Who is Blaine Gabbert anyway?

[Tim Anderson's Lunch Pail]

I don't know who has watched Gruden's QB camp, but out of the four that I've seen (Dalton is still on the DVR), Gabbert is the most impressive to me (o er Mallett, Newton and Locker). I think he is the type of guy you pick at 3 because he can be a top 5 QB in this league someday.

[Phlegm Alley]

People are concerned with Gabbert's lack of production at the college level, but if you look at the last QB that was taken at #3 overall, Matt Ryan, his numbers weren't anything close to spectacular. In fact, they were very Fitz like.

 

Matty Ice only ranked 60th among 1-A QB's his senior season in completion percent (59.3), 61st in QB rating (127.04), 56th in yards per attempt (6.89), and best of all, 2nd in most INT's (19). Not exactly awesome stats from someone in a "weak" conference. I can only imagine Bills fans reaction if Gabbert put up those stats.

 

I think Gabbert's ceiling is much higher than Matty Ice's. He is actually faster than Matt Ryan while carrying much more weight, and his release is that much quicker. Both of which are what Gailey's offense is predicated on.

[KOKBILLS]

People are concerned with Gabbert's lack of production at the college level, but if you look at the last QB that was taken at #3 overall, Matt Ryan, his numbers weren't anything close to spectacular. In fact, they were very Fitz like.

 

Matty Ice only ranked 60th among 1-A QB's his senior season in completion percent (59.3), 61st in QB rating (127.04), 56th in yards per attempt (6.89), and best of all, 2nd in most INT's (19). Not exactly awesome stats from someone in a "weak" conference. I can only imagine Bills fans reaction if Gabbert put up those stats.

 

I think Gabbert's ceiling is much higher than Matty Ice's. He is actually faster than Matt Ryan while carrying much more weight, and his release is that much quicker. Both of which are what Gailey's offense is predicated on.

 

I definitely want Gabbert at #3...Though admittedly I really have no idea how good he'll end up being with The Bills...One thing I do feel, like a burning wound in my gut, is that IF The Bills pass on that Kid...Some how, some way, he's going to end up being the next Joe Montana...

 

I guess that's part of being a Bills Fan right?

[Stl Bills]

Holy Crap, this thread is hillarious. Some of you guys obviously have never seen this kid play. I'm a Mizzou alumn, I graduated in 2006. I've seen every snap (except for a few games that weren't on TV) that Gabbert has taken in college. Just a few things wrong in this thread:

 

1. The notion that Gabbert had "no talent around him" last year is crap. TJ moe is a damn good WR but hes a slot guy who reminds me of a poor mans Wes Welker. Wes Kemp and Jerrell Jackson both will probably make an NFL roster some day but they will be late draft picks or Free Agent signings. Egnew is one of the best receiving threats at TE in the nation. No, he did not have the same talent around him as Chase Daniel but there was a lot of talent on Mizzou's offense. Mizzou averaged 30 points a game last year for god's sake.

 

2. Gabbert is tough and is a good leader. The guy played the entire second half of 2009 on a wrecked ankle. His teamates loved him and TJ Moe even stated that nobody on the team worked harder than Blaine Gabbert. That is something you have to have in a QB IMO.

 

3. He is not a finished product. As much as I would love to say he is going to be the next Jim Kelly, to be honest I'm not sure. He needs to work on his footwork and become more accurate. For the most part he is pretty accurate, even on deep balls. Sometimes he will struggle with consistency....he'll have a great game where he looks like the next John Elway and then another where he looks average. I think he could flourish by working with someone like Gailey. He is NOT as good of a prospect as Sam Bradford but I think he has the potential to be a franchise QB.

 

4. Please don't bring up the yards/pass attempt stat. Anybody who watches Mizzou football knows that the run all types of bubble screnes and other short passes. Gary Pinkle has even been on record as saying he thinks of those types of plays as his "running plays".

 

He is going to be a boom or bust pick just like Newton. Although I think he could be a Pro Bowl QB, he's not a sure thing to become one. IMO we should steer clear of a QB at 3.

[BillsVet]

If the Bills elect to take Gabbert third, I would hope they make a point of giving him the tools to succeed. At this point in a unique offseason, they have no designated starter at RG and a complete black hole at RT, the second most important line position. From a skill position perspective, the receivers and backs seem adequate, but a young QB should have a TE capable of making teams pay down the seam.

 

Merely drafting a QB doesn't mean the position is finished from a personnel standpoint.

[KOKBILLS]

If the Bills elect to take Gabbert third, I would hope they make a point of giving him the tools to succeed. At this point in a unique offseason, they have no designated starter at RG and a complete black hole at RT, the second most important line position. From a skill position perspective, the receivers and backs seem adequate, but a young QB should have a TE capable of making teams pay down the seam.

 

Merely drafting a QB doesn't mean the position is finished from a personnel standpoint.

 

VERY true...

 

But if you're starting with a Kid like Gabbert who has a ton of potential and will be able to sit and learn for at least a year that is the best way to start...The Bills do have some parts already (Jackson, Spiller, Johnson, Nelson, Woody, etc...)...If they grab Gabbert, get at least one good free Agent O-lineman, and spend a 1st-3rd on an O-Lineman next year, they'll have decent talent up front and a group that can begin to play with NE and NY...

 

We'll see...I still think they're going to go the Miller/Ponder route...But we'll see...

[MURTR]

I wasnt a Gabbert fan at all in the beginning, but im kinda warming up to him more recently, especially after that Yahoo! article about how intelligent he is.

 

 

THEN IT HAPPENED.

 

I went to Youtube trying to find some Gabbert/Mizzou highlights. Maybe i am not looking in the right place but the two videos i saw got me really worried. Im no expert but this was supposed to be a collection of Blaine Gabbert's TOP plays but instead he showed me nothing except that he can run for a first down. I realize his team wasnt that great but if youre a stud you should at least show flashes during the season. On a scale of 1-10 he looked like a solid 5.

 

Anyone got any other links?

 

Blaine Gabbert Highlights

 

Edited April 22, 2011 by Murt

[Hplarrm]

VERY true...

and will be able to sit and learn for at least a year that is the best way to start

What you said above is the key! Gabbert does look very good. However, like most rookie QBs, he will greatly profit from a year of sitting on the bench and learning the pro game. He also would profit a great deal from practicing with pro talent and running the scout team for a season.

 

In addition, he only had two years of starts in college and another year and actually two of practice are almost certain to be necessary before we expect any om field production from him.

 

Aye, there is the rub!

 

The false conventional wisdom among many is that a 1st round draft pick must contribute to the team on the field his first year (in fact only slightly more than 50% of first round picks are first on the team's depth chart at their position a year after they are acquired based on a survey I did of a couple of drafts).

 

Given the Bills playoff drought of over a decade, I have few doubts that media types like WGR and Sully and a small but vocal group of whining fans are going to start the drumbeat as quickly as they can that the first round choice of the Bills needs to be productive (or the false pro Bills description that this youngster can only learn by playing).

 

While it is questionable that some of these recent past Bills QB could have ever learned to be good pros, it is pretty clear that the Bills habit over the past decade has been to rush folks like Trent Edwards, JP, Todd Collins, (and even RJ along though the big mistake we made was to sign him to a guaranteed deal without performing the needed due diligence to determine whether he was injury prone) when a slower development pace would have benefitted them.

 

Along with a selection of Gabbert must be a pretty firm commitment that we are going to invest our fates to the hands of Fitzy for at least a year and probably two until Gabbert can reasonably be expected to contribute on the field.

 

Do Gabbert advocates have such faith in Fitzy that they are willing to commit to him for a year or more likely two even though the selection of Gabbert means pushing down by a round the selection of the couple of players we need on D to make it adequate and the player and a half we need to add to the OL to make it adequate.

 

As a reasonable HOPE of starting talent is not to be made after the third round, the physics of getting four starters from 3 picks is already bleak. Trading down the #3 in the hopes of adding two choices prior to the end of the third round is by far a much better hope than drafting Gabbert who almost certainly will need to sit for a year (if not two) before he should be reasonably expected to contribute on the field.

[section122]

Question 1 If gabbert is so great why is he not in the discussion for the #1 overall pick yet 2 picks later he will be a good pick?

 

Question 2 if newton is considered a 1 year wonder bc of his amazing year last year what do you call gabbert? a no year wonder? Newton won a championship and heisman as THE best player in college football, gabbert went for 16 and 9!

 

Please I really want an answer to question 1 and would love to hear the answers to number 2!

[reddogblitz]

Question 1 If gabbert is so great why is he not in the discussion for the #1 overall pick yet 2 picks later he will be a good pick?

 

Question 2 if newton is considered a 1 year wonder bc of his amazing year last year what do you call gabbert? a no year wonder? Newton won a championship and heisman as THE best player in college football, gabbert went for 16 and 9!

 

Please I really want an answer to question 1 and would love to hear the answers to number 2!

Admittedly I don't follow college football closely. However, throughout the year I had heard of Luck, Mullet, Ponder, Newton, Kaepernick, Tyrod Taylor (I'd take him over Gabbert), Moore, and Locker. I never heard Blaine Gabbert's name mentioned once. It's not a name one's likely to forget. Then after the season all of the sudden he's top shelf talent according to the "experts".

 

If I had to take one or the other it'd be Newton. If it was only Gabbert available, I'd pass and take Fairley or Bowers or heck, even AJ Green over Gabbert.

 

I'll be shocked if we take Gabbert. He doesn't seem to be a Coach Gailey type QB. He's also not good at avoiding the rush which will be absolutely necessary for any QB playing behind the Bills OLine.

 

Speaking of OLine, maybe when FA rolls around we should look at Sean Locklear for RT. He was on the Seahawks 2005 SB team.

Edited April 22, 2011 by reddogblitz

[KOKBILLS]

Question 1 If gabbert is so great why is he not in the discussion for the #1 overall pick yet 2 picks later he will be a good pick?

 

How do you know he's not? Micheal Lombari is an ex NFL exec with TONS of contacts and he's been saying the Panthers should and will take Gabbert #1 for well over a Month now...Just because it's all Cam talk all the time does not mean anyone knows what the Panthers are actually going to do...I promise you Gabbert is part of that conversation there...Not saying the Panthers will take him...Just saying he will definitely be considered...

 

Question 2 if newton is considered a 1 year wonder bc of his amazing year last year what do you call gabbert? a no year wonder? Newton won a championship and heisman as THE best player in college football, gabbert went for 16 and 9!

 

Put Gabbert on that Auburn Team and then maybe we can talk...Gabbert is not a finished product by any means (just like Cam) but he did not have nearly the talent around him Newton did...And even Chan Gailey said Gabbert is every bit the athlete Cam is...And Gabbert is definitely smarter, has better character, checks out crystal-clean off the field, etc...

 

I really have nothing against Cam either...But I do think Gabbert will be the better Pro in time...

 

[Hplarrm]

He doesn't seem to be a Coach Gailey type QB.

This really is the key indication from what I see of the Bills and Gailey's history. Certainly a lot of posters who advocate Gabbert point to him being a Gailey "type" in terms of his arm strength, brightness, and mobility, but this analysis of what Gailey has worked well with in the past becomes a bit thin when one asks for examples of him being productive with this type of QB when the athlete is a rookie.

 

Please give us the examples but my guess is the sound you hear is that of crickets chirping.

 

The Gailey type strikes me as fundamentally as not simply a strong, armed, mobile, intellectually gifted athlete (actually a description of most highly rated NFL QBs (though no one would mistake Jim Kelly for being intellectually gifted though he had great football smarts), but also a vet who has failed elsewhere but the Gailey offense lends itself to a QB with not only the logistical talents listed, but he also has failed to impress in his initial QB effort. A "Gailey" QB generally has been one like a Fiedler, Bulger, Kordell or even a Fitzpatrick. Yes a football bright mobile guy who can throw the rock. However,I think most important has seen enough of the pro game to anticipate where the blitz is coming from and the tricks opposing pro DCs are using.

 

My sense is that the past is almost certainly not dead lock certain to determine the future. Gailey might go off his previous MO to get a franchise QB even if he has shown a clear preference for even failed vets over rookies. However, though the past is not determinative it is a pretty good indicator.

 

I do not see Gailey going off script for a QB unless he is a once in an eon talent as Luck seems to be. Gabbert looks good but credible assessors have Newton as being better and neither holds a candle to what Luck might be. No one with any intelligence mistakes Gabbert for a guaranteed first year starter (in fact given he only has two years of collegiate starter experience it strikes me as a good guess he will need two years on the Bills bench and practice before he contributes.

 

As WGR, Sully and a few loud fan whiners will declare him a bust if the #3 does not start immediately, I see very bad things for us if we choose Gabbert with our #3.

 

We are simply an OLB, a DE, and RT and a swing guy on the OL away from simple adequacy. As it is not a reasonable shot at all that anyone drafted after the third round will do a lot of starting (yes there is the occasional Kyle Williams but there seems to be more than the occasional McCargo or a host of Bills Rd. 2 failures). I think the numbers do not work for us even if we are lucky unless we trade the #3 for additional early draft picks.

[Buffaloed in Pa]

This kid scares me. Trent with speed ? When I watch him run he looks Timid. Newton does not. Not that I`m a Newton fan. Gabbert is said to get nervous with pressure also. Not good with our line. Please draft D,Darius ,Fairley or Miller. I have a strong feeling it`s going to be Newton or Gabbert . Will we ever get another 1st round pick right?

[dgrid]

How can he be the next Trent Edwards?? I thought Ponder was the next Trent Edwards. Can there be 2 next Trents ??

[It's in My Blood]

This kid scares me. Trent with speed ? When I watch him run he looks Timid. Newton does not. Not that I`m a Newton fan. Gabbert is said to get nervous with pressure also. Not good with our line. Please draft D,Darius ,Fairley or Miller. I have a strong feeling it`s going to be Newton or Gabbert . Will we ever get another 1st round pick right?

 

The biggest knock of Gabbert to me is his lack of pocket awareness. You can teach that.

[CJallDAY]

The biggest knock of Gabbert to me is his lack of pocket awareness. You can teach that.

 

 

no, you cant

[BobbyC81]

The biggest knock of Gabbert to me is his lack of pocket awareness. You can teach that.

 

Yeah, right! Remember Mularkey with the alarm clock trying to get Bledsoe to get rid of the ball?? I don't recall it making a a difference in games. And he was a 10 year veteran.

[Hplarrm]

Mo probably not as I think Edwards training was from the renowned QBU at Stanford with the endorsement of Bill Walsh. Walsh was wrong in his thinking Edwards would be good to go immediately but I can understand what he tought. Part of Edwards failure to develop was likely due to his coming into an offensively challenged system under Jauron and his revolving door of OCs.

 

The problem is that the feeling about Gabbert is even a slower start as he needs at least 1 if not 2 years of sitting on the bench and practice against the scrubs or running the scout team before he will be able to contribute as a pro.

 

Gabbert has only two years of starts at QB in college and has promise but needs development and work.

 

The problem for the Bills is that historically Gailey has prospered with vet QBs who actually failed in their first go round like Fiedler, Kordell, Bulger and even Fitzy (who did not fail exactly but was not enough of a success in his brief appearance that he was kept on). Please inform us if you know about a real example I do not, but Gailey does not have a record of turning rookies into winners I know about.

 

Gabbert is not Edwards in that at least for his first year and probably for his first two he is likely to be less productive.

 

If he gets rushed to start before he is ready as Bills QBs generally have been the past decade plus, getting drafted by the Bills and forced to start to soon with whining from WGR, Sully and a small but vocal part of the fan base could be a disaster for all.

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

Mo probably not as I think Edwards training was from the renowned QBU at Stanford with the endorsement of Bill Walsh. Walsh was wrong in his thinking Edwards would be good to go immediately but I can understand what he tought. Part of Edwards failure to develop was likely due to his coming into an offensively challenged system under Jauron and his revolving door of OCs.

 

The problem is that the feeling about Gabbert is even a slower start as he needs at least 1 if not 2 years of sitting on the bench and practice against the scrubs or running the scout team before he will be able to contribute as a pro.

 

Gabbert has only two years of starts at QB in college and has promise but needs development and work.

 

The problem for the Bills is that historically Gailey has prospered with vet QBs who actually failed in their first go round like Fiedler, Kordell, Bulger and even Fitzy (who did not fail exactly but was not enough of a success in his brief appearance that he was kept on). Please inform us if you know about a real example I do not, but Gailey does not have a record of turning rookies into winners I know about.

 

Gabbert is not Edwards in that at least for his first year and probably for his first two he is likely to be less productive.

 

If he gets rushed to start before he is ready as Bills QBs generally have been the past decade plus, getting drafted by the Bills and forced to start to soon with whining from WGR, Sully and a small but vocal part of the fan base could be a disaster for all.

To me Dalton looks like the next Drew Brees! Mallet looks like next accident waiting to happen.

[Spiderweb]

no, you cant

 

I agree. Stevecana should tell us how JP Losman was taught "pocket presence". That's one of those intangibles that shows fairly quickly or not at all.