Leinart Could Pull an Aaron Rodgers

[EDGECRUSHER]

Rumors of an Aaron Rodgers-like draft slide for USC quarterback Matt Leinart are already being discussed.
The presence of Vince Young, Jay Cutler, and Brodie Croyle accompanied by the fact that Leinart didn't participate in Senior Bowl activities is given as the reasoning. Although it doesn't seem he's as likely as Rodgers may have been to fall, no one saw what happened last year coming, either. Leinart's agents Leigh Steinberg and Chuck Price have apparently been quarrelling, but at his point there's no way he gets past Miami at 16. Jan. 29 - 2:50 pm et

That's from Rotoworld. Yo, Leinart is legit. If he falls to us, it is a blessing from God. The Senior Bowl hype made San Fran pick Alex Smith. Leinart may not be great the first year, but he is a franchise QB and I would rather have him than Jay Cutler. I don't feel comfirtable with guys who get 90% of their hype on the weeks leading to the draft.

[Philly Fin Fan]

I've read the same thing on two other rumor sites. Apparently, Leinart not playing in the Senior bowl could hurt him, and Cutler playing could help him jump up. If Leinart falls down the draft, we need to grab him. If he is still around at #8 or 9 (although i doubt it), we need to trade up and grab him, before someone else does!

[EDGECRUSHER]

Vince Young
Matt Leinart
Jay Cutler
Charlie Whitehurst
Brodie Coyle

Seems like there are a lot of QB's emerging in the draft now with Whitehurst the latest to join the group after his strong Senior Bowl showing. Sure, we have the 16 pick, but how many teams will draft QB's? Not just that, but how many team's will reach for a Whitehurst or Croyle? The Lions pick 9th and if the Top 3 guys are gone, I don't think they will reach for the last two who should go late first round if not early second.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I've read the same thing on two other rumor sites. Apparently, Leinart not playing in the Senior bowl could hurt him, and Cutler playing could help him jump up. If Leinart falls down the draft, we need to grab him. If he is still around at #8 or 9 (although i doubt it), we need to trade up and grab him, before someone else does!

I agree that he hurt his stock by not playing in the Senior Bowl, but the Scouting Combine in Indy could more than make up for that.

[fyo]

From what I've read, Cuttler was "ineffective" at the senior bowl. Wouldn't playing ineffectively hurt his standing more than not playing at all would hurt Leinart?

[Brian Fein]

This all goes out the window the second the doors open for the combine.

The senior bowl is a small blip on the radar screen

[Phishfan]

Alex Smith never played in the Senior Bowl because he never stayed in Utah until his senior year. He left as a junior (although he had already graduated school). Don't make much of this as the top QB prospects never play in the Senior Bowl. This is a chance for the fringe guys to showcase. The top guys always wait until the combine.

[mcduff81]

I cannot imagine him getting past Tennessee at #4, with USC alum Fisher and Lienart's college offensive coordinator in Chow.

[The_Phinatic]

Idiotic rumor.  Leinart's not dropping like Rodgers.  No way in JJ's house.

Phillip Rivers is proof that the Senior Bowl CAN improve a players position for the draft.  I was in Mobile that year and one day two Kiper told me Rivers was a 2nd rounder at best.  A day later he has the guy in the first and then moves him up even higher as the week goes by.

Ronnie Brown is proof that missing the Senior Bowl won't kill you if you do well at the Combine.  He skyrocketed in the first round after his 40 time. 

Both events are very important.  Doing well at one of them can really elevate a player.  Croyle and Whitehurst were 4th rounders and now they are being talked about as possible 2nd rounders.

We won't know if Cutler's Senior Bowl performance hurt him or not until the Combine or after the draft.  Most mocks had him going to us at #16 until Kiper said he was going to Detroit at pick #6.  He's the guy that could be the Rodgers of this year.  He may go early and he may go late in the first.  There are a lot of believers on both sides of the debate.

[Sunstroke]

The Senior Bowl hype made San Fran pick Alex Smith.

Phish already mentioned the fact that Alex never played in the Senior Bowl...but the two reasons that made SF take Alex were:

* Impressive showing at the Combine. I watched him go through all the drills and even I came away impressed.

* Inability to trade down because of the lack of a marquee #1 pick. Nolan tried...he really did. According to a buddy at the Gate, Nolan almost had a deal set with Minnesota to move down to #7 (Nolan wanted Antrel Rolle) and add a 2nd round pick for the 2006 draft, but the Vikes got cold feet at the end and nixed the deal.

[run_to_win]

Quotes from PFT Regarding Leinhart....

Said one league insider:  "The agent thing is part of the problem because it shed light on what this guy is all about.  He's not about football.  He's about Hollywood and being L.A.  People really worried about it last year when he was on the 'People Magazine circuit,' clubbing with people in that lifestyle.  He would have slipped last year too, trust me."

 
Said another, "If I had the first choice in the draft it would be Leinart.  I have studied him for three years and he is the best and most prepared QB to come in the league in years.  He is not the athlete that Palmer is but he is a much better quarterback and leader.  He is for more advanced than [Eli] Manning.  People want to take him apart yet all he has done is win 33 games in a row and lose only two games in three years.  He has brought his team back from behind on numerous occasions.  In 2004 he had four new offensive linemen and all his receivers were new, mostly freshmen and sophomores, yet they still went undefeated and won the National Championship.  What else does a guy have to do?  In my opinion the people who take shots are the ones that want him to fall to them.  There is no way he gets past Tennessee."


Said yet another, "He might slide but people would be foolish to let him slide.  The kid's got great poise and instincts.  By the time you develop Vince Young and Jay Cutler, Leinart will have already taken another team to the playoffs.  He's just a lot more advanced mentally and technique-wise.  He may not have the raw upside of the other two but we've seen in our league that you don’t have to have a howitzer -- Brees, Manning, Brady, Hasselbeck -- to be good." 

[bsfins]

Wow,that may be a first time I've seen the Name D.Brees,and howitzer in the same sentance.

(He's known to not to have the strongest arm..)

[Philly Fin Fan]

Wow,that may be a first time I've seen the Name D.Brees,and howitzer in the same sentance.

(He's known to not to have the strongest arm..)

Re read the sentence. It says you don't have to have a howitzer to be good.

[bsfins]

oops.....

[The_Phinatic]

Keep track of PFT's stories with unnamed sources and my money says you will find 90%+ of them to be BS.  They are the only fools saying Leinart will be the next Aaron Rodgers.  It's a pathetic rumor.