JR's draft position can fluctuate wildly between now and April. Anybody care to remember where JASON CAMPBELL was drafted? If he can go in the 1st round, JR certainly can. As for his weight, I would be surprised if he's an ounce under 275. But unlike Battleship Lorenzen, he carries his weight well.
I don't know if he goes 1st round. It really depends on who needs what. If a team is out there that doesn't have a must have position to fill and can use a 1st round pick on a player that won't have any effect on the team for a couple of seasons, then he could go 1st round. The fact is JR wouldn't be playing any significant amount of time for a couple of seasons I don't think. It will take him that long at least to learn the offense, and it will take an excellent QB coach working with him to read defenses and make his check offs on WR's. How many times has JR audibled? He never does and when he does how many times has he audibled to a run play that gets stuffed at the line? Point is, JR doesn't read defenses very well, is not well versed at audibling due to defense reads, has a tendency to stare down WR's, and occassionally loses his mechanics in high pressured games and makes mental mistakes. Now of course, mistakes happen and no one goes without them. JR could be a very good QB in the NFL, but he has to learn a lot of things that should've been learned by now and has a lot of development left on the cerebral side of the game. Personally I think JR needs to be in college another year to learn how to read defenses better, check off his WR's when covered, and not always stare down the #1 WR on the play, plus he has lot of little things to learn that could really benefit his game. I'm kind of torn about whether I want him to return or go pro. On the one hand he is a great throwing QB and would have that much more experience for next season, but on the other hand we have heard such great things about RP and his ability to read defenses, his mobility, and he has an awesom arm also. Actually I'm probably more concerned about the state of the coaching next year than whether JR stays or goes.
Here's how I think things pan out for JR. He starts off with a late 1st early 2nd round grade from the NCAA office that advises athletes. He decides to go PRO. He goes to the combine measures 6'5.5" 255. He declines the 40. Then he gets to the workout. He unleashes that juggs machine that's attatched to his right shoulder, and some teams fall in love with him. He has his pro day, and someone decides he's their future and takes him in the middle of the first round. He is the ultimate measurables QB. I know measurables arent everything, but he has ALL of them to an unbelievable degree. Plus, although mistake prone he's been clutch, which will make teams think he has enough intangibles to be great.
He never does. Oh . . . except when he does, it's always a run that gets stopped at the line. I understand the point you are trying to make, JP, but try to be objective and truthful, will you? Russell has audibled in every single game multiple times. Sometimes he has audibled into a pass. And yes, sometimes he has audibled into a run that was stopped at the line. Other times the run made yardage. It's pretty much that way with all quarterbacks. LSU could have worse problems than having a quarterback with Russell's physical tools who still has room to improve. Russell has improved each year he has played football and clearly has not yet peaked. He's going to be an All-SEC quarterback this year and if he stayed next year he would be an All-American candidate.
The only thing the scouts will do is get him an invite to the combine where the coaches will be drooling over this guy.
Most fans won't appreciate JR fully until he is gone. I'm not saying he's perfect and doesn't have room to improve, but he is a VERY good quarterback. Imagine if we had a "big time" running game .
Red55, I agree 100% that JR has improved a great deal. He still has lots of improvements to make but it is mostly the cerebral part of the game that needs improvement. This only improves with experience and with a good QB coach. I don't think he audibles very much at all. Maybe I'm missing them but the times I notice he really stops changes the play, it is usually to a run play. I really don't recall seeing him audible and the play call is changed completely. This may not be his fault, it maybe a case of Jimbo and Miles not wanting to give him that freedom. Now why is that? I don't think they have confidence in him to make those adjustments. This is understanble because many college coaches don't seem to give the QB's that freedom. But in the NFL this has to be done and JR will need to improve greatly in making the proper calls. I really don't think he has been successful and making the correct changes at the line. The guy is an absolute awesome physical speciman in terms of throwing strength and accuracy. Since I was on him pretty hard in my post let tell you what I like about him. Incredible throwing arm, probably the most accurate passer in college ball, definitely the most accurate deep ball thrower in the game when he sticks to his mechanics, great pocket presence and knows when to move the pocket or get out, is great at buying that extra second of time because he such an awesome moving passer. With all the good things about JR there is plenty of improvements to make before being NFL ready. Hatcher is right, we will miss him when he is gone but only until the next QB starts performing well. Personally I don't think JR is all that much of a clutch player. He has brought LSU down the field in a couple of games, but he has also performed very poorly in a few big games. I think he breaks even in that category. All in all JR has been a good QB for us with unbelievable physical abilities that would serve him well in the NFL, now he needs to develop the cerebral part of the game and learn to deal the the pressure of big games a bit better.
True. But I believe he that he thinks he can get acquire those improvements more effectively as a rookie in the NFL than with another year in college. He's already had two injuries.
True Red, but do you think he would come back next year with a little more hype around him and more eyes on him in order to elevate his contract worth once leaving? I think his decision lies on where he will be projected in the draft and the amount of money it would bring.
I attended a TAF function this past Friday and the guest speaker was Mike Scarborough of TigerBait. Although its only his opinion he stated matter of factly that JR is gone after this year. His point was that if Aaron Brooks can make millions of dollars as an NFL QB so can JR. Said he is ready "enough".
