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Reaction: Michael Vick Is he worthy of the No. 1 pick?Posted: Thursday April 19, 2001 7:34 PMUpdated: Thursday April 19, 2001 7:35 PM CNNSI.com's Duane Cross and Stewart Mandel went head-to-head on whether Michael Vick is the right choice for the No. 1 pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. We wanted to know who you think is the weakest link, Cross or Mandel. Read on for a sample of your responses. Has Duane Cross ever seen Michael Vick play? I agree that his passing accuracy is questionable but comparing his running skills to Steve Young, Flutie and McNair is laughable. These three established veterans are mobile for quarterbacks. What Duane seems to have missed is that Michael Vick has the ground skills of a great running back. As an added bonus, he can throw the ball as well as most NFL quarterbacks. He will not be one of the best NFL passers and will not need to be. If he gets into a system that lets him be Michael Vick, doesn't try and turn him into a drop-back passer, lets the QB run occasionally and basically has a little guts, then he will "revolutionize the sport" as Stewart Mandel states.
I would have to agree with Mr. Cross. There are no guaranties, if the player's heart is not in the correct place, you'll end up with another Leaf that'll fall off the team tree. It is pompous of these rookies to demand high price tags before they have proven anything. Talent at the collegiate level does not necessarily translate into NFL talent.
Stewart, either you were forced to write the "pro" side of this argument or you have a great job being the blind football correspondent for CNNSI.com. How could you know enough about football and suggest that any one player will so revolutionize the game? Specifically a quarterback, who improvises. The rest of the team still needs to improvise with him. I don't disagree with the fact that the NFL needs more excitement, but I noticed you said a "St. Louis Rams" game, not a Kurt Warner game. That is the difference in what you are talking about.
I totally agree with Duane Cross. I think it is crazy for San Diego to spend so much money on a player that has thrown only 360 passes and ran a college option offense. He is not an accurate thrower and his athleticism will not take him that far in the quite athletic NFL. Vick may have a tremendous upside, but so did every dot-com stock on the NASDAQ last year!
Both writers make good points, but I am wondering if Mr. Cross has ever watched Vick in a live performance? I was at the 2000 Sugar Bowl, and I do not believe a better athlete has ever played college football. Simply put, no former player ever possessed his unique combination of speed, elusiveness, and arm strength. While his accuracy is not to the same level as the aforementioned skills (no player's skills ever have been), it is hardly deplorable, and can definitely be improved. Given that, it is unrealistic to say that any player can be the "Michael Jordan of the NFL". Football is not the type of sport where one player can dominate totally and Vick still has to prove himself, just like any other number one pick. Also, let's remember that it took Jordan a few years in the NBA before he dominated. Let's give Michael Vick the same opportunity. He will make it very exciting, guaranteed!
I agree with Cross. Vick is a good athlete, but at QB you need to be accurate. Cade McNown and Jake Plummer are also good athletes, but are inconsistent because they are not accurate. If I draft a guy No. 1 overall and pay him $15 million up front, I don't want to use the word "if" in describing him. The Chargers would be better-served drafting LaDanian Tomlinson No. 1 and Drew Brees in the second round. Steve Young was able to be a great QB because of his running and his amazing accuracy, and I hate the 49ers! A cannon arm does not a great QB make, just ask Trent Dilfer. Accuracy is more important. Vick MAY learn that IF he is lucky. There are other players who would be better fits and have less questions about their ability.
I have to agree with Mr. Cross on this one. The single most important quality of the great quarterbacks in today's NFL seems to be football savvy and the ability to make the correct read and decision almost instantaneously. Yes, you can poke, prod, and measure these guys all you want. But unless they have the ability to make the lightning fast reads, physical ability simply doesn't guarantee success as a QB. Leaf, and to some degree, Kordell Stewart are both cases in point. But whether or not Vick deserves the number one pick or not isn't nearly as intriguing a question to me as another. Will San Diego even KEEP the number one pick? I frankly think they'd be better served by trading down and picking a quality running back.
Look no further than Kordell (Slash) Stewart and his record with the Steelers. Hot and cold. No, Michael Vick is not the answer for any NFL team looking for a QB of the future.
Mr. Cross had better look at the tapes again because the speed and agility of Vick blows away any of the other QBs cited. The real value of Vick would be him playing on the carpet in Atlanta. His ability to stop and change direction would shake even the best NFL'ers. He is raw and would need time to develop. Is he the right pick for the Bolts maybe not but he is a future star.
Duane Cross seems to forget that Vick had the highest passing efficiency rating as a freshman that stood up as one of the best ratings of all time. I see no problem with his accuracy. His speed advantage will diminish somewhat in the NFL, but none of Mr. Cross's other fleet of foot quarterbacks ran a 4.28 40. He will be the fastest player on the field and that will be an advantage. If Vick can master the mental part of the game, he will be great. The Chargers will make a mistake if they pass, or they don't take one to two years to bring Vick along.
I think one area left unconsidered in the debate over Vick is the head inside that helmet. Fast feet, strong arm, big deal. The biggest challenge facing young quarterbacks is the ability to fully understand their own offense and the intelligence to read opposing defenses, oftentimes on the fly. No one's talked about Vick's ability to think his way around problems; everyone wants to talk about his tendency to simply try and run past them. That works well in college. In the pros, it merely gives you another Kordell Stewart. Bottom line, this guy's simply not worth a number one. He hasn't shown the intelligence and awareness to be a long-term answer. He's just a highlight reel.
Duane Cross of CNNSI, while attempting to explain why Vick should not be drafted, first actually convinced me that he is the best first pick. Mr. Cross notes that Steve Young, Doug Flutie and Steve McNair all had the combination that Vick possesses. A strong arm and quick feet. All of those guys are winners. Throw in the fact that Vick would have Flutie as a mentor, a la Steve Young and Joe Montana, makes it a no-brainer.
I can't agree more with B. Duane Cross. How can this guy be touted as highly as he is when just last season his toughness, durability and skill for the QB position were all questioned at the college level? He won't be lining up against the Big East anymore! Does Kordell Stewart, Shawn King, even Steve McNair ring a bell? These guys were going to redefine the record books and revolutionize the position too. McNair is the only "successful" one and his success has much to do with Eddie George and the Titan defense. When forced to have to make plays with his arm, (Ravens playoff game) he becomes less than ordinary. Why is Vick so highly touted? His arm strength? Big deal, if he doesn't know where it's going. Let's see how he throws it with guys in his face and not the Big East either! His athletic ability? Who in the NFL isn't a great athlete?
He's coming out too early. His accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. Can you say "Kordell Stewart"? The potential is definitely there, as it still is for Stewart, but will it ever show as talent? Another year sure would have helped answer that question. Maybe that's why he came out early, he doesn't want anyone to know the answer?
I am not sold on Vick. Stewart Mandel writes, "But given a chance, Vick is going to revolutionize the sport. If his team and the league are willing to accept his unconventional ways, he's going to give them a jolt of energy." Vick will not revolutionize pro football; he may not survive in the NFL. We do not know if he can grasp an NFL playbook, read NFL defenses and avoid NFL defenders. I liked Vick at Virginia Tech, and would like to enjoy watching him on NFL Sundays. But to label him anything more than a good pick with much potential is foolish. The Chargers have the top pick, but need more than Vick. Pro football is a team game, and looking at the Chargers' position in this makes me think one thing: I am glad I do not have to make the choice. I would vote to trade down and acquire as many picks as possible, and go straight for the RB I rate highest.
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