QuarterBack Derek Carr ~ Fresno State
BullDogs ~ 6025/216
BullDogs ~ 6025/216
Regarding QuarterBacks
I've refined and expanded my Criteria for evaluating QuarterBacks, this Year. The Principles haven't changed, mind you, though I do add Arm Strength. It's just what I hope is an Improvement in presenting my Arguments:
Processing Speed > Diagnostic Acuity ~ PreSnap Reading ~ is important. But what's absolutely crucial, especially in the Big Games, is'is Capacity to Rapidly Read & React to the Defense's Post-Snap changes, to Work'is Progressions, and to instantly make Decisions and act on them, effectively and consistently, Under Pressure.
Accuracy > I've also toyed with calling this Aspect "Moving the Chains", for they are certainly linked. What I'm focused on, here, is not only hitting them in the hands, but also his Ability to consistently time'is Passes so's to hit'is Receivers In Stride. I'm looking for'm to consistently anticipate Route Breaks and Lead his Receivers to DayLight.
FirePower > Effective Arm Strength has far more to do with Mechanics than is generally perceived, I believe. I should also add that when I write about FirePower, I'm emphasizing DownField Accuracy far more than on'is ability to lob it 80 Yards. The gutters, after all, are littered with Rocket Arms who couldn't hit the side'f a Barn.
Pocket Presence > Here, I'm focused not only on how manfully he Stands His Ground in the Pocket, but also on how judiciously he does so: There's no sense in getting killed if Scrambling will buy some time. Above all, I'm focused on how effective his Decision Making and his Accuracy are when he's Under Pressure.
OutSide the Wickets > How effective is'e when the Play breaks down? Same Criterion as with Pocket Presence, but of course a very different Dynamic: How effective are'is Decision Making & Accuracy when'e's On the Run??
***
Arm Strength is vastly overrated, and scrambling ability, while exciting, is ultimately worse than useless, because History makes it clear that Scramblers, over the years ~ and indeed, the same could be said about the thousands of QuarterBacks who've failed despite a great Arm ~ ultimately fail to focus all their energy on QuarterBacking.
Mobility, alike, is vastly overrated. Steve Young is the only Scrambler who ever won a Super Bowl, and he won it because he was on a great team, because Barry Switzer can't coach at the NFL level or the CowBoys would've rolled the Miners again in 1994, and because he eased up on the scrambling. He became a QuarterBack.
Mind you: I'd hardly suggest that Arm Strength isn't nice to have...But the temptation to let'er rip ~ and to relying on that Capacity ~ can have a crippling effect on developing those skills that most matter, deep in the Heart of Winter.
And often they have been.
Countless times, in fact.
And don't get me started on Scrambling.
Processing Speed and an insatiable Work Ethic, producing that relentless Devotion to mastering every possible Aspect of the Job ~ the Aspects I've listed above ~ and Balls are what ultimately win Championships.
It's not as easy as simply counting the Rings, because Fortune & Circumstance play a large part in the Fates of Men.
And it sure as Hell isn't racking up gaudy Statistic during the regular Season. It's the Capacity and the Will to do the thousands of little things that put one's team in the best position to win, day in and day out ~ and doing them well ~ that is the ultimate measure of any QuarterBack, albeit one ~ ironically ~ that's impossible to quantify.
It's the ability to Read & React with Speed & deadly Accuracy against the nastiest, wiliest Defenses on the Planet, deep in the Heart of Winter...and the Will to dedicate Years to intensive Training & Study in order to be able to.
That ~ and his willingness to Use The Whole Pig ~ is what once separated Tom Brady from the Pack.
Processing Speed > Diagnostic Acuity ~ PreSnap Reading ~ is important. But what's absolutely crucial, especially in the Big Games, is'is Capacity to Rapidly Read & React to the Defense's Post-Snap changes, to Work'is Progressions, and to instantly make Decisions and act on them, effectively and consistently, Under Pressure.
Accuracy > I've also toyed with calling this Aspect "Moving the Chains", for they are certainly linked. What I'm focused on, here, is not only hitting them in the hands, but also his Ability to consistently time'is Passes so's to hit'is Receivers In Stride. I'm looking for'm to consistently anticipate Route Breaks and Lead his Receivers to DayLight.
FirePower > Effective Arm Strength has far more to do with Mechanics than is generally perceived, I believe. I should also add that when I write about FirePower, I'm emphasizing DownField Accuracy far more than on'is ability to lob it 80 Yards. The gutters, after all, are littered with Rocket Arms who couldn't hit the side'f a Barn.
Pocket Presence > Here, I'm focused not only on how manfully he Stands His Ground in the Pocket, but also on how judiciously he does so: There's no sense in getting killed if Scrambling will buy some time. Above all, I'm focused on how effective his Decision Making and his Accuracy are when he's Under Pressure.
OutSide the Wickets > How effective is'e when the Play breaks down? Same Criterion as with Pocket Presence, but of course a very different Dynamic: How effective are'is Decision Making & Accuracy when'e's On the Run??
***
Arm Strength is vastly overrated, and scrambling ability, while exciting, is ultimately worse than useless, because History makes it clear that Scramblers, over the years ~ and indeed, the same could be said about the thousands of QuarterBacks who've failed despite a great Arm ~ ultimately fail to focus all their energy on QuarterBacking.
Mobility, alike, is vastly overrated. Steve Young is the only Scrambler who ever won a Super Bowl, and he won it because he was on a great team, because Barry Switzer can't coach at the NFL level or the CowBoys would've rolled the Miners again in 1994, and because he eased up on the scrambling. He became a QuarterBack.
Mind you: I'd hardly suggest that Arm Strength isn't nice to have...But the temptation to let'er rip ~ and to relying on that Capacity ~ can have a crippling effect on developing those skills that most matter, deep in the Heart of Winter.
And often they have been.
Countless times, in fact.
And don't get me started on Scrambling.
Processing Speed and an insatiable Work Ethic, producing that relentless Devotion to mastering every possible Aspect of the Job ~ the Aspects I've listed above ~ and Balls are what ultimately win Championships.
It's not as easy as simply counting the Rings, because Fortune & Circumstance play a large part in the Fates of Men.
And it sure as Hell isn't racking up gaudy Statistic during the regular Season. It's the Capacity and the Will to do the thousands of little things that put one's team in the best position to win, day in and day out ~ and doing them well ~ that is the ultimate measure of any QuarterBack, albeit one ~ ironically ~ that's impossible to quantify.
It's the ability to Read & React with Speed & deadly Accuracy against the nastiest, wiliest Defenses on the Planet, deep in the Heart of Winter...and the Will to dedicate Years to intensive Training & Study in order to be able to.
That ~ and his willingness to Use The Whole Pig ~ is what once separated Tom Brady from the Pack.
Derek Carr Scouting Report
Processing Speed > Horrific. Carr often locks up and shuts down if'is First Look is covered.
Accuracy > Sketchy. He flashes Touch & Timing, but he's inconsistent and his horribly undisciplined Mechanics often throw everything off ~ see what I did, there??
FirePower > Tremendous. Great natural Arm Strength, and he flashes Impressive DownField Accuracy & Precision.
Pocket Presence > Horrible. Whether it's genuine Panic or ~ more likely, I suspect ~ an inability to Rapidly Read & React to Defenses, Carr goes to pieces Under Pressure, and'is Accuracy vaporizes.
OutSide the Wickets > Hideous. Perfect when everything goes right. Alas, it rarely does.
Accuracy > Sketchy. He flashes Touch & Timing, but he's inconsistent and his horribly undisciplined Mechanics often throw everything off ~ see what I did, there??
FirePower > Tremendous. Great natural Arm Strength, and he flashes Impressive DownField Accuracy & Precision.
Pocket Presence > Horrible. Whether it's genuine Panic or ~ more likely, I suspect ~ an inability to Rapidly Read & React to Defenses, Carr goes to pieces Under Pressure, and'is Accuracy vaporizes.
OutSide the Wickets > Hideous. Perfect when everything goes right. Alas, it rarely does.
Derek Carr Prospectus
As always, I reserve the right to change my mind, right up until the Draft…But as it currently lies, I'm afraid that I'm persuaded that Derek Carr's Game is crippled by a lack of Processing Speed. Those who can succesfully Diagnose when at their leisure but simply lack the Capacity to Rapidly Read & React effectively are often incorrectly diagnosed as Panicky, so perhaps Carr's issues lie only with'is Processing Speed…But it scarcely matters, as the end result in either case is a startling lack of Pocket Presence & Poise, and a Propenisity to Panic under Pass Rush Pressure.
I just have a difficult time imagining him surviving, much less thriving, at The Next Level, despite'is gaudy Stats.
Thanks, as always, to the extraordinary Work by the men of Draft BreakDown!!
I just have a difficult time imagining him surviving, much less thriving, at The Next Level, despite'is gaudy Stats.
Thanks, as always, to the extraordinary Work by the men of Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: Lottery Ticket ~ Vastly
OverRated!!
OverRated!!
| Perceived Market Value 1st/2nd Round | Yankee Grade 4th/5th Round |
Please Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men of Good Will!!
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