Titans "strongly" considering Locker at 8

Discussion in 'NFL Draft' started by TheSureThing, Apr 22, 2011.

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  1. TorontoTitanFan

    TorontoTitanFan Pro Bowler

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    Again, we see the problem of guys on this message board vastly overrating their own ability to judge football talent. No one on this forum knows how good Locker can be. No one.

    If the Titans think Locker is the best QB in this draft class (very possible), then it's not a reach to select him at 8. If they think he's the 2nd best QB, then it's not a reach. The value of a QB trumps all other positions. You can't look at an A+ DT or DE and say that he's more valuable than an A- QB. Apples and oranges.

    In recent years, we've seen teams "reach" to take quarterbacks in the first round. The Ravens "reached" to select Joe Flacco. The Jets "reached" to select Mark Sanchez. The Buccaneers "reached" to select Josh Freeman. Heck, plenty of people said Sam Bradford and Matthew Stafford weren't surefire studs and not worth the 1st overall pick.

    In the end, the only people who look stupid are the ones who were calling it a "reach" at the time.

    If you believe in a QB, it's not a reach no matter how high you draft him. Maybe he'll bust, maybe he'll be a superstar. But it's always worth it to draft a quarterback you believe in.

    I won't argue with the logic behind this. The problem is that you can't count on Locker getting past pick #10.

    The small increase in "value" that you would get by trading down is not worth the gigantic risk you open yourself up to. If you think a guy is a franchise QB, just take him at 8.
     
  2. Aqutis30

    Aqutis30 Do you mind - NOT being a Motaur?

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    I honestly believe that the Titans will not go QB but defense at #8, hoping that they have a chance for a QB in the 2nd. If I am wrong though, and we do go QB at #8, as long as the dude is mentally stable, I am fine with it.
     
  3. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

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    So why didn't anybody draft a QB last year from picks 2 through 24?

    In 2008 from Ryan who was picked 3rd to Flacco at 18. 15 picks and nobody saw a reason to take a QB.

    Even Matt Lienart was only a 10th pick and he was an incredible player at USC and every bit the prospect that Locker is or more.

    Locker is not in my opinion a better prospect than Lienart,Tebow or McCoy and he wasn't half the college player of those guys. But he is worth an 8th pick?

    And talking about taking a reach at 17 or 18 is not the same as 8th.

    We need defense and this is a great draft for defense. We could have the pick of any DE in this draft but we will take Locker instead? That's silly.

    And please refrain from lecturing about experts on this board. Provide your own opinion but don't assume they have a damn clue they are wrong 50% of the time even with all the resources at their disposal. Look at Dunlap last year a better prospect than Graham, Morgan, Pierre-Paul but drafted a full round after.
     
  4. Soxcat

    Soxcat Pro Bowler

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    Good points. If the Titans traded down into the 20s and used the pick on a QB there I don't think it would be considered a big reach. But at #8 or anywhere in the top 10 the guy better be a damn stud QB and Locker isn't. If we were going to use our pick on a QB at #8 I'd take Mallett. At least he has the tools and could play quickly.
     
  5. XO

    XO Nevada Native

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    Seriously? Malzahn's playbook is not rocket science. It is nowhere near as complex as an NFL playbook. The offense is based on the idea of execution over complexity. It is a simple offense that is difficult to stop if a team like Auburn has the right players to run it. Watch Auburn this year and you will see a significant drop off.

    Malzahn does not try to fool you. Most of the time opposing defenses knew exactly who was getting the ball but it didn't matter. Auburn was so fast and efficient that few teams could do anything about it.

    Cam was responsible for one read on passing plays. If the player was covered he often just ran the ball. I can't blame him because he was way more dangerous on the ground than through the air. Cam even drew and described his one read to Gruden on QB Camp. In his own words he could not name a play, formation, protection, pre snap read.... nothing. All we got was "errrrr 36". This is because Cam got a number told to him that included all of this information. All Cam has to do is yell it out at the line of scrimmage and everyone knew their job. Cam told everyone that everything comes in from the sideline and he is responsible for that one read.

    I think many of us have put too much weight in the QB Camp show (I'm guilty) as it was clearly edited to make these players look better. The scary thing is even when the show was going out of it's way to put these guys on a pedestal Cam just ended up raising even more questions.

    There is no question that Cam has ability but he is essentially starting from scratch next year. He will have to learn nearly everything over again.
    Can he do it? Sure.
    Is he the best QB and should he be the number one pick? Absolutely not but that is on Carolina.
     
  6. TorontoTitanFan

    TorontoTitanFan Pro Bowler

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    That's completely irrelevant to this year.

    Again, you seem to have missed the point. Sure, the Titans need help on defense. They also need a quarterback. I think there's a good chance Locker is the top QB on the Titans' board, so picking him at #8 is not a "reach". NFL teams don't make draft selections based on mock drafts and "expert" opinions on when in the draft a guy should be taken (well... maybe the Bengals do but good NFL teams don't). If the Titans want Locker on the team, they will take him at #8.

    This comment doesn't really make sense, but I'll try to respond. I didn't lecture anyone. I said that people on team message boards (like this one) overvalue their own ability to judge prospects. You seem to be one who does this (you have already drawn conclusions about how good Locker is, despite the fact that you're just some guy posting on the Internet like the rest of us). On the other hand, I'm arguing that mock drafts and message board discussion is meaningless to NFL teams and the people who actually get paid to judge talent. I'm not pretending to know how good players are because I don't have the expertise. If you want to refute this position, please go ahead and try.

    It just makes no sense to me that picking a QB in the 20s suddenly becomes okay. Any QB picked in round 1 will be a wasted pick if he doesn't become a long-term starter. The pick doesn't suddenly become more tolerable (and have more room for error) if it's in the 20s. This is some weird logic.

    And why should playing quickly have anything to do with the selection? The Titans need to take whatever QB will end up being the best, not whatever one can start the earliest.
     
  7. 2ToneBlueBlood

    2ToneBlueBlood Pro Bowler

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    As good as Locker is, we DO NOT need to force a pick here. If Peterson, Fairley, Miller, or Dareus is there we need to go that route. If they like Locker so much they should try and trade back up to get him.

    I still think best case scenario here is Fairley at 8, Ponder at 39.
     
  8. xpmar9x

    xpmar9x The Real Slim Shady

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    It is pretty funny how vastly overrated this years QB class is. Look at Colt McCoy last year, the dude went in the 3rd round... he has the most wins as a QB in NCAA history. You're telling me that Kaepernick, Dalton, and Ponder (all projected 2nd) are better than McCoy? Silly.

    Same thing goes with Gabbert, Newton, and Locker... all are overrated. This QB class is pretty terrible, but QB is such a big need for teams this year. There shouldn't be a QB in the Top 20, instead there could be 4.
     
  9. TorontoTitanFan

    TorontoTitanFan Pro Bowler

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    Number of wins in the NCAA has very little to do with how a QB projects as a pro.
     
  10. Chapparal97

    Chapparal97 Grumpy Old Fart

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    I pretty much agree with Toronto.....However, I'm just not in the mood today to type out pages of stuff to back him up.
     
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