Why should we draft Leftwich

If we do draft him, it could just as easily BE a huge mistake. He's broken the same leg twice in as many years. That's the red flag that sticks out to me.
Not saying I am dead set against drafting him, it has nothing to do with his performance. My concern is the injuries, and if history tells Panther fans nothing else...it's that injuies happen to the black cats.
Point blank, the draft is really a crap shoot. No matter who we pick, they could wind up in traction by the end of the first week of camp...unless they dont?

 

>>I guess the biggest problem I have is that most guy like him have about a 50-50 shot at even being a long term starter.

That'll happen with any high-impact position. OL you are all but guaranteed a starter - but that's because you can live with anyone with strength starting among your five positions. That alone should tell you why we shouldn't draft one at #9 "just because".

Nonetheless there are five major things that cause QB busts.
1. bad fit - QB does not fit current wants/needs in system and personality. Leftwich's deep ball and ability to both lead a game and take it over suggests that's not a consideration. That leads back into #2

2. reach for need - causes three things in itself. QB plays too early, which is detrimental in the development of most; QB has too high of expectations because he "fills the need" and was a high pricetag; QB isn't good fit for system as noted in #1 because he was taken for need, not fit.

These things don't apply. High pricetag, yes. We can't help that. But he's got starters in front of him, which eliminates current need and suggests development.

3. bad supporting cast - hopefully we've turned the corner offensively. Otherwise, the ST and defensive units are made for turnover and field position, and you really can't ask for more as a young QB. A strong running game as well is a perfect support system. These things should all still be established whenever Leftwich takes the field.

4. bad coaching - not necessarily the case, we tend to be conservative but that's supposed to go away with talent. We might be vanilla, but room's still made for plays to be made.

5. experience - many Heisman busts, and many high pick busts overall, don't have experience. They sit for years on the bench and pick up a championship team in their senior years and take them somewhere. Leftwich's started for years now, with success in all. The bust rate for QBs who start at least two and a half years is much smaller than for one who's started one - that also includes players who haven't had Leftwich's success, like Boller or Palmer, who have four years as well.

6. leadership - no need in this case.

Can he still bust? Sure. Can Trufant? Sure. Would they make much more impact than Gross? Yes. Can we afford to be scared to make the right choice? I don't believe so. Right tackles will come and go. We'll never again have the chance to select a franchise player.


as for the rest?
First I'd like to note that all 32 teams passed Leftwich in their physicals.

>>Likewise, some believe that Leftwich will require surgery immediately after the draft to remove a pin or a plate that was inserted to assist the healing process.

I wouldn't doubt it. It has to come out some time. This could be wrongly misconstrued as a health problem rather than a follow up situation. Some have suggested that the plate's existence in the leg caused this year's injury.

 

I think a good offensive lineman is almost as important as a good QB. Games are won and lost in the trenches. Skill players get the glory for their hard work. I grew up watching the Hoggs in washington and they made average skill players like Doug Williams, Mark Rypien, Timmy Smith etc look great. You will never convince me that the OL is not as important as skill positions.

 

in the draft its not as important... because the top skill players go first... and O-Lineman are all over the draft... if you can score a good lineman AFTER you pickup a skill player with your first pick you don't waste that first pick on an O-Lineman... that simple

 

I don't believe so.
Sure, those were very average players. How many of them had long, stellar careers? None you mentioned. Brief success after waiting, then a few years' success, a pinnacle, and then falling off to obscurity.

Won or lost in the trenches means you had a solid unit. Not one player. We were very solid amongst our five, and our four - even seven - and yet the result wasn't spectacular. Our defensive four still couldn't mask all coverage problems - whether it be at corner, safety, or even at linebacker when Morgan was out. Our offensive front still needs a RT - but a solid player will do. That one player being dominant or not - which Gross never has been, at a lower level - doesn't keep the blitz away, nor does it make any of the skill players more impactive. Makes them more solid, a little more able to do what they do - but if they're generic cookie cutter players, you get what we've had. I don't want that at the expense of a non-dominant lineman you can get in the first day.

 

I think if we somehow pass on Leftwich we should beat Mc Fly with those soap/socks, like they did in Full Metal Jacket.

 

McFly, I agree the draft is a crapshoot. Anybody can bust easily, and Panther fans should be wary of injuries. An offensive lineman could blow out a knee as easily as Leftwich could re-injure that leg. And I'm not even denying we need o-line help, just not at the ninth pick, not with this group of offensive linemen. I don't think Gross or Harris are comparable to Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden. It just seems like Leftwich has more potential to be a dominant player than Gross does. I could be wrong, I could be right.

Personally, I wish the Panthers would sign either Mo Collins or Solomon Page before the draft so they could be more flexable. Either would be better than, say, Tuten.

As far as money for a 1st round QB, sure it's a risk. But some risks are worth taking. I'd rather take a chance at greatness - even if it fails - than be a team satisfied with poor to mediocre performances. What must it be like to be a fan of a team that puts no effort into improving?

Now, I'm dying to see what happens at Leftwich's workout Monday.

 

>> What must it be like to be a fan of a team that puts no effort into improving?

been there before, wasn't much fun.

everything you said jc.

 

He is the best in player in the draft IMO. Passing on him at #9 would be ludicrist.

 

The Redskins won three superbowls under Joe Gibbs. All three teams had basically the same OL. Look at the guys who played there at the skill positions. Sure John Riggins was great but he would have never been much on a team with an average OL. Joe Theisman, Mark Rypien, Doug Williams, Jay Schroeder, Stan Humphries none of those guys were great QBs. Theisman was pretty good but not great. Ernest Byner, Timmy Smith etc were very average running backs. The offensive line in Washington was the biggest reason they won those three superbowls.

It is true that Gross is not an Ogden or Pace, if so we could never draft him at #9. If you want to argue that Lefty is a better QB than Gross is an OL then maybe you have an arguement. If you want to say OL do not matter enough to be drafted high then you do not understand how football really works.