Thread: Player Profile-Ryan Mallett

Figured it would be fun to discuss the other potential QB besides Sam Bradford in a thread of his own.
I didnt put this in the QB thread because i think that Mallett is a true possible 1st round option.


RYAN MALLETT
QB, ARKANSAS
6'7" HEIGHT
250 LBS

Scouting Report: In this day and age, having a franchise quarterback is essential to winning a championship. Looking at Ryan Mallett you have to see franchise quarterback. He's a giant kid, with a muscular build and a cocky smile. When you watch him play, you see a ton of potential, and all the physical tools you want to see. He's got a cannon for an arm, and throws the best deep ball of any quarterback in the nation. He's got command of the offense, does a great job with reads and checkdowns, and has supreme confidence. On the other hand, his footwork is shoddy, mainly from his height and he has lapses in judgment that cost his team dearly this year. Oh, and because of his size, he's got very little mobility, and while he isn't afraid to step up in the pocket and even stand in and take a hit to make a throw, he doesn't scramble well and hasn't really shown that he can work well in a designed rollout. Compared to the other quarterbacks in this group, he's easily got the most upside, but may need the most grooming. But keep in mind he's only a redshirt sophomore.


Draft Status: This is a tough call. I have a sneaky feeling Mallett declares this year, in hopes of an upcapped year, and before a rookie cap comes in for 2011. If he does, and he can work out well, there's no doubt some team will scoop him up in the first round based on his physical gifts and super high ceiling.


Final Analysis: I've been on Mallett's bandwagon all season, so I'm not hoping off now. He's steadily improved all year long, and has shown some serious flashes of the NFL potential he has. When he's in command of the offense and in rhythm, he can make any read and any throw on the field. He's got all the physical tools you could want, assuming you don't want a guy who can run. He is working out of an NFL style offense and does very well out of playaction. I think if Mallett can get on a team where he can sit behind a veteran for a year or two, he'll get the footwork issues sorted out, and just mature as a player. The sky is the limit for Mallett but in my opinion if he wants to maximize his NFL potential, he needs to get out now, because we all remember the NFL potential of Brian Brohm and Hunter Cantwell until too much Bobby Petrino can ruin it.

Reminds me of: Joe Flacco, QB Baltimore Ravens-Both are big tall, strong armed quarterbacks, and have similar strengths and weaknesses. Flacco had more college experience than Mallett but not against nearly as high a level of competition.
http://www.draftboardinsider.com/cgi...ct.cgi?id=1100


This kid has all the tools. If any of you have also watched him play, he is basically a Flacco clone. I also have a sneakin suspicion that if he plays well in the Liberty Bowl, he will declare for the draft.
His only downsides seem to be his footwork,(which isnt really that bad at all, from what ive seen) and his pocket work. However if he was targeted by DEN, MCD would have no trouble working out the kinks with this kid, being that he is an excellent QBs coach.
I think DEN still needs to address the QB position, and having a player like a Flacco or Ryan, would allow players like Royal and Marshall (if he stays) or any WR for that matter to flourish in DEN. I do also understand the need to address the lines, and that the QB will be on his back if the O-Line problems are not addressed. I think those issues can be addressed later in the draft, and in FA.
I do think that a healthy Sam Bradford has a ton of upside as well, being that he is deadly accurate, and a proven winner, which cannot be under valued, but if he has any lingering health issues, i think he becomes a "project player".
Feel free to add any articles, positve or negative about this player.
So, ive given you another topic, please, discuss!

His arm is vastly superior to Flacco. He might have the best arm in the country at either the NFL or NCAA level.

Yes, I would like to discuss all the top QB prospects coming out. Great thread.




Its funny too, that you made this thread. Just yesterday I watched one short highlight clip of him from 2007 (all i could find) and gave my report on what i saw over at BM.

What i saw was exactly what you said. Bad footwork. He never, ever sets his feet. Now because he can throw the ball so dam well he gets away with it. But in the pros he will not, and he loses accuracy by not setting his feet. He reminds me of actually a lot like Jay. Both have what you want, but neither sets their feet when they throw. Just like Jay- the one time I saw this mallett kid step up and set his feet. He fired a dead on accurate Missile through a teeny tiny window right into the bread basket. It was an amazing throw.

Thats what you want to see. And guys that can do that, are guys that can be great QBs. Obviously, it can be fixed.... My main concern is his legs. THis guy seems to be all legs and I worry about him getting tackled and twisting and tearing mcls and knees and stuff.



If anyone has any vids of him please post as i would like to see more.

Here you go UR...

Arkansas vs Texas A&M 2009

Arkansas vs South Carolina 2009

Arkansas vs Auburn 2009

Boy he sure does throw a really pretty ball when he sets his feet. Accurate, on time and with some zip. He also seems aware of ball placement in some of those clips--i found 2 others also at utube. Some low balls, outside shoulder etc.

now for the critique stuff....

We already mentioned footwork, so i wont go there. In every throw i watched he had all day to throw. His line did a great job for him. But I have to wonder how he does under pressure, or how he does when he does not have a full 4-5 seconds to throw. How fast can he read the defense and no where the open guy will be. from all the clips i have seen so far- he really hasnt had to do that.

Also does he get rattled when he gets hit and fold, kinda like Orton does if someone goes by him. He also had WR open almost every time. Now thats not bad, but when evaluting him to me it is. It doesnt show if he can sneak the ball in tight coverage or beat coverage with a great throw (which we know he can, but havent seen it yet). I also wonder how he would do when the D disguises things. I didnt see any rushers drop back in coverage on him, or visa versa. No hot routes, not quick slants.


IMo- he has the phsical side down pat-except footwork and doesnt always release the ball at the highest level. But its the mental part of him that has to be proven. I think he can do it, but havent seen it yet. I think he will be a top 10 pick and might either end up in was, buf, or sea.


(if he makes it to us at 10, i wouldnt be surprised to see sea, trade us back our original pick and a 2nd or whatever for him.) just my thoughts, have a nice day.

Originally Posted by underrated29

Boy he sure does throw a really pretty ball when he sets his feet. Accurate, on time and with some zip. He also seems aware of ball placement in some of those clips--i found 2 others also at utube. Some low balls, outside shoulder etc.

now for the critique stuff....

We already mentioned footwork, so i wont go there. In every throw i watched he had all day to throw. His line did a great job for him. But I have to wonder how he does under pressure, or how he does when he does not have a full 4-5 seconds to throw. How fast can he read the defense and no where the open guy will be. from all the clips i have seen so far- he really hasnt had to do that.

Also does he get rattled when he gets hit and fold, kinda like Orton does if someone goes by him. He also had WR open almost every time. Now thats not bad, but when evaluting him to me it is. It doesnt show if he can sneak the ball in tight coverage or beat coverage with a great throw (which we know he can, but havent seen it yet). I also wonder how he would do when the D disguises things. I didnt see any rushers drop back in coverage on him, or visa versa. No hot routes, not quick slants.


IMo- he has the phsical side down pat-except footwork and doesnt always release the ball at the highest level. But its the mental part of him that has to be proven. I think he can do it, but havent seen it yet. I think he will be a top 10 pick and might either end up in was, buf, or sea.


(if he makes it to us at 10, i wouldnt be surprised to see sea, trade us back our original pick and a 2nd or whatever for him.) just my thoughts, have a nice day.

After sitting out in 2008 due to transferring, Mallett threw 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions in the first seven games of Arkansas' 2009 campaign. Making those numbers all the more impressive is that Mallett played behind a porous offensive line (16 sacks through seven games) and the Razorbacks were not a formidable SEC team overall (3-4, 1-4 in conference). With just one full season as a starter (he filled in for an injured Chad Henne at Michigan midway through the season).

Heres a guy at another board that i frequent with his grade. Pretty insightful. If your like me, and always looking to talk prospects, this will be a good, but long read.

age 21
class rs soph
stats vs BCS competition comp 99 att 199 49.7% td 14 int 3
games evaluated vs alabama, florida, ole miss
6' 6" 250 lbs
physical grade (out of 10) 9.7
intangible grade 9.0
game tape grade 9.0
total grade 9.3

Physical grade synopsis

One of the most physically gifted throwers of the football ever. Massive frame to sustain and ward off hits by even the largest and strongest of defenders. long arms and large hands. Arm strength exceeeds even the most gifted NFL passers. Tall enough to see over even the largest of nfl defenders and offensive lineman. high release angle and height maximize ability to throw over defenders and place the ball at the proper angle and solid nfl level release speed.outstanding mechanics throwing the ball. Although not the most gifted athlete at the qb position by nfl standards, has better than expected athletic ability for his size and his athletic ability exceeds that of many NFL starters. Long gaping strides that eat up large amounts of ground when on the move in the short area. Does not have great long speed and wont be much of a threat to tuck and run at the nfl level. Shows the ability to easily shake off hits and has the body to take the pounding delivered by the much bigger and faster nfl defenders.


intagible grade synopsis

has shown himself to be the unquestioned leader of an arkansas squad that has acquitted itself admirably vs the highest level of competition. has led an undertalent squad to near victories vs superior compettion. has made the razorbacks and unquestioned threat to any team in the nation. controls the huddle. has shown ability to go through progressions in the face of relentless pressure and deliver. is not afraid to stand in and take hits to deliver the football. led team on what should have been game winning drive vs floridadefense ranked amongst the elite. has a fiery competitive demeanor on the field but rarely looks flustered in the in the face of the most intense pressure. shows willingness to go to war and performed as a leader against the stiffest of competition. An inteligent young man (out of state UM recruit) who rarely makes mistakes on the field and continues to fight and battle through dropped balls and will not forget his receivers after mistakes showing confidence they will come through the next time. gets up on his feet and continues to lead after hits, drops and pressure. Will sometimes however show up teammates after they do not execute through on field reactions and has animated conversations with coaches. Takes his own mistakes the same way however and shows confidence in himself and teammates to make up for it the next time. mallett has taken the razorbacks on his back and made them much better than they would be with a lesser player.


game tape synopsis (vs alabama, florida, ole miss)


vs arguably 3 of the top 5 defensive squads in the nation, mallett has struck fear. His ability to stretch the field vertically does not allow for defenses to load up thus opening the run game creating a balanced attack not likely to be succesful vs the squads listed above. mallett stands in under relentless pressure and delivers perfect lasers on many occasions shrugging off hits and pressures and penalizing the blitz with long downfield passes. Throws a perfect spiral even under the most intense pressure rarely throwing any type of wobbly pass. Delivers the deep out with great accuracy and top end nfl level zip. Delivers the deep ball on a much lower arc with more velocity than all college qbs not allowing safeties to reach his deep throws. Throws the mid range crossing routes with top end zip into tiny windows even against the best of collegiate secondaries. Rarely on his passes does mallett not hit the hands of his recievers even when confronted with intense pressure. Throws a ball that is very difficult for defensive backs to intercept due to the speed at which the ball is thrown and the accuracy which he exudes rarely leading to "easy picks". A defender generally must exude excellent hands and playmaking ability to even catch one of his passes. Even his own receivers have trouble catching his passes due both to the short amount of time they have to react and the sheer velocity of his throws. Shows the ability to make the correct read and hit the open man but also shows the ability to drop deeper passes in the bucket. Is not limited by any play in the playbook and the entire field is open to him, not allowing defenses to cut off the run game or certain parts of the field. makes defenses pay for bringing the blitz and playing man coverage often making big plays as shown by the amount of yards per completion and the high amount of long in air td passes. Like great nfl qbs, mallett is at his most effective often when facing heavy blitz pressure and punishes defenses. When standing unpressured, like great nfl qbs, mallett is nearly unstoppable. When given time he makes reads goes through progressions and throws perfect lasers when unchallenged, although a rare occurance in the games taped. Mallett will stuggle sometimes however on short passes and needs to exhibit the ability to take something off throws creating a more catchable pass and RAC situation as opposed to attempting to gun the ball to less hand gifted backs. needs to to a better job of leading recievers in the short pass game allowing for a better opportunity for RAC. Seems to throw shorter passes too much on a line with too much velocity causing backs/recievers to drop or making them have to adjust hindering their RAC potential. When Mallett misses, its generally high and/or with too much zip. Mallett rarely underthrows or dirtballs passes. Needs to show more touch on fades and screens and lead the reciver better on these type patterns allowing for rac and and allowing recievers to make plays. He does however show the ability to throw the ball accurately into a bucket or to the spot required but needs to show a better touch and the ability to take something off of the ball better when required. Mallett has the fewest passes touched by defenders of any qb in college and it requires great hands to pick him off lowering his turnover potential. Ability will be enhanced by more gifted pass catchers at the nfl level who will have less struggle dealing with the sheer velocity of his throws. shows excellent pocket presence, will stand in and throw lasers when hit and will not leave the pocket until necessary and will still look to make downfield throws often punishing the defense for flushing him. does not look to "tuck and run" often and when he does has long gaping strides to eat up large chunks of yardage in a short period of time. Is not fazed or injured by heavy hits. Shows ability to simply throw over even the mammoth college sized defenders of the taped competion. Showws good footwork and is comfortable and just as effective operating from the shotgun or from under center. uses play action fakes hides the ball well and will punish any defender or takes an incorrect step or bites due to powerful arm that has enough strength to exploit db missteps. can fit the ball over and between deep safeties with ease even under pressure. ability to exploit the deep part of the field keeps safeties honest vs both the pass and the run. 8 in the box is generally exploited and rarely was it seen in the games other than on the blitz, which he showed ability to stand in and deliver perfect lasers and exploit deep leading to big plays through the air.

Final synopsis

Mallett is a physically gifted thrower of the ball not often seen. His size gives him the advantage of being able to both see over defenders and take their hits. His physical gifts are non pariel and compare favorably to nfl qbs. Will not struggle throwing the ball in any weather condition. Mallett forces defenses to cover the entire field and forces them to blitz to stop him. He opens up the run game by not allowing defenders to load the box for fear of his ability to hit any pattern in the playbook. mallett has taken his team to overachieving levels and has made them a team to be feared by evn the highest competiton level, showing himself the leader and most feared player in the SEC, the nations strongest by far overall defensive conference. Does not wilt under the pressure and has shown solid decision making when under duress. exhibited great leadership on field and is the unquestioned general of the razorback attack. has played in a prostyle system and will be most ready to handle the intense pressures of even the most elite NFL defenses and will make them pay a heavy price for either bringing the house or sitting back. A qb who will strike fear and respect into NFL defensive coaches. A player who has the makings and physical gifts to take a team on his back and lead them lombardi trophies as he has led his razorback squad to not just respectabilty in the ultra defense tough SEC. Will have NFL coaches losing sleep on how to defend the entire field when he is on the opposite side. Do you bring the noise hoping he will not exploit the deep half and that you will get to him? or do you let him stand in there under little rush and allow him to deliver pinpoint lasers under little pressure. he is the double edged sword that leads to defense exploitation which leads to greatness at the nfl level. The best player in the SEC. The best prospect at the most important position.

NFL comparison Joe flacco, baltimore.

Position grade 5 ( qb 5: edge rusher, lt 4: interior line dl, lb 3: db, wr, rb interior OL 2: specialist 1 )

Toatl score 5 x 27.3= 136.5 overrall rank 1 position rank 1

i know we hate but ive decided to add some video for the non believers. you wont see jimmy claussen or jake locker or sam bradford making these tosses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJVjIQV-j3M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJVjIQV-j3M

edit: my bad.
http://www.tfydraft.com/bb/index.php...a58685#msg_225

that was a fun read.....Thanks.





I wonder what clips though the author has seen from him? Or if he just watched him live. Because every throw i have seen he has had 4-5 seconds to throw the ball- not being rushed by a bad OL...But hey- i have only seen like 4 clips so obviously, my sampling is not very good.


none of those vids are playing though. It says they are all voided due to copyright stuff.

Thanks for the thread SoCal. Mallet is an intriguing prospect, and I have no doubt that he goes top 10 if he comes out. He has a cannon arm, and I think that his completion % can be discounted due to a porous offensive line. The team that takes him is going to have to bring him along, either with a great running game, or sitting him behind a vet for a year. Flacco is a decent comparison, but Mallet has a much stronger arm, and played against better competition.

Would McD go after him? I doubt it, just because the system he runs requires an accurate, cerebral QB, and 2 other QB's in the draft fit that description better. One of Mallet's weaknesses seem to be the short pass, and that's an integral part of this offense. On the other hand, having a QB that can spread the field and make a db pay for any little mistake makes coaches mouths water. Would I be disappointed if the Broncos walked away with Mallet in the first round? No, but I wouldn't expect much production from him for at least 2 years.

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Thanks for the thread SoCal. Mallet is an intriguing prospect, and I have no doubt that he goes top 10 if he comes out. He has a cannon arm, and I think that his completion % can be discounted due to a porous offensive line. The team that takes him is going to have to bring him along, either with a great running game, or sitting him behind a vet for a year. Flacco is a decent comparison, but Mallet has a much stronger arm, and played against better competition.

Would McD go after him? I doubt it, just because the system he runs requires an accurate, cerebral QB, and 2 other QB's in the draft fit that description better. One of Mallet's weaknesses seem to be the short pass, and that's an integral part of this offense. On the other hand, having a QB that can spread the field and make a db pay for any little mistake makes coaches mouths water. Would I be disappointed if the Broncos walked away with Mallet in the first round? No, but I wouldn't expect much production from him for at least 2 years.

Yeah, after watching the Liberty Bowl, this kid has serious NFL calibur game, but hes extremelly raw. Horrible footwork. Just absolutely piss poor. He basically gets away with it, because hes 6'7", and has a cannon.
I think he stays another year, although many are saying he still may declare because Petrino's a moron, and Mallet has had it with the college scene.
And your absolutely spot on with analyzing his short game. Its bad. He throws bullets 7 yard away to his recievers, and they cant even get a hand on them!
But as a prospect that could just sit behind Orton for a year or 2 and work on his mechanics/system he would be perfect. Mallett has the biggest upside of any player in this draft. His physical potential is just incredible.

Strong armed QB on a mediocre SEC team. That's new

Reported by SI he is staying in school

Originally Posted by elsid13

Reported by SI he is staying in school

So hopefully Petrino doesnt totally ruin him. He needs to get his mechanics down, and he will be a top 3 pick next year.
Thanks for the post.

Mallett Injury Update

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - University of Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett sustained a broken bone in his left foot during conditioning drills Wednesday morning. Mallett is expected to miss spring practice and fully recover in three to four months.

"It is unfortunate since Ryan works extremely hard and has made a commitment to the Razorbacks," said UA head coach Bobby Petrino. "I am confident in our athletic trainers and medical staff and believe they are the best in the country. Ryan is a strong competitor who I know will put all his effort into overcoming his injury and continuing to lead this team."