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2017 Draft Prospects Thread

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So let me explain this in a different way. Its not about the game itself its about the fact that the Browns directly asked him to be there.

Lets say big corporations decided to do a job fair type of deal (Apple, Google, Intel , IBM, etc - Big salary companies looking to hire managers (QBs) and you have managerial experience (QB) in your resume. You were the star of your former company and wants to move up to the big leagues with more pay. But you have other guys with better resumes this time around that you would have to go against. So IBM ( The Browns - once great) saw your resume and "The CEO" Hue Jackson personally called you up and asked you to attend the meeting but you tell him " no thanks". How would IBM and CEO- Hue Jackson feel about you?

Its not the game itself but the fact that the Browns asked him "directly" to attend the Senior bowl so they can personally meet him and Hue can see him in practice, design the gameplan with him as the QB and access him " personally", but he declined..

And this type of attitude is good for a team trying to build a culture. This type of attitude is coming from the "potential" leader of the team ?

Our information as fans is always incomplete. My best guess is that Watson would love to play, but his agent broke down the numbers: he is slated as a 1st round pick (for right or wrong), and the difference between the guaranteed money for the last pick of the 1st round and the 1st pick of the 2nd round is substantial (looks to be $1.4M).

He could get hurt.
He could have a bad performance or practices for a number of reasons, damaging his draft stock.
He could play well and improve that draft stock.
He might already have a verbal promise for a pick above 12.
He might not want to play for the Browns (or any bottom-feeding team).
He could have a verbal promise from a team picking later in the draft, but that team might be a better fit or the situation might be better for his long-term future.

At this point in his career, there's a trade-off of risk and reward, and I think it makes sense not to play. I think you're getting offended, on behalf of the Browns, without walking a mile in Watson's shoes.
 
Our information as fans is always incomplete. My best guess is that Watson would love to play, but his agent broke down the numbers: he is slated as a 1st round pick (for right or wrong), and the difference between the guaranteed money for the last pick of the 1st round and the 1st pick of the 2nd round is substantial (looks to be $1.4M).

He could get hurt.
He could have a bad performance or practices for a number of reasons, damaging his draft stock.
He could play well and improve that draft stock.
He might already have a verbal promise for a pick above 12.
He might not want to play for the Browns (or any bottom-feeding team).
He could have a verbal promise from a team picking later in the draft, but that team might be a better fit or the situation might be better for his long-term future.

At this point in his career, there's a trade-off of risk and reward, and I think it makes sense not to play. I think you're getting offended, on behalf of the Browns, without walking a mile in Watson's shoes.


Here's a QB that was in the same situation as Watson last year and was graded as a 2nd round QB that a decided to attend the senior bowl last year. He had the same odds at injury as Watson but he had nothing to hide and let his arm, mind, confidence do the talking. And no team directed asked him to attend. He attended himself and guess where he was drafted.?

2nd pick overall - Carson Wentz.
 
Here's a QB that was in the same situation as Watson last year ...
2nd pick overall - Carson Wentz.

So a QB who played for an FCS school and didn't get to face off against NFL caliber athletes throughout his career was in the same situation as the QB who's coming off a great performance winning the national championship?

You don't see why one of these guys might need the senior bowl more than the other?
 
Here's a QB that was in the same situation as Watson last year and was graded as a 2nd round QB that a decided to attend the senior bowl last year. He had the same odds at injury as Watson but he had nothing to hide and let his arm, mind, confidence do the talking. And no team directed asked him to attend. He attended himself and guess where he was drafted.?

2nd pick overall - Carson Wentz.

I don't think they are apples to apples. Watson's last game was against what might have been the best defense in the last few years, and he lit them up and played well in an upset.

Wentz's last game (if I did this right) was against Jacksonville State and he threw 2 picks and 55% completion (although he did run well).

Watson was considered a top prospect coming into the season, had a lull of a start (if I recall), then finished incredibly. I think his story, "see, those last few games are who I am," is perfect for him, and I think that his advisory panel is slotting him a hair below that top 9 that @Pick6 mentioned, if not in that group already.

These are agents who are constantly gauging interest and calling teams/players/coaches etc., so I'd have to think his decision is less a "fuck off Browns" and more of a "fuck yeah, I'll be gone by pick 20".

Totally a guess, but I tend to give those with more info the benefit of the doubt.
 
Here's a QB that was in the same situation as Watson last year and was graded as a 2nd round QB that a decided to attend the senior bowl last year. He had the same odds at injury as Watson but he had nothing to hide and let his arm, mind, confidence do the talking. And no team directed asked him to attend. He attended himself and guess where he was drafted.?

2nd pick overall - Carson Wentz.

I can't imagine how these two players could be more different.
 
Nphan getting absolutely torched in here.

Deservedly, I might add. :chuckle:

After Watson's championship game most people on here speculated that we would no longer get a chance to coach him in the Senior Bowl...because, you know, it's a logical, understandable decision by him and his agent. But by all means keep spinning your tires.
 
I would honestly myself advise Watson not to play in the game since he had a really long season and probably is a bit banged up. He has proven himself at the highest level he could in championship games, what more could you ask of someone?

Watson has no say where he ends up, he could try and get out of going to the Browns but no matter what he could still be taken and will work out for the team if he is asked. Now if he doesn't want to play for the Browns then he could just be honest with Jackson and we wouldn't pick him them. I think Jackson would understand that and we could just put out there he is going number 2 to San Fran and see what bounty we could get for him if we are trying to trade down, but we are picking Garrett number 1 and we need to go Safety, DLine or CB at number 12. To me if Watson if available at 33 then ya gotta think long and hard about it, but we gotta fix our Defense in general and our OLine first before we need a QB.
 
So a QB who played for an FCS school and didn't get to face off against NFL caliber athletes throughout his career was in the same situation as the QB who's coming off a great performance winning the national championship?

You don't see why one of these guys might need the senior bowl more than the other?
Rating wise. They were both projected 2nd rounders coming into the draft.
 
I don't think they are apples to apples. Watson's last game was against what might have been the best defense in the last few years, and he lit them up and played well in an upset.

Wentz's last game (if I did this right) was against Jacksonville State and he threw 2 picks and 55% completion (although he did run well).

Watson was considered a top prospect coming into the season, had a lull of a start (if I recall), then finished incredibly. I think his story, "see, those last few games are who I am," is perfect for him, and I think that his advisory panel is slotting him a hair below that top 9 that @Pick6 mentioned, if not in that group already.

These are agents who are constantly gauging interest and calling teams/players/coaches etc., so I'd have to think his decision is less a "fuck off Browns" and more of a "fuck yeah, I'll be gone by pick 20".

Totally a guess, but I tend to give those with more info the benefit of the doubt.
I understand but you don't think something is wrong with a QB who can get drafted 1 overall or 12 overall instead being okay with being in the top 20? The Browns can make him #1 or #12 but he is satisfied to be in the somewhere in the top 20 and decline the chance to lock himself into 1 or 12.
 
I understand but you don't think something is wrong with a QB who can get drafted 1 overall or 12 overall instead being okay with being in the top 20? The Browns can make him #1 or #12 but he is satisfied to be in the somewhere in the top 20 and decline the chance to lock himself into 1 or 12.

Even if he did do the Senior Bowl, in my mind, he is not a top 20 pick to me, whether or not he goes. I don't think his stock would go up playing in the game since he is the guy who has a ton of film on. It will be the private workouts that will move him up and down for teams. This is not a strong draft class for QBs and the team who need a QB have a small list of guys and I know Cleveland does as well. I think Watson is late first round early second round talent so we shouldn't stretch to draft him high in the draft. 33 I would have to say sure, why not since he would be the Best player available but at 12, we need to skip on him.
 
please explain? I'm talking rating wise not where thru went.

You're basing the entire premise of Watson skipping on Daniel Jeremiah saying he wasn't a first round pick, when there are numerous reports out there disputing that claim.

Also, Wentz missed nearly his entire senior year with an injury and needed the reps to show teams (who didn't get much chance to see him) what he's got in a competitive setting.

Watson is coming off a national playoff appearance which springboarded his stock to a high level.

If I were his agent, I wouldn't have him competing with Patrick Mahomes and Davis Webb either, I'd tell teams thanks but that you'll be prepping for the draft solo, thus letting the hype wave carry him into workouts this spring.

Should have been an easy call for his agent, it's just unfortunate for the Browns.
 
I understand but you don't think something is wrong with a QB who can get drafted 1 overall or 12 overall instead being okay with being in the top 20? The Browns can make him #1 or #12 but he is satisfied to be in the somewhere in the top 20 and decline the chance to lock himself into 1 or 12.

Senior bowl would not make him number 1 overall. Not if he even blew Hue in the locker room and went out and torched the defense.

12 might be a stretch, but the issue at this point is he can only hurt himself. He did everything he could in that last game to ensure he gets drafted as high as possible.

His agent is smart enough to know this and advised him against playing. I am guessing Watson wants to but understands the business side of things, it seems like you dont.

Watson is good, but not great. Not the most talented qb in the draft, that is mahomes, and not the one with the best numbers, that is trubisky, what he does have is allot of victories and putting together 2 impressive championship games agaisnt a top defense in 2 years, the latter one he won.

Nothing he does at the senior bowl will change those facts, thus no need to participate, he has maxed out his position, he might even skip the combine, or atleast not do much at it. (maybe run?)
 

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