RG3 has got some major pluses. Athleticism and leadership being foremost. He also was an extremely accurate passer at Baylor throwing for 72.4% his last year. Now, you know I'm all about accuracy. Those kind of numbers are dreamy and combine that with the rest of his positives and he appears to be a future star. This is the kind of thinking that will get you fired as a GM in the NFL.
Look, I like a guy who's a solid leader (Tim Tebow), but just because I like him doesn't mean I want him as my starting QB. And I have zero interest in a QB that is fast. ZERO. They inevitably rely on the run and end up getting hurt. I want a QB who is accurate and thrives in the pocket. And the word on RG3 is that he is poor in the pocket. Yes, he's accurate, even with that horrific release, but he has to clear the pocket to do that. I'm sorry, but that scares me. I don't want a QB running from his line, cutting the field in half, and risking taking a big hit. That just takes the football heart out of me.
Yes, last year I was completely wrong about Cam Newton. Well, maybe not completely. I said he was a smart kid with good size which reminded me of Daunte Culpepper. I was more than worried about his accuracy and the chance of him getting beat up. However, where I made my biggest mistake in assessing him was that he listens to reason. I mean everyone and their grandma questioned his ability to stay in the pocket and make the throws. In college, he just didn't seem to have that traditional passer approach AND he had sucky accuracy. Everyone (except Carolina) questioned whether a run first QB can win in this league. But he did two things last off season: 1) he disciplined himself to stay in the pocket and 2) worked hard to become a more accurate passer. And in just one fail swoop he made me look like an idiot.
But RG3 is NOT Cam Newton. Any comparisons of the two should stop immediately. Cam Newton is 6'5, 250 while RG3 is 6'1, 220. Cam is a freak of nature with tremendous size and athleticism. RG3 is just athletic without good size. He fits much more into the Michael Vick mold than anything else. Although Vick wasn't nearly as good a passer or a leader.
And this is where I'm not convinced that RG3 is worthy of a top 10 pick. You're putting your whole future on this guy. That's what you do when you draft a QB in the first round. And I'm not convinced this guy has the pocket presence to be the future of my team. Can he learn it? Yes. Will he? Who knows. If I drafted him the first thing I'd do is have him call Cam Newton, and then tell him to do everything he did last off season. But even then RG3's arm isn't superior and neither is his size. And so I suspect that he will start to fall back on that speed of his which brings back the problem of injury. That is just too much for me to take him in the top ten over guys that have less question marks at a less pressure packed position.
Had a team taken him in the top ten I wouldn't have called it the worst pick ever. Some guys, like Vick, make teams better and bring excitement where there wasn't much before. But you can't convince me that you can win Superbowls with him.
So all this brings me to the most laughable and head shaking news of the day: the Skins give up this years first (6th overall) and second (39th) and the next two years first pick for the #2 overall this year. Basically, for RG3. OMG do I wish I were the Rams right now. They just robbed the Skins blind. In the entire history of the NFL, only the Herschel Walker trade was worse. Even if RG3 turns out to be above average its a colossally bad trade. This only works if you were trading for a sure bet future HOF. (Ironically Andrew Luck might be that guy)
But the reason I'm pissed off about it is that the stinkin' Rams end up with 3 extra top 40 picks in the next 3 years (which will probably be good picks because the Skins won't be good), get Jeff Fisher (my favorite working coach), and STILL will probably get Justin Blackmon. HOLY CRAP. The Rams are going to win the division in 2014. I'm calling it now.
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