Walter football read on Clausen

[DarthICE]

Maybe so, but I'm gonna need to see more evidence. We've been down this road w/ Big 12 QBs before, haven't we?

 

I am not biting....nice try.

[starrymessenger]

I'm not a ND fan but I would say I saw 6-8 of their games this year due to them being on TV every week. The kid was constantly putting up huge points, even when the opponent knew ND would be throwing due to their weak defense. He slings the ball around and throws a beautiful deep ball. He's cocky, but in a good way. I don't get all the hate he's been getting, from McShay inparticular. Golden Tate was quoted earlier in the offseason as saying he didn't have to catch one ball from Clausen all year that was off target. As an unbiased football fan, he certainly passed the eye test. He also played hurt most of the year. One thing the eye test can not judge is leadership and attitude. If the Bills decide he is proficient enough in those areas, I am all for taking him at nine, and I do think that he will be there...

Hope you are right Billy, but with the Rams, Skins and esp the Seahawks all looking for a QB....

[iinii]

If Clausen is the franchise quarterback the article describes, the Bills should make that trade, period. Opportunities for franchise quarterbacks don't come around very often; so when one does appear, you have to take it. Look at all the resources the Bills have poured into the quarterback position since Kelly hung up his cleats--thus far with nothing to show for it. They've spent the following:

 

Todd Collins: 2nd round pick

Billy Joe Hobart: 3rd round pick

Rob Johnson: 1st round pick, 4th round pick

Drew Bledsoe: 1st round pick

J.P. Losman: 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, 5th round pick

Trent Edwards: 3rd round pick

 

For Clausen to cost us as much as those guys did, we'd have to trade away three first round picks, two 2nd round picks, two 3rd rounders, a 4th, and a 5th. Any price lower than that represents a smaller cost than those guys collectively were, while providing (presumably) a significantly greater benefit to this franchise than they did.

If is the key word in that sentence.

[Thoner7]

If Clausen is the franchise quarterback the article describes, the Bills should make that trade, period. Opportunities for franchise quarterbacks don't come around very often; so when one does appear, you have to take it. Look at all the resources the Bills have poured into the quarterback position since Kelly hung up his cleats--thus far with nothing to show for it. They've spent the following:

 

Todd Collins: 2nd round pick

Billy Joe Hobart: 3rd round pick

Rob Johnson: 1st round pick, 4th round pick

Drew Bledsoe: 1st round pick

J.P. Losman: 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, 5th round pick

Trent Edwards: 3rd round pick

 

For Clausen to cost us as much as those guys did, we'd have to trade away three first round picks, two 2nd round picks, two 3rd rounders, a 4th, and a 5th. Any price lower than that represents a smaller cost than those guys collectively were, while providing (presumably) a significantly greater benefit to this franchise than they did.

 

Good point. We throw away draft picks all the time with the sh*t we draft. Might as well throw them away in a trade rather than on Maybins and Whitners and Youbotys and Ellises and McCargos and Losmans....

 

The Walter Football site is the anti-McShay site as far as Clausen goes. They have him as #1 and he has him as #28. McShay even compared his leadership skills to JP Losman's. In another post on here on this site he said what a terrible reach it would be if the Bills picked him. Remarkable how different opinions of him are out there.

 

McShay is no better at scouting players than ieatcrayonz. I dont know the history on the Walterfootball guy, but he cant be much worse than McShay.

[Thoner7]

Would someone mind pasting the article on here? I'm at work and it blocks those kind of websites. I would really like to read this article.

 

 

Thank you to who ever does this!!

 

Posted Dec. 29, 2009

 

Junior Quarterbacks - Jimmy Clausen

 

I bet you never thought in the past month that Notre Dame junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen is one of the most underappreciated quarterback prospects in the history of the NFL Draft. But after reading this blog entry, you just might change your mind.

 

First, I am going to tell you why you might not like Clausen, and let's be real here, there is a lot of bias against him. Some criticism is warranted, but a lot isn't.

 

Notre Dame is the most hated football program in America, period. They are the Duke of the gridiron. Automatically, you hate Clausen because he went to Notre Dame, just like you hated J.J. Reddick because he went to Duke. If you want to make an analysis as objective and professional as possible, then you need to cut the crap and get over the Notre Dame hate if you have it - and a lot of that is out there. Think about it: if you put Sanchez on Notre Dame and Jimmy Clausen at USC, then Sanchez is the hated prospect and Clausen is the beloved underclassman.

 

Maybe you don't like Clausen because of the blond, spiky hair, or the limo appearance he had when he was a senior in high school to declare for Notre Dame. These aren't "low profile" characteristics and automatically, you might have disliked him.

 

For whatever reasons you're down on Clausen, please put them in the back seat and have an open mind when reading this blog entry.

 

Clausen just amassed one of the most impressive junior seasons among pro-style quarterbacks in the past 10-20 years.

 

Let's remember that Clausen had a very bad offensive line this year for Notre Dame. Sure, he had good weapons, but the running game was poor and receivers Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph missed significant action (eight games missed total between them).

 

When Floyd went out, Clausen stepped up. With a bum turf toe, he didn't play at all in the second half and led the team to a game-winning drive to beat Purdue. The following week, he posted 422 passing yards against Washington. Over the next three games (USC, Boston College, Washinton State), Clausen threw for 774 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions.

 

Clausen is a huge reason for Golden Tate's big season as well. While Tate is a talented player, he couldn't have done it without Clausen's extremely high level of accuracy.

 

Numerous times, Clausen played through pain this season. He led his team in games in crunch time, and was without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in the nation this year.

 

Criticizing Clausen because he had talent around him is a very poor argument. It isn't like Clausen was putting up just above average statistics - he dominated opponents. He showed a very high football IQ and rarely forced the ball in coverage. Did he throw some balls up for grabs? Sure, but Peyton Manning does the same thing occasionally to Reggie Wayne. Drew Brees lofts the ball up for Marques Colston in the red zone. Philip Rivers relies on Vincent Jackson. Quarterbacks can't do it all by themselves.

 

One statistic that can't be discussed enough is Clausen's 7:1 touchdown-intercpetion ratio, which is absolutely unheard of among junior quarterbacks in pro-style offenses. This is just ridiculous. It doesn't happen and it isn't supposed to happen. Give the man some credit where credit is due.

 

The bottom line is Clausen certainly needs to be looked at as one of, if not the most polished junior quarterback prospect in the history of the NFL Draft. I didn't say the BEST junior quarterback prospects because he doesn't have the physical skill, but he is certainly one of the most NFL-ready.

 

Analyze the statistics of a select group of quarterbacks in the spreadsheet below; all of these stats were taken from each quarterback's junior season. Aside from Matthew Stafford (I'm including him because I had him No. 1 overall on my big board), these highly thought-of quarterbacks that have gone on to outstanding success in the NFL.

 

Clausen simply blows everyone out of the water. His touchdown-interception ratio puts Peyton Manning's 1996 season to shame. His completion percentage is a good five points ahead of Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. Clausen threw six less interceptions than EVERYONE.

 

Clausen's ranks across the board: 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st.

 

I just don't understand how someone like Todd McShay can say Clausen is a second-round talent when you consider how his statistics compare to some of the NFL's current greats.

 

I'm not a fan of just analyzing statistics, and my evaluation of Clausen really doesn't have very much to do with them. All I am doing is putting his season into perspective.

 

The perspective proves that Clausen is worthy of much more respect than I feel like he is getting at the moment. We will probably never see a better junior season ever again. Charlie Weis leaving the college game means that there is one less West Coast offense in the NCAA.

 

Over the next 10 years, I fear that nearly all snaps are going to be taken out of shotgun and NFL front offices are going to be throwing darts and evaluating prospects based on physical tools only since the schemes are so easy to execute.

 

Clausen isn't executing an easy scheme - he is executing the toughest scheme on the national stage. Every week the camera is on him, and every week he delivered. If Notre Dame's defense was just above average, this team would have won 10 games.

 

If you don't like Clausen because he is cocky, then that is fine. I just hope you are consistent and also say Rivers is a bad NFL quarterback because he is cocky - because a slightly confident leader can't win games in the NFL, right?

 

Maybe if Philip Rivers went to Notre Dame...

 

--- There is a graphic here that I cannot copy over, compares his stats to current NFL QBs like Manning/Rivers/etc. Cluasens stats blow theirs away.

[Max997]

Now I didnt see too mcuh of Clausen this past season, but from what I did see he was much improved from his soph season. Here is one guys take on Clausen jr year.

 

http://walterfootball.com/mattblog091229.php

 

Now I like him more than Bradford thats for sure, but I think its all moot because both wont be around when we draft. Anyways, once the workouts and combine are all done, I wouldnt be suprised to see him rise to #1 on the big board.

 

i pray neither is available when the Bills pick that way they cant draft either of them

[Canadian Bills Fan]

Posted Dec. 29, 2009

 

Junior Quarterbacks - Jimmy Clausen

 

I bet you never thought in the past month that Notre Dame junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen is one of the most underappreciated quarterback prospects in the history of the NFL Draft. But after reading this blog entry, you just might change your mind.

 

First, I am going to tell you why you might not like Clausen, and let's be real here, there is a lot of bias against him. Some criticism is warranted, but a lot isn't.

 

Notre Dame is the most hated football program in America, period. They are the Duke of the gridiron. Automatically, you hate Clausen because he went to Notre Dame, just like you hated J.J. Reddick because he went to Duke. If you want to make an analysis as objective and professional as possible, then you need to cut the crap and get over the Notre Dame hate if you have it - and a lot of that is out there. Think about it: if you put Sanchez on Notre Dame and Jimmy Clausen at USC, then Sanchez is the hated prospect and Clausen is the beloved underclassman.

 

Maybe you don't like Clausen because of the blond, spiky hair, or the limo appearance he had when he was a senior in high school to declare for Notre Dame. These aren't "low profile" characteristics and automatically, you might have disliked him.

 

For whatever reasons you're down on Clausen, please put them in the back seat and have an open mind when reading this blog entry.

 

Clausen just amassed one of the most impressive junior seasons among pro-style quarterbacks in the past 10-20 years.

 

Let's remember that Clausen had a very bad offensive line this year for Notre Dame. Sure, he had good weapons, but the running game was poor and receivers Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph missed significant action (eight games missed total between them).

 

When Floyd went out, Clausen stepped up. With a bum turf toe, he didn't play at all in the second half and led the team to a game-winning drive to beat Purdue. The following week, he posted 422 passing yards against Washington. Over the next three games (USC, Boston College, Washinton State), Clausen threw for 774 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions.

 

Clausen is a huge reason for Golden Tate's big season as well. While Tate is a talented player, he couldn't have done it without Clausen's extremely high level of accuracy.

 

Numerous times, Clausen played through pain this season. He led his team in games in crunch time, and was without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in the nation this year.

 

Criticizing Clausen because he had talent around him is a very poor argument. It isn't like Clausen was putting up just above average statistics - he dominated opponents. He showed a very high football IQ and rarely forced the ball in coverage. Did he throw some balls up for grabs? Sure, but Peyton Manning does the same thing occasionally to Reggie Wayne. Drew Brees lofts the ball up for Marques Colston in the red zone. Philip Rivers relies on Vincent Jackson. Quarterbacks can't do it all by themselves.

 

One statistic that can't be discussed enough is Clausen's 7:1 touchdown-intercpetion ratio, which is absolutely unheard of among junior quarterbacks in pro-style offenses. This is just ridiculous. It doesn't happen and it isn't supposed to happen. Give the man some credit where credit is due.

 

The bottom line is Clausen certainly needs to be looked at as one of, if not the most polished junior quarterback prospect in the history of the NFL Draft. I didn't say the BEST junior quarterback prospects because he doesn't have the physical skill, but he is certainly one of the most NFL-ready.

 

Analyze the statistics of a select group of quarterbacks in the spreadsheet below; all of these stats were taken from each quarterback's junior season. Aside from Matthew Stafford (I'm including him because I had him No. 1 overall on my big board), these highly thought-of quarterbacks that have gone on to outstanding success in the NFL.

 

Clausen simply blows everyone out of the water. His touchdown-interception ratio puts Peyton Manning's 1996 season to shame. His completion percentage is a good five points ahead of Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. Clausen threw six less interceptions than EVERYONE.

 

Clausen's ranks across the board: 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st.

 

I just don't understand how someone like Todd McShay can say Clausen is a second-round talent when you consider how his statistics compare to some of the NFL's current greats.

 

I'm not a fan of just analyzing statistics, and my evaluation of Clausen really doesn't have very much to do with them. All I am doing is putting his season into perspective.

 

The perspective proves that Clausen is worthy of much more respect than I feel like he is getting at the moment. We will probably never see a better junior season ever again. Charlie Weis leaving the college game means that there is one less West Coast offense in the NCAA.

 

Over the next 10 years, I fear that nearly all snaps are going to be taken out of shotgun and NFL front offices are going to be throwing darts and evaluating prospects based on physical tools only since the schemes are so easy to execute.

 

Clausen isn't executing an easy scheme - he is executing the toughest scheme on the national stage. Every week the camera is on him, and every week he delivered. If Notre Dame's defense was just above average, this team would have won 10 games.

 

If you don't like Clausen because he is cocky, then that is fine. I just hope you are consistent and also say Rivers is a bad NFL quarterback because he is cocky - because a slightly confident leader can't win games in the NFL, right?

 

Maybe if Philip Rivers went to Notre Dame...

 

--- There is a graphic here that I cannot copy over, compares his stats to current NFL QBs like Manning/Rivers/etc. Cluasens stats blow theirs away.

 

 

 

 

Thank you!!

[thebandit27]

The article is a great read and very interesting. I think Clausen has a chance to be a franchise QB and I won't exactly be disappointed if the Bills take him.

 

However, I do think that letting the stats tell much of the story can lead to dangerous conclusions. For example, let's compare Clausen's junior year performance to the junior performance of another draft-eligible QB:

 

Clausen - 3,722 yards, 8.8 YPA, 28 TDs, 4 INTs, 7:1 TD:INT

QB#2 - 2,746 yards, 9.2 YPA, 30 TDs, 4 INTs, 7.5:1 TD:INT

 

So who's QB#2? I'm sure you've all guessed by now that it's Tim Tebow. Now I'm NOT trying to turn this into a Tebow thread (please), we don't need another one of those. My only point is that, when compared to the junior year numbers of other draft eligible QBs, Clausen's aren't as good as Mr. McGuire makes them out to be. As another example, look at Sam Bradford's red-shirt sophomore numbers:

 

4,720 yards, 9.77 YPA, 50 TDs, 8 INTs, 6.25:1 TD:INT

 

Like I said, I do think that Clausen has a chance to be a franchise QB, I just think that the article should've gone further to put Clausen's numbers into perspective by comparing them to the other QBs in this draft.

[Mickey]

Seen it before, but thanks for the reminder.

 

What is a shame is that Clausen won't be there at #9, for all of the stated reasons. And he would be a terrific fit for Gailey's offense. Remember that Nix said that for a QB to excel in Buffalo, he has to have a gun to throw through the winds at the Ralph. Clausen has one, he has a very strong arm. Bradford much less so.

 

If we want him, though, we'll have to trade up to at least the top 5 and possibly even higher.

 

I would have no problem trading up for him. I know we have a lot of needs on this team but even so, this guy has been playing lights out as only a junior. He is the kind of QB you can build a team around. The OL is already going to be better with Levitre and Wood having a year under their belt. This is a good draft for OT's, we can find one later on.

 

Does anybody know what the going rate is to move up from 9 to 5? Third rounder?

[R. Rich]

Does anybody know what the going rate is to move up from 9 to 5? Third rounder?

 

 

Per the draft value chart, the 5th pick is 1,700pts and the 9th is 1,350. It would take the equivalent of the 55th overall pick, a lower 2nd, to equal the 5th.

[FluffHead]

I would have no problem trading up for him. I know we have a lot of needs on this team but even so, this guy has been playing lights out as only a junior. He is the kind of QB you can build a team around. The OL is already going to be better with Levitre and Wood having a year under their belt. This is a good draft for OT's, we can find one later on.

 

Does anybody know what the going rate is to move up from 9 to 5? Third rounder?

 

http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2010.php

 

That mock says it would cost us our 2nd rounder. There is a chart out there that lists the values of each pick, not sure where you'd find it though

[Mickey]

The article is a great read and very interesting. I think Clausen has a chance to be a franchise QB and I won't exactly be disappointed if the Bills take him.

 

However, I do think that letting the stats tell much of the story can lead to dangerous conclusions. For example, let's compare Clausen's junior year performance to the junior performance of another draft-eligible QB:

 

Clausen - 3,722 yards, 8.8 YPA, 28 TDs, 4 INTs, 7:1 TD:INT

QB#2 - 2,746 yards, 9.2 YPA, 30 TDs, 4 INTs, 7.5:1 TD:INT

 

So who's QB#2? I'm sure you've all guessed by now that it's Tim Tebow. Now I'm NOT trying to turn this into a Tebow thread (please), we don't need another one of those. My only point is that, when compared to the junior year numbers of other draft eligible QBs, Clausen's aren't as good as Mr. McGuire makes them out to be. As another example, look at Sam Bradford's red-shirt sophomore numbers:

 

4,720 yards, 9.77 YPA, 50 TDs, 8 INTs, 6.25:1 TD:INT

 

Like I said, I do think that Clausen has a chance to be a franchise QB, I just think that the article should've gone further to put Clausen's numbers into perspective by comparing them to the other QBs in this draft.

 

Tebow didn't play in a pro style offense and he succeeded despite his poor skill set. Clausen was playing in a pro style offense under the intense scrutiny that a ND QB always had to deal with. Take their murderous schedule and ND's weak defense and Clausen's performance is even more impressive. Overall, I think I agree with your central point though that numbers alone don't mean much but the author made that point himself.

 

Its all a crap shoot but I would have no problem with a trade up for Clausen.

[eball]

The Walter Football site is the anti-McShay site as far as Clausen goes. They have him as #1 and he has him as #28. McShay even compared his leadership skills to JP Losman's. In another post on here on this site he said what a terrible reach it would be if the Bills picked him. Remarkable how different opinions of him are out there.

Time to break out the tried-and-true "opinions are like a--holes" line...

[billsfaningeneseo]

By the way, I really like our draft on his site. Davis (OT) first round, Cam Thomas (DT) second, Jevan Snead (QB) third, and Norwood (LB) fourth. That would be a pick for each of our 4 biggest need areas, and I think most people would be ok with at least the first 2 picks.

[Hey Hey]

That was an excellent read! Clausen looked good in the one game of his I saw (the Stanford/Notre Dame game). If the Bills are convinced he can be a franchise QB, and if he's there waiting for us at #9, I wouldn't mind pulling the trigger.

He's not going to be there at 9. We need to trade up to get this kid and we SHOULD!

[dgrid]

Best line from article:

"Let's remember that Clausen had a very bad offensive line this year for Notre Dame."

Good, he's used to that, get him.

 

Seriously, I was already for getting him if he's there at #9, but didnt know stats were this good, esp TD to INT ratio, nice!

[JohnC]

Would someone mind pasting the article on here? I'm at work and it blocks those kind of websites. I would really like to read this article.

 

 

Thank you to who ever does this!!

 

This is the boss. Get back to work before I fire you. If you read any unauthorized internet material you will be sent packing and will be heading towards the long unemployment line.

[Ennjay]

Here is my issue with Clausen. Not a new one or novel one. And yes I hate ND but I take Walter's point and I'm looking past that.

 

Clausen is a California QB with maturity issues. At his time at ND he had no record of cold weather/miserable weather games worth bringing up. When the Bills are 4-9 in early December and the wind is howling through two feet of snow and five offensive starters have been DL'd, what do we get? Does he crawl into a shell and sulk?

 

Jim Kelly grew up in western PA and played in games like that UNTIL he went to college. I'd love to draft Clausen and see him turn into Tom Brady (also from California), but . . . .

[R. Rich]

Here is my issue with Clausen. Not a new one or novel one. And yes I hate ND but I take Walter's point and I'm looking past that.

 

Clausen is a California QB with maturity issues. At his time at ND he had no record of cold weather/miserable weather games worth bringing up. When the Bills are 4-9 in early December and the wind is howling through two feet of snow and five offensive starters have been DL'd, what do we get? Does he crawl into a shell and sulk?

 

Jim Kelly grew up in western PA and played in games like that UNTIL he went to college. I'd love to draft Clausen and see him turn into Tom Brady (also from California), but . . . .

 

 

I'll bet he does crawl into a shell in those cold, wintry moments. A shell like this...

[FluffHead]

By the way, I really like our draft on his site. Davis (OT) first round, Cam Thomas (DT) second, Jevan Snead (QB) third, and Norwood (LB) fourth. That would be a pick for each of our 4 biggest need areas, and I think most people would be ok with at least the first 2 picks.

 

Jevan Snead is god awful. Other than that the picks are good. Norwood is a real good pass rusher.