Devlin.. a 1st round pick???

[ChickenMan]

From USA Today:

Here are the rising seniors that NFLDraftScout.com currently ranks as the top 32 prospects — or projected first-rounders — for the 2011 draft (listed with position, school, height and weight:

30. Pat Devlin - QB - Delaware - 6-4, 220: Teams won't sleep on the next Joe Flacco, as the Penn State transfer looks the part of a future NFL starter.



http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football ... ects_N.htm

[danefan]

I think he's got to have a stellar year to be a first rounder. I don't think he has the arm that Flacco has.

[Skjellyfetti]

I don't know... could be possible. From that list there doesn't appear to be many QB's in next year's class... it's Jake Locker... and noone else really. The underclassmen list looks better.

[GannonFan]

Devlin doesn't have Flacco's arm, but it's clear he's a top notch QB and he's certainly going to be on an NFL roster. First round may be a stretch, but as SK says, it's not a deep QB draft next year. He'll certainly be picked by the 3rd round at the latest, and with the fact that UD should be pretty good this year (and Devlin should do quite well) it's not far fetched for him to sneak into the back of the first round. Certainly will be the first FCS QB taken.

[93henfan]

Guys, guys, guys. It's way too early to know where Devlin will go.

There's no way he goes in the first round unless he puts up numbers even better than Flacco did in 2007. He just doesn't have Flacco's size or strength, so he's going to have to put up better numbers to go in a similar spot.

Like I said in the other thread, I seem him as a Round 3 or later pick.

I hope I'm wrong, of course.

[bluehenbillk]

Outside of the guys in the top 10, you can say the same about every player. If Devlin has a really good year, he could go high as a 1st round pick, if not he could slide to 5th or 6th round pick. He's got an advantage that there isn't a list of stellar college QB's.

[BigSkyFootball]

There are better QBs than Pat Devlin in the Big Sky Conference alone. NAU's Michael Herrick, a Walter Payton Finalist last season, is a much better passer than Devlin. Devlin's hype is based on his past (Penn State and high school) more than his present and the East Coast bias is in full effect. Herrick, the Ole Miss transfer and the All-Time leading prep passer in California history also has a great past but his present is much better than Devlin's. Compare last year's stats and you will conclude what we think out West - that Herrick might be one of the top passers in all of college football. In fact, Montana's Selle might be a better prospect. Just face it - the big guns are out West

[GannonFan]

There are better QBs than Pat Devlin in the Big Sky Conference alone. NAU's Michael Herrick, a Walter Payton Finalist last season, is a much better passer than Devlin. Devlin's hype is based on his past (Penn State and high school) more than his present and the East Coast bias is in full effect. Herrick, the Ole Miss transfer and the All-Time leading prep passer in California history also has a great past but his present is much better than Devlin's. Compare last year's stats and you will conclude what we think out West - that Herrick might be one of the top passers in all of college football. In fact, Montana's Selle might be a better prospect. Just face it - the big guns are out West

I remember the same argument being made for Josh Johnson over Joe Flacco back before they went to the NFL. In that case, East Coast bias ended up being true. Besides, it's hard to take those big guns out west very seriously - if they're not playing for Montana, they tend to disappear pretty quickly come playoff time.

[rumple]

Looks like a great qb class next year if the underclassmen come out. Locker, Luck, Mallet, Ponder should be 1st rounders and Devlin could sneak in with a great year + playoff run.

[93henfan]

There are better QBs than Pat Devlin in the Big Sky Conference alone. NAU's Michael Herrick, a Walter Payton Finalist last season, is a much better passer than Devlin. Devlin's hype is based on his past (Penn State and high school) more than his present and the East Coast bias is in full effect. Herrick, the Ole Miss transfer and the All-Time leading prep passer in California history also has a great past but his present is much better than Devlin's. Compare last year's stats and you will conclude what we think out West - that Herrick might be one of the top passers in all of college football. In fact, Montana's Selle might be a better prospect. Just face it - the big guns are out West

You just squashed your own point right there. Joe Flacco wasn't a Walter Payton Award Finalist, which pretty much shows you how well that translates to the NFL Draft. Jayson Foster won that year and went undrafted. Of course, we all know Flacco was a first rounder (18th pick), year one starter, most playoff wins for a rookie QB in NFL history, and so on.

I'm not sold on Devlin as being a Day 1 (or even Day 2 in a 3-day draft) pick just yet, but his upside is way higher than the other guys you mention. We all know the "big guns" out West that you mention are often a product of playing "little gun" defenses during the regular season.

[93henfan]

Looks like a great qb class next year if the underclassmen come out. Locker, Luck, Mallet, Ponder should be 1st rounders and Devlin could sneak in with a great year + playoff run.

A belated welcome aboard, rumple. Three posts since Aug '09? Stick around and post more, fellow Delaware fan. The ECBandwagon always has room for one more.

[SmallCollegeFBFan]

From USA Today:

Here are the rising seniors that NFLDraftScout.com currently ranks as the top 32 prospects — or projected first-rounders — for the 2011 draft (listed with position, school, height and weight:

30. Pat Devlin - QB - Delaware - 6-4, 220: Teams won't sleep on the next Joe Flacco, as the Penn State transfer looks the part of a future NFL starter.



http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football ... ects_N.htm

Don't put too much stock into that right now. These ratings on websites will be much more accurate here in late June and early July. I like Devlin but he lacks the big arm to be a first round pick at this point. If he has a huge year and shows out at the Senior Bowl and Combine then I could perhaps see it. To be honest I don't even think he is the best prospect in the CAA. Although I will say that he is a definite top 5 round pick in my mind though.

[HenZoneNation]

I think there are three issues that need to be addressed in regards Devlin:

1)Arm Strength
2)Growth after second season at UD
3)Surrounding cast.

1) Arm strength isn't everything. An example of this is Leaf and recently released JaMarcus Russell. Both had big arms both busts and there are numerous other examples as well. That being said, Pat has good arm strength, he's just not Joe. It is natural to compare Joe to Pat but that isn't fair. Joe demolished guys like Matt Ryan and Chad Henne who have big arms. Joe is a freak and not many players in the NFL can throw like him. Pat isn't all hype at all. Just ask some of the pissed off PSU fans who still refernce him on their message boards. He has an arm suited for the NFL.

2) Historically, transfer QB's explode after their second year. Andy Hall and Joe were much better. Riccio diminished some his second year but that was do to the loss of his top four receivers. I expect that Pat will be great this year. He looked very good at the Spring game and he has plenty of time to improve.

3) His stats were right on par with Joe's during his first season and he didn't have anywhere near the talent. In Joe's first year he had an NFL starting TE in Ben Patrick, eventual all-time receiving leader in Love, Omar Cuff, and a very good line. Pat doesn't have that. I believe we have improved but the 2010 offense, on paper at least doesn't compare to 07. So if he does as well as I expect he ought to be a first round pick.

[BDKJMU]

I don't know... could be possible. From that list there doesn't appear to be many QB's in next year's class... it's Jake Locker... and noone else really. The underclassmen list looks better.

Note that list only showed rising seniors in their 1st round projection, when in reality a large chunk of the 1st rounders will be underclassmen.

Locker and no one else, really? Locker might not even be the 1st QB taken. Could be Andrew Luck if he leaves early.
".....McShay writes about Luck:
Only a third-year sophomore this fall but coach Jim Harbaugh has Luck on the fast track mechanically and mentally. Luck has prototypical size (6-foot-4, 235 pounds) and is an underrated athlete. More importantly, he has a smooth over-the-top delivery, a strong arm and great touch as a passer. Better decisions while gaining more game experience could put Luck in position to become the top player taken in the draft -- either in 2011 or 2012.

ESPN.com columnist Ivan Maisel takes a look at how Luck is emerging into a star college quarterback. Maisel writes, "Luck already is rated as the first pick of the 2011 draft. You don't need Todd McShay to tell you that. Any agent worth his platinum Rolex Yacht-Master can see it."....."
http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/ ... ck-in-2010" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Waltercamp has Locker 1st and Luck 2nd (and Devlin 6th) in their 11' draft QB rankings.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2011QB.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Preston's 2011 NFL Draft Rankings: A Deep Quarterback Class
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Skjellyfetti]

I don't know... could be possible. From that list there doesn't appear to be many QB's in next year's class... it's Jake Locker... and noone else really. The underclassmen list looks better.

Note that list only showed rising seniors in their 1st round projection, when in reality a large chunk of the 1st rounders will be underclassmen.

Locker and no one else, really? Locker might not even be the 1st QB taken. Could be Andrew Luck if he leaves early.
".....McShay writes about Luck:
Only a third-year sophomore this fall but coach Jim Harbaugh has Luck on the fast track mechanically and mentally. Luck has prototypical size (6-foot-4, 235 pounds) and is an underrated athlete. More importantly, he has a smooth over-the-top delivery, a strong arm and great touch as a passer. Better decisions while gaining more game experience could put Luck in position to become the top player taken in the draft -- either in 2011 or 2012.

ESPN.com columnist Ivan Maisel takes a look at how Luck is emerging into a star college quarterback. Maisel writes, "Luck already is rated as the first pick of the 2011 draft. You don't need Todd McShay to tell you that. Any agent worth his platinum Rolex Yacht-Master can see it."....."
http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/ ... ck-in-2010" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Waltercamp has Locker 1st and Luck 2nd (and Devlin 6th) in their 11' draft QB rankings.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2011QB.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Preston's 2011 NFL Draft Rankings: A Deep Quarterback Class
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for elaborating. The next sentence after the one you bolded was "the underclassmen list looks better." I agree with you and would add Ryan Mallett to the ones you listed. I think he'll have a huge season next year and could be the first QB taken.

[Ivytalk]

3rd or 4th round, IMHO. But he'll get some attention.

[jd of de]

Great kid and has Flacco-like character, but doesn't have same size or arm. If Devlin does what Flacco (and Cuff) did in '07 and make a deep playoff run then he'll get attention. If not, 4th rounder at best.

[Pwns]

If UD has an NFL-caliber QB on the roster for two seasons and doesn't make the playoffs in either of them, does Keeler's chair start to warm up a bit? Not trying to talk smack, just an honest question.

[93henfan]

If UD has an NFL-caliber QB on the roster for two seasons and doesn't make the playoffs in either of them, does Keeler's chair start to warm up a bit? Not trying to talk smack, just an honest question.

No smack received; that's a totally fair question.

UD just got a new AD, and he has already gone on record that the head men's basketball coach is "still his man" after one of the worst seasons in school history. With that kind of job security for a terrible basketball coach, I doubt Keeler is very worried after two trips to Chatty and a ring in the past seven seasons. That being said, ticket sales went down ever so slightly last season after trending upward for many years. Part of this is due to mediocre results, but part is also due to the athletic dept ratcheting up donation levels. Last season was the first with a mandatory donation required for parking ($100 min). This year (2010 season), that was expanded to additional lots. Next year (2011 season), they have gone on record as saying that there will be a required donation attached to each seat, perhaps as high as $100+ per seat/season for the better seats. So, looking at the 2011 season, I will have to shell out the normal $150 for a parking pass, $470 for my three seats, and now a potential minimum donation of over $300, driving my tab to about $1,000 to go watch FCS football. I can handle it, but we have a long of long-time season ticket holders with blue hair on fixed incomes that will probably drop like flies, especially if they get bumped to worse seats because they can't meet donation requirements (another new policy going into effect in 2011).

KC had better go deep in the playoffs this year if they hope to maintain ticket sales anywhere close to 2009. Even then, it doesn't necessarily mean Keeler is gone. He is under contract for like seven more years (IIRC). Tough to get rid of.

[Skjellyfetti]

Wow, wasn't that long ago he was fighting off questions about whether he would take the Michigan job in the week leading up to playing for a National Title. There aren't many jobs more volatile than a college football coach.

[ChickenMan]

Wow, wasn't that long ago he was fighting off questions about whether he would take the Michigan job in the week leading up to playing for a National Title. There aren't many jobs more volatile than a college football coach.

What KC has consistently demonstrated over his eight years at UD's is that when he is fortunate enough to have outstanding talent.. he can win big. However he has also consistently shown little ability to develope recruits and as a result when UD doesn't have the Joe Flacco, Andy Hall, Shawn Johnson type talent.. KC has really struggled to put a good product on the field. As coaches at the FCS level are seldom fortunate enough to be able to recruit that kind of top level talent.. the ability to develope average players into good ones becomes critical. Unfortunately for UD fans.. KC has never demonstrated those deveoplmental skills and as a result UD has had more subpar years than good ones under KC's tenure.

[89Hen]

What KC has consistently demonstrated over his eight years at UD's is that when he is fortunate enough to have outstanding talent.. he can win big. However he has also consistently shown little ability to develope recruits and as a result when UD doesn't have the Joe Flacco, Andy Hall, Shawn Johnson type talent..

Limited to QB somewhat. The offense he runs is very dependent on a great QB. The rest of the team has been on par with most of Tubby's teams.

[ChickenMan]

Limited to QB somewhat. The offense he runs is very dependent on a great QB. The rest of the team has been on par with most of Tubby's teams.

I really think it's more than just a QB issue.. UD has had three very good years under KC:

'03 - 15-1 - I-AA Title
'04 - 9-4 - Semi's in playoffs
'07 - 11-4 - FCS runner up

however the other five seasons have combined for a woeful (27-30) way under any acceptabale UD standard and I don't think that it's just a coinsidence that two of KC's best seasons came during his first three years when he was predominately playing with Tubby's recruits. KC's problems regarding recruiting.. retention and developement of players has to be improved if UD is ever to regain the consistancy that had been the hallmark of UD football prior to Mr Keeler's arrival.

[HenZoneNation]

Great kid and has Flacco-like character, but doesn't have same size or arm. If Devlin does what Flacco (and Cuff) did in '07 and make a deep playoff run then he'll get attention. If not, 4th rounder at best.

He would have to have a disasterous season or get injured to be a 4th round pick. His height and size are not draw backs by any stretch. He's two inches taller than Stafford and the same size as Luck who some guys have going as the #1 QB. His arm would be considered a strength if we weren't comparing it to Joe's. The only guy in the draft who can come close to Joe's arm is Mallet but there are some knocks on him about mobility and has had some injuries. You have to put things in perspective here...at this point in Joe's career he was asking KC if he could join the baseball team in the Spring to pitch. That's how much draft hype he got. Pat will have the same break out second season that both Andy Hall and Joe Flacco did. No worries.