Andy Dalton: NFL Draft Front Page on SI.com

[yurintroubl]

More Dalton love as Draft Day approaches...

And while we're on the subject of quarterbacks...

Mel Kiper wrote this about a quarterback several years ago in the weeks before the draft (I have replaced the name of the player with "he''): "Did a great job directing a sophisticated pass offense, but in the NFL he will be looking to overcome his lack of ideal size and top arm strength. A major plus is the fact that he has all the necessary intangibles you look for. He's a tremendous competitor, always maintains his poise and has the resiliency to forget about the bad plays and move on. He's also a winner who responds to challenges in close games that could go either way. Directed his team to their first Rose Bowl since 1966. In the end ... he'll have to silence skeptics who question how effective he will be when it comes to cutting through the wind late in the season. ... He lacks big-time arm strength and has to prove to the skeptics that he's not just a system QB.''

Kiper was talking about Drew Brees. But Kiper wasn't alone. That's what the league thought of Brees a decade ago, before he was the first pick of the second round in the 2001 draft. Kiper was echoing what the decision-makers were saying....

...

...This is not a league anymore that requires five passes a game 40 yards downfield. There might be one such throw. Maybe none. Can you read defenses? Can you run a sophisticated offense? Can you take the pressure? Can you take the hits? Can you think quickly, and have the "fast eyes'' you need to play winning football? I think Dalton can.

This and more regarding Dalton: Page 2 of MMQB on SI.com

 

[SnoopFrogs11]

Dalton could be the undersized overlooked QB like Brees and prove people wrong.

 

[Army Frog Fan]

Dalton could be the undersized overlooked QB like Brees and prove people wrong.

Dalton is 6'2"

Other notable QB's who are 6'2" or less?

Past: Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Mark Brunell, to name a few.

Present Starters: Aaron Rodgers, Tony "Big Game" Romo, David Garrard, Donovan McNabb, Drew Brees, Michael Vick, Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Clausen

 

[An-Cap Frog]

Dalton is 6'2"

Other notable QB's who are 6'2" or less?

Past: Joe Montana, Steve Young, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Mark Brunell, to name a few.

Present Starters: Aaron Rodgers, Tony "Big Game" Romo, David Garrard, Donovan McNabb, Drew Brees, Michael Vick, Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Clausen

Those guys were all too short...