Ryan Tannehill (3 Viewers)

[YellaJacket]

Aggie alumn here.

I don't see him as a top 10 pick. I do see him better than most in qbs in the 2011 draft, but I'm not sure how much that is saying.

Positives - lots of potential with only ~16 starts in him at this time. Basically he's a Jr. in college with regards to experience, so I do think that says a lot. Good pocket presence and very mobile. He does have a strong arm, and is accurate on short and intermediate passes. He throws well on the run. Intelligent.

Negatives - only ~16 starts. ha. He is terrible at the deep ball. He forces too many passes, but to me that was better than Stephen McGee who only threw when the receiver was very open. Not a leader, and lacks composure when things start going back. Not composure emotionally, but the ability to put it behind you, and immediately learn from that mistake. His mistakes came in spurts, and it was very difficult for him to stop it once it started.

Once again, because qbs are so valuable in real life football, the best after the first tier really get elevated up draft boards. To me, there isn't much quality after Tannehill, so that pushes him up.

As far as his stats last year. The Aggies led college in dropped balls I believe. Some of that is on him, but after watching every game, I'd say most of that is on his receivers.

 

[wadegarrett]

I get leery when stuff like this starts popping up after being absent completely up until then. In short, it reminds me of being at a bar and you don't give a particular girl a second look. In your mind, you already know she's not the "one" that night. UNTIL the other girls are gone and you get more desperate Basically, if Tannehill was all this, why wasn't it a three player comparison all this time? Why was he completely distanced past the top 3 when Barkely was thought to be coming out and still distanced until the point when the Browns and Dolphins completely struck out in the QB signings? And THEN, all of a sudden, let's talk about this guy.I just think we have to be careful because now that the Skins have traded up, and its pretty much consensus where Luck and RG III are going, there aren't any sexy stories to spin. So the media has to dig deeper. And the teams that struck out now need to either justify something in their own head or they have to go to battle with McCoy and Moore. Color me skeptical.

VERY

 

[Donnybrook]

Sure Tannehill has potential, but so do some of the QBs that GMs can draft in the later rounds like Nick Foles and Brock Osweiler among others.

As for Rothlisberger, I wasn't playing dynasty leagues back in 2003 so I wasn't really paying attention to CFB players back then, but his college stats are very impressive, particularly in his senior season; albeit the stats were surely inflated from playing in the MAC. Still, I'd like to think I'd be considerably more optimistic about Rothlisberger's chances than I am of Tannehill's, but that's impossible to say without hindsight bias.

I believe that to be true but what is interesting when we look back was the Steelers plan was to sit Rothlisberger for a full year prior to the injuries to Batch and Maddox. I would agree that experts seem to be more optomistic about Ben's chance of success over Tannehill's. Though some of that optomism was probably post draft and had to do with the organization that drafted him. Later draft picks having some potential but not the same potential as Tannehill. Foles has limited mobility and Bock Osweiller has delivery issues, etc.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Sure Tannehill has potential, but so do some of the QBs that GMs can draft in the later rounds like Nick Foles and Brock Osweiler among others.

As for Rothlisberger, I wasn't playing dynasty leagues back in 2003 so I wasn't really paying attention to CFB players back then, but his college stats are very impressive, particularly in his senior season; albeit the stats were surely inflated from playing in the MAC. Still, I'd like to think I'd be considerably more optimistic about Rothlisberger's chances than I am of Tannehill's, but that's impossible to say without hindsight bias.

I believe that to be true but what is interesting when we look back was the Steelers plan was to sit Rothlisberger for a full year prior to the injuries to Batch and Maddox. I would agree that experts seem to be more optomistic about Ben's chance of success over Tannehill's. Though some of that optomism was probably post draft and had to do with the organization that drafted him. Later draft picks having some potential but not the same potential as Tannehill. Foles has limited mobility and Bock Osweiller has delivery issues, etc.

Tannehill's potential may very well be higher than that of Foles and Osweiler, but I don't see much of a reason to believe there's a better chance that Tannehill will be able to reach his potential than Foles for example.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Matt Waldman's case for Tannenhill.

From a few days ago but worth repeating some of the key points.

Go to the link for full read and links to more detailed analysis of Tannenhill.

N.F.L. Draft: The Case for Ryan Tannehill

... there is a lot of debate among draftniks about Tannehill’s value as a top-10 pick. I’ve read one former scout write on Twitter that he’s the most likely player to get a G.M. fired. I read another say he’s overrated. On the other hand, Tannehill’s former coach Mike Sherman compares his A&M starter favorably to Bengals QB Andy Dalton – with a better arm.

Quarterback is one of the more difficult positions to project to the next level.

... But I believe Tannehill is a good first-round prospect with the potential to have as good a career as Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, if not better.

... Tannehill frequently delivers the ball with a three-quarter delivery. But his elbow is at or above shoulder level during his release, which allows him to generate good velocity. Bernie Kosar, Rich Gannon and Philip Rivers all threw the ball with a consistently lower delivery point than Tannehill and all three had the elbow at shoulder level. The release is a non-issue.

Tannehill’s throws demonstrate good velocity and accuracy when he is forced to deliver the ball in an off-balanced position while under pressure.

... Tannehill has a great feel for the pocket in terms of when to hang, when to slide away from pressure, and when to run.

The fact that Tannehill is athletic enough for a team to use a spy but has enough poise to take but a single step/hitch forward makes him more dangerous than most quarterbacks with big-play running ability because they lack the patience and awareness to keep their eyes down the field, slide to an open area and use the run only as a last resort.

Tannehill repeatedly demonstrates the discipline and hand size to pump-fake or bring the ball down after beginning a release. Ben Roethlisberger is (and Brett Favre was) great at this skill.

... I think he has as much understanding of a pro-style passing game as almost any college prospect in this draft. And in his statistically poor first half against Oklahoma, Tannehill demonstrated skills with a high degree of difficulty against defenses that weren’t as vanilla as many teams play on Saturday afternoons.

Counting on any rookie quarterback to play like Newton or Andy Dalton is asking too much from an N.F.L. rookie. However, Tannehill belongs in the top half of this draft and he’s not the project some people think.

 

[TwinTurbo]

If Tannehill goes that high, it'll be another example of a so-so college qb going way higher than his performance on the field dictates he should go. Way to high for a guy who's a 2-3 year project guy at best.

Agreed. Another example of QB inflation with scouts overvaluing a player for teams who are desperate at the QB position. Tannehill has very average passing skills and he's raw. There is nothing exceptional about him as a prospect other than above average athleticism. He has no defining wins in college or even high school for that matter. There is absolutely nothing on his resume or his performance on the field that would indicate he is worthy of a top ten pick.

 

[Faust]

Peter King MMQB Excerpt:

5. The Dolphins love them some Ryan Tannehill. I spoke with Tannehill Saturday, mostly about his workout in front of pro scouts and coaches on the Texas A&M campus last Thursday. But we also talked about how much work the Dolphins, picking eighth in the first round, are doing on the kid.

Club officials, including GM Jeff Ireland and coach Joe Philbin, dined with Tannehill in College Station Wednesday night, then spent about 90 minutes with him on the greaseboard Thursday after the workout. Any doubt now that Tannehill won't get past No. 8, where Miami picks?

Noted NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell says Tannehill is a more accurate passer on the run than Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, which is something to say for a guy who played wide receiver for two-plus seasons while waiting for the quarterback job to be his in 2010.

Tannehill worked with quarterback consultant Chris Weinke on his mechanics after the 2011 season, ironing out the herky-jerky motion in his pass-drops and working on opening his hips better on deep sideline throws to the left. But the attention from teams always goes to his time at receiver, where he was moved -- by former A&M coach and current Miami offensive coordinator Mike Sherman -- as a freshman because two quarterbacks were ahead of him.

"I was an arrogant little freshman at the time,'' Tannehill told me. "I said to coach Sherman, 'I think you're making a mistake.' He sort of chuckled to himself. I forget what he said. But they just told me to go out the next day at practice and run some routes. Two days later, I was in the starting rotation at receiver. Obviously, I was frustrated, but now I realize it gave me a different look at offensive football -- what receivers go through, how they see defensive backs, where they like the ball delivered. Things like that. So it worked out all right.''

It's pretty clear Cleveland and Miami are the leading candidates for Tannehill. I think he'd be a better fit in Miami because, after 19 starts at quarterback in college football, he may need a year of seasoning and time to get used to a new system before feeling the weight of a franchise on his shoulders. And right now, Matt Moore has more security -- and faith from the fan base in Miami -- than Colt McCoy has in Cleveland. One bad month and the fans would be calling for Tannehill in Miami. But one bad half in Cleveland and the chants for Tannehill would begin. Check out what Moore did in the last nine weeks of the regular season versus a rather prominent Super Bowl hero:

Click on the link to see the table

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I Ryan Tannehill!

 

[Donnybrook]

I will say this even if Tannehill chance of success was around 20 % and Richardson chance of success was at 99%, I would take Tannehill without hesisitation.

It seems highly likely that a team like Cleveland could find a successful running back outside the first round (i.e. Fred jackson, Foster, Law firm, etc). Later round QBs with the same skill set as Tannehill are much harder to find.

 

[Faust]

NFP Sunday Blitz Excerpt:

Dan Pompei

Ryan Tannehill could end up being an outstanding NFL player. But he is going to be chosen ahead of a lot of players who are much better draft prospects.

About one month ago, Tannehill wasn’t even the consensus third best quarterback in the draft. It was between him, Brandon Weeden and Kirk Cousins.

What happened in the past month? Peyton Manning landed in Denver. The Redskins acquired the second pick in the draft so they can select RGIII. Matt Flynn chose Seattle. Alex Smith stayed put. The Jets traded for Tim Tebow.

And the teams that were in the market for a quarterback but didn’t get one, especially the Dolphins, Browns and Chiefs, might have become more desperate. So Tannehill now looks like a lock to be a top ten pick, and a possibility to be a top five pick.

But his stock spike was manufactured by one thing: quarterback desperation.

“Because the position has such a high value and because there is such a need to have a quarterback who is consistent and stable, people are reaching,” one general manager said.

Said a personnel director: “No one can tell you he’s a sure thing. But people don’t stick to their grades at the quarterback position.”

If people did stick to their grades, Tannehill would be a mid-second round pick, based on the eight personnel men I polled on Tannehill. None of them said they would choose Tannehill in the first round.

There are some intoxicating qualities about Tannehill. He has the right mental makeup to be an NFL quarterback. He has excellent size and athleticism. His pro day was impressive. He can spin it. He can move. “He has first round skills,” the general manager said. A second general manager went so far as to say Tannehill’s traits may be better than Andrew Luck’s.

But it takes more than traits to make a prospect. The GM also said Tannehill does not have Luck’s feel for the game. A personnel director questioned Tannehill’s decision making. Others pointed out that he had repeated chances to lead the Aggies to comeback victories, but wasn’t able to. His record as a starter last season was 7-6. Against Texas, which was arguably his most important game, he threw three picks and completed 41 percent of his passes in a tough loss.

The real issue with Tannehill is it’s difficult to evaluate him because he has a limited body of work. Whereas Luck has 38 college starts, Tannehill has 19 at quarterback. He spent two plus years playing wide receiver. He is relatively inexperienced and probably not ready to start, scouts say, but if he’s chosen in the top ten he likely will be pushed onto the field anyway.

“Can he come in and play at a championship level?” the first general manager said. “When you start talking about a top five pick, that’s what you are trying to say. I don’t see that in him. He is still young in the quarterback position in terms of the reps and starts.”

Really, the best chance for Tannehill to succeed and reach his potential is for him to be chosen where he should be chosen, in the second round. He is a quarterback who needs to be developed. If he goes as high as it appears he will go, he will be faced with unreasonable expectations and pressure to produce too quickly.

Ultimately, Tannehill’s meteoric rise probably will not work out well for the team that drafts him, or for Tannehill.

 

[Shutout]

NFP Sunday Blitz Excerpt:

Dan Pompei

Ryan Tannehill could end up being an outstanding NFL player. But he is going to be chosen ahead of a lot of players who are much better draft prospects.

About one month ago, Tannehill wasnt even the consensus third best quarterback in the draft. It was between him, Brandon Weeden and Kirk Cousins.

What happened in the past month? Peyton Manning landed in Denver. The Redskins acquired the second pick in the draft so they can select RGIII. Matt Flynn chose Seattle. Alex Smith stayed put. The Jets traded for Tim Tebow.

And the teams that were in the market for a quarterback but didnt get one, especially the Dolphins, Browns and Chiefs, might have become more desperate. So Tannehill now looks like a lock to be a top ten pick, and a possibility to be a top five pick.

But his stock spike was manufactured by one thing: quarterback desperation.

Because the position has such a high value and because there is such a need to have a quarterback who is consistent and stable, people are reaching, one general manager said.

Said a personnel director: No one can tell you hes a sure thing. But people dont stick to their grades at the quarterback position.

If people did stick to their grades, Tannehill would be a mid-second round pick, based on the eight personnel men I polled on Tannehill. None of them said they would choose Tannehill in the first round.

There are some intoxicating qualities about Tannehill. He has the right mental makeup to be an NFL quarterback. He has excellent size and athleticism. His pro day was impressive. He can spin it. He can move. He has first round skills, the general manager said. A second general manager went so far as to say Tannehills traits may be better than Andrew Lucks.

But it takes more than traits to make a prospect. The GM also said Tannehill does not have Lucks feel for the game. A personnel director questioned Tannehills decision making. Others pointed out that he had repeated chances to lead the Aggies to comeback victories, but wasnt able to. His record as a starter last season was 7-6. Against Texas, which was arguably his most important game, he threw three picks and completed 41 percent of his passes in a tough loss.

The real issue with Tannehill is its difficult to evaluate him because he has a limited body of work. Whereas Luck has 38 college starts, Tannehill has 19 at quarterback. He spent two plus years playing wide receiver. He is relatively inexperienced and probably not ready to start, scouts say, but if hes chosen in the top ten he likely will be pushed onto the field anyway.

Can he come in and play at a championship level? the first general manager said. When you start talking about a top five pick, thats what you are trying to say. I dont see that in him. He is still young in the quarterback position in terms of the reps and starts.

Really, the best chance for Tannehill to succeed and reach his potential is for him to be chosen where he should be chosen, in the second round. He is a quarterback who needs to be developed. If he goes as high as it appears he will go, he will be faced with unreasonable expectations and pressure to produce too quickly.

Ultimately, Tannehills meteoric rise probably will not work out well for the team that drafts him, or for Tannehill.

That is what I said in about 300 less words (which is odd for me) when this post started. This is really a desperation play artificially driving up value.

But how good is he as a prospect? When asked yesterday, Bill Polian said that he's not a guy you can build a team around like Luck and RG III and that he is a player that could be "efficient", given time, that the presence of Sherman with the Dolphins helps him get going quicker if he ends up there, but overall, he is not anywhere close to where he will be drafted.

I think that is dead on. In fantasy, if I'm looking for a long-term QB, and I can't get the top two, I'm skipping Tannehill, going for a short-term cheap guy now like Cassell, Flynn, Kolb, Fitzpatrick, etc, and I'm positioning myself into drafting a rookie QB next year higher (and if I'm a little lucky, a guy like Flynn might just pan out in a way to where I don't need that QB next year).

 

[Andy Dufresne]

NFP Sunday Blitz Excerpt:

Dan Pompei

Ryan Tannehill could end up being an outstanding NFL player. But he is going to be chosen ahead of a lot of players who are much better draft prospects.

About one month ago, Tannehill wasn’t even the consensus third best quarterback in the draft. It was between him, Brandon Weeden and Kirk Cousins.

That's baloney.

 

[MAC_32]

NFP Sunday Blitz Excerpt:

Dan Pompei

Ryan Tannehill could end up being an outstanding NFL player. But he is going to be chosen ahead of a lot of players who are much better draft prospects.

About one month ago, Tannehill wasn’t even the consensus third best quarterback in the draft. It was between him, Brandon Weeden and Kirk Cousins.

That's baloney.

I agree, but the rest of it is not.

 

[Faust]

Would Dolphins be reaching to grab Tannehill at No. 8?

By Dan Hanzus NFL.com

Writer

Published: April 9, 2012 at 11:46 a.m. Updated: April 9, 2012 at 12:09 p.m.

In the past six months, the Miami Dolphins have passed on (or chose not to aggressively pursue) Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Matt Flynn, Alex Smith and a trade that likely would've landed Robert Griffin III. In each case, the team judged the player and then refused to go beyond a perceived value.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with conducting business in this manner. The cautious approach has certainly worn the patience of the fan base, but other than RG3, do any of the above quarterbacks scream out as an egregious opportunity lost?

Miami's measured business model will be tested again as the 2012 NFL Draft approaches. The Dolphins pick eighth overall, and could have the opportunity to select Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

NFL Network draft analyst Charley Casserly said this of the QB, via The Miami Herald: "I don’t see Tannehill as elite. I don’t have him graded as a top-10 player.”

Tannehill is widely viewed as the third-best QB on the board after Andrew Luck and Griffin. Had Matt Barkley opted to come out of USC, Tannehill would have dropped off the medal podium altogether.

The question is obvious: If Tannehill isn't a top 10 player in this draft, would the Dolphins be overvaluing to grab the QB at No. 8?

Casserly says no.

“Quarterbacks are drafted higher than they are rated because without a franchise QB in this league, you have little chance to be successful," he said.

“I like Tannehill’s raw skills, though he will need time to develop. I don’t see a special quarterback, but a player who can be a solid quarterback in the NFL," he went on. "In Green Bay, (new Dolphins coach) Joe Philbin developed two quarterbacks -- Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn -- who played very well when given the chance. But they both had time to develop. Tannehill will need time to develop.”

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has been vocal in his search for more than a "solid" quarterback. Matt Moore and David Garrard can be "solid" on a good day. Tannehill presents the unknown.

Are the Dolphins finally going to roll the dice?

 

[Donnybrook]

Would Dolphins be reaching to grab Tannehill at No. 8?

By Dan Hanzus NFL.com

Writer

Published: April 9, 2012 at 11:46 a.m. Updated: April 9, 2012 at 12:09 p.m.

NFL Network draft analyst Charley Casserly said this of the QB, via The Miami Herald: "I don't see Tannehill as elite. I don't have him graded as a top-10 player."

That should be treated as good news to the Tannehill camp. Not only did Charley Casserly not give Cam Newton a top-10 grade, he did not think he was worth a 1st round pick.

 

[Donnybrook]

Gary Danielson weighs in on Ryan Tannehill: 'Reminds me of Bernie Kosar'

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Gary Danielson weighs in on Ryan Tannehill: 'Reminds me of Bernie Kosar'

When I first saw this I thought it was a joke, its not. Danielson is making one of the most agonized comparisons that I have ever heard with Tannenhill to BK, just awful.Ryan Tannenhill is one of a handful of gifted athletes to come out at QB who are late risers projected to go in the top-ten picks in the draft. Ryan Tannenhill in the only projected top-ten QB that I know of who played WR. He doesn't just have the ability to scramble but he knows how to hit a seem and has the, size, vision, and explosion, to truly hurt a team with mobility when he tucks it and takes off.

Bernie Kosar did not have zero athletic ability and mobitliy... HE HAD NEGATIVE ATHLETICISM AND MOBILITY.

He is the only QB I know of in NFL history who had to place his foot back while under center for any passing play becaue he was soo slow coming off the snap that he had to cheat just to get to his drops in time. He ran like he was not only under water but had both feet encased in cement.

One of the knocks on Tannenhill is that he hasn't quite mastered his reads. The major positive that BK brought to the table was his ability with pre-snap reads. If you gave Kosar time he would pick you apart.

Add, Tannenhill is reported to have a strong arm. BK could get-it out there but was never considered to have a strong arm.

Danielson played with Kosar with the Browns so he probably is basing this on something but this is one of the most puzzling comparisons I've ever come accross and I do not agree with Gary Danielson with his comparison.

 

[nxmehta]

Gary Danielson weighs in on Ryan Tannehill: 'Reminds me of Bernie Kosar'

When I first saw this I thought it was a joke, its not. Danielson is making one of the most agonized comparisons that I have ever heard with Tannenhill to BK, just awful.Ryan Tannenhill is one of a handful of gifted athletes to come out at QB who are late risers projected to go in the top-ten picks in the draft. Ryan Tannenhill in the only projected top-ten QB that I know of who played WR. He doesn't just have the ability to scramble but he knows how to hit a seem and has the, size, vision, and explosion, to truly hurt a team with mobility when he tucks it and takes off.

Bernie Kosar did not have zero athletic ability and mobitliy... HE HAD NEGATIVE ATHLETICISM AND MOBILITY.

He is the only QB I know of in NFL history who had to place his foot back while under center for any passing play becaue he was soo slow coming off the snap that he had to cheat just to get to his drops in time. He ran like he was not only under water but had both feet encased in cement.

One of the knocks on Tannenhill is that he hasn't quite mastered his reads. The major positive that BK brought to the table was his ability with pre-snap reads. If you gave Kosar time he would pick you apart.

Add, Tannenhill is reported to have a strong arm. BK could get-it out there but was never considered to have a strong arm.

Danielson played with Kosar with the Browns so he probably is basing this on something but this is one of the most puzzling comparisons I've ever come accross and I do not agree with Gary Danielson with his comparison.

Comparing BK to Tannehill is just idiotic. They are about as diametrically opposed as you can get as QBs. The only thing they might have in common is a low release point. That's about it.

 

[Donnybrook]

Gary Danielson weighs in on Ryan Tannehill: 'Reminds me of Bernie Kosar'

When I first saw this I thought it was a joke, its not. Danielson is making one of the most agonized comparisons that I have ever heard with Tannenhill to BK, just awful.Ryan Tannenhill is one of a handful of gifted athletes to come out at QB who are late risers projected to go in the top-ten picks in the draft. Ryan Tannenhill in the only projected top-ten QB that I know of who played WR. He doesn't just have the ability to scramble but he knows how to hit a seem and has the, size, vision, and explosion, to truly hurt a team with mobility when he tucks it and takes off.

Bernie Kosar did not have zero athletic ability and mobitliy... HE HAD NEGATIVE ATHLETICISM AND MOBILITY.

He is the only QB I know of in NFL history who had to place his foot back while under center for any passing play becaue he was soo slow coming off the snap that he had to cheat just to get to his drops in time. He ran like he was not only under water but had both feet encased in cement.

One of the knocks on Tannenhill is that he hasn't quite mastered his reads. The major positive that BK brought to the table was his ability with pre-snap reads. If you gave Kosar time he would pick you apart.

Add, Tannenhill is reported to have a strong arm. BK could get-it out there but was never considered to have a strong arm.

Danielson played with Kosar with the Browns so he probably is basing this on something but this is one of the most puzzling comparisons I've ever come accross and I do not agree with Gary Danielson with his comparison.

I wasn't judging his comments solely on the accuracy of the comparison. I was reading it as neither player was/is perfect but they both have the positive traits of toughness and competitiveness. I thought that his positive comparison to Dalton and comments on Richardson were interesting.

 

[Faust]

Video Link:

Did Jim Irsay improve Ryan Tannehill's draft stock?

02:55 – Bucky Brooks, Matt "Money" Smith and Mike Mayock discuss the draft value of Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill following the comments made by Colts owner Jim Irsay.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Gary Danielson weighs in on Ryan Tannehill: 'Reminds me of Bernie Kosar'

When I first saw this I thought it was a joke, its not. Danielson is making one of the most agonized comparisons that I have ever heard with Tannenhill to BK, just awful.Ryan Tannenhill is one of a handful of gifted athletes to come out at QB who are late risers projected to go in the top-ten picks in the draft. Ryan Tannenhill in the only projected top-ten QB that I know of who played WR. He doesn't just have the ability to scramble but he knows how to hit a seem and has the, size, vision, and explosion, to truly hurt a team with mobility when he tucks it and takes off.

Bernie Kosar did not have zero athletic ability and mobitliy... HE HAD NEGATIVE ATHLETICISM AND MOBILITY.

He is the only QB I know of in NFL history who had to place his foot back while under center for any passing play becaue he was soo slow coming off the snap that he had to cheat just to get to his drops in time. He ran like he was not only under water but had both feet encased in cement.

One of the knocks on Tannenhill is that he hasn't quite mastered his reads. The major positive that BK brought to the table was his ability with pre-snap reads. If you gave Kosar time he would pick you apart.

Add, Tannenhill is reported to have a strong arm. BK could get-it out there but was never considered to have a strong arm.

Danielson played with Kosar with the Browns so he probably is basing this on something but this is one of the most puzzling comparisons I've ever come accross and I do not agree with Gary Danielson with his comparison.

I wasn't judging his comments solely on the accuracy of the comparison. I was reading it as neither player was/is perfect but they both have the positive traits of toughness and competitiveness. I thought that his positive comparison to Dalton and comments on Richardson were interesting.

Anything can be compared, apples to oranges and orangest to oragutams.The general idea is to try and make the more reasonable comparison.

I think this is a more apt comparison to Tannenhill.

The NFL Network crew doesn't feel Tannenhill is as athletic or has the 'will to win' that Tebow has. They didn't mention Bernie Kosar.

Tebow vs. Tannehill 3

 

[Faust]

Billick: Ryan Tannehill hype recalls JaMarcus Russell

By Marc Sessler NFL.com

Writer

Published: April 12, 2012 at 09:41 a.m. Updated: April 12, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.

Jim Irsay called Ryan Tannehill a "hidden gem" and a "quiet secret" destined for the No. 3 pick in April's draft, but the Colts owner does not coach football games. Neither does Brian Billick, but he used to, and when he looks at the Texas A&M quarterback, a very dubious comparison comes to mind.

JaMarcus Russell, perhaps the biggest draft bust in NFL history.

Billick, an NFL Network analyst, appeared on ESPN's "Mike and Mike" show Thursday and said Tannehill reminds him of Russell because they "both shot up draft boards based on how they looked in shorts."

Russell underachieved in every sense of the word, and the Oakland Raiders don't get a free pass on taking him with the top overall pick in 2007.

Billick shouldn't receive a free pass for his track record drafting QBs, either. With the Baltimore Ravens from 1999 to 2007, the list includes Chris Redman (2000), Wes Pate (2002), Kyle Boller (19th overall in 2003), Josh Harris (2004), Derek Anderson (2005) and Troy Smith (2007). Not exactly a carnival of celebrated arms.

I spoke with NFL Network's Charley Casserly about the Tannehill/Russell comparison. The former general manager of the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans didn't agree with the comparison.

"I like the guy. I like him as a prospect," Casserly said of Tannehill. "He has a strong arm, I think he can throw the out cut, has good movement. I think he's a guy that sees the field."

Casserly said he interviewed a dozen teams after the season and they all described Tannehill as a late-first, early-second round pick, who will probably get moved up because of a lack of quarterbacks.

"What you're having here is a guy who, potentially now, is going to go much higher in the draft than he's rated -- that's the tendency with quarterbacks," Casserly said.

I think that it is safe to say that Tannehill has a little more going for him in the work ethic and football intangibles department

 

[Andy Dufresne]

These comparisons are driving me bonkers.

Bernie Kosar is more comparable to Haloti Ngata than he is Tannehill.

 

[bonesman]

I think this is a more apt comparison to Tannenhill.

The NFL Network crew doesn't feel Tannenhill is as athletic or has the 'will to win' that Tebow has. They didn't mention Bernie Kosar.

Tebow vs. Tannehill 3

That's an interesting way to spin that. I watch that clip and the description that comes to my mind is, "Von Miller thinks Tannehill is a better passer than Tebow"

No mention of Kosar confirmked though

 

[MAC_32]

These comparisons are driving me bonkers.

Tannehill could bust in many ways, but he is nothing like Bernie or Purple Drank.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

I think this is a more apt comparison to Tannenhill.

The NFL Network crew doesn't feel Tannenhill is as athletic or has the 'will to win' that Tebow has. They didn't mention Bernie Kosar.

Tebow vs. Tannehill 3

That's an interesting way to spin that. I watch that clip and the description that comes to my mind is, "Von Miller thinks Tannehill is a better passer than Tebow"

No mention of Kosar confirmked though

I agree that Von Miller was spinning like mad when instead of saying that Tim Tebow is a horrible passer instead chose to say that one of them was probably a better passer. Von is very diplomatic. That is kind and a wise choice of phrasing the situation.

Instead of tap dancing around the subject here's my take on Tannenhill.

Great athlete playing QB, he doesn't look like a QB and has a gangly passing style and I think its because he's not comfortable in the pocket. People see the athleticism and mobility and fall in love with those traits. He's diametrically opposite of a cerebral pocket passing QB like Kosar.

I don't like Tannenhill's abilty to pull the trigger. I really don't like it at all. He holds the ball and waits too long on deeper routes and hesitates, very bad IMHO.

My opnion. >> Bottom line. He's not worth a top-ten let alone a top five pick. Rare athleticism but a project who will take a few years before you know what you have because right now he's not ready and shouldn't be taken high or the pressure for him to start will force it and he needs time.

Best think for him is he gets taken later on a team with a decent/older QB where the natural progression is to sit him on the bench and ease him in slowly but I don't know if that happens.

 

[Dexter Manley]

These comparisons are driving me bonkers.

Tannehill could bust in many ways, but he is nothing like Bernie or Purple Drank.

Billick wasn't comparing Jamarcus Russell the player to Tannehill the player, rather he was comparing similarities to the meteoritic rise in each player's draft stock leading up to the draft. He basically said you have to be very wary when a player's draft stock sharply rises in such fashion after the end of the cfb season due to the combine, pro days, private workouts, etc. Another good non-qb comparison to Tannehill would be Mike Mamula, who shot up draft boards in a similar way prior to the draft. While Mamula was a far more productive nfl player than Russell ever was, he still fell far short of expectations as a top 10 pick and most people consider him a big bust as well.

The bottom line is that most people graded Tannehill as a 2nd/3rd round prospect (or lower) back in the beginning of January, and now people are going crazy over him with some suggesting he could go as high as the 3rd pick overall, and others saying that Miami taking him at 1.08 wouldn't be a reach, let alone a massive reach.

 

[Faust]

Tannehill a top-10 draft pick? Only when the annual madness sets in

By Mike Freeman | CBSSports.com National NFL Insider

So here we are again, the annual NFL Draft, where smart men suddenly become incredibly dumb. Example No. 7 trillion: Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill is suddenly a first-round pick.

If Tannehill moved any faster up the NFL's draft boards, he'd be Deion Sanders. Starships don't travel this quickly. Still trying to figure out why. Was it his 1-5 record against ranked teams? Was it his completion percentage that fell last year? Was it his quarterback rating that was lower than Brock Osweiler's?

Or the 19 starts? Or that not too long ago he was a wide receiver.

Maybe it's the remarkable pedigree of Big 12 quarterbacks in the NFL, like Chris Simms, Brad Smith, Colt McCoy or Vince Young. They've been just swell.

In January 2011, Tannehill went against LSU and its NFL-caliber defensive backs. It was his sixth start, and he tossed three picks. This was a Tannehill pattern for much of his college career at quarterback. The more athletic the defense, the worst he performed, and as we all know, there are no athletes roaming NFL secondaries. None at all.

Tannehill has the greatest bust potential of any possible first-round pick. This is nothing personal against Tannehill. He seems like a fine young man and a smart dude. This is about the people doing the evaluating. This is the great follywang of the draft, and we see this every year.

Common sense is replaced by hope. Words like "potential" become fruitful and multiply. It was in this environment players like Blaine Gabbert and JaMarcus Russell floated to places they should have never gone. We've all suffered from draft dementia at some point, but this seems to happen to significant segments of the NFL every year.

In speaking with several team personnel executives, there is a distinct possibility the Dolphins will take Tannehill with the No. 8 pick. This could be the Dolphins using their Enigma machine to send out counter-intelligence (another draft staple), but the Tannehill-Miami speculation seems legitimate.

Thus, if you Google the phrase "setting up to fail," there's a picture of Tannehill right alongside Ty Tryon, Bode Miller and Ricky Williams. Tannehill is a third-rounder or maybe -- maybe -- a late second-round pick. I've seen him play. Good athleticism, nice arm, but there's nothing that should elevate him into the top eight in the draft. He wasn't even among the eight best players in his conference.

The big issue with Tannehill is throwing accuracy. That's an important quality for an NFL quarterback. Allegedly.

"I feel like he's being pushed up the board not necessarily on his ability to play the position at the next level but on his athleticism and people predicting his potential," former Denver general manager Ted Sundquist said on the NFL Network recently. "I think the Dolphins, if they take [Michael] Floyd, have an opportunity to find a quarterback with that second (round) pick ... much like Cincinnati did last year when they took A.J. Green and found Andy Dalton waiting for them. I would take Michael Floyd with the Miami Dolphins' pick at No. 8."

That man makes sense. Maybe because he has been out of the NFL for a few years. The more distance you get from football, the less you are affected by draft silliness. It's like escaping a radioactive plume.

NFL personnel types never learn their lesson. Ever. A combine performance changes everything, overshadowing what they witnessed with their own eyes when a player was on the field.

Tannehill vaulting upward like Carl Lewis is more a sign of teams desperate for a quarterback and wishful thinking. There are two great throwers in this draft: Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. After that, it's more of a hodgepodge. After that, for the most part, it's a cluster of second-tier guys, and you're fooling yourself if you believe Tannehill's drastically superior than some of the other quarterbacks.

Or you're also suffering from draft dementia.

 

[massraider]

Would Dolphins be reaching to grab Tannehill at No. 8?

By Dan Hanzus NFL.com

Writer

Published: April 9, 2012 at 11:46 a.m. Updated: April 9, 2012 at 12:09 p.m.

NFL Network draft analyst Charley Casserly said this of the QB, via The Miami Herald: "I don't see Tannehill as elite. I don't have him graded as a top-10 player."

That should be treated as good news to the Tannehill camp. Not only did Charley Casserly not give Cam Newton a top-10 grade, he did not think he was worth a 1st round pick.

Todd McShay loves Tannehill, and liked Blaine Gabbert over Newton. You can bury any draftnik if you like, and don't have to look hard to do it.

 

[Donnybrook]

Would Dolphins be reaching to grab Tannehill at No. 8?

By Dan Hanzus NFL.com

Writer

Published: April 9, 2012 at 11:46 a.m. Updated: April 9, 2012 at 12:09 p.m.

NFL Network draft analyst Charley Casserly said this of the QB, via The Miami Herald: "I don't see Tannehill as elite. I don't have him graded as a top-10 player."

That should be treated as good news to the Tannehill camp. Not only did Charley Casserly not give Cam Newton a top-10 grade, he did not think he was worth a 1st round pick.

Todd McShay loves Tannehill, and liked Blaine Gabbert over Newton. You can bury any draftnik if you like, and don't have to look hard to do it.

“Who’s been wrong more than Charley Casserly since he left the Redskins? His percentage is like a meteorologist,”

- Bill Belichick

 

[Donnybrook]

I'd take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances

- Charlie Casserlymassraider your opinion holds more weight for me than Charlie Casserly's. Why people continue to quote him is beyond me?

 

[bonesman]

Tannehill has the greatest bust potential of any possible first-round pick.

How could that "insider" possibly know that? That and the overly sarcastic tone of the article has me thinking Mr. Mike Freeman is an ###.

 

[Shutout]

Most analysts and such that I have heard talk about this say its a mistake and a desperation play (which is what a lot of us said when this first started). I don't think a lot has changed since the beginning but when things like these linger for a long time, its not uncommon that the story sways from one side to another (and then back sometimes). So, I still go with the consensus "knee jerk reaction" on this one.

I am skeptical anytime a guy wasn't talked about as belonging and then, only after a huge need arises, he is mentioned. Until recently, there was a CLEAR line of separation and no one other than Luck and RGIII were mentioned as 1st rounders. Now, Tannehill is not only a first rounder, but a top 8 to boot? I don't buy it.

I think the Dolphins would be better off to pass.

 

[Gopher State]

Vikings' pick is key to drafting Ryan Tannehill, Colts' Jim Irsay tweets

Pioneer Press

twincities.com

Posted: 04/13/2012 12:01:00 AM CDT

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman received a little help from Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay - assuming Spielman is serious about wanting to trade the No. 3 overall draft pick.

Irsay turned to Twitter this week to praise Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

"Tannehill is a hidden gem in this draft,a quiet secret who was always sneaking up to #3..you want him,you better talk to Zigi The Biggie!" Irsay posted on @JimIrsay.

Irsay, whose Colts own the No. 1 overall pick and are expected to draft quarterback Andrew Luck, was referring to Vikings owner Zygi Wilf. The Washington Redskins traded into the No. 2 spot so they could draft quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The Vikings, who drafted Christian Ponder in the first round last year, aren't expected to select a quarterback in the first round again this year. They are expected to select Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil, if they keep the pick.

Spielman has openly declared his interest in trading, although deception is a common practice among general managers leading up to the draft.

 

[Faust]

I'd take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances

- Charlie Casserlymassraider your opinion holds more weight for me than Charlie Casserly's. Why people continue to quote him is beyond me?

Casserly takes a lot of warranted criticism to be sure (trading second and third round picks to the Raiders for Phillip Buchanon in 2005 comes to mind), but he made some good calls in selecting five players during his tenure with Houston that would become Pro-Bowlers in Andre Johnson, Jerome Mathis, DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams and Owen Daniels. The Mario Williams selection was heavily criticized when many pundits suggested Vince Young or Reggie Bush as far better choices and in hindsight, it was the right call for sure. Now I think that I can recall that there is some debate how much influence that Casserly had in that 2006 draft war room, but given that Kubiak was a new head coach presiding over his first draft and it was reported that McNair wanted Vince Young, I think it is likely that pick was heavily influenced by Casserly (the following article seems to suggest exactly that)

Brave move: Texans' decision to draft Williams in 2006 is paying off

What the Texans nor anyone could have imagined was the amount of venom and criticism spewed at the 6-foot-7, 285-pound lightning rod. Once the Texans selected Williams instead of the dazzling Heisman Trophy-winning Bush and god-like hometown hero Young, the pick cut deep into the heart of football country. It became personal. Season ticket-holders cancelled. Fans fired off nasty e-mails and calls to Texans owner Bob McNair, coach Gary Kubiak and Casserly.

"I made the statement, 'if you're going to boo somebody, boo me,'" Casserly said. "I said, 'get all over me. Criticize me.' And they did. They listened."

Talk radio sizzled with name-calling. Casserly resigned two weeks after helping new coach Kubiak through his first draft. Local and national opinion-makers used words like "moronic" and "stupid" to describe the Texans' perceived draft blunder for the ages.

Worse, Bush was taken No. 2 overall and immediately contributed for the playoff-bound Saints in 2006. Young, selected No. 3 overall by the Tennessee Titans, was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Even if Young's rookie award came almost by default as he put up pedestrian numbers (12 TDs, 13 INTs, 61.7 QB rating), his team won. And Houston fans were unforgiving, especially since Williams struggled as a rookie. He bounced to all four positions along the defensive line and finished with just 4.5 sacks.

The Texans remained steadfast that time would justify their decision. Turns out they were right. In fact, the No. 2 and No. 3 selections may well go down as Dumb and Dumber. Bush is injury-prone and not nearly as effective as during his rookie year. Young is riding the bench, prone for bizarre off-field behavior.

 

[MAC_32]

I'd take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances

- Charlie Casserlymassraider your opinion holds more weight for me than Charlie Casserly's. Why people continue to quote him is beyond me?

Casserly takes a lot of warranted criticism to be sure (trading second and third round picks to the Raiders for Phillip Buchanon in 2005 comes to mind), but he made some good calls in selecting five players during his tenure with Houston that would become Pro-Bowlers in Andre Johnson, Jerome Mathis, DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams and Owen Daniels. The Mario Williams selection was heavily criticized when many pundits suggested Vince Young or Reggie Bush as far better choices and in hindsight, it was the right call for sure. Now I think that I can recall that there is some debate how much influence that Casserly had in that 2006 draft war room, but given that Kubiak was a new head coach presiding over his first draft and it was reported that McNair wanted Vince Young, I think it is likely that pick was heavily influenced by Casserly (the following article seems to suggest exactly that)

What the Texans nor anyone could have imagined was the amount of venom and criticism spewed at the 6-foot-7, 285-pound lightning rod. Once the Texans selected Williams instead of the dazzling Heisman Trophy-winning Bush and god-like hometown hero Young, the pick cut deep into the heart of football country. It became personal. Season ticket-holders cancelled. Fans fired off nasty e-mails and calls to Texans owner Bob McNair, coach Gary Kubiak and Casserly.

"I made the statement, 'if you're going to boo somebody, boo me,'" Casserly said. "I said, 'get all over me. Criticize me.' And they did. They listened."

Talk radio sizzled with name-calling. Casserly resigned two weeks after helping new coach Kubiak through his first draft. Local and national opinion-makers used words like "moronic" and "stupid" to describe the Texans' perceived draft blunder for the ages.

Worse, Bush was taken No. 2 overall and immediately contributed for the playoff-bound Saints in 2006. Young, selected No. 3 overall by the Tennessee Titans, was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Even if Young's rookie award came almost by default as he put up pedestrian numbers (12 TDs, 13 INTs, 61.7 QB rating), his team won. And Houston fans were unforgiving, especially since Williams struggled as a rookie. He bounced to all four positions along the defensive line and finished with just 4.5 sacks.

The Texans remained steadfast that time would justify their decision. Turns out they were right. In fact, the No. 2 and No. 3 selections may well go down as Dumb and Dumber. Bush is injury-prone and not nearly as effective as during his rookie year. Young is riding the bench, prone for bizarre off-field behavior.

And correct me if I'm wrong but most people that criticized the Cam Newton pick, myself included, were more concerned about the neck up as opposed to the neck down. As far as the neck up is concerned I don't think last year disproved his naysayers. I still have doubts.

 

[cstu]

Vikings' pick is key to drafting Ryan Tannehill, Colts' Jim Irsay tweets

Pioneer Press

twincities.com

Posted: 04/13/2012 12:01:00 AM CDT

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman received a little help from Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay - assuming Spielman is serious about wanting to trade the No. 3 overall draft pick.

Irsay turned to Twitter this week to praise Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

"Tannehill is a hidden gem in this draft,a quiet secret who was always sneaking up to #3..you want him,you better talk to Zigi The Biggie!" Irsay posted on @JimIrsay.

Irsay, whose Colts own the No. 1 overall pick and are expected to draft quarterback Andrew Luck, was referring to Vikings owner Zygi Wilf. The Washington Redskins traded into the No. 2 spot so they could draft quarterback Robert Griffin III.

The Vikings, who drafted Christian Ponder in the first round last year, aren't expected to select a quarterback in the first round again this year. They are expected to select Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil, if they keep the pick.

Spielman has openly declared his interest in trading, although deception is a common practice among general managers leading up to the draft.

WTH is wrong with this guy?

 

[cstu]

How is Tannehill anything other than Kordell Stewart redux?

 

[Hang 10]

I'd take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances

- Charlie Casserlymassraider your opinion holds more weight for me than Charlie Casserly's. Why people continue to quote him is beyond me?

Casserly takes a lot of warranted criticism to be sure (trading second and third round picks to the Raiders for Phillip Buchanon in 2005 comes to mind), but he made some good calls in selecting five players during his tenure with Houston that would become Pro-Bowlers in Andre Johnson, Jerome Mathis, DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams and Owen Daniels. The Mario Williams selection was heavily criticized when many pundits suggested Vince Young or Reggie Bush as far better choices and in hindsight, it was the right call for sure. Now I think that I can recall that there is some debate how much influence that Casserly had in that 2006 draft war room, but given that Kubiak was a new head coach presiding over his first draft and it was reported that McNair wanted Vince Young, I think it is likely that pick was heavily influenced by Casserly (the following article seems to suggest exactly that)

Brave move: Texans' decision to draft Williams in 2006 is paying off

What the Texans nor anyone could have imagined was the amount of venom and criticism spewed at the 6-foot-7, 285-pound lightning rod. Once the Texans selected Williams instead of the dazzling Heisman Trophy-winning Bush and god-like hometown hero Young, the pick cut deep into the heart of football country. It became personal. Season ticket-holders cancelled. Fans fired off nasty e-mails and calls to Texans owner Bob McNair, coach Gary Kubiak and Casserly.

"I made the statement, 'if you're going to boo somebody, boo me,'" Casserly said. "I said, 'get all over me. Criticize me.' And they did. They listened."

Talk radio sizzled with name-calling. Casserly resigned two weeks after helping new coach Kubiak through his first draft. Local and national opinion-makers used words like "moronic" and "stupid" to describe the Texans' perceived draft blunder for the ages.

Worse, Bush was taken No. 2 overall and immediately contributed for the playoff-bound Saints in 2006. Young, selected No. 3 overall by the Tennessee Titans, was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Even if Young's rookie award came almost by default as he put up pedestrian numbers (12 TDs, 13 INTs, 61.7 QB rating), his team won. And Houston fans were unforgiving, especially since Williams struggled as a rookie. He bounced to all four positions along the defensive line and finished with just 4.5 sacks.

The Texans remained steadfast that time would justify their decision. Turns out they were right. In fact, the No. 2 and No. 3 selections may well go down as Dumb and Dumber. Bush is injury-prone and not nearly as effective as during his rookie year. Young is riding the bench, prone for bizarre off-field behavior.

And Casserly and Houston get too much credit for picking Williams #1 overall. I mean, how successful was that pick now that he's in Buffalo? He was so good that he never got a 2nd contract in Houston. He's had over 10 sacks only twice in his career. So what if he's been a better pro that Young and Bush? That's not a very high bar for the 1.1 pick.

 

[Faust]

A few more comparisons:

How does Ryan Tannehill compare to Mark Sanchez?

By Marc Sessler NFL.com

Writer

NFL Network's Charley Casserly has heard the buzz on Ryan Tannehill. The former NFL general manager doesn't agree with Brian Billick's assessment that Tannehill is the next JaMarcus Russell, but he calls the Texas A&M passer a "reach" in the top 10 of this month's draft.

That doesn't mean the Dolphins some team won't pull the trigger. With Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III out of the equation, Tannehill's stock is rising fast.

With this in mind, Casserly pointed to a trio of starting quarterbacks -- Josh Freeman, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez -- all taken recently in the first round. Casserly has Tannehill rated favorably compared to each of them coming out of college.

• Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17th pick, 2009): "Personally, when I looked at Josh Freeman in college, and I looked at Tannehill, I thought Tannehill was better. Because I thought Tannehill was more accurate and made better decisions than Josh Freeman in college, and Freeman was a middle-of-the-first-round pick."

• Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (18th pick, 2008): "I liked Flacco in college. I liked his arm strength, I liked his accuracy, but he was playing at Delaware -- simple offense -- and I liked Tannehill, at the same point, better. (The Ravens) moved up to get Flacco, no one quite knew where Flacco was going to go. A lot of people felt second round, but Baltimore wanted to make sure they got him, and that was it."

• Mark Sanchez, New York Jets (5th pick, 2009): "I think that Mark Sanchez in some ways was better, and Tannehill in some ways is better. The Jets came way up to get Sanchez at number five. Is Sanchez the fifth best player in the country? A top-five quarterback? No, but where would the Jets be without him? I know everybody in New York is complaining about the guy right now, but if you take three years -- with a guy who was a starter one year in college -- he's done pretty good. As a personnel guy, that's what I look at. That guy still has an upside."

In the cases of Sanchez and Flacco, their teams maneuvered to grab them in the draft. Between them, Flacco and Sanchez own nine playoff wins since 2008, a number not lost on NFL teams still searching under every rock for a signal-caller.

 

[cstu]

And Casserly and Houston get too much credit for picking Williams #1 overall. I mean, how successful was that pick now that he's in Buffalo? He was so good that he never got a 2nd contract in Houston. He's had over 10 sacks only twice in his career. So what if he's been a better pro that Young and Bush? That's not a very high bar for the 1.1 pick.

They can't re-sign him with money they don't have and he did get a huge deal from the Bills.Saying 'that's not a very high bar' is pretty ridiculous too because he's the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.

 

[Hang 10]

And Casserly and Houston get too much credit for picking Williams #1 overall. I mean, how successful was that pick now that he's in Buffalo? He was so good that he never got a 2nd contract in Houston. He's had over 10 sacks only twice in his career. So what if he's been a better pro that Young and Bush? That's not a very high bar for the 1.1 pick.

They can't re-sign him with money they don't have and he did get a huge deal from the Bills.Saying 'that's not a very high bar' is pretty ridiculous too because he's the highest paid defensive player in the NFL.

There's always a way to make the money work if a team wants to keep a franchise player. He wasn't worth the money & wasn't worth the #1 overall pick.

 

[Faust]

Suddenly, this draft is all about Ryan Tannehill

By Gregg Rosenthal NFL.com

Around The League editor

We see it happen every year. Once we know the No. 1 overall pick, the entire focus of the draft turns to No. 2. Or the second-ranked quarterback.

This is the rare year where the drama has already been removed from the top two picks. So it only makes sense that suddenly this draft is all about Ryan Tannehill, the third quarterback in this draft.

Peter King of SI.com noted Friday that Ryan Tannehill had a private workout with the Chiefs, then visited Kansas City. Tannehill will spend Sunday and Monday in Cleveland. And then he's going to Buffalo.

We've reached the point where no one even expects Tannehill be available when the Bills select at No. 10. Bills reporters are trying to decide if Buffalo's interest is all a smokescreen. (We doubt it.) The Chiefs would likely have to trade up past Miami at No. 8 just for a chance to get him. Miami may have to trade up just to get Tannehill.

As Charley Casserly would say, this all seems like a case of market inflation.

That doesn't mean Tannehill will turn out to be a bust. A lot of draftniks we trust love Tannehill's gametape. We like him better than Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder from a year ago. Mike Mayock says Tannehill has all the tools to be a franchise quarterback. Russ Lande of Sporting News says teams view Tannehill as a more consistent Jay Cutler.

Cutler also got drafted much earlier than people thought. He was the third banana in 2006 behind Matt Leinart and Vince Young. Now those guys are unemployed.

Sometimes those late rising quarterbacks pan out.

 

[EBF]

I'm always leery of late-risers.

If he's so good, where were all these plaudits during the season when he was...you know...actually playing football?

Just seems like another guy who's moving up because he looks like a player in shorts and a t-shirt. Decent college career, but really nothing there to make you think top 15 pick. This feels like Flacco/Freeman all over again.

 

[Donnybrook]

I'd take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances

- Charlie Casserlymassraider your opinion holds more weight for me than Charlie Casserly's. Why people continue to quote him is beyond me?

Casserly takes a lot of warranted criticism to be sure (trading second and third round picks to the Raiders for Phillip Buchanon in 2005 comes to mind), but he made some good calls in selecting five players during his tenure with Houston that would become Pro-Bowlers in Andre Johnson, Jerome Mathis, DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams and Owen Daniels. The Mario Williams selection was heavily criticized when many pundits suggested Vince Young or Reggie Bush as far better choices and in hindsight, it was the right call for sure. Now I think that I can recall that there is some debate how much influence that Casserly had in that 2006 draft war room, but given that Kubiak was a new head coach presiding over his first draft and it was reported that McNair wanted Vince Young, I think it is likely that pick was heavily influenced by Casserly (the following article seems to suggest exactly that)

Brave move: Texans' decision to draft Williams in 2006 is paying off

What the Texans nor anyone could have imagined was the amount of venom and criticism spewed at the 6-foot-7, 285-pound lightning rod. Once the Texans selected Williams instead of the dazzling Heisman Trophy-winning Bush and god-like hometown hero Young, the pick cut deep into the heart of football country. It became personal. Season ticket-holders cancelled. Fans fired off nasty e-mails and calls to Texans owner Bob McNair, coach Gary Kubiak and Casserly.

"I made the statement, 'if you're going to boo somebody, boo me,'" Casserly said. "I said, 'get all over me. Criticize me.' And they did. They listened."

Talk radio sizzled with name-calling. Casserly resigned two weeks after helping new coach Kubiak through his first draft. Local and national opinion-makers used words like "moronic" and "stupid" to describe the Texans' perceived draft blunder for the ages.

Worse, Bush was taken No. 2 overall and immediately contributed for the playoff-bound Saints in 2006. Young, selected No. 3 overall by the Tennessee Titans, was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Even if Young's rookie award came almost by default as he put up pedestrian numbers (12 TDs, 13 INTs, 61.7 QB rating), his team won. And Houston fans were unforgiving, especially since Williams struggled as a rookie. He bounced to all four positions along the defensive line and finished with just 4.5 sacks.

The Texans remained steadfast that time would justify their decision. Turns out they were right. In fact, the No. 2 and No. 3 selections may well go down as Dumb and Dumber. Bush is injury-prone and not nearly as effective as during his rookie year. Young is riding the bench, prone for bizarre off-field behavior.

I really don't want this thread to be about Casserly. All I can say is Matt Millen drafted Calvin Johnson but no one is quoting his draft opinions. Casserly is one step above Millen.

 

[Faust]

Tannehill making the rounds: KC, CLE, BUF

By Jeff Reynolds | NFLDraftScout.com

Those Bill Polian thoughts that Kansas City was very much in the Ryan Tannehill Hunt? That's more than smoke, and perhaps even a crackling inferno, even as GM Scott Pioli calls trading up "irresponsible."

Tannehill had a visit and private workout with the Chiefs who have less-than-entrenched starter Matt Cassel under contract. Given the scouting moshpit around Texas A&M's strong-armed, athletic passer in recent weeks, it's no surprise to see Pioli and Kansas City taking a strong look.

As Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star explained, years of passing on passers is what puts the franchise in a position of need. They've had chances at Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco (two chances, in fact) and Josh Freeman and come away with modest linemen -- DT Glenn Dorsey, OL Branden Albert and DL Tyson Jackson.

Snagging Tannehill at 11 would make sense. Having him on the board at that stage is sounding less and less likely.

The Bills, who have the 10th overall pick, are holding to their approach last season, when QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was forewarned by coach Chan Gailey that the team would invest in another quarterback if the right one was available. Gailey covets mobile quarterbacks and naturally are taking a hard look at Tannehill this weekend (he's scheduled to visit after meeting with the Browns).

The swell of interest puts the Chiefs, who haven't drafted a quarterback in the first round since Todd Blackledge in 1983, Dolphins (eighth overall) and Browns in a pickle: To get the third-best quarterback in a top-heavy class, do they reach for a potential -- but flawed -- solid starter or hold the line with their current, albeit average, options?

It's a matter of perspective and sets up as a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" quandary.

Pioli's seat is warm in K.C., and the Dolphins' regime cannot afford another swing-and-miss in the first round. With two first-round picks, the Browns are in the best position to draft Tannehill or benefit from a team like the Chiefs getting an itchy trigger finger and overpaying for the unproven Aggie.

This might set up as Mike Holmgren's ideal scenario -- well, only now that they missed out on RG3 but did gain years of agonizing over the so-close swap with St. Louis that puts Griffin in Washington -- but would be an on-the-clock deal after teams see the dust settle at No. 3. The Vikings are praying a team offers the farm for their pick, openly advertising that they are open to all offers.

If no team moves mountains for Minnesota's pick, the Browns should deal out themselves and instead fill other needs at 4 (or by trading back to 8 or 11 with Miami or KC) and 21. The logical approach for a team this far away from contention is to snag NFL-ready Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden -- who can boast wins over Tannehill, RG3 and Luck last season -- at the top of the second round.

Dolphins might have to deal up if they really want Ryan Tannehill

By Pat Kirwan | NFL Insider

When April 16 rolls around, so will quarterback Ryan Tannehill -- into Cleveland for a visit.

The Browns are going to draft a QB at the end of the month, and if they want Tannehill they will have to take him at the No. 4 spot. He will be long gone by No. 22.

If the Dolphins really want the young QB from Texas A&M, they have two choices: Sweat it out and hope the Browns don't take him and he falls to them at No. 8. Or move up to the Vikings spot at No. 3 and make sure they get him.

The Vikings are willing to listen, but are they willing to make a deal the Dolphins can agree to? The Dolphins have been playing a risky QB game all offseason. They signed David Garrard, who was out of football for a year for health reasons, as their quality veteran to compete with Matt Moore. They couldn't get Peyton Manning, and they recruited Matt Flynn and Alex Smith but never got them signed. Time is running out to secure the right QB.

Some might think it's too much to go up for Tannehill, but the Dolphins may have to worry about teams below them jumping ahead of them to grab him. Kansas City and even Seattle could be very tempted to jump up on draft day a spot or two and grab Tannehill.

From what I can gather, the Browns like what they see in Ryan Tannehill, and it may be a move the Dolphins have to make if they want their QB. After the Monday visit to the Browns, there should be tons of speculation about how the draft will take shape from

picks No. 3 through 12.

 

[Faust]

I'd take Kevin Kolb over Cam Newton 100 times out of 100 chances

- Charlie Casserlymassraider your opinion holds more weight for me than Charlie Casserly's. Why people continue to quote him is beyond me?

Casserly takes a lot of warranted criticism to be sure (trading second and third round picks to the Raiders for Phillip Buchanon in 2005 comes to mind), but he made some good calls in selecting five players during his tenure with Houston that would become Pro-Bowlers in Andre Johnson, Jerome Mathis, DeMeco Ryans, Mario Williams and Owen Daniels. The Mario Williams selection was heavily criticized when many pundits suggested Vince Young or Reggie Bush as far better choices and in hindsight, it was the right call for sure. Now I think that I can recall that there is some debate how much influence that Casserly had in that 2006 draft war room, but given that Kubiak was a new head coach presiding over his first draft and it was reported that McNair wanted Vince Young, I think it is likely that pick was heavily influenced by Casserly (the following article seems to suggest exactly that)

Brave move: Texans' decision to draft Williams in 2006 is paying off

What the Texans nor anyone could have imagined was the amount of venom and criticism spewed at the 6-foot-7, 285-pound lightning rod. Once the Texans selected Williams instead of the dazzling Heisman Trophy-winning Bush and god-like hometown hero Young, the pick cut deep into the heart of football country. It became personal. Season ticket-holders cancelled. Fans fired off nasty e-mails and calls to Texans owner Bob McNair, coach Gary Kubiak and Casserly.

"I made the statement, 'if you're going to boo somebody, boo me,'" Casserly said. "I said, 'get all over me. Criticize me.' And they did. They listened."

Talk radio sizzled with name-calling. Casserly resigned two weeks after helping new coach Kubiak through his first draft. Local and national opinion-makers used words like "moronic" and "stupid" to describe the Texans' perceived draft blunder for the ages.

Worse, Bush was taken No. 2 overall and immediately contributed for the playoff-bound Saints in 2006. Young, selected No. 3 overall by the Tennessee Titans, was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Even if Young's rookie award came almost by default as he put up pedestrian numbers (12 TDs, 13 INTs, 61.7 QB rating), his team won. And Houston fans were unforgiving, especially since Williams struggled as a rookie. He bounced to all four positions along the defensive line and finished with just 4.5 sacks.

The Texans remained steadfast that time would justify their decision. Turns out they were right. In fact, the No. 2 and No. 3 selections may well go down as Dumb and Dumber. Bush is injury-prone and not nearly as effective as during his rookie year. Young is riding the bench, prone for bizarre off-field behavior.

I really don't want this thread to be about Casserly. All I can say is Matt Millen drafted Calvin Johnson but no one is quoting his draft opinions. Casserly is one step above Millen.

Casserly has made some blunders for sure, but he made some good calls as well. Casserly is several steps above Millen.As far as his opinion - well he feels that Tannehill is potentially a better prospect then Flacco, Freeman, and Sanchez were when they were drafted.

I also think that it never hurts to hear a variety of opinions, and I can guarantee that he watches more film and is plugged into more NFL executives than anyone on this board, so I am willing to listen to what he says.

Ex-GM Casserly tells of drowning out the draftniks

Excerpt: (and the rest is a good read)

General manager Charley Casserly and the Texans owned the first pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.

The good people of Houston wanted running back Reggie Bush. They were even hungrier for local hero Vince Young.

Casserly and the Texans did not comply, instead choosing pass rusher Mario Williams out of North Carolina State. As word leaked on the night before the draft that Williams was the pick, the outcry in Houston was fierce.

It's hard to argue with the choice today.

Now with NFL Network, Casserly remains a workhorse. Sitting a stone's throw away from the man, here in the NFL Media newsroom, you get a sense for his drive and attention to detail.

Casserly's desk is a flood of stuffed binders and notebooks dense with handwritten reports. He'll field 10 calls an hour, scouting players, sharing information, chatting with radio stations across the land, seamlessly shifting from talk of Ryan Tannehill to Jerel Worthy to the distant Joe Jacoby.

This is the man, as GM of the Redskins, who fleeced Mike Ditka and the Saints out of their entire 1999 draft -- plus a first and third in 2000 -- simply to allow New Orleans to move up from No. 12 to No. 5 to select Ricky Williams. Washington still got their man, Champ Bailey, at No. 12.

 

[Multiple Scores]

I'm always leery of late-risers.If he's so good, where were all these plaudits during the season when he was...you know...actually playing football?Just seems like another guy who's moving up because he looks like a player in shorts and a t-shirt. Decent college career, but really nothing there to make you think top 15 pick. This feels like Flacco/Freeman all over again.

I agree with you. The funny thing is this guy was shooting up boards prior to putting on shorts and a T Shirt. Once Luck and RG3 had predetermined destinations the media looked hard for number three, after settling on Tannehill he kept rising due to desperation. It's like a guy who has no money and is trying so hard to lose his virginity because all his buddies have long ago. He hires an ugly hooker just to say he's done it. Reminds me of the Tannehill situation.

 

[identikit]

I'm always leery of late-risers.If he's so good, where were all these plaudits during the season when he was...you know...actually playing football?Just seems like another guy who's moving up because he looks like a player in shorts and a t-shirt. Decent college career, but really nothing there to make you think top 15 pick. This feels like Flacco/Freeman all over again.

I agree with you. The funny thing is this guy was shooting up boards prior to putting on shorts and a T Shirt. Once Luck and RG3 had predetermined destinations the media looked hard for number three, after settling on Tannehill he kept rising due to desperation. It's like a guy who has no money and is trying so hard to lose his virginity because all his buddies have long ago. He hires an ugly hooker just to say he's done it. Reminds me of the Tannehill situation.

Yeah, it's just like that.

 

[fatness]

And correct me if I'm wrong but most people that criticized the Cam Newton pick, myself included, were more concerned about the neck up as opposed to the neck down. As far as the neck up is concerned I don't think last year disproved his naysayers. I still have doubts.

What?