"I did see an interview on SC that I thought he came across as being pretty cocky for a guy whos game might not even fit in the NFL."

I just read an article that suggested Pryor's main problem is he's never been around an authority figure who has the nerve to say no to him. If that's true, this was a wasted pick, because that's precisely the problem with the Raiders. Davis has surrounded himself with acolytes who won't question the wisdom of say ... throwing a pile of money at Javon Walker.
Davis lost his fastball a long time ago, so his need for a backroom personnel guy like Ron Wolf or Bruce Allen who can challenge him in a way that doesn't dent Davis' ego has gotten more acute as he's gotten older. But he's so far off the reservation now that no one like that wants to work for him. If you want to work for the Raiders, the only reason would be to say you have NFL experience before you move on to a job with a real team.

He was highly coveted by my Oregon Ducks, and he chose Ohio State instead. I've never been so thankful looking back on that.

The positives:
Terrell was awesome in high school, without equal, and easily the top recruit from high school. He flourished under an Ohio State offense that was largely built around him. He's a QB who can run circles around people, create with his leg, and has arm strength. He can get the ball there with velocity.

The Negatives:
The accuracy isn't there, I see him struggling to complete 60% of his passes. His throwing mechanics are average/okay. His ability to stay in a pocket, read a defense, and make the right decision in time is laregly unknown, as he's survived (and thrived really) by using his legs to buy him the time he needed. The issues at Ohio State also raise concern, as does the fact that Terrell has went a very long time since he wasn't a superstar.

The outline from everyone on ESPN Radio before the Sup. Draft was that he is a project. He'll need a lot of coaching before he's ready to run an NFL offense. He's suspended for 6 games coming in, so he'll get some time without taking the field. For a 3rd round pick? .... Tough call, there are some really forgettable 3rd round picks that mean this isn't a major risk. Then again, Joe Montana was a 3rd round pick...

Last edited by alz (8/23/2011 2:28 pm)

"The Raiders are likely not the best place he could have landed."

AP, that's true for anyone unless they're wanted by the Oakland PD.

Artie, I agreewith the accuracy thing.  Defense have got so good that throwing the 50 yard bomb down the sidelines isnt going to workout in the WR favor.  Also with the way the league is rewarding the WR with interferance calls and defenseless WR calls a QB that can place a slant on the money is going to move the chains one way or another.

tkihshbt wrote:

Deadspin takes the piss out of the media:

"It's a storyline crutch, and it's easier than looking ahead to the 2012 draft, one that ought to be thin at quarterback, and praising the Raiders for trying to fill one of their most pressing positional needs now. Had Oakland done nothing to address the quarterback question, they'd be made fun of. Had they re-signed Jason Campbell to be the long-term solution, they'd be made fun of. Instead they get an undeniable athlete (insert even lazier 40-yard-dash joke here) who's managed to succeed at the highest level for a reasonable price, and they're being made fun of.

When the Patriots get a talented guy with character issues in the third round, they're praised to the high heavens. When the Raiders do it, they're punchlines, only because they're the Raiders and they've been snakebitten before and JaMarcus Russell's past somehow dictates Terrelle Pryor' future. Hey, it beats having to actually evaluate a football player by his football playing."

F-yeah!
The thing these zipperhead draftniks always seem to omit was THEY had Russell as a consensus #1 pick, and if they would have criticized the Raiders back then if they hadn't taken him. (I was screaming "JOE THOMAS!" at the TV set, but nobody listened.) That JaMarcus Russell didn't make it as an NFL quarterback is mostly JaMarcus Russell's doing. And remember all the crap the Texans got for taking Mario Williams? How's that pick looking now?
Granted, the Raiders deserve to be criticized for a lot of their personnel moves, but people always seem to exclude the ones they hit on - Nnamdi with the 31st pick, Zach Miller in the second round, Michael Bush in the fourth round, and all nine guys from '10 draft class will probably make the team again this year.

Last edited by artie_fufkin (8/24/2011 11:54 am)

The NFL Draft is always a crapshoot. Tony Mandarich taken before Barry Sanders, that was the best offensive lineman prospect ever!

Or a personal favorite "can't miss" pick. (pulled from ESPN, worst draft picks ever)

ESPN wrote:

Charles Rogers, Detroit Lions (No. 2, 2003)
Before the draft, an NFL.com prospect profile wrote of Rogers, "Has a well-proportioned, muscular frame with tight skin, low body fat, good arm length, tight bubble and nicely developed legs and thighs … Has outstanding quickness in and out of his cuts …Stays active with his hands to escape the jam and is very fluid getting into his routes … Has the ability to easily find the open area and the instincts to know where the pursuit is coming from … Uses his superb acceleration to separate, and while known as a deep threat, he is also effective on underneath routes … Will catch with his hands outside his framework and shows excellent concentration going over the middle … Does a fine job of tracking and locating the ball, using his speed well to stretch the defense … Shows good hip swerve, wiggle and juking moves to make the initial tackler miss … Has the long arms and strength needed to hold up vs. press coverage … Shows great depth in his routes and can sneak up on a defender and separate with his vertical speed … Not shy combating for the ball and will work hard to take the pigskin away from the defender … Has above-average body control to adjust when making over-the-shoulder grabs … Very hard to contain after the catch."

Let's see, in three years, he's played 14 games, caught 36 passes and had almost as many violations of the league's substance-abuse policy (three) as touchdown catches (four). Guess that scouting report missed a thing or two.

The main thing is that the Raiders recognize they are not set at the QB position, and are at least trying to improve their club. I don't know how the development of Pryor is going to go, nor can I speak for how he will grow as a professional. I do know that he has the capability to be anything and everything that Michael Vick has been (on the field, hopefully not off). Let the kid get to practice, camp, work with the coaches, learn the NFL and Raiders offense. If this guy goes nuts and you got him for a 3rd round supplemental pick??? You're going to look amazing.

"When the Patriots get a talented guy with character issues in the third round, they're praised to the high heavens."

BTW, the word out of New England's camp is Mallett has been a pick machine so far. That may foil the Hypocrites' plan to wheel him for a first rounder after they've developed him. Maybe the guy who passed on Brady only five times instead of six isn't such a genius after all.