Would Tommy play QB in the NFL if ...

[MichiganDad3]

I could play in the NFL if I improved my arm strength, grew 6 inches and could read NFL defenses.

TA will never play QB in the NFL. He may have a shot if he changes positions. He is fast and tough. But there is no way he can read NFL defenses and make good decisions consistently. He also struggles with high percentages passes.

See that's the thing, I'm not asking about some Joe Blow who is entirely devoid of the physical tools to play in the NFL. Like you. Or me. I'm asking about Tommy. He's clearly athletic enough. And he has a strong enough arm. He just lacks accuracy. That, and he's prone to force throws that sometimes end up in picks.

So, back to my question: If Tommy could gain some accuracy--say, Ganzesque accuracy--and throw fewer picks, would he play Sundays?

That is my point about accuracy. I coached baseball for 15 years, and I have found many kids with great velocity that can't be pitchers because of accuracy. I don't think it is possible for TA to improve his accuracy. It seems like he should be able to improve his decision making, but he has worked with two coaching staffs, and make just as many ridiculous throws as ever, and he still can't check down and find the wide open receiver. I say put him at LB.

Really? You coached baseball for 15 years and never improved a pitchers accuracy? Were you the pitching coach? Or is this like 7-8 Coach Pitch?

Some kids cannot improve enough to be effective. You see it in MLB all the time. There is no shortage of guys that throw in the high 90s that cannot consistently hit their spots. Watch Verlander. He is nearly unhittable when he has control. When he starts walking people his ERA jumps over 5.

 

[bale]

Tommy has a cannon for an arm, very strong runner, though he prefers to pass first. A bit wild with the accuracy, but it's more of a lack of a consistency rather than being completely unable to do it. He was dropping dimes in the first 25 minutes of the Rutgers game. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Tommy gets drafted in the 6th or 7th round, especially if he's able to push that accuracy to a slightly more consistent level. One problem he will forever have is he's a bit short for an NFL QB. If he had 2 or 3 more inches on him I'd almost guarantee he gets drafted late.

 

[ScottyIce]

I could play in the NFL if I improved my arm strength, grew 6 inches and could read NFL defenses.

TA will never play QB in the NFL. He may have a shot if he changes positions. He is fast and tough. But there is no way he can read NFL defenses and make good decisions consistently. He also struggles with high percentages passes.

See that's the thing, I'm not asking about some Joe Blow who is entirely devoid of the physical tools to play in the NFL. Like you. Or me. I'm asking about Tommy. He's clearly athletic enough. And he has a strong enough arm. He just lacks accuracy. That, and he's prone to force throws that sometimes end up in picks.

So, back to my question: If Tommy could gain some accuracy--say, Ganzesque accuracy--and throw fewer picks, would he play Sundays?

That is my point about accuracy. I coached baseball for 15 years, and I have found many kids with great velocity that can't be pitchers because of accuracy. I don't think it is possible for TA to improve his accuracy. It seems like he should be able to improve his decision making, but he has worked with two coaching staffs, and make just as many ridiculous throws as ever, and he still can't check down and find the wide open receiver. I say put him at LB.

Really? You coached baseball for 15 years and never improved a pitchers accuracy? Were you the pitching coach? Or is this like 7-8 Coach Pitch?

Some kids cannot improve enough to be effective. You see it in MLB all the time. There is no shortage of guys that throw in the high 90s that cannot consistently hit their spots. Watch Verlander. He is nearly unhittable when he has control. When he starts walking people his ERA jumps over 5.

Lol. You sort of avoided my question. The difference is any improvement made by Tommy as a passer increases his chances of being a better QB by a great margin. Imagine if teams had to respect the short passing game, how many deep balls Tommy would be able to hit over the top?

I actually believe Tommy is going to see a big spike next year in accuracy and give himself a shot at being drafted late, or at least given some chances as an UDFA.

 

[Bowfin]

If Tommy could kick 65 yard field goals into the wind consistently, he could easily make it in the NFL as a kicker.

 

[Army_Allen]

That's saying a lot Matt given we had Tmart here who was a 60% Career passer and less picks than Tommy over a longer span and he didn't make it (granted he just didn't clear medically but would a been a WR anyways).

 

[Haspula]

Chip Kelly called him and wanted him to play QB at oregon during his HS years. If he goes undrafted, the eagles could pick him up

 

[ScottyIce]

That's saying a lot Matt given we had Tmart here who was a 60% Career passer and less picks than Tommy over a longer span and he didn't make it (granted he just didn't clear medically but would a been a WR anyways).

That's true. If you remember before Magic's final season, Bo stated that Martinez would play QB in the NFL as a fact at B10 Media Days.

I think a big part of that was Martinez not being healthy his senior season. Would've taken a leap of faith. Plus, he never cleared medically as you stated. Martinez did what MichiganDad3 says is impossible, he improved as a passer. Everything looked better from his from to his completion percentage.

 

[84HuskerLaw]

I think Tommy will own nearly all the QB records at Nebraska and there have been many excellent college QBs at Nebraska. We have rarely ever started one that was not one of the better ones in the conference and therefore one of the better ones in the nation. But there is a huge jump from college QB to pro QB and any non traditional (protypical) QB such as Tommy will have to be at least a heisman level athlete really. Even Eric Crouch and Tim Tebow (two tremendous athletes clearly) were not really good enough. Tebow has bounced around but really is not a NFL prototype QB. They need to be: 6-4 or taller and 220 lbs, decent scrambling or 'time buying' ability in the pocket, and a tremendous arm! Not a good arm. Not a great arm but a tremendous arm! They need exceptional accuracy and strength to throw deep outs across the field, good touch on the short throws and the ability to hit receivers in stride on the slants, etc. All these passes must be demonstrated to be consistently made. The QB to make a NFL team needs to complete above 60% in college and at or near that or better in the pros over a several year basis.

Tommy is a very good QB and has been a real positive contributor to the Huskers. Is he NFL caliber as a prototype QB? NO! Unfortunately for him, he is not. There was a time that you could have seen a team try to take him to be a back up QB and perhaps something else as well. The dollars are so big now days, teams must have two solid NFL level QBs I don't think even if he improved in passing percentage next season to a solid 67% with almost no interceptions on the year would he be taken in the draft. They would look at his college career and his footwork, height, weight, mental and physical evaluations, etc. I don't think they would gamble on him. Perhaps as a free agent somebody would give him a look but very doubtful..

 

[BIG ERN]

... he becomes as accurate as Joe Ganz, and has as low of an interception percentage? (Ganz: 65% completion. 18 picks out of 585 passes)

===================

Or maybe I should rephrase the question: What existing (or past) NFL quarterback would Tommy compare to if he becomes as accurate and throws as few picks as Ganz?

Ganz didn't make it in the NFL, so why are you using him as a measuring stick? He threw his fair share of picks too.

Tommy is a better runner than Ganz. Heck, Tommy is a better runner than Tim Tebow. And Tommy has more arm strength than Ganz. He just doesn't have Ganz' accuracy, and knack for avoiding interceptions. That's why I picked Ganz. (I thought about using Vince Ferragamo--but Ganz is more recent.)

Armstrong next year would have to have 1,750 rushing yards and 42 rushing TDs to equal what Tebow did running wise.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I could play in the NFL if I improved my arm strength, grew 6 inches and could read NFL defenses.

TA will never play QB in the NFL. He may have a shot if he changes positions. He is fast and tough. But there is no way he can read NFL defenses and make good decisions consistently. He also struggles with high percentages passes.

See that's the thing, I'm not asking about some Joe Blow who is entirely devoid of the physical tools to play in the NFL. Like you. Or me. I'm asking about Tommy. He's clearly athletic enough. And he has a strong enough arm. He just lacks accuracy. That, and he's prone to force throws that sometimes end up in picks.

So, back to my question: If Tommy could gain some accuracy--say, Ganzesque accuracy--and throw fewer picks, would he play Sundays?

I think Tommy is an inch or two short from being a sure-fire pick. I think somebody would gamble on him with his current numbers if he was closer to 6"3'.

As it is, I hope he can make a living somehow at the next level. As a scout team guy or whatever it might be.

 

[bale]

... he becomes as accurate as Joe Ganz, and has as low of an interception percentage? (Ganz: 65% completion. 18 picks out of 585 passes)

===================

Or maybe I should rephrase the question: What existing (or past) NFL quarterback would Tommy compare to if he becomes as accurate and throws as few picks as Ganz?

Ganz didn't make it in the NFL, so why are you using him as a measuring stick? He threw his fair share of picks too.

Tommy is a better runner than Ganz. Heck, Tommy is a better runner than Tim Tebow. And Tommy has more arm strength than Ganz. He just doesn't have Ganz' accuracy, and knack for avoiding interceptions. That's why I picked Ganz. (I thought about using Vince Ferragamo--but Ganz is more recent.)

Armstrong next year would have to have 1,750 rushing yards and 42 rushing TDs to equal what Tebow did running wise.

Right, because Tebow and Tommy ran extremely similar offenses throughout their career. Lol

 

[zoogs]

If Tommy fixes his feet, he'll have a chance. But there's a lot of work for him to do between now and the end of next season if he wants to cement himself as even a mid round candidate. He can get there.

 

[gratefullred]

Earlier in the year I was thinking it could happen. He hasn't looked as good throwing the ball lately. He is throwing off his back foot all the time. I think the toe is preventing him from steping into his throws.

If he can step into his throws and improve his accuracy somebody could take a chance on him.

 

[ScottyIce]

NFL QB's are mysterious. They have been found in the 1st-7th rounds, on the street, bagging groceries, etc. You never know where you will find yours. Hopefully a lucky team will find one at Nebraska next year.

 

[Pwnyboy]

It's honestly just not going to happen. He's not a passer. It's evident. Many much better QBs have tried to make it, and didn't. Tommy isn't getting in the NFL as a QB.