MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Year of the QB-- NFL Draft Thread 11

[Deeper_Background]

Missouri QB Gabbert will enter the 2011 NFL Draft
Monday, Jan 3, 2011 at 4:07 pm EST
SN Icon Sporting News
Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert will enter the 2011 NFL Draft, the university announced Monday.


Missouri's 27-24 loss in the Insight Bowl turns out to be Gabbert's last game with the Tigers. “This is definitely a bittersweet day for me, I was really looking forward to having a chance to do some special things next season with my teammates, but in the end, this is the right decision to make for myself and my family,” Gabbert said in a press release. “These last three years have been an unbelievable experience for me, and I’ll miss being at Mizzou, but I’m definitely looking forward to this next stage of my life. I’m so grateful to have been part of such a great program and all of the people who have helped me get to this point, and now I have to take what I’ve learned, and build on that for the next level. I’ll always be a Tiger, and I look forward to watching the guys do big things in the future.”



Read more: http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-01-03/missouri-qb-gabbert-will-enter-the-2011-nfl-draft#ixzz1A0cJZizy

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Where does he project? Third round?

 

[TigerVols]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Shay, FWIW (not much!) has him No. 2 QB going around 18th in the first round.

 

[Deeper_Background]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

No 2 QB overall sounds about right, could have played his way up the board next year if MU goes on a big run with all of ther experience.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Shay, FWIW (not much!) has him No. 2 QB going around 18th in the first round.

Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but I've never seen him rated among Luck, Mallett, Newton and Locker, who are all projecting as first-rounders.

Granted, a lot can change between now and April, especially for quarterbacks.

 

[Deeper_Background]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Numbers at the combine will tell the tale. Luck is supposed to be the best pure prospect since Elway

 

[Steak Snabler]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Five of the top six seven teams in the draft order (Carolina, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Arizona and San Francisco) need quarterbacks. That might help Gabbert go earlier than he normally might, even if Luck, Mallett, Newton and/or Locker all go ahead of him.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

I thought San Fran was picking seventh. I don't see any scenario where he goes ahead of Luck or Mallett and I doubt he goes ahead of any of those four. I wonder if Shay has him listed as second among the QBs who already have declared or are seniors.

 

[Deeper_Background]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Andrew Luck leaves ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski ‘blown away’
Ron Jaworski walked into Stanford’s practice with high expectations for what he’d see out of quarterback Andrew Luck. Two hours later, Jaworski was left shaking his head.

"I’ve seen some of his games on TV and was very impressed, and I’ve looked at the (game tape) and been very impressed," said Jaworski, the Monday Night Football analyst and former NFL quarterback.

"But seeing him live, I’m blown away."

Known for his knowledge of the position and intense film study, Jaworski was as impressed with Luck’s presence as his arm or accuracy.

"He looks, acts and carries himself like an NFL quarterback," Jaworski said. "He exudes leadership.

"He’s NFL-ready, as sound a quarterback as anyone I’ve seen. He throws a tight spiral, has flawless mechanics and an array of throws.

"I have no doubt he’ll be a successful pro."
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/college/football/view/20110101andrew_luck_leaves_espn_analyst_ron_jaworski_blown_away/srvc=home&position=also

 

[Steak Snabler]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

I thought San Fran was picking seventh. I don't see any scenario where he goes ahead of Luck or Mallett and I doubt he goes ahead of any of those four. I wonder if Shay has him listed as second among the QBs who already have declared or are seniors.

You're right. Cleveland picks sixth, so it's 5 of the top 7.

But yeah, I follow the draft chatter fairly closely (being in Senior Bowl country) and this is the first I've heard of Gabbert as a potential first-round pick.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

McShay has an updated Insider link that has Gabbert going #5 to Arizona.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Saw that, too. Gabbert has clearly shot up the "post-bowl" rankings (though obviously, there are still bowls to be played).

Will be interesting to see if he keeps that momentum. As I noted before, several teams picking at the top of round 1 have glaring QB needs, but I don't see guys like Patrick Peterson or Nick Fairley lasting past the Top 5 regardless of which quarterbacks are still on the board.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Yeah, I follow the draft pretty closely and this is the first time I've seen Gabbert's name listed among the top quarterbacks. Maybe they just assumed he was coming back, but everything I've read has Luck being the first QB taken, followed by Mallett and Newton and then Locker.

Bowers from Clemson, Peterson from LSU, Dareus from Alabama and Amukamara from NU all figure to be top 10 picks and AJ Green may be there too. I seriously doubt more than three QBs could go in the top 10.

 

[JackReacher]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Five of the top six seven teams in the draft order (Carolina, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Arizona and San Francisco) need quarterbacks. That might help Gabbert go earlier than he normally might, even if Luck, Mallett, Newton and/or Locker all go ahead of him.

Are all these teams projected to take QBs? I haven't looked at too many mock drafts yet. I bet a bunch of them (including Washington, ugh) trade down and take a QB later in round one or early in round two so they don't reach for one in the top 10. I mean, besides Luck and *maybe* Newton, which other QB is worth Top 10 money?

 

[dooley_womack1]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

I'm glad for him, and glad for Missouri, too. He was a gutsy guy who played two-thirds of his sophomore season with one good leg, and seems to have good elusiveness against the pass rush (and he did a lot more straight running this year). Except for a few goofy plays (which the stud Missouri QBs of the recent past seem to be prone to, like Gabbert's game-losing interception against Iowa), Gabbert lived up to his promise.

However, James Franklin should be able to step right in and keep the offense, which will have at least eight of its starters returning, humming. He had a decent smattering of playing time and seemed poised. Will be interesting to see whether he's closer to Gabbert or to Brad Smith in style. I would imagine Aldon Smith will be gone, too (though Jacquies Smith probably had a slightly better season). But a five-star defensive lineman, Sheldon Richardson, who has been in juco the past two years, kept his commitment to Missouri instead of going to Southern Cal. So Mizzou should still be a national power.[/hibubbler]

 

[Steak Snabler]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Five of the top six seven teams in the draft order (Carolina, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Arizona and San Francisco) need quarterbacks. That might help Gabbert go earlier than he normally might, even if Luck, Mallett, Newton and/or Locker all go ahead of him.

Are all these teams projected to take QBs? I haven't looked at too many mock drafts yet. I bet a bunch of them (including Washington, ugh) trade down and take a QB later in round one or early in round two so they don't reach for one in the top 10. I mean, besides Luck and *maybe* Newton, which other QB is worth Top 10 money?

Probably none of them, but we've seen such runs before. Teams will almost always reach for a quarterback if they really feel they need one.

Anyway, hasn't ESPN already declared this the "year of the quarterback?" ;)

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock

Two mocks updated today with no mention of him.

I'm not saying he won't go high, but he's never been mentioned in the same breath as Luck, Newton, Mallett and Locker.

I think Luck will go No. 1. Newton and Mallett will go top 10. I think Locker slides to the middle of the first round.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

As a Niners fan, I love Mallett at No. 7. I wouldn't take Newton with a top 10 pick, but I'm sure some team will.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

I've heard Gabbert's name mentioned a couple of times on TV. Not in the Luck, top 10 category, but in the late first round. I can't attest to having seen him play, but he has to be better than Locker, who is I think is the most overrated QB since Kyle Boller. I'm not sold on Mallet, at least from the neck up, either.

 

[RickStare]

Re: MU's Gabbert Goes Pro/Declaring for the NFL Draft Thread 11

Yeah, I follow the draft pretty closely and this is the first time I've seen Gabbert's name listed among the top quarterbacks. Maybe they just assumed he was coming back, but everything I've read has Luck being the first QB taken, followed by Mallett and Newton and then Locker.

Bowers from Clemson, Peterson from LSU, Dareus from Alabama and Amukamara from NU all figure to be top 10 picks and AJ Green may be there too. I seriously doubt more than three QBs could go in the top 10.

this is going to sound rude, but there's no way that you follow the draft that closely if you had no clue that Gabbert was projected to be a first round pick