I think most of you missed the point. I was wondering if there was a HOF QB that compared with JR. Bradshaw was a good comparison, and he developed some great touch, but put it in there when needed. Our WR's did a good job catching the ball, but they had to catch some rockets at times. I am the first to back JR being our QB for the future and bringing home a SEC championship and more.
I don't think I'd lay the blame at WR drops at JR's feet. Elway's passes were lethally fast, but they were also very accurate, which is why he had a great career even with throwing the ball to "legends" like Vance Johnson. The WRs drop passes because they're not as good yet as the ones (Dev Henderson and of course Mike Clayton) that preceded them.
Name the last starting QB that won a national championship in college football, and went on to have a great career in the NFL. Pretty much every national championship team has a great college QB, but not really a big time NFL QB (Chris Weinke, Ken Dorsey (jury is kinda still out on him), Charlie Ward, Danny Wuerrful, Craig Krenzel, Tee Martin from Tennessee.)
Height and arm strength are things you are born with. You either have them or you don't. It doesn't matter how much you know the game or how good you read defenses, if you weren't born with the arm, you won't be a top quarterback. Reading defenses, changing plays, managing the clock, staying in the pocket, and knowing when to throw the ball away are things that it is vital for a quarterback to learn. Problems in these areas are fixable through coaching. Accuracy, syncing with receivers, poise, and timing are things that can be improved with practice and experience. Fixable problems again. Russell has room to improve in these areas and time to do it since he is only a sophomore. The important thing is that he has the size and long-ball arm that experience and training can't buy. Bottom line: You can take a quarterback with the physical tools and make him into a smart, effective quarterback. But it doesn't work the other way around.
I would have disagree with the last part. There are tons of players with strong arms that with Johnny Unitas teaching them, won't get it. I don't think Aaron Brooks can get it. Much stronger arm than Delhomme and Brady, but doesn't get it and will never get it. There are intangibles that cannot be taught......such as game management, HEART, anticipation......those things cannot be taught and all the great ones have those attributes. Hard to teach something when in the heat of a game some brains just fart. Just having a strong arm doesn't mean anything. When you get to the NFL, all those players have a strong enough arm to throw a 15 yard out. But what separates a Brady from a Tolliver, a Brooks, a Ferotte.........? Those 3 players have stronger physical ability than Brady or Joe Montana will ever have. What separates them? The stuff that cannot be taught........will, heart.......... I think JR will be a fine QB. More games he plays the better he'll be.
