At one point this thread was titled "Throw in the towel for Howell." He 100% went into this past season fully expected to become the #1 qb/pick
I think he was considered the top QB in the class and possible #1 pick by many coming into the season. I don't remember anyone thinking he was on the same level as someone like Lawrence or Burrow while they were saying that, though. Those are two different things.
Ponder had average physical tools and put up big numbers running a loaded offense. That's pretty much the exact opposite of Howell. Team context matters, 2 years ago they had offensive talent and he was projected as the next top qb. If he played this past season in an offense like OSU or Oklahoma we're debating if the Lions should take him at #2 or not late first.
No one thought Burrow was going to be Burrow going into that year and Lawrence was generational. Meant more in the next top qb up, not as a talent comparison. Maybe Tua going into his last year is a better example.
Ponder had a loaded offense? Again you are talking to a Florida State fan, one who went to school there 2006-2010. His WR were Bert Reed, Taiwan Easterling, Willie Haulstead and Rodney Smith. His RB were Chris Thompsen, Jermaine Thomas and Ty Jones. He put up big numbers? He passed for 2000 yards and 20 td 8 int his draft year. It was still dark era FSU, before the Jameis loaded teams. You act like I am just looking at stats. I have probably watched more Howell football games than most Lions fans given my school being in ACC. Go to the ACC thread and ask what non UNC fans opinions of Howell are, I am pretty sure it will be a consensus "not impressed" or at least "not a top level QB"
Sure. I guess the point is more than no one knows much a year before the draft, and we tend to kind of add narratives to past projections that fit what we want to say/believe about a player. I think we all give way too much credence into the evals of underclass players who aren't eligible for the draft and aren't really truly evaluated until their draft years, anyway. I'm sure you're right that there were people who talked up Howell as being a big time prospect back in the spring/summer, but I don't think that was close to a consensus from the people I usually read.
Fucking draft pick is going to be 31 or 32 now. Far cry from the 8th pick we could have got from Carolina.
It won’t matter anyway. Whoever we pick will either be out of the league in 3 years or will help the lions to a 9 win season and a first round playoff loss.
The Browns, Bills and Bengals have all made playoff runs the last two years. Our turn is coming soon. The football gods are making it so.
The players they select with those two late firsts are almost guaranteed to contribute more than having Fields at this point
The rams pick being 23rd or 32nd will make no difference when all is said and done. The player taken will suck or be wasted. Stafford is just further proof of this.
I guess I must have blended Ponder in my mind with the better offenses they had when Jameis was around. Looking back he had mediocre talent, mediocre stats and a mediocre record. Him being a 1st Round pick is pretty baffling, his resume screamed late to undrafted. I'm going to stop because Howell not a hill I ever planned to die on but he has much better physical tools and put up a lot better numbers than Ponder
I think this is why Willis is my guy. He is raw but no one in this class has home run potential like he does.
I don't think they were either, it was more a joke about this thread wanting them to so much. I think reports were Parsons was off their board, I would guess maybe they would've taken Smith or one of the 2 dbs that went right after their pick
This is really stupid, but I'm on board with you about Willis now after last night (and just reading/watching more stuff about him). He's probably going to bust out, but he's the only guy in this draft where I could at least see a scenario of him competing against either QB last night because of his talent level.
I feel bad for the kid, especially if he gets picked in the 20's like Lamar did. Expectations for him to be the same player Lamar are going to be so high and unrealistic
That’s where I am at. His profile seems to scream bust, but his ceiling is sky high. I have a feeling he’s going to increase his stock quite a bit over the next few months, especially if he participates in the Combine. Might turn him into a pipe dream.
Can teams meet with draft prospects already? Saw on Facebook Kayvon did an autograph signing in metro Detroit this weekend. Seems weird he'd be in town for any other reason
Height, weight, hand size, not sure and wing span. I think. Pickett not having a hand size measurement means he’s got Goff hands.
That's always been the rumor on Pickett because he wore gloves every game in college to help him grip the ball better
Same, although I know that I could still talk myself into Corral if it happened. Pickett and Howell don't interest me at this point, and Strong appears to have some pretty bad medical issues with one of his knees that everyone hints at (and isn't mobile now).
Yeah, I would talk myself into Corral as well, but not at 2 and he won't be there at 32. If they could turn the 2 Rams firsts into Matt Corral, I'd take it.
The Senior Bowl seems like the kind of environment where Willis blows up. He’s going to kill the Combine as well, so his stock could be way up in a few weeks.
It helps that I think people are going to be looking for every opportunity to help him create that kind of buzz coming off this postseason.
Willis tore it up today, as expected. The usual concerns persist though (some inaccuracy, a lack of touch). He’s going to end up as a top 15 pick though, when all is said and done.
They're going to take Willis at #2 https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/do-detroit-lions-love-quarterback-malik-willis
Leading into the week at the Senior Bowl, on the First Draft Podcast, ESPN’s Todd McShay eventually offered an interesting NFL comp for Willis. “He (Willis) just is a little bit raw as a pocket passer. And that’s where you hope that he can have the Jalen Hurts type of improvement that we saw out of Hurts, especially this past season, as a passer.” Throughout ESPN’s coverage of Wednesday’s Senior Bowl practice, McShay continued his comparison of Willis to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Then, during NFL Network’s recap of the day that night, during the showing of the American team’s practice, analyst Daniel Jeremiah invoked Hurts as a comp for Willis too. I should be able to eventually talk myself into this but the Hurts comparisons doesn't inspire a lot of confidence
I know the Willis/Hurts comp is because the rules say you have to compare black quarterbacks to black quarterbacks, but he's more talented than Hurts, IMO. Maybe similar body types, but I think he's a more explosive runner and more talented passer.