- Jul 23, 2007
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theyre both the same links
[h2]Behind the Big Board: Big 12 QB drops[/h2] [h3]Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford both plummeted after Red River, so now what?[/h3]
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By Mel Kiper Jr.
ESPN.Com
Archive
Behind the Big Board accompanies the release of every Mel Kiper Jr. Big Board leading up to the 2010 NFL draft, explaining why players moved up and downthe rankings. The Oct. 21, 2009 version showed great fluctuation among topquarterbacks, with significant drops for Oklahoma Sooners signal-caller Sam Bradford and Texas Longhorns senior ColtMcCoy.
[h3]On Sam Bradford[/h3]
Bradford is snakebit; there's no question. But you're talking about a guy who very likely could have been the first pick last year, or at leastwould have been in the mix had he come out. So the issue is the evaluation process. Surgery could very well be his best option to make sure the shoulder isright -- and that means he might not even be able to throw at the level he'd want to at the combine.
It's amazing to say, considering where he was last spring -- but he's almost in the position where he might be better off if he comes back for hissenior season. Someone making the calls for an NFL team has to be able to say "He can be what he was last season." We might not know that until thecombine, or after the combine. Last year he led the country in everything, but he had a pair of great receivers in Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias. They are both gone this year, which was why evaluators were so intriguedto see this kid battle adversity. What was he going to do with a diminished offensive line? What was he going to do without the receivers?
Getty ImagesHe's become a wild card, in the eyes of Kiper.
If he came back for another year, he might have the opportunity to prove more, because he'd be losing Jermaine Gresham -- who I still have as the premier tight end incollege football -- and Trent Williams, a left tackleI've had on the Big Board before.
I can't give Bradford advice on what to do. If he comes back next year, he's missing out on two full years of earning power. He'll definitelyget drafted. He's still high on my Big Board, but he's also turned into a total wild card.
[h3]On Colt McCoy[/h3]
McCoy has all the intangibles and can make plays with his feet and keep plays alive. But this year his interceptions are up, and it's just been allshort passes, lots of underneath throws. You never see him throw the ball down the field. It's just way too much dink and dunk.
[h3]On defensive stars[/h3]
One more big riser this week is Everson Griffen with USC. He's finally gotten the message from coaches that he has to bring it on every play and theresults now speak for themselves. From a raw physical standpoint, he'll wow people; he is a defensive end who can top 280 pounds and may go to the combineand run in the 4.5s. He's been all business this year which tells me he's coming out, or definitely considering making the leap.
This draft is loaded with defensive linemen: NdamukongSuh and Gerald McCoy up at the top, to Jason Pierre-Paul and now Griffen, then remember you have Brandon Graham from Michigan and Ricky Sapp at Clemson. Greg Hardy is still elite though he's been hurt. You also haveCarlos Dunlap, Terrence Cody, and then go back outside with a guy like Derrick Morgan of Virginia Tech. If you need to stock up on theD-line this year, you'll be in luck in the first round.
[h2]Behind the Big Board: Big 12 QB drops[/h2] [h3]Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford both plummeted after Red River, so now what?[/h3]
Comment Email Print
By Mel Kiper Jr. ESPN.Com
Archive
Behind the Big Board accompanies the release of every Mel Kiper Jr. Big Board leading up to the 2010 NFL draft, explaining why players moved up and downthe rankings. The Oct. 21, 2009 version showed great fluctuation among topquarterbacks, with significant drops for Oklahoma Sooners signal-caller Sam Bradford and Texas Longhorns senior ColtMcCoy.
[h3]On Sam Bradford[/h3]
Bradford is snakebit; there's no question. But you're talking about a guy who very likely could have been the first pick last year, or at leastwould have been in the mix had he come out. So the issue is the evaluation process. Surgery could very well be his best option to make sure the shoulder isright -- and that means he might not even be able to throw at the level he'd want to at the combine.
It's amazing to say, considering where he was last spring -- but he's almost in the position where he might be better off if he comes back for hissenior season. Someone making the calls for an NFL team has to be able to say "He can be what he was last season." We might not know that until thecombine, or after the combine. Last year he led the country in everything, but he had a pair of great receivers in Malcolm Kelly and Juaquin Iglesias. They are both gone this year, which was why evaluators were so intriguedto see this kid battle adversity. What was he going to do with a diminished offensive line? What was he going to do without the receivers?
Getty ImagesHe's become a wild card, in the eyes of Kiper.
If he came back for another year, he might have the opportunity to prove more, because he'd be losing Jermaine Gresham -- who I still have as the premier tight end incollege football -- and Trent Williams, a left tackleI've had on the Big Board before.
I can't give Bradford advice on what to do. If he comes back next year, he's missing out on two full years of earning power. He'll definitelyget drafted. He's still high on my Big Board, but he's also turned into a total wild card.
[h3]On Colt McCoy[/h3]
McCoy has all the intangibles and can make plays with his feet and keep plays alive. But this year his interceptions are up, and it's just been allshort passes, lots of underneath throws. You never see him throw the ball down the field. It's just way too much dink and dunk.
[h3]On defensive stars[/h3]
One more big riser this week is Everson Griffen with USC. He's finally gotten the message from coaches that he has to bring it on every play and theresults now speak for themselves. From a raw physical standpoint, he'll wow people; he is a defensive end who can top 280 pounds and may go to the combineand run in the 4.5s. He's been all business this year which tells me he's coming out, or definitely considering making the leap.
This draft is loaded with defensive linemen: NdamukongSuh and Gerald McCoy up at the top, to Jason Pierre-Paul and now Griffen, then remember you have Brandon Graham from Michigan and Ricky Sapp at Clemson. Greg Hardy is still elite though he's been hurt. You also haveCarlos Dunlap, Terrence Cody, and then go back outside with a guy like Derrick Morgan of Virginia Tech. If you need to stock up on theD-line this year, you'll be in luck in the first round.
