MVN - Most Valuable Network

Matt Ryan not all he’s cracked up to be

What you probably read about on Monday morning was how Matt Ryan dazzled in his Pro Day appearance at Boston College, completing 48 of his 52 passes. But what you probably didn’t read about was how most of the 39 NFL team representatives that attended the event left the campus disappointed. Drafting a quarterback top three is a very hit or miss process. For every Manning and McNabb there is a Leaf and a Smith. If he is thrown into the fire in 2008, Ryan will probably join the latter group.

Sure, Ryan carried his team to an 11-3 record last season, placing them 10th on the final AP poll and yeah, he won a Bowl game in three of his four collegiate years. But he is far from a finished product. Herman Edwards’ team has the fifth pick in the draft. Judging by the comments he made after Ryan’s appearance, it seems as though he wants no part of Ryan. The Kansas City Chiefs head coach pointed out that the 22 year old was pressing a lot and labeled the entire workout as “just OK”. Right now, that same description sums up Ryan as a whole perfectly. He’s got a big arm and tons of potential. But to turn this organization around after a 1-15 season, the Dolphins need someone who is ready now, not in another year. They need a star. Ryan, his 19 senior year interceptions and 59.0 completion percentage don’t fit that mold. But Brian Brohm, his 30 senior year touchdowns and 65.1 completion percentage do. Brohm, who is projected to go off the board in the second round, would probably cost $20-$30 million less than Ryan. Even Deleware’s Joe Flacco would be a better selection. He will probably still be on available in the third round.

Simply put, the size of Ryan’s upside isn’t big enough to warrant the number one pick in the draft and the $30 million in guaranteed money that goes with it. The only time Cleo Lemon had success last season was when he was out of the pocket, on the rollout or when he got rid of the ball quickly. When Ryan is hurried, he struggles mightily. He is terribly immobile and hangs in the pocket way too long. If Parcells were to draft Ryan and stick him behind an offensive line similar to the one Cam Cameron put together in 2007, we would all soon find out why eagles are such an endangered species.

If I’m the Tuna, I pass on Ryan, draft Michigan’s Jake Long, putting a cornerstone blocker on the offensive line and target Brohm with pick number 32.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2008 at 12:35 am and is filed under NFL Draft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.