J-Bin(Nashville): I asked you this a couple of months ago, and want to know if your opinion has changed as you have seen more film. Does JaMarcus Russell have the strongest arm you have ever seen? (I can't imagine anyone has one any stronger) Mel Kiper: I've got to think that he would go high. He's got a rocket arm. He can still get the football off with guys on him. He can see the field. He can buy time by being so big and strong. He's brought this team back. If he makes a bad play, he has a short memory. He'll keep throwing the football. QBs need to have short memories. He would be right up there with Brady Quinn.
Eric (Indy): Where do you rank QB Colt (The one from Hawaii) with the other QB's in this draft? Mel Kiper: Well, he's a junior. As a junior only, Russell is No. 1. Brohm is No. 2. Chad Henne is No. 3. Booty is No. 4. Then Matt Ryan, Colt Brennan and Erik Ainge. Those are your top 7 junior QBs. if you put him in with the seniors, you know he's behind Quinn, Smith and Drew Stanton. He's going to have to show people that he's not a system QB. I think another year would benefit him. He's going to be in the Heisman mix. They'll win a lot of games at Hawaii.
I love to hear good stuff about JR from guys who's opinions are so respected like Mel Kiper. He's telling the national public what we Tiger fans have known all along. I can't wait to see where he goes in the draft.
As much as Mel Kiper is a fraud, his word is well respected. This will only solidify what we are already beginning to suspect, that JR is going to the NFL as a junior. I wish him well. I just hope he lands with the right OC and QB coach. That will probably decide if he is successful or not.
is this your way of covering your ass for your really bad prediction of jamarcus in the 3rd round? really, stay away from online draft sites and pay attention to football games from now on.
i'm sure if we try hard enough we can find multiple errant predictions among the 12,100 posts... just saying.
I said early 2nd to early 3rd. Obviously NFL scouts think they can turn JR into a much smarter football player. That obviously still remains to be seen. The game is so much more mental, and that's why a Joe Montana is arguably the best QB ever to play the game, and people like Andre Ware never even came close to succeeding. Tirk is just yanking my chain, as usual. It's all good. Even he has had his reservations about JR in the past. I guess its nice to jump on the bandwagon when the roads are real nice and smooth. I still contend that a top 10 selection is an overreach by NFL teams. But it is understandable, given his tremendous upside. I think Brohm and Quinn are naturals for the game and will succeed pretty quickly. Beyond that, it's a crapshoot. I do think that JR is worth being the first QB taken after Brohm/Quinn. He has the most upside out of the risky QBs that would remain.
