DRAFT Welcome Bailey Zappe - QB - pick #137

[1960Pats]

I always wonder why the draft geniuses like you aren’t working in scouting departments? Don’t get me wrong, there are a few poster’s here who really know their sh.t, and contribute to a level where they should actually think about trying to get a scouting job. You however, aren’t one of them.

When fans here question Bill's decisions on draft day they aren't applying for his job. The truth is that nobody knows for sure how any of these players will work out. Every one of them could end up a stud, a bust or anywhere in between.

 

[Ivan]

When fans here question Bill's decisions on draft day they aren't applying for his job. The truth is that nobody knows for sure how any of these players will work out. Every one of them could end up a stud, a bust or anywhere in between.

This wasn’t directed at the fans who question draft decisions, this wasn’t directed at the Draft Forum, which overall is one of the best on the web, this was directed specifically at fans like Kenny’s, Captain Stone, and others who always sh.t all over every pick this franchise makes. Theirvtakes are completely predictable every year at this time, Belichick sucks, Belichick doesn’t know what he’s doing, but I do…. Etc etc…..

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Just watched highlights

His arm velocity is that of a glacier

Arm strength of your grandmother

He’s barely tall enough to go on the fun rides at the carnival

No way this guy is good in the nfl!

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

I always wonder why the draft geniuses like you aren’t working in scouting departments? Don’t get me wrong, there are a few poster’s here who really know their sh.t, and contribute to a level where they should actually think about trying to get a scouting job. You however, aren’t one of them.

May I remind you to be polite on this forum. We are all grasping at straws here since we do not really know how these picks will work out.

As I said before, Sayre's Law states that "Academic politics are so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small." This hold true for football draft argument as well.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

The entire NFL wasn't intrigued with Jones, though. The collective draft media freaked out when the Patriots took a supposed 3rd rounder in the late 1st, but none of them are talking about how badly they misevaluated Jones to put a late 1st or early 2nd grade on a guy we actually know the NFL didn’t pick until the third.

It’s not necessary a misevaluation of the player. There is other stuff which could lead to a drop where nobody outside the league, I mean no draft expert etc really knows until the draft
Example Andrew booth and Nakobe Dean
I believe both would have went significant higher without some injury concerns popping up no one really talked about before the draft bc only a few knew about that
Or owuso koramoah from last years draft
Same example as dean
I admit I haven’t heard anything about Jones tough

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Just watched highlights

His arm velocity is that of a glacier

Arm strength of your grandmother

He’s barely tall enough to go on the fun rides at the carnival

No way this guy is good in the nfl!

I just watched the highlights and his arm velocity appears to be fine.

He has a quick release and is very accurate when he has time to throw, but not quite as accurate as Mac. Not sure about his accuracy on the run. I think he is elusive in the pocket, but I did not see much of him being chased

He telegraphs the snap with a hand slap but he should be able to unlearn that.

He also telegraphs his throws, i.e. bird dogs them. Most of them but occasionally he looks off the safety. I think this is correctable.

One thing that bothers me is that few of Bailey's teammates congratulate him after successful TD passes. Echos of Bo Callahan from the Draft Day movie.

 

[varjao]

Questionable draft but I like this pick, you keep taking shots at QB no matter what, Stidshow days are over and Hoyer is a coach.

 

[Ivan]

May I remind you to be polite on this forum. We are all grasping at straws here since we do not really know how these picks will work out.

As I said before, Sayre's Law states that "Academic politics are so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small." This hold true for football draft argument as well.

Thank you so much Fred, I greatly appreciate your thoughts and insight on this very difficult issue.

 

[BobDigital]

I will never be mad about taking a shot at a QB in the draft in the mid to later rounds, you never know, and Bailey has as good a chance as any 4tha snowballs chance in hell. round pick I've seen of hitting big time. That of course means STILL incredibly unlikely, but within the realm of reasonably possibly.

 

[VJCPatriot]

One thing that bothers me is that few of Bailey's teammates congratulate him after successful TD passes. Echos of Bo Callahan from the Draft Day movie.

I mean when a guy throws 62 TD passes maybe it becomes old hat by then? LOL. Hard to say why that's the case but I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The thing that makes it really hard to judge Bailey Zappe is the strength of his competition. I mean he was going against the likes of Army, Old Dominion, UTSA, etc. Not exactly powerful football programs. In his final year, Zappe started the season 1-5 before going on a 7 game win streak to close out the season 8-5.

They then lose to UTSA in the conference finals game 41-49. But win the Boca Raton Bowl game against Appalachian State 59-38 where Zappe throws for 6 TDs and 577 yards.

In terms of total production, I haven't seen such high numbers from a Div2 Qb since the likes of Steve Mcnair. Mcnair looked a lot more athletic than Zappe though.

Mcnair put up [1994]: 4,863 yards passing, 936 yards rushing for an NCAA record 5,799 yards in total offense. QB rating: 155.4. TD passes: 44.

Zappe put up in the air [2021]:

5967 yards

8.7 y/a

9.8 ay/a

62 tds

11 ints

168.9 passer rating

On the ground though only 3 rushes for 0 yards...

What does this tell us about Zappe? Well he's pretty much only going to be a pocket passer for us. Don't expect to see him escape the pocket and make a lot of plays in the running game.

Was the reason he was able to pass for so many yards due to his competition being of such a low ability level, or was his processing of the game what takes him up to a 'special' level? I don't see elite athleticism unlike with Mcnair, so I'm not sure what the Patriots love about Zappe's game to be taking him with a 4th round pick.

He projects to be a backup quarterback, a guy you don't want to see on the field if Mac Jones is even 80% healthy. Maybe someone sees something more to Zappe's game that you could share with the rest of us.

Now a word from Bailey Zappe. He seems very appreciative of his team and his coaches, a nice kid. But can he adapt his game to the pro level?

 

[moosekill]

The patriots want a backup qb who is similar to their starter. They don’t want an athletic run first type when they have built their team for Mac.

 

[Wozzy]

Bottom line is the Pats found value with Zappe because he's 6 feet tall.

Yes, he played in a smaller conference, but so did Patrick Mahomes.

If Zappe was 6'5" he would have been a first rounder, especially in a weak QB draft.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

I mean when a guy throws 62 TD passes maybe it becomes old hat by then? LOL. Hard to say why that's the case but I wouldn't read too much into it.

Hard to say, but I assume that the Patriots have done their homework.

Maybe they were down by 40 points and his TDs did not count for much

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Just went over Zappe in my recap thread if people are curious about him. As someone who looks for future Pats like its their job. This kid has definitely been on our radar. Value makes sense.

 

[Froob]

I just watched the highlights and his arm velocity appears to be fine.

He has a quick release and is very accurate when he has time to throw, but not quite as accurate as Mac. Not sure about his accuracy on the run. I think he is elusive in the pocket, but I did not see much of him being chased

He telegraphs the snap with a hand slap but he should be able to unlearn that.

He also telegraphs his throws, i.e. bird dogs them. Most of them but occasionally he looks off the safety. I think this is correctable.

One thing that bothers me is that few of Bailey's teammates congratulate him after successful TD passes. Echos of Bo Callahan from the Draft Day movie.

Curious how many teammates attended his birth day party

 

[Hammer of Thor]

 

[Zuma]

Patriots roster analysis: Bailey Zappe projects as New England’s QB3 this year

Our offseason series continues with a closer look at the rookie quarterback.

www.patspulpit.com