comes to mind. Great arm, excellent escapability, when you watched him in college, it was tough not to see similarities to Aaron Rodgers. But he has a $5 brain, he couldn’t put it together.

You can’t measure heart, and you can’t predict if a QB will be mentally tough enough to be a great QB.

 

[Gator Mike]

And there are many other things that could be discussed. For example, Caleb Williams' pink phone and matching fingernails. That strikes me as someone who will want the team to be about him, and that he will be a distraction.

...or he just really likes the color pink.

 

[BTTA]

...or he just really likes the color pink.

From what I'm told by my age 40ish children, men accessorizing with pink is fairly mainstream for younger folks. IF it is a statement about anything, it is a rejection of old cultural norms about masculinity, which is also fairly common now. It isn't necessarily even that, so much as just liking the freedom and/or the color. It isn't an indicator of sexuality. That's what I'm told.

How that works in the world of football, which is one of the last bastions of old school masculinity? Probably awkwardly at first, and then reluctantly accepted, and then fades away and is ignored.

 

[moosekill]

No it isn’t common or main stream. Especially in football players. Doesn’t make him a bad guy or anything. However it does show he wants to stand out and be the center of attention. See Cam Newton/ Joe Namath. However I would prefer to have my Qb wait till he has actually done something before he makes it all about him.

 

[Ivan]

You can look at how they performed when their team’s were under duress, or coming from behind, Brady is the best example of this. He repeatedly came off the bench at Michigan to save their asses, despite being benched repeatedly in favor of the #1 consensus blue chip prospect Drew Henson. You can also look at guys like James Winston, who was a complete idiot in college, and never shed that in the pro’s You can also talk to opposing coaches, but I wouldn’t trust their own coaches as much because they usually rave about their own players. Urban be Meyer repeatedly screwed Belichick in this regard. Then you have post season awards, Daniels won the Unitas Award for leadership, as well as hours of your own interviews. So there’s actually a lot to go on, you just have to put in the work, and throw out any biases.

 

[Boston Boxer]

You look at the evidence, of course. For example, look at how Tom Brady would rally his team on the sideline. Did the player do that in college? How does a player perform in high pressure situations? For example, did he hang in there for some late game heroics despite taking a lot of abuse behind a porous offensive line? Do any of the prospects have criminal records? And there are many other things that could be discussed. For example, Caleb Williams' pink phone and matching fingernails. That strikes me as someone who will want the team to be about him, and that he will be a distraction. I might be reading too much into that one, but it's up for discussion.

And there's more. I know that teams have extensive meetings with players and do personality assessments. Some of the things that come out of those are never reported or just not widely known. For example, Rylan Leaf blew off the Colts pre-draft. That was a big red flag that did come out publicly.

for all of you that are absolutely terrified of Caleb Williams and his pink phone case and painted nails, the Bears staff spoke to several of his teammates, coaches, administration etc. and couldn't find one person that said a bad word about him. Do a little research and then post on here why he paints his fingernails.

 

[Triumph]

How the heck are any of us supposed to know anything about the mental makeup of any of these kids?

Any real NFL talent evaluator would know from speaking with former coaches, family, friends, etc.

Like Vince Wilfork for instance. It was clear that he was mature beyond his years when drafted and that he possessed high character.

 

[borisman]

for all of you that are absolutely terrified of Caleb Williams and his pink phone case and painted nails, the Bears staff spoke to several of his teammates, coaches, administration etc. and couldn't find one person that said a bad word about him. Do a little research and then post on here why he paints his fingernails.

Since you did a little research, care to post a link? (no, I don't really care. I just don't think that kind of thing happens often with a first overall pick where people you mentioned say bad things about them) Did people speak ill of Jeff George. I honestly don't remember.

Good luck to the Bears and their generational talent. Not rooting for a meltdown but am expecting one.

I would also like to know if his teammates attended his 21st birthday party.

 

[upstater1]

Unless the QB is a total trainwreck like Josh Rosen, there's very little that scouts/teams can do to measure the most important thing for a QB.

Can he read a pro defense (which they've never seen before)? Can he move around the pocket when freaks are about to destroy him? Can he get demolished and then get right back up and stand in there until the absolute final instant when he knows the only result for him other than a completion is pain?

Some of the twerpiest QBs were tough as hell. It was hard to know how they'd stand in there. I've seen the Patriots play in a lot of NFL stadiums and opposing fans always trotted out the ol' "Brady is a Lady" chant.

It all derived from this kind of stuff:

Or this:



Or dancing in Brazil, or kissing his son for 3 seconds on the lips, or the emotional physical bond he shares with Guerrero when Guerrero rubs Brady's loins, all of this is absolutely meaningless.

Brady, the most effeminate QB in recent memory, was the toughest QB in the NFL for 20 seasons. Only Ben Roethlisberger even came close to the level of guts in Brady. Maybe the other teams' scouts were assessing Brady based on his level of manliness.

 

[Love The Drake]

Unless the QB is a total trainwreck like Josh Rosen, there's very little that scouts/teams can do to measure the most important thing for a QB.

Can he read a pro defense (which they've never seen before)? Can he move around the pocket when freaks are about to destroy him? Can he get demolished and then get right back up and stand in there until the absolute final instant when he knows the only result for him other than a completion is pain?

Some of the twerpiest QBs were tough as hell. It was hard to know how they'd stand in there. I've seen the Patriots play in a lot of NFL stadiums and opposing fans always trotted out the ol' "Brady is a Lady" chant.

It all derived from this kind of stuff: View attachment 57349

Or this:

View attachment 57350

Or dancing in Brazil, or kissing his son for 3 seconds on the lips, or the emotional physical bond he shares with Guerrero when Guerrero rubs Brady's loins, all of this is absolutely meaningless.

Brady, the most effeminate QB in recent memory, was the toughest QB in the NFL for 20 seasons. Only Ben Roethlisberger even came close to the level of guts in Brady. Maybe the other teams' scouts were assessing Brady based on his level of manliness.

Rosen and Mac are like the same kind of player.

 

[HSanders]

I would also like to know if his teammates attended his 21st birthday party.

who was that? i can't remember.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Unless the QB is a total trainwreck like Josh Rosen, there's very little that scouts/teams can do to measure the most important thing for a QB.

Can he read a pro defense (which they've never seen before)? Can he move around the pocket when freaks are about to destroy him? Can he get demolished and then get right back up and stand in there until the absolute final instant when he knows the only result for him other than a completion is pain?

Some of the twerpiest QBs were tough as hell. It was hard to know how they'd stand in there. I've seen the Patriots play in a lot of NFL stadiums and opposing fans always trotted out the ol' "Brady is a Lady" chant.

It all derived from this kind of stuff: View attachment 57349

Or this:

View attachment 57350

Or dancing in Brazil, or kissing his son for 3 seconds on the lips, or the emotional physical bond he shares with Guerrero when Guerrero rubs Brady's loins, all of this is absolutely meaningless.

Brady, the most effeminate QB in recent memory, was the toughest QB in the NFL for 20 seasons. Only Ben Roethlisberger even came close to the level of guts in Brady. Maybe the other teams' scouts were assessing Brady based on his level of manliness.

No it isn’t common or main stream. Especially in football players. Doesn’t make him a bad guy or anything. However it does show he wants to stand out and be the center of attention. See Cam Newton/ Joe Namath. However I would prefer to have my Qb wait till he has actually done something before he makes it all about him.

I forgot about the off field journey from being a young kid who suddenly became a famous football player to a family man. Brady is a great example of someone who was able to "play in the fashion world" off the field while being a leader in the locker room. He was able to pull it off because he was down to earth and maniacal about winning in the locker room. Most importantly he established himself as a legitimate NFL QB first. Who would have thought this early photo shoot was so prophetic, LOL.

 

[Love The Drake]

I would also like to know if his teammates attended his 21st birthday party.
I heard this guy was definitely there.

 

[borisman]

who was that? i can't remember.

It was from the movie Draft Day. Bo Callahan, QB Wisconsin. I put it in italics because it was a joke. That's what I thought of though when reading the post I replied to about no members from the USC team saying a bad word about Caleb Williams.