Mayock: Bryce Petty 'might be most natural thrower' in draft

[tahoe]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ral-thrower-in-draft?campaign=Twitter_nfl_cfb

Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty seems to need seasoning -- a lot or a little, considering whom you believe -- but his big arm is a definite selling point.
"He might be the most natural thrower of the football in this entire draft," NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock said on NFL Network's "NFL AM" Wednesday.

Petty (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) entered Wednesday looking to impress NFL evaluators at Baylor's pro day.

Mayock touted Petty's arm strength and quick release, and said, "I really think he's got starter physical traits."

At the same time, Mayock said, "I don't think he's (NFL-)ready."
He said the best scenario for Petty would be to "sit a year or two" to become acclimated to the NFL game. Mayock specifically brought up theNew Orleans Saints, saying sitting behind Drew Brees "might be an intriguing opportunity" for Petty and for the team.

Mayock has the same opinion on Petty's readiness as fellow analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Lance Zierlein.

"When I look at Bryce Petty starting at the next level, I think he has that potential but I think it's a few years off," Jeremiah said earlier this month on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft." "You wouldn't think a guy that threw as much as he did in college is a project, but to come out of that system (at Baylor) and adjust into an NFL system, I think it's going to take some time."

Zierlein wrote that he thinks Petty "needs a year or two of practice time and camp work to learn how to get through his progressions, but has the intelligence to do that. Petty must have a structured offense that won't ask him to make plays outside of the pocket."

One positive for Petty is that the quarterback picture is somewhat of a jumble after the top two of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Is Petty the third-best quarterback in the class? The fourth-best? The fifth-best? There is no clear-cut consensus and Mayock alluded to that Wednesday, saying "different teams like different flavors."

Mayock also thinks the third quarterback could go in the second round: "I think (a quarterback-needy team is) going to have to take that third quarterback somewhere in the second round, and it could be Bryce Petty."

Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.

 

[den-the-coach]

This is the guy I want the Rams to draft and the fact that he's older IMO, is a plus. I'm betting he scores high in all the intangibles and knows when to throw the fast ball and has the best touch cause, he's too much!

 

[dieterbrock]

Why is Petty so much older? Did he play a different sport or something?

 

[bomebadeeda]

Why is Petty so much older? Did he play a different sport or something?

He's 23, played 4 years and was a redshirt 1 year. That's about normal age considering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Petty

 

[tahoe]

Petty would be a great pick for the rams to sit for a year behind Foles and Keenum. He is smart, a great leader, and tough. If the rams want to move on from Foles they could start Petty.

 

[dieterbrock]

He's 23, played 4 years and was a redshirt 1 year. That's about normal age considering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Petty

Interesting. He'll be 24 in a minute. I've just seen many folks say he was old(er) and thought there was a reason. Only 2 years younger than Nick Foles.
24 does seem a bit old to be graduating college, even with the red shirt.

He's been my favorite QB outside of the top 2 guys

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I have warmed up to the idea of Petty quite a bit. I liked the way he throws. I don't like that he has had some injuries though. The big question for me, is one that I cannot answer. What kind of work ethic will he have if the Rams draft him?

Maybe if Snead and Fisher think he will be a hard worker and like his character they would take a chance on him. I doubt they like the back injury though.

I could see them drafting him in round 2 if they were thinking that Foles wont be a long term solution, or just don't want to pay him like one.

I think that if a team has a shot at a good or potentially good QB they should do it because of the value of the position. Say Foles plays well and Petty develops. Petty gets into a few games due to minor injury and the rest of the NFL takes notice and then the suitors come calling offering up their draft picks to get him. Just like Kevin Kolb.

He could be worth a shot.

 

[den-the-coach]

Why is Petty so much older? Did he play a different sport or something?

He's 23, played 4 years and was a redshirt 1 year. That's about normal age considering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Petty

Again at 24 IMO, it's a plus similar to Russell Wilson (age), IMO, he'll be ready to focus on his craft and he's not like the Ram QB Coach Chris Weinke who was a rookie at 30.

 

[ramfan46]

If he's there in the 4th I'd think about it. He needs at least a year of practice of playing under center IMO.

 

[jrry32]

And Devin Funchess is the fastest WR in this draft.

Save our Day 2 pick. Use a pick next year on a guy with franchise potential rather than wasting a pick on a career backup/spot starter imo.

 

[tahoe]

I have warmed up to the idea of Petty quite a bit. I liked the way he throws. I don't like that he has had some injuries though. The big question for me, is one that I cannot answer. What kind of work ethic will he have if the Rams draft him?

Maybe if Snead and Fisher think he will be a hard worker and like his character they would take a chance on him. I doubt they like the back injury though.

I could see them drafting him in round 2 if they were thinking that Foles wont be a long term solution, or just don't want to pay him like one.

I think that if a team has a shot at a good or potentially good QB they should do it because of the value of the position. Say Foles plays well and Petty develops. Petty gets into a few games due to minor injury and the rest of the NFL takes notice and then the suitors come calling offering up their draft picks to get him. Just like Kevin Kolb.

He could be worth a shot.

I can tell you that Petty has super high character and work ethic. He has already improved his footwork this off season from where the season ended.

 

[8to12]

The QB's that come from a Spread / Read Option system are difficult to gauge (Petty). They don't have to make the same reads and decisions that a typical Pro-Style, pocket QB has to. I think Garret Grayson, from Colorado State, would be a better option for the Rams considering the system that was run at Colorado State. He has experience playing from underneath Center and making the varied drop-backs. He's been projected to go anywhere from the 3rd to 5th round. His arm may not be as strong as Petty's, but tape shows he can make just about all of the throws. And, he's been a Ram for the last few seasons so is already a winner

 

[jrry32]

The QB's that come from a Spread / Read Option system are difficult to gauge (Petty). They don't have to make the same reads and decisions that a typical Pro-Style, pocket QB has to. I think Garret Grayson, from Colorado State, would be a better option for the Rams considering the system that was run at Colorado State. He has experience playing from underneath Center and making the varied drop-backs. He's been projected to go anywhere from the 3rd to 5th round. His arm may not be as strong as Petty's, but tape shows he can make just about all of the throws. And, he's been a Ram for the last few seasons so is already a winner

Save our picks. Take a QB next year. Have a hard time believing next year's class will be as weak as this one. Only exception is if Winston/Mariota are available. And I guess I'd also take a QB next year if they fell far enough but I'm not banking on that.

 

[Athos]

I have no interest wasting a pick on a QB in this draft. Ain't worth it. Next year can't be worse than this one and you have the possibility of maybe Cardale Jones, Cook, Hackenbro being in your wheel house.

 

[jrry32]

I have no interest wasting a pick on a QB in this draft. Ain't worth it. Next year can't be worse than this one and you have the possibility of maybe Cardale Jones, Cook, Hackenbro being in your wheel house.

I don't like Cook. But there are some other guys that could come out next year that I really want to see more of because I like what I've seen thus far.

 

[Athos]

I don't like Cook. But there are some other guys that could come out next year that I really want to see more of because I like what I've seen thus far.

Haven't seen enough of Cook though I was impressed with his rallying performance for the win against Baylor. Yea, I know, Baylor doesn't have a real D but still, it was pretty good.

Do agree I need to see more of the guys likely to come out next year.

 

[jrry32]

Haven't seen enough of Cook though I was impressed with his rallying performance for the win against Baylor. Yea, I know, Baylor doesn't have a real D but still, it was pretty good.

Do agree I need to see more of the guys likely to come out next year.

Cook's accuracy just isn't good enough for me and he is another guy that lacks poise under pressure...kind of like Gabbert...but not quite as bad.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Cook's accuracy just isn't good enough for me and he is another guy that lacks poise under pressure...kind of like Gabbert...but not quite as bad.

All of the Michigan State QBs seem similar to me. Cook looks like another Stanton. All solid backup types that don't do anything unusually well but do everything good enough.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Save our picks. Take a QB next year. Have a hard time believing next year's class will be as weak as this one. Only exception is if Winston/Mariota are available. And I guess I'd also take a QB next year if they fell far enough but I'm not banking on that.

I agree with not wasting picks if the team doesn't feel confident in any of the QBs available. I know I don't feel that confident, but Foles is a free agent and Keenum a backup(don't know how long he was signed for) . If both are free agents again the Rams could be looking at having no QB under contract at this time next season. If they think a guy has potential they may have to draft someone, or commit to having to give Foles a big payday next year. And from what we have seen of Foles we don't know which one we will get yet. If Foles plays poorly the Rams might decide he isn't worth what another team will pay him.

 

[Mojo Ram]

And Devin Funchess is the fastest WR in this draft.

Save our Day 2 pick. Use a pick next year on a guy with franchise potential rather than wasting a pick on a career backup/spot starter imo.

If the Rams' scouts like next years QB crop better i agree. No reason to spend a pick on a big time project when we've already got Keenum, Davis and possibly a one year rental in Foles on the roster.