McCoy: Sidelines or under center?

[Alo]

Originally Posted by mz.

If McCoy's arm wasn't an issue, wouldn't he have gone way before 85, with all of his "intangibles"? We're getting exactly what we thought we'd be getting: a smallish but hard-working winner without ideal arm strength.

I think teams also had concerns about his ability to go through his progressions. When Jordan Shipley was covered or there was a lot of pressure, McCoy's decisionmaking was a little haphazard.

The arm strength issue could limit his upside, but I'd be more concerned about him picking up the mental side of the game. They're connected - because his arm is weaker, he'll have to be mentally sharper than other QBs - but the latter issue is the only one that could lead to him being utterly useless to us.

[mz.]

Originally Posted by Alo

Because of work I'll be doing for a draft site this fall, I'll be watching a lot of Ryan Mallett (Arkansas), Taylor Potts (Texas Tech), Nick Foles (Arizona), Case Keenum (Houston), Ricky Stanzi (Iowa), and Russell Wilson (NC State).

Chances are I'll be pimping one of those guys next spring.

I need you to watch Christian Ponder for me, as I'm sure I'm not going to get many FSU games on the TV. I feel like I have a decent grip on the other top guys (Locker, Mallett). I'm gonna watch as much Luck as I can.

[Alo]

Ponder's good. He has a better arm than McCoy and is very mobile, but - and I know I'm going to permanently kill him for Shep by saying this - he needs to throw a tighter ball.

Even on some of his more impressive throws against UNC, you could spot the issue. I think it accounts for some of his deep ball accuracy issues, as well as some catchable balls that aren't exactly on the mark.

YouTube - Christian Ponder vs. UNC, 1st Half

YouTube - Christian Ponder vs. UNC, 2nd Half

[mz.]

Ponder throws a decent ball IMO and is very very mobile. I dig that he can play under center and I like his mechanics; he LOOKS the part.

I've always thought McCoy's mechanics were awful, and he fails the eyeball test miserably. I just don't know...

[Shep]

That's weird -- I've said that he looks the part. I used to say that about Brady. Some guys just look like future NFL quarterbacks when they play.

Oh, boy... a loose ball. My pet peeve.

[Sez.EJ]

McCoy needs work on footwork, motion, ...UM.. learn the playbook?... He is going to play a bit mechanical at first until he gets some of these things down.. This is why the guy who KNOWS.. QB's... UMMMM Mike Holmgren..says he will sit for a year.(Frye Started, how scary is that? ) . so. don't read to much into his struggles in the first OTA's.. I expect him to struggle. I expect EVERY rookie to struggle learning a brand new system... Hayden, Hardesty, Lauvoa.. and the rest.. They have a HUGE learning curve to come in and play comfortably.. be realistic here.. ..If this is being said after the 3rd preseason game.. then you may have cause for a "little" concern..

[Shep]

Sez, I just want him to look like he can throw a football at the NFL level, not master the game. I do get a'scared when a guy isn't able to drive a 10 yard out and throws wobblers downfield. Sounds just like Frye, which makes me shake and wet myself.

[mz.]

Sez, can you not admit that some guys just LOOK the part (Brady, Maning obviously, but Sanchez, Ryan and Flacco, too) while some don't (McCoy, Frye, even Quinn). And it isn't about height, as Brees sure as shit looks the part.

It's not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean. Or something.

[Sez.EJ]

Originally Posted by mz.

Sez, can you not admit that some guys just LOOK the part (Brady, Maning obviously, but Sanchez, Ryan and Flacco, too) while some don't (McCoy, Frye, even Quinn). And it isn't about height, as Brees sure as shit looks the part.

It's not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean. Or something.

Shep I take the reporters with a huge, massive, gargantuan, grain of salt.. first of all you don't know what preconcieved notions they come in with about this or that draft pick.. if they like him, love him, hate him, or despise him.. He could throw 20 great passes and they one that gets in the article is the one that looks like a duck.. or he may throw 20 ducks.. and he throws one amazing pass and that is what they write about.. That is why I don't take too much from these..

You seem to read TOO TOO much into it.. but you see where I am coming from at least.. ( you keep mentioning Sanchez.. he was NOT impressive last year.. he played OK in the playoffs.. not enough for me to crown him quite yet..He may get there..but you seem to have already annointed him. He's not NEARLY as impressive as Flacco.)

I saw Colt McCoy in college enough to know that he does now how to play football. I also saw enough to know he needs some work... But I have seen MORE than enough of these preseason reports the last 4 decades to know half of these reports are a lot of nothingness. Especially when it's ota's

[Shep]

That was MZ. But I agree that Sanchez just looks like a playah. The were just saying about the same thing on NFLN earlier today.

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

Shep I take the reporters with a huge, massive, gargantuan, grain of salt.. first of all you don't know what preconcieved notions they come in with about this or that draft pick.. if they like him, love him, hate him, or despise him.. He could throw 20 great passes and they one that gets in the article is the one that looks like a duck.. or he may throw 20 ducks.. and he throws one amazing pass and that is what they write about.. That is why I don't take too much from these..

You seem to read TOO TOO much into it.. but you see where I am coming from at least.. ( you keep mentioning Sanchez.. he was NOT impressive last year.. he played OK in the playoffs.. not enough for me to crown him quite yet..He may get there..but you seem to have already annointed him. He's not NEARLY as impressive as Flacco.)

I saw Colt McCoy in college enough to know that he does now how to play football. I also saw enough to know he needs some work... But I have seen MORE than enough of these preseason reports the last 4 decades to know half of these reports are a lot of nothingness. Especially when it's ota's

[mz.]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

I take the reporters with a huge, massive, gargantuan, grain of salt..

Who's talking about reporters? I'm talking about what I see, not what reporters tell me. I have no idea what you're talking about here.

I didn't want to draft McCoy and I thought he'd make a weak NFL starting QB because he had a weak arm and poor mechanics. I didn't need reporters to tell me that. I could see it with my own eyes. Is it my fault that reporters agree with me?

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by BernietheKid

Scout.com: McCoy: Sidelines or under center?

Very interesting read! ALOT of what I expect to read. McCoy will look like the same project Drew Brees used to be when SD fans had him sooo figured out they needed Philip Rivers at the apex of a draft. It's gonna be a process that INCLUDES needing at least a full year or 2 of NFL strength and conditioning offseasons and mental growth and development of practice reps in-season. It's hard to panic on a first couple of practice throws but we'll get people that will dwell on those throws. Sipe had trouble with them early too while the prototypical Phipps could throw the ball a country mile.

If one is a hindsight Drew Brees expert all of a sudden: go look at what was being written about what that team needing to draft with the very 1st pick overall heading into the 3rd year of Brees' career. Then compare it to what you thought they would draft. It was an overwhelming consensus. Joe Theisman & Warren Moon also got the questionable arm strength concerns so they required the CFL before getting a FAIR shake at beign an NFL QB. And when Brees became available to 31 other teams after surgery, he got shortsighted reviews 1 more time in spite of Dr Andrews saying it was a clean surgery and great prognosis for him to be who he's been all along. New Orleans didn't even have to outbid 1 team for him.

Moving on, I LIKE hearing Robiskie was getting open. The ONLY thing that scares me about him is ALL of our 2nd round WRs from Northcutt to Morgan to Andre Davis had butterfingers and dropsies when Robiskie's dad was our Receivers coach. More specifically, he has to de-program dad for whoever is teaching the WRs here and now. Getting open is the first part and I'm glad to hear that's happening.

Another positive is there's no lack of RPMs in Delhomme's pitching arm. That said, I'll guarantee he's not being knocked down and landing on it to test it the way contact will test it. THAT might be where he battles swelling and challenges of the Tommy John Surgery.

Defensively, good to read Veikune is reacting well and Marcus Benard is still getting people to say "who was that?" TJ Ward sounds like he made some plays.

I don't think there were any bad surprises for it being only May to be honest. Then again, that comes from somebody that doesn't want to see any bad surprises.
- Tom F.