Why So Many QBs Bust

I started writing a response in a thread to something Kaisertown wrote, but it was getting too long. Basically, it's not rocket science folks, as I hope to show you in my ramblings to follow... Anyway, in that thread, Kaiser seemed to take offense with a post of mine, drawing a comparison of Mirer, Quinn, and possibly Clausen and rightfully so since I meant it in partial jest, but didn't "type" my sarcasm... So first, let me address my skepticism over Clausen, then we'll move on to the NFL as a whole...

Anyone who follows the February signing madness, even a little, knows that the Notre Dame recruiting class is always, at or near the top almost every year. Good school, great football tradition, enabling them to go after the top high school players around the country. But as any ND fan will admit, those recruiting classes have too often failed on the field for their football program as of late, but I would argue that, given a players positional ranking in high school, tends to inflate their value once NFL draft evaluations begin. Mirer, and Quinn, recruited as a couple of the top QBs in their high school classes, likewise highly rated coming into the pros... What happened??? Could it happen again to Clausen???

I'll give you my theory, but it's as simple as E=MC2......... :-)

First, let me say that I happen to agree with most on here, in that both Bradford, Clausen, and yes, even Tebow, SHOULD be good NFL QBs.. While I put my hardhat on, and duck, let me also say that in my opinion, the one with the best chance of success, without knowing which team selects them, is Tebow...

Ha-Ha... You missed me!!!

Thunk!!!

Ouch!!!!

Wait.... Before you throw any more pixels through my screen, hear me out.... Let's for a minute, assume (yeah, I know), that Bradford is indeed selected by the Rams, currently sitting there with a head coach, obviously on the hot seat, and in a must win situation... As we look into our crystal ball, I see the demise of the Spag regime at year's end, followed by another questionable, and short, coaching change.... Bradford soon looks, and feels like a duck out of water, lost confidence, and his short history of being constantly battered by opposing defenses.... In his 4th year, he either rides the bench, or is traded to the Raiders where his career ends after only five yrs in the NFL....

In that same draft however, Tim Tebow is drafted by the Steelers, in the 3rd rd... A team with a solid coaching staff, and real direction... In his second year, with Big Ben doing time for his indiscretions, Tebow takes the helm as starter... In his first year, some still doubt his abilities as an NFL QB, but coach Tomlin, knowing the hard work Tebow has put in, assures him, he's the man in Pittsburgh.... By his 3rd year, Tebow has learned to take his team by the scruff of the neck, and lead them back into the playoffs...

I know... Where did I pull that out of??? But ya gotta admit, I can make up a story huh??? I hope however, you also see the difference.. Both young men, talented, intelligent, ALL the tools... The one however, even more suited initially to play QB in the NFL, is drafted by a team that is almost always in flux.. Always changing, and never allowing that promising QB to develop in any single system... The other, went to a team dedicated to their own players, developing them, keeping them. Adjusting the team to the players, not the player to the team....

Moral of the story..... Especially first round QBs, I don't think anyone can argue, have an inflated value going into the NFL draft because of the very position they play... I would ask, what 2 things do most teams drafting at the top end of the draft have in common????

Coaching and/or FO upheaval.... And they usually need a new QB... Remember JP??? Yeah, I know... All of us do... Should he have succeeded in the NFL??? I would argue yes, he SHOULD have.... But after 4 years of upheaval, and trying to make him fit into a system, heck, and a different one every year, is what ruined him... Not the other way around folks.... Remember me pointing to Mirer and Quinn??? Besides ND, what did they have in common??? How 'bout Trent Edwards??? Uhg... Square peg... Hole round... Get a bigger hammer...

I hope that TEs career can be salvaged by the Chix regime.. I think year 4 is the make or break time.... Kaiser brought up Stafford... Will he make it??? My answer has to be a big IF.... Not only the coaching carousels in the league, but the square peg scenario that so many of these guys face in their careers... Look at the successful QBs... The Mannings, etc.... What do they have in common??? Consistency, though arguably, Peyton may have succeeded regardless, I somehow doubt that.....

So now, back to the question I posted above, to myself... Why did I say Tebow has a better chance of success than either Bradford or Clausen??? Simple, if I was paying attention to myself.... Tebow will not be drafted at the top of the draft, by a team in flux, and desperate for a QB to fit into their round hole.... Tebow stands a better chance of being drafted by a team with consistency in the FO, and coaching staff, such as the example I gave....