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Denver Native (Carol)
02-28-2010, 08:45 AM
INDIANAPOLIS — It's as if it were some kind of infinite, head-scratching, open-ended brain teaser: What is the one thing every NFL team wants, but so few can find?

"A quarterback," said newly minted Redskins coach Mike Shanahan. "Everybody wants a quarterback. . . . And I've said before, you go through history, most people would say the most mistakes have been made at quarterback.

"So much goes into it. You can't see what's on the inside, can't see how hard a guy is going to work, how important it is to him to be great."

The Broncos are in the pack of teams pursuing that quarterback who can become the new face of the organization. Denver has plenty of draft picks, including the 11th in the first round, but will be looking at a group surrounded with question marks.

Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, who is coming off surgery to his throwing shoulder that kept him out of most of his senior season, is considered at the top of the class. Having measured out at 6-feet-4 1/2, 236 pounds to go with the best accuracy on the board, Bradford is likely out of the Broncos' grasp unless they are willing to pay the hefty price in a trade to go up and get him.

The pursuit of the franchise passer is like trying to solve a riddle.

"The most important attribute is that there isn't a most important attribute," said Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, whose team selected Matthew Stafford with the No. 1 pick in last year's draft. "I say that because . . . quarterback is such a complex position, and so many things come into play. Leadership, comfort being the face of the team, work ethic, accuracy, arm strength, intelligence, athletic ability, being able to see plays.

"All those things are important, but I think if you put any more importance on one and say the most important thing for a quarterback is arm strength, a lot of people have made a mistake doing that. There are so many other aspects of it. And there's also a lot of really smart guys who can't make the throws."

Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen is considered by many teams to be the No. 2 quarterback on the board before the workout season begins — most will throw today at the scouting combine — but at 6-2 1/2, 222 pounds, Clausen doesn't have the size many teams are looking for, and he is coming off surgery to repair two ligaments in a toe.

Texas' Colt McCoy finished his college career as the winningest quarterback in NCAA history. But McCoy is also slightly undersized and is coming off a right shoulder injury that included nerve damage he suffered in the BCS championship game.

McCoy has already said he will not throw in today's drills.

"I know for me I just want to show what I can do . . . I can make all the throws," BYU quarterback Max Hall said. "Being a great quarterback is about timing and decision-making. Just because you can throw the ball 80 yards doesn't mean you can be a great quarterback."

For his part, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels has already shown he prefers the bigger-framed pocket passers, a little more difficult to find these days as spread offenses have overtaken college football. Tom Brady and Matt Cassel, McDaniels' two quarterbacks in New England, are 6-4, 225 pounds and 6-4, 233, respectively.

In McDaniels' first year with the Broncos, they used a sixth-round pick to take Tom Brandstater (6-5, 223).

Beyond the first tier of quarterbacks, the one who may fit the Broncos' mold the best is Western Michigan's Tim Hiller. McDaniels continually uses the words "smart" and "decision-making" in his descriptions of quarterback play.

Hiller has always been a straight-A student, received his undergraduate degree at Western Michigan in three years and is close to completing his MBA. He also threw, despite two serious knee injuries in his career, for at least 3,000 yards in three consecutive seasons and finished with 99 career touchdown passes.

The Broncos were one of the first teams to visit Hiller on campus, and he hails from Orrville (Ohio) High School, the same high school McDaniels' father, Thom, graduated from and once coached at.

"I would love to be in Denver. They run a great system. Even the McDaniels brothers have a tie with my hometown," Hiller said.

Western also lines up its quarterback under center much of the time, so Hiller's footwork in the more traditional dropbacks is more advanced than many of this year's prospects.

"I would hope that helps me," Hiller said. "In a day and age where the spread has taken over and there are tremendous athletes all over the field, we've maintained an offense that's single-back, under center and uses the tight end. I feel like I've been well prepared."

Cincinnati's Tony Pike, Oklahoma State's Zac Robinson (a Chatfield High School graduate) and Fordham's John Skelton are among the big- framed passers trying to improve their stock today.

"When you're looking at a quarterback, you're looking at accuracy, you're looking at production at the position, maybe more than some of those other kind of things," Schwartz said. "You have to have one, and we think we have ours. We just feel like you're always in a game if you have a quarterback like Matthew Stafford. That's the feeling you want to have."

Lonestar
02-28-2010, 12:03 PM
Looks to me like if we do take a QB it will be one of the lesser guys.

It has been NE's MONTH to take literal unkns certainly not top flight name guys and let them set awhile learning the scheme.

It worked there since Bill took over, I still see no reason to believe it will not happen here.

Since the OLINE and DL affect the game so heavily, I see Josh and xman shoring that up front. Then worring about skill spots.


Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

Shazam!
02-28-2010, 02:34 PM
Beyond the first tier of quarterbacks, the one who may fit the Broncos' mold the best is Western Michigan's Tim Hiller. McDaniels continually uses the words "smart" and "decision-making" in his descriptions of quarterback play.

Hiller has always been a straight-A student, received his undergraduate degree at Western Michigan in three years and is close to completing his MBA. He also threw, despite two serious knee injuries in his career, for at least 3,000 yards in three consecutive seasons and finished with 99 career touchdown passes.

The Broncos were one of the first teams to visit Hiller on campus, and he hails from Orrville (Ohio) High School, the same high school McDaniels' father, Thom, graduated from and once coached at.

"I would love to be in Denver. They run a great system. Even the McDaniels brothers have a tie with my hometown," Hiller said.

He'll be a Bronco.

Carl
02-28-2010, 03:43 PM
He'll be a Bronco.

Did he work out at the combine? I didnt see him.