A Quarterback at 6?

First a quick word about the prospect of drafting a Quarterback this year-

Some Browns fans would like the Browns to draft a quarterback in the 2011 draft, some even want them to use the 6th pick in the draft on a QB. They argue that Colt McCoy has not shown himself to be a sure-fire franchise quarterback, and since it is the most important position on the field, it's imperative that the Browns have a first rate player at that key position. That sounds reasonable enough, but I don't agree that we should take a QB.

First, I saw enough in Colt McCoy's performance last year to give him the job this year. Does that mean he's our guy? Well, not necessarily, but he's got to prove to me that he's not before I give up on him. His biggest liability is his frame, and by that I don't mean his height. He's pretty slight of build, and I'm not sure that he'll be able to take the pounding over the long haul that NFL quarterbacks have to take. His other weakness is his arm strength, but the West Coast Offense has a way of minimizing that liability. On the plus side...He's smart, makes quick reads, he's accurate, fairly mobile, and throws well on the run. This last quality is often underestimated. The ability to throw on the run is a huge asset, as at that point the play is progressing along and the receiver has had a chance to get into space. Accuracy while moving allows the QB to get the ball to the receiver in space, where he has a chance to gain big yardage after the catch. It can have the same affect as a long bomb, so just because a QB doesn't have a cannon arm doesn't mean he can't make big yardage plays.

Also, the quarterbacks in this draft all have huge question marks. To be honest, I'm not really excited about any of them. Cam Newton has a huge upside, with his size and athleticism, but he hasn't played much under center or ran a Pro-style offense, so his ability to handle the reads and his understanding of NFL defenses is an unknown, and undoubtedly a work in progress. Still, he's the QB that would most merit a high pick, but I'd be extremely reluctant to take that gamble. I like Ryan Mallett's arm and accuracy, but his footwork is terrible and he may turn out to be a head case. Jake Locker is tough, athletic, and has a decent arm, but he's terribly inaccurate. What I've seen of Blaine Gabbert has not impressed me. He seems way too average in his skill set to justify all the talk of a top 5 pick that has been bandied about.

If we had a shot at Andrew Luck, that would be a different matter. The team that picks number 1 next year will get a true franchise quarterback. Someone called him the best QB prospect since Elway, and that may not be far off. Needless to say, I hope a couple of these quarterbacks do go in the top 5. It will result in better players falling to the Browns at 6. However, if I was drafting for the Browns, I would not take a QB at 6, and would not take one down draft either. I know Holmgren has said that they will draft a QB at some point this year, but that may be a bluff. With the many holes on this team, a development project QB is a luxury that we can't afford, and the pick is better used elsewhere, in my opinion.