Many draft prognosticators have the Vikings taking Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett with the 12th pick. While no one questions whether or not Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert are worth a first-round pick, the same cannot be said for Mallett.
Pros. The consensus on Mallett seems to be that he’s got a rocket arm and can make all the throws. When his mechanics are sound, he can put the ball into a tiny window. He has a natural, over-the-top delivery that, when coupled with his 6’7″ frame, gives him plenty of room to find receivers. His height allows him to see the field clearly and his passes will be tough to bat down at the line.
He’s got experience in a pro-style offense.
Cons. He’s strictly a pocket passer and not much of an athlete, so he’s not going to be a threat to run for many first downs. He has problems setting his feet when he’s going to secondary receivers. His mechanics tend to break down under pressure, so his accuracy suffers. He also loses accuracy when he’s on the move.
There are also character questions that have plagued Mallett; but how much of that is the type of rumors you tend to hear about this time of year, who knows?
Worth A First Round Pick? There are fanboys of Mallett and he has his detractors. Everyone seems to agree that he’s got the size and arm to be a big time NFL quarterback and you get the same attitude of where he should go in the draft.
The fanboys are convinced he’s a first-round talent but several of the detractors say he shouldn’t be on the draft board at all.
I don’t think he’s all that good or that bad. I’m pretty convinced Ryan Mallett’s not worth the 12th round pick, though.