Photo: football.draft-hub.com
- Adam ParkerThe NFL Draft is just under three weeks away, and like every year, quarterbacks are in high demand -- but the truly elite franchise-changing prospects are always in short supply.
Last year, Jake Locker , Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder, were quarterbacks that, though talented, were deemed reaches taken early in the first-round of the draft.
But hey, teams these days are always willing to grasp for straws in hopes of landing their next franchise quarterback.
This year is no different.
Stanford's Andrew Luck and Baylor's Robert Griffin III will no doubt be the first two players off the board on April 26 to the Colts and Redskins, but what about other teams that are in the market for a franchise quarterback?
What about the Cleveland Browns or the Miami Dolphins? Where do they turn?
Many people believe the answer to that question is former Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
I, however, disagree.
Tannehill is undoubtedly a nice prospect.
However, that's all he is at this point -- a prospect, or rather, a project at the quarterback position. Tannehill is no where close to a finished product. I just don't understand why teams like the Browns or Dolphins are willing to take a chance on this guy and potentially set their franchise back at least five seasons, if all that 'potential' doesn't pan out.
Tannehill has a lot of hype surrounding him in the days leading up to the draft because 'he can make all the NFL throws' and provides good but not great athleticism (not Michael Vick or Robert Griffin III-esque) to the position after playing most of his first three seasons at Texas A&M as a wide receiver.
In his one full season as the starting quarterback, Tannehill tore it up and took the Big 12 by storm. One of the positives that I believe Tannehill has going for him is that playing wide receiver for his first three seasons offered him the opportunity to see the passing game from a different perspective.
Hopefully, that unique opportunity will help Tannehill diagnose receiver's tendencies and 'where they like' the football, because every guy is different. But Big-T should have a leg up on some of the other second-tier quarterbacks in this regard because he can relate with his receivers because he played the bulk of his collegiate career catching passes -- not throwing them.
But despite his one stellar season at the college level, I don't see this hype train evolving past that -- hype. Think of me what you will, but I simply don't see Tannehill having a Cam Newton-like (another one-year college wonder) impact on an NFL team during his rookie season.
Tannehill has only spent one season as a college quarterback, and to me, that's just simply not enough experience to garner that top selection that all of the mock draft analysts are projecting for him. If you're drafting in the top 10, you need a player who can make an immediate impact. You don't have the luxury of waiting around to develop a guy that might become your future franchise quarterback.
But regardless, I still don't expect Tannehill to be waiting in Radio City Music Hall's green room for very long. The chance to strike gold at the most important position in professional sports is just too alluring to pass up.
My guess is that Tannehill ends up with the Miami Dolphins at the No. 8 pick, especially considering his former Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman is the new offensive coordinator there -- which probably gives Tannehill his best chance to succeed.
But it's still a reach and a risk -- a risk that, in my opinion, isn't worth taking.
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