2016 NFL DRAFT: 'Cardale Jones and the Last Crusade'

Jones looked like the second 'Chosen One' in the state of Ohio at one point.

In Cardale Jones' final game as an Ohio State Buckeye quarterback, he didn't take a single snap.

As the team celebrated it's 44-28 New Year's day Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame, the smiles on the players' faces were genuine. Satisfied relief due to a hard fought win against a solid football team was the expression most of the Buckeyes players exued, especially of the guys that would be graduating or entering the NFL Draft and playing with these group of brothers for the final time.

J.T. Barrett started at quarterback (for what would have been the sixth straight game had he not been suspended for one following a DUI arrest) and played well. Joey Bosa, star defensive end and projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, was ejected from the game in the first quarter for targeting Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer. Running back Ezekiel Elliot rushed for four TDs, flashing the trademark OSU abs to the fans in the back of the endzone after one of them, and doing the iconic Bosa shrug pose after another.

It was a good win for the program but it wasn't a game against Alabama, or Oklahoma, or Clemson. Those teams played the night before, Dec. 31, on the big stage. The Buckeyes were left out of the College Football Playoff. Their hopes were crushed on a last second field goal Nov. 15 at home against Michigan State. The Spartans won the Big Ten championship and locked up one of the coveted final four playoff spots. Bitter and dissappointed, there were questions if many of Ohio State's players would be motivated to play in a lesser bowl game and rather just try to not get hurt and mess up a chance to play in the NFL next year. Alabama would go on to trounce Sparty 38-0 in one of the semifinal games, the night before the Buckeyes took the field in the Fiesta Bowl. That game could have given players incentive to prove to critics that the loss to Michigan State was a fluke and to gripe that, 'we could've played Alabama better than 38-0!'

Again, Cardale Jones did not play.

For that to fully resonate, you have to go back and look at what he and the team accomplished towards the end of the 2014 season. And to get a better understanding of what exactly the 6-5, 250-pound quarterback prospect from Cleveland went through to get there, you have to go back farther on his timeline.

His Twitter timeline to be exact.

Its fair to say that no one outside of the state of Ohio knew who Jones was until the then redshirt freshman took to Twitter and posted this:

Of course this caused a major uproar, and head coach Urban Meyer suspended jones for the following game. It didn't really affect the team at all, as Jones was the 3rd string QB, and Braxton Miller, the 2012 and 2013 Big Ten Offensive player of the year, was the starter. It wouldn't be until the end of the 2014 season that Jones would truly get a chance to blowup on the field and not just on social media.

Miller would miss the entire 2014 season with a shoulder injury, and a competition for starting quarterback between Jones and Barrett began. Neither player had started a game in their careers and Barrett, a redshirt freshman at the time, won the position battle. Other than an early season loss on the road to Virginia Tech, Barrett solidified his role as the starting quarterback and undisputed captain of the team (44 total TDs are school and Big Ten records), leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record and a birth in the conference championship game.

But Barrett suffered a broken ankle in the win over Michigan in the final game of the regular season and was ruled out for the year. Now down Barrett and Miller, coach Meyer would have to turn to the same guy he had to suspend the year prior for suggesting he only wanted to play football. He was finally getting his chance to play some.

In his first career start, the 2014 Big Ten conference championship game against Winsconsin, Jones threw for 253 yards and 3 TDs. Ohio State cruised 59-0 and earned a spot in the inagural College Football Playoff with that win and faced No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in a semifinal game. Jones once again rose to the occasion and the Buckeyes advanced to the championship game. If there was any doubt left that Jones had what it takes to be a championship quarterback, he erased it when Ohio State defeated the Oregon Ducks 42-20 in the CFP championship game, who were led by Heisman Trophy winner and current Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Jones started three games and went 3-0. And he didn't just game manage. He made plays all over the field.

So how did it get to the point that in his final game ever wearing the scarlett and grey, Jones did nothing but wear a headset and carry a clipboard?

The performance Jones put on last year did not go unnoticed by NFL scouts and Jones, who was a redshirt sophomore at the time, was eligble for the 2015 NFL Draft. Analysts and the like projected him to go in the 3rd or 4th round. With Barrett coming back to OSU after breaking records, and Miller also poised for a return, Jones had the decision of leaving for the pros rather than returning to Colombus with the other two guys who were previously ahead of him on the depth chart going back there. But Jones decided to stay in school (irony) and from that point until the first game the next fall, the controversy of who would start at QB in 2015 for the Buckeyes was born. Meyer finally named Jones the starter before the team's first game. Barrett was backup and Miller made the transition to H-back over the summer to utilize his speed and agility as a runner and receiver. To say Jones was lackluster to start the season would be accurate. When you compare it to what he did in the final three games of the previous season, it would be easy to call him a bust. After a particularly poor performance against Indiana, Jones took to Twitter with some rather somber tweets and even changed his bio so that it said "3rd string quarterback." Barrett went back to being the starter the following week and, save for a game where he was suspended for getting a DUI, started the remainder of the team's games and handled almost every snap. Following the Michigan State game, his final game at the Horshoe in Columbus, Jones announced on Twitter (where else would he say it?) that he intended on forgoing his senior season and entering the NFL Draft.

So what is the next step for the legend that is Cardale Jones?

He didn't play much at all towards the end of his career, and definitely will take a hit in his draft projection from last year, but he has the size and the arm to be able to play quarterback at the next level (Cam Newton doing what he's doing right now will help prospects like Jones in the future). What he put on tape this year was brutal at times and he injured himself running the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.  All he can do now is have a good day at OSU's pro day Mar. 11 and hope that he can build off the three spectacular games that he has on tape.

Maybe he gets picked up late in the draft and makes a living as a backup. Maybe he doesn't make it in the NFL at all. Somehow, someway, and sometime, a coach or GM is gonna break out the tape from his first three starts though, and look back in amazement at the next level poise he displayed and the offense he generated.

Throwbackz: 'College Dropout' NCAA Football Legends/ NFL Busts: Peter Warrick, WR, Florida State Seminoles, 1996-99

Matt Leinart, Heath Shuler, and Brian Bosworth aren't the only guys that could've been cast in that DISH Network 'going back to college' commercial, where these former college greats with lackluster NFL careers link in a coffee shop and pine the days of their college glory. 

Many college stars and can't miss talents over the years have proven the concept that professional football is an entirely different entity in itself. 

For every late-round gem like Tom Brady and Terrell Davis, you have a Ryan Leaf or Ki-Jana Carter. 

It's just how the game works.  Potential in football is so unpredictable. 

As the 2014 college football season approaches (the first that will feature a four-team playoff rather than the Bowl Championship Series polling format), I recall some of the most electrifying and hard-hitting players to ever play in college, but didn't quite make a name for themselves in the pros....

'Trent Richardson>Adrian Peterson?'

Trent has a long way to go to catch up to A.D.'s exploits.

Before the 2012 NFL Draft, I updated a status on my Facebook page saying that I wasn't buying into the Trent Richardson being a better prospect than Adrian Peterson hype. 
To be clear, I was not trashing Richardson or saying that he would be a bust.  Rather, i was simply stating that expecting him to be as good as/better than Peterson is/was an egregious sentiment, as A.D., in my opinion, is one of the most special athletes to come about in any sport in the last 30 years.  People bugged out (mostly Tide fans) and started un-'liking' the page!
This is a small sample size, but take a look at the numbers between Peterson and Richardson through their first nine career NFL games.  If Richardson is gonna live up to his pre-draft hype, and comparison's to Peterson (who btw is punking kids left and right in 2012), he's got a lot of catching up to do.

Adrian Peterson's rushing statistics, first 9 NFL games (2007)
Quarterbacks: Tarvaris Jackson, Kelly Holcomb, Brooks Bollinger
Other RBs: Chester Taylor, Mewelde Moore
19-103-1
20-66-0
25-102-1
12-112-0
20-224-3
12-63-1
20-70-0
30-296-3
11-45-0
Totals: 169-1081-9

Trent Richardson's rushing statistics first 9 NFL games (2012)
Quarterback: Brandon Weeden
Other RBs: Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya
19-39-0
19-109-1
12-27-1
14-47-1
17-81-1
14-37-0
8-8-0
24-122-1
25-105-1
Totals: 152-575-6

2012 NFL Draft 'Underrated' Prospects: 'Size Matters . . . Speed Kills'

Hemingway makes tough catches in traffic.

WR - Junior Hemingway - Michigan
6-1 225 Conway H.S./ Conway, SC (12/27/1988)
2011 Stats: 34 rec., 699 yds, 4 TDs

Breakdown:  Playing receiver in a spread-option offense won't get you many accolades or eye-popping statistics, so it's easy to see why a player like Hemingway can fly under the radar.  It also doesn't help when your quarterback for the past two seasons, Dennard Robinson, broke the FBS single-season rushing mark for a QB and was the primary focus of Big Ten defenses.  What is noticeable though is that when Robinson needed to pass, the guy he felt most comfortable slinging it to was Hemingway.  Robinson is not known for his accuracy as a passer and many of Hemingway's receptions were acrobatic grabs of errand passes.  The fifth-year senior often had to fight off double coverage as it became known that Robinson would try to find him first in passing situations.

NFL Skill Set:  Hemingway is 6-1 but plays more like 6-5 because of his 78-inch wingspan.  Add that the 225-pounder put up 21-reps of 225-pounds at the NFL combine (second best among WRs at the combine) and his potential as a physical possession-type NFL receiver is more solidified.  Hemingway ran an average 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds) at the combine but was the top wide receiver in the 3-cone drill (6.59) and the 20-yard shuttle (3.98), illustrating his agility and his ability to stop-and-start coming out of breaks.  Click here to watch video of Hemingway 2011 vs. Notre Dame and Northwestern.

Pead led the Big East in rushing in 2011.

RB - Isaiah Pead - Cincinnati
5-11 197 Eastmoor Academy (OH)/ Columbus, OH (12/14/1989)
2011 Stats: 237 att., 1,259 yds, 12 TDs/ 39 rec. 319 yds, 3 TDs

Breakdown:  The Bearcats football team bounced back from a down year in 2010 (4-8, 2-5 Big East) and finished with a 10-3 record in 2011 and a share of the Big East Title.  Much of that success has to be credited to Pead's offensive production.  Pead led the conference in rushing and was third on the Bearcats in receptions.  Whats more is that Cincy quarterback Zach Collaros had a below-average season passing (1,940 yards, 20 TDs, 14 INTs in 10 games) and defenses game planned to stop the run.  No problem for Pead, who plays with an unwillingness to be brought down by the first tackler.

NFL Skill Set:  Pead clocked in a solid 4.47 second 40-yard dash time at the combine but it's watching his game tape that makes him stand out.  Pead has a knack for anticipating gaps in the defensive line and cutting back once he reaches the second level; qualities that are good if he goes to a NFL team with a zone blocking scheme. When he finds those gaps, he hits them aggressively and with strong acceleration.  He also implements this ability in the passing game when receiving screen passes.  Pead is a strong runner who keeps his legs moving and showed he can move the pile in college and could not be brought down by arm-tackles.  Click here to watch video of Pead 2011 vs. West Virginia.

BLUNT COMMENTS: TUESDAY DECEMBER 6, 2011

- I hope the Indianapolis Colts draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the number 1 overall pick in next years draft.  That way, I can make a smooth transition of hating on talented but goofy and some what Downs syndrome looking quarterbacks.

Manning face to Luck face will be a smooth transition for Colts haters.

- The Heisman Trophy belongs to Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, with LSU cornerback/ punt returner/ gamebreaker Tyrann Mathieu a close second.

RG3 and Mathieu have been the biggest gamebreakers this season.

- I don't know who I want to punch in the face harder, Bernie Fine or Laurie Fine.



- In this year's NFL, I don't care what you can do, what you're good at, what you're bad at, how many 4th quarter comebacks or Pro-Bowlers you have . . . the only thing that matters is this: Can you stop the Green Bay Packers?

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have been so consistent, it's hard to see a loss in their near future.

- Yeah, Tim Tebow has been spectacular in the 4th quater, John Fox is a genius for tailoring the Denver Broncos offense so that Tebow can thrive in it, and the defense led by rookie linebacker Von Miller has been keeping games close so that Tebow can make his comebacks . . . but lets settle down and look at the teams the Broncos have beat in during this 6-1 stretch: Miami Dolphins (4-8), Oakland Raiders (7-5), Kansas City Chiefs (5-7), New York Jets (7-5), San Diego Chargers (5-7), Minnesota Vikings (2-10) . . . the only loss was to the Detroit Lions (7-5), 45-10.  Not hating on Tebow, I've liked him since his days in Gainsville, and I know its hard to beat any team in the NFL no matter what the record, especially on the road, but I'm just saying . . .

Tebow is a great closer, but let's face it; the Broncos haven't beaten any real contenders.

'No. 1, If By Air'

The college football season is coming to its climax and the games have been very exciting these past few weekends including a defensive battle between Southeastern Conference juggernauts LSU and Alabama, and huge upsets that have sent Oklahoma State, Oregon, Clemson, and Oklahoma basically out of the national championship picture.  That said, this Thanksgiving Day weekend serves up another dandy when No. 1 LSU (11-0, 7-0 SEC) hosts No. 3 Arkansas (10-1, 6-1 SEC) with obvious national title implications on the line.  The Tigers have dominated defensively all year, mostly due to the talent of the secondary.  The Razorbacks have put up big offensive numbers this year thanks to the passing attack.  It will be a battle of strength versus strength that will decide which one of these SEC schools comes closer to solidifying a spot in the BCS National Championship game.  Here are the top players to watch in that game.

Wright catches just about everything he gets his hands on.

Arkansas Razorbacks
#4 Jarius Wright - Wide Receiver
5-10 180 Senior Warren, AR
2011 stats:  61 rec., 1002 yds, 10 TDs

Wright is the most consistent threat for the Hogs pass attack and is quarterback Tyler Wilson's favorite target.  He has the ability to make the tough catches in traffic and frequently gets open in man coverage due to his precise route running ability.  The Texas A&M defense knows exactly how dangerous Wright can be as they were torched by #4 to the tune of 13 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns on October 1.

Claiborne attacks the ball at its highest point.

LSU Tigers
#17 Morris Claiborne - Cornerback
6-1 185 Junior Shreveport, LA
2011 stats:  40 tackles, 4 INTs, 9 PD, 1 kick return TD

While teammate and fellow cornerback Tyrann Mathieu gets the national acclaim as the top LSU defensive back, Claiborne leads the team in interceptions and is probably the best NFL prospect in the Tigers secondary.  His interception in the second half of the so called "Game of the Century" against Alabama November 5th setup the game-tying field goal and he also deflected a pass in the end zone that could have been a Crimson Tide touchdown

Other key players:
S - Eric Reid - LSU
WR - Joe Adams - Arkansas
TE - Chris Gragg - Arkansas
WR - Colbi Hamilton - Arkansas
CB - Ron Brooks - LSU
DE - Barkevious Mingo - LSU
DE - Sam Montgomery - LSU
RB - Dennis Johnson - Arkansas

The Year of the Quarterback: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

The hit heard 'round the world

The 2010 baseball season was deemed as the Year of the Pitcher because of the amount of dominant individual pithching performances that seemingly occured on weekly basis throughout the season.  This year in pro football, the headline stories have been dominated by quarterback play; but not always because of dominant performances.  We have witnessed the entire spectrum: from normally great quarterbacks playing awful to guys flat-out playing out of their minds.  These are the top stories.

Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings.  With Favre almost leading the Vikes to the Super Bowl last season, and in the process having a career year, Vikings fans had plenty of optimism for the 2010 season.   But things started to go sour when Favre's performance wasn't stellar early on (wide receivers Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice missed significant playing time) and then-coach Brad Childress and Favre began to butt heads.  Next thing you know, some chic named Jenn Sterger

Favre couldn't resist. Could you?

comes out talking about dirty text messages Favre sent her and the league taking action.  The 41-year-old took things in stride and continued to play, even with the short-lived experience with the disgruntled Randy Moss, and the subsequent firing of Childress.  But the injuries got too much for the NFL's iron man to handle and his record consecutive games played streak ended at 297.  I'm not counting on Favre retiring just yet, but if he does, he would have to part ways with his career in a year when he had one of the ugliest seasons ever for a pro quarterback.                                                         

Peyton Manning, Indianappolis Colts.  The juggernaut that is the Colts offense, coming off a tough loss in the Super Bowl, was expected to continue rolling with almost every key part returning.  In addition, the oft-injured Bob Sanders would be healthy again and add more talent and depth to the defensive secondary.  But the injury bug came along and guys started dropping like flies.  Sanders got hurt again and to date has not played in any game.  Wide receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Austin Collie have missed significant time, as well as Peyton's favorite target over the years, All-Pro tight end Dallas Clark.  The running game took a hit too with starting back Joseph Addai sidelined with a pinched nerve in his shoulder.  Manning was forced to throw the ball alot with the running game being non-existent and it led to a stretch where he threw 11 interceptions in three games against the Patriots, Chargers, and Cowboys with four of those picks going back for touchdowns.  If not for Peyton rallying the Colts against the Jaguars last week to regain control of the AFC south, he would be graded as ugly.  Because if they hold on and earn a spot in the playoffs any thing can happen and the bad could turn into very good.

VY has issues.

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans.  The Titans were terrible (0-6) last year until Vince Young took over for Kerry Collins as starting quarterback midway through the season.  VY finished out the season with an 8-2 record and almost carrying the team to a playoff berth.  The Sporting News named him 2009 Comeback Player of the Year.  Things were looking up for Vince until he got into an altercation at a Dallas strip club during the offseason.  Bad Start.  The Titans were doing o.k. to start this season until Young injured his thumb in Week 11 against the Redskins and had to come out of the game.  Vince wanted to go back in, but coach Jeff Fisher kept him on the sidelines.  VY responded by throwing a hissy-fit, leading to Fisher placing Young on season-ending IR.  Titans owner Bud Adams still supports having Vince as the starting qb once he's healthy but the feeling is that Fisher has had it with him.  Something's gotta give in this ugly situation.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots.   Brady had a good year last year and was having another good year this year, but things didn't start to turn until Randy Moss was traded to Minnesota, and the Patriots acquired a former Brady favorite, wide receiver Deoin Branch, from the Seattle Seahawks.  All Brady has done this year is lead New England (13-2) as the top scoring team in the NFL, averaging 33 pts per game, and setting the all-time single season record for most pass attempts without an interception (319 and counting).  Even coach Bill Belichik might say that Brady has been pretty good this year (but I wouldn't hold my breath).

Brady vs. Vick - Who ya got fa MVP?

Mike Vick, Philadelphia Eagles.  Vick has come a long way from his days as the #1 overall pick for the Atlanta Falcons coming out of college.  After that prison stint for the dogfighting ring, the Eagles were willing to give Vick a shot last year, but he was basically the 3rd string quarterback behind Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb.  After McNabb was traded in the offseason, Vick got moved up to the backup position as coach Andy Reid named Kolb the starter.  When Kolb went down with an injury, Vick finally got his chance to be a starting quarterback in the league again and did he ever take advantage of it.  He played good enough that Reid said even when Kolb was healthy, Vick would remain the guy.  All the guy has done is lead Philly to a 10-4 record, including monster wins over the Redskins and Falcons, and the legendary fourth quarter comeback against the Giants at the new Meadowlands.  I don't think anyone could have imagined Vick coming out of prison and being this good.
Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins.  The Eagles look pretty smart right now by trading away McNabb when they did.  Not to say that Donovan doesn't still have it in him to be a Pro Bowl type quarterback, but Redskins coach Mike Shanahan atleast sure doesn't think so.  After a disappointing year for McNabb (14TDs, 15 INTs, 77.1 passer rating) his coach utterly disrespected him by benching him for Rex Grossman (37 TDs, 38 INTs, 70.6 passer rating career) and designating John Beck (1 career TD pass) as the backup.  No love for D-Mac in D.C.?  Straight up ugly.

Honorable mention GOOD: Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers. Matt Cassell, Kansas City Chiefs. Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints. Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Honorable mention BAD:  Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins. Jake Delhomme, Cleveland Browns. Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers. Rusty Smith, Tennessee Titans.

Too UGLY to mention:  Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys. Carson Palmer, Cincinatti Bengals. Derek Anderson, Arizona Cardinals. Brian St. Pierre, Matt Moore, and Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers.

Buck-ed Up

Pryor must pay $2,500 to charity for rules violations

Ohio State has received a black mark for the first time in the Jim Tressel era (I don't include the Maurice Clarett saga because frankly he or no one else had any control over Clarett's bipolar ass) as junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor and five other players got suspended for five games to start the 2011 season for trying to make some money by selling stuff they received from the university and thought was their's to own, but now know for sure that it wasn't the case.  Apparently, guys sold awards, rings, game worn jerseys, and other autographed memorabilia to a Colombus, OH tattoo parlor in exchange for money and of course free tatts.  Guys need cash when you're in college, I understand that because I've been there.  And tattoos are expensive, so why not take advantage of your 'celebrity' in order to get free ones?  The regular American can understand why these kids did what they did but the NCAA has different rules.  The rules of the NCAA are basically this: "We get to make tons of money off of your athletic ability and subsequent celebrity for the whole time you are in college and you don't get to make any money for yourself until you decide to go pro." 

Green missed 4 games this year for selling his jersey

Unfortunately, we have not really seen this rule being followed lately, especially in college football (see A.J. Green of Georgia, Marcel Dareus of Alabama, basically the whole UNC starting defense).  I understand that guys do it because they don't think they're gonna get caught, and they have so many people treating them like superstars, and they have friends that are pros and ballin', and they want that life already, so they do what they gotta do for that and forget the integrity of the NCAA rules.  Look, its a damn shame that the NCAA do what they do but until the rules change thats just the way it is and every player knows that they are risking tarnishing their reputation as well as the university they are enrolled in if they get caught.

Posey ranked #11 WR for 2011 NFL Draft by nfldraftscout.com

As for Pryor, junior running back Daniel "Boom" Herron, and junior wide receiver DeVier Posey, I think the most sensible business decision for them now is to leave school and enter the NFL draft, although its not as easy of a decision considering the current labor negotiations going on and the threat of a possible lockout next year.  However, the NCAA has virtually laid down the hammer on you and basically told you who the daddy is by suspending you for half of your season while at the same time saying that you can play in the Sugar Bowl, one of their big-money games, so they don't lose any viewers who would definitely not watch the game if Pryor, Herron, and Posey, were also watching from the sidelines.  The thing is all three guys could have used another year in college to polish their skills.  Of the three though I think Pryor would've benefited the most from another amateur year because his NFL passing ability is very similar to a currently maligned former star college quarterback: Vince Young.  Pryor is 30-4 as the Buckeye starting quarterback but struggled in high-profile games this year against Miami (FL), Wisconsin, and Iowa (44-88 passing, 2 TDs and 3 INTs combined).  Herron, (1,068 rushing yards, 15 TDs) was just starting to come into his own as the feature back but still is a solid prospect if he were to enter the draft now.  Posey, in my opinion, will eventually be the best pro out of this group because of his size (6-2, 213) and ability to put up solid numbers (50 receptions, 778 yards, 6 TDs in 2010) despite Pryor not always being able to get him the ball exactly where it needed to be.