NFL Rumors: Jon Gruden Linked to the Browns Yet Again
October 21, 2010Cavaliers’ Ability to Defend the Low Post is Key to a Good Start to the Season
October 21, 2010Read an interesting piece over at Fanhouse. The premise of John Walters’ piece is that Terrelle Pryor made a mistake in choosing to attend Ohio State and play for the Buckeyes over say Michigan or Oregon- programs with offenses more tailored to his style of play.
Pryor is a talented college QB, and there’s no dismissing his performance against Oregon in the Rose Bowl in January (a then career-high 266 yards passing and 72 yards rushing). Still, there’s always been a contrived TomKat feel to his marriage with Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel’s conservative offensive approach.
Just two Saturdays ago, it was almost as if Tressel and Pryor were out to prove a point against Indiana. In a 38-10 pummeling of the Hoosiers, the 6-6 junior passed for a career-high 334 yards and three touchdowns while finishing with minus-19 yards rushing. Pryor had never before passed for more than that Pasadenian 266 in a game, but he also had never before rushed for zero gross yards in a game.
Was that any time to experiment, one week before the toughest game of the season up to this point?
Now, I don’t really think the Buckeyes were conducting some sort of mad scientist experiment with Pryor in that Indiana game. Remember it was just a week earlier that Terrelle laid out in the Illinois game after a scary popping sound from his leg. With the lead that Ohio State jumped out to in that Indiana game there was no reason for Pryor to risk running the ball.
The question remains- is Pryor the right fit for this offense? Yes, he still has another year and a half to improve, but I think it may be safe to say that he is just not a great pocket passer. He still floats the ball on occasion. His delivery is awkward. That isn’t to say he can’t be a good to very good college QB at Ohio State. But in an offense that doesn’t like to take chances, and certainly wouldn’t ever give it’s QB the kind of rushing attempts that Michigan is giving Robinson, could Pryor have been more effective at another school?
It’s a fair question, and one that we’ll really never know. Would the Buckeyes have been better off? Again, we have no idea who might have been brought in to play the position if Pryor hadn’t signed that letter of intent.
The bigger question I have for Terrelle Pryor is not did he make the right decision by coming to Ohio State to play Qb, but is he making the right decision for his future by playing QB at all?
Walters reminded us all in his piece that Pryor waited until well past the national signing day to choose OSU. What Walters failed to mention is what Pryor was doing during that time. At least part of that time was spent winning a state basketball championship. Yes, Terrelle Pryor could have attended any school he wanted to on a basketball scholarship.
Ask yourself this- does Terrelle Pryor have a chance at making it in the NFL as a QB? Even the most loyal Buckeye fan has to see there is no way his delivery, streaky accuracy and read progression has NFL scouts drooling. If Tim Tebow’s motion was a red flag, just wait until they get hold of Pryor’s.
There is a chance Pryor will be given a shot to make an NFL roster as a WR. The problem is he will be so behind the curve in knowing that position, that he will be a project at best. And I fear (for him) an undrafted project at that.
Would he have a better shot to play basketball professionally? I wonder. It isn’t really too late for Pryor either. I’d be willing to bet that Coach Matta would be thrilled to find a spot on the roster for Pryor once the football season is over. Yes, there would have to be an arrangement worked out between departments, but in the best interest of Terrelle, I think it would be a conversation worth having.
Photo Credit: Chris Williams/Icon SMI
29 Comments
Oregon and Michigan wouldn’t have developed the QB part of his game… Tress has allowed him to grow as a QB over the past three seasons rather than allow him to rely primarily on his legs. Making Pryor a better pro-prospect than he would have been at Oregon or Michigan… So I’d say his future is better off playing for tOSU
No doubt he learned to be more of a drop back passer by playing at OSU.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a charmed existence that Terrelle is living. Great education at OSU, campus legend and all that. I just have a feeling that the kid wants to be a professional athlete, and I really doubt that opportunity will come as a QB in the NFL.
Terrelle Pryor is better than me… but if I could kick the diabeetus, I’d be a pro-bowler.
I would ALMOST bet money that Pryor plays QB in the NFL. At least makes a team as a QB, that is. But I’m not quite there yet.
But with his size, strength, and skills, I refuse to believe that he no longer has any future and that this is just as good as he’s ever going to get. He was so raw when Tressel got a hold of him, and he has shown steady improvement over time. I haven’t seen him peak or level off yet. It’s just a matter of how much better he can get and how much time he needs to get there.
Pat White was 10x’s the passer that Pryor will ever be and he looked lost at the NFL level.
Pryor’s best chance for the NFL is to learn another position and become a Wildcat type player. White failed because he couldn’t play another position and wasn’t a good enough QB to be used kept on the roster (instead of an actual back-up QB).
Who’s the last oregon QB to make a splash in the NFL? Akili Smith?
Who’s the last rich rod QB to make a spash in the NFL? Pat White?
I’m pretty sure both those guys are selling insurance right now. I think Terrelle made the right choice if he wanted to be a professional QB. OSU hasn’t exactly been QB central but I think it’s toughened peoples view of him as a QB and less of a gimmick type player.
Really Rock? I think he has grown, and could get a little better in some of these areas, but I just can’t see him playing the position at that level.
Actually, After discussing this issue with my girlfriend, reality TV star Kristen Cavallari, I take back what I said earlier. Ohio State would be much better served if they started Joe Bauserman and moved Pryor to either Tight End or Goalie.
Yeah, I mean, I’m not saying I’d bet my life on it or anything. I just still see him getting better and I think his potential alone will be too much for every NFL team to pass on. I think by the end of his senior year he’ll be to the point that some NFL team will take a chance on him.
The relevant question is this: is there anyone on the roster now that is a better QB for this offense? No. I realize that a few recruits haven’t come to OSU because of Pryor, but if Pryor was better for this offense than Boeckman as a freshman.
It’s pretty clear he’s much better for this offense than Bauserman, and I doubt that Braxton Miller can come in and take a senior Pryor’s spot. He’s what we have, and he’s an immense talent. Whether or not he has the offense working in sync with him will be something we’ll have to take more time (unfortunately) to find out.
Joey Harrington and Kellen Clemens are annoyed that you forgot about them, stin4u.
Bottom line for me as a UM fan is this: Rich Rodriguez’s job isn’t to develop Denard Robinson as an NFL quarterback. It’s to win games at Michigan. And, I would defy anyone to say that his work to get Robinson up to the level of “somewhat competent” as a passer in a college offense is not giving his UM team the best chance to win. (Let’s not talk about that defense, though. It will make me throw/break something.) My point is this: as a UM fan, I could give a crap if Denard Robinson ever plays a snap in the NFL right now.
So, as OSU fans, ask yourself: what’s most important to Jim Tressel: winning Big 10 (and possibly National) championships, or developing Pryor into an NFL prospect.
@ DP: Neither. More important for me, as an OSU fan, is to beat your favorite team like a drum.
@DP – My apologies to those gentlemen, with such stellar careers who am I to have forgotten them!! 🙂
The point of the argument here is that Terrelle picking OSU was a mistake. Like I said above I think HIS choice of OSU was to develop himself into a pro style QB with the ability to run, therefore making his choice much more realistic than a gadget type offense like UM or Oregon.
It’s not so much about Tress developing him as it was him choosing to want to develop within a more traditional style offense. That’s just my opinion though…not sure his reasons for choosing OSU over those others.
I’m not talking about what would be better for Ohio State, or Michigan. I’m saying what choice would have been best for a young Terrelle Pryor to have made, assuming his desire is to play ball professionally.
If he wanted to play QB more than he wanted to make it as a basketball player, then perhaps he made the right decision. But with all the options he had in front of him, perhaps there was another path that could have led to a pro career.
But, DP: The world revolves around the NFL. Nobody is ever any good in college if they don’t translate to the NFL. You know this, I know this, WE ALL KNOW THIS. /caps
I care not one iota if Pryor is a good NFL quarterback. I care if he wins games at OSU.
I agree with #1. Pryor has become a better qb every year. He has been forced to think and make decisions; to be a quarterback. To play in, even if not a ‘pro offense’, an offense modeled after a real, serious NFL offense, not some crazy trick spread Wildcat offensive style. And this means that Terelle Pryor will play qb in the NFL. He has ALL the tools, and some NFL team will want to put him to use. It may be the 3rd or 4th round. But I think the Browns should draft him…despite his mentorship attachment to LeBron James.
I think TP will have way more of a shot to be seriously drafted as an NFL qb than Denard Robinson. Going to Michigan and playing like that would have seriously forced him into the receiver role you mentioned if he got drafted at all.
So mark my words today; Pryor will be an NFL qb if he works hard at OSU and stays healthy. If he’s there in the 3rd round, what does a team have to lose?
@15: Notre Dame…? Owait
But I think the Browns should draft him…
Sloowwwwww dowwwwnnnn, there.
Take off the OSU homer glasses. The only guy from the Buckeyes I’d want on the Browns right now is Cam Heyward.
@19 – I agree there, there’s also guys I’d rather have in front of Heyward (as far as DE’s).
My question has always been why JT and the gang recruit running QBs (Pryor and Braxton Miller) when they are so fundamentally different that JT’s coaching style? Wouldn’t he be better served by recruiting the top pocket passers (Mallett comes to mind) and continue developing the running game. Such an offense not only fits into JT’s comfort zone, but it also is more of a match with the defensive style.
It’s tough enough to coach at that level, let alone coaching players that don’t fit within your scheme of football.
Pryor came to tOSU because he knew he’d be a better QB. And he is a better QB than he’d be at Oregon or Mich. He’ll def get drafted on potential, but there’s no way he can be an NFL QB at this stage. I think he’ll come back another yr, but in all reality Tressel’s system really protects Pryor because we’ve seen what happens when he actually has to throw a ton (I.E. Purdue, Wisc).
*adjusts the Homer goggles to high-resolution*
But Terrelle Pryor is the best QB in teh world.
No seriously though, I think that his set of skills and natural talents, and apparently his drive to become better, will make him a value pick somewhere in the draft. Unless he goes and wins a national championship, he should be available for a reasonable draft pick.
Would you think the Browns taking Pryor at the same position as they took McCoy to be any less great of a pick? (assuming he doesn’t degrade at all) I just think that a lot of teams are going to give him that ‘wide-receiver/gadget/he’ll be there for UFA’ kind of pick as things stand now, and that with a good QB coach, all of his problems could be ironed out.
After getting beat at home by Texas, I think Tressel wanted to get himself a Vince Young. He does so, and then plays him like he’s Craig Krenzel. Pryor is an immensely talented young man, but a gifted drop back passer he is not. He’s had three years as a starter, which is more than most college QB’s get, and he still has problems with basic reads. The good thing for him as he still has a year and a half to grow. He will certainly at least get a shot in the NFL.
Tressel has been a great coach and recruiter, a clean guy who has represented Ohio State well and his success has added to a proud tradition. I’ll take beating Michigan every year and be happy. But his by-the-book game coaching style has come up short in so many big games. Kicking field goals when you are down big, or when its 4th and inches and a first down ices it, just shows a lack of understanding of the role passion plays in the game. Using a dynamic, running QB like Pryor in an offensive scheme that doesn’t match up with his skills is just stubborn or myopic.
I didn’t think this was a national championship caliber team this year, but I got caught up in the hype, and so now it’s frustrating to watch them get whipped like they did last week. I’m hoping Tressel loosens things up the rest of the way and they win out.
hans- I agree with you. Because of the potential of Pryor I would welcome him in a Browns uniform… I would also have taken him over McCoy.
With his size/strength/arm/speed combo I would use a pick on him hoping I could teach him the QB position and see what happens.
Bad take on Pryor. If Vince Young and Tim Tebo can be drafted as QBs then TP will be drafted as a QB. And IMO(like it matters) he looks better then both of those guys at this point in his career.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Leonard, but I respectfully disagree about Pryor looking better than Vince Young and Tebow at the same point.
@ Rick…don’t know about Tebow but VY was red-shirted and that made a HUGE difference in his development. Check out his RS Sophomore year numbers and Pryor’s numbers this year.
Erik- Pryor’s numbers this season are just fine. Again, some college QBs have outstanding numbers but aren’t suited to the NFL game. Vince Young’s throwing motion was light years ahead of Pryor’s.