Jason Whitlock on Vince Young

[pup]

Wow. I found this article pretty intersting. Whitlock hits Young pretty hard.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ock/060309

[yogi]

I'd like to see a counter-point article to see what Team Vince thinks, but Whitlock arguements on where VY is heading is on solid ground.

There can't be any questions that are this obvious if you're gonna be a Top 10 pick. Hell, we pick at 12 and I can't see taking the risk if he were there.

[HoodooMan]

Just ask Ryan Leaf or countless other can't-miss prospects. Michael Vick is in the process of getting humbled. He was supposed to reinvent the position. I don't believe the position will ever be reinvented. The guys who have consistent success will always be the guys who prepare the hardest.

The article is pure, unmitigated horseshit.

From the December ESPiN the Mag article on VY:

In the first team meeting after last season's 38-37 Rose Bowl win over Michigan, Young set a tone for the future. The mood was loud and light when he walked to the front of the room. Like a father setting his sons right, he made everyone sit up, take their hats off and listen to what the coaches had to say. The Rose Bowl was big but just a beginning, Young told them. "I won't accept what's good right now," he remembers saying. "I want us to achieve greatness." He continued to challenge his teammates over the summer, with a note on the locker room bulletin board: "If you want to beat Ohio State, meet me here every night at 7 PM for seven-on-seven." The turnout was faithful and focused. Many nights saw full 11-on-11 scrimmages.

If there's something wrong with Vince Young is sure as fuck doesn't have anything to do with his approach to the game or preparation.

But I'll be literally dancing in the street if between now and draft day people like Jason Whitlock can convince the 11 GMs picking in front of us to pass on Vince and allow a superstar to fall into our laps.

[swerb]

I think Young is gonna have a helluva career, contribute this year, and it will be he ... not Reggie Bush that the Texans end up regretting on passing on.

His delivery may not be textbook or pretty, but the ball is always there. This is the same thing people were saying out of the Titans mini-camp. The kid is a winner, played his three best games this year at Ohio State, and vs Oklahoma and USC.

Call it a gut ... I think this kids gonna be a great NFL signal caller.

[Guest]

I think he will be a bust as a QB
He might be able to make it as a WR

[furls]

Young is an odd duck. I think he has most of the football intangibles needed to be a winner in the NFL. The only concern I have for him is his ability to play against NFL defenses.

People incorrectly compare him to Michael Vick, probably because both are fast and black, but that is where the comparison really ends. My biggest 2 concerns on whether or not he is a great NFL quarterback hinge on a couple of things:

1.) Can he become "NFL accurate?" He was definetly college accurate, but the NFL is a different ball game. Balls thrown to the inside shoulder on a deep pass along the sidelines are usually completions in college. Against a great college corner they are broken up. In the NFL they are interceptions almost all the time. Frankly, I saw lots of well timed passes that were unfortunately to the inside shoulder. Can he develop NFL accuracy, particularly with that motion? We will see.

2.) Defenses: NFL defenses are much different than colleges. I am not stating this because of the common criticisms about Young and his wonderlic tests, I am stating it because that is the biggest adjustment that college stars need to make in the NFL and quite have been plenty of better college QBs that have been unable to make the transition successfully.

I think that of this years draft VY may have the best upside as a QB. I think he will make many more mistakes than Leinart, but I also think that he has a much higher upside. I expect that he will play early this season and will contribute a lot. Hell, I think he may even be a serviceable starter by the end of the year. His work ethic and drive will help him to immediately gain credibility with his new team. I just hope that he gets a fair shake as the heir apparent to McNair, especially given the popularity that McNair enjoyed amongst his teammates and the raw deal he received. That is just my opinion.

[swerb]

Furls, great post and I tend to agree with most of it.

I was looking for a link and couldn't find one, but I remember both reading and seeing on TV players on Tennessee talking specifically about how this kid was making all the throws in QB Camp. That it always wasn't pretty, but always there.

Granted, QB School is a long way from playing at Jacksonville or at Pittsburgh and those defenses.

Like last year, I think each of the top QBs come with considerable risk. Young for the reasons you mentioned. Leinart I feel has very limited upside, and thats why he slipped. And Cutler as this years token smaller school Patrick Ramsey boom or bust type.

Last years QB class was the worst I think I've ever seen.