1/9/10
2010 NFL Draft E-mails – More Jimmy Clausen
How much is Jimmy Clausen paying you to raise his draft stock?
I know you believe Jimmy Clausen can be a good QB at the next level, but I have to disagree. I think he will bust at the next level, especially going to the Rams. I seen your take on his numbers, but take into account the weak opposition he has played against. Notre Dame is not in a conference, they couldn’t beat USC, and wasn’t even worth going to a bowl game.
I love your website, you make great picks, but I think your a bit Love-Drunk over Jimbo, the Jimster, Jimmy “Crack Corn”, or the Clausen Dill Pickle.
He was spoon fed a 10-win schedule and sucked at that. Most of the plays he has done at Notre Dame looked like bloopers. He has a tendacy to fumble, overthrows the deep pass, and he doesn’t navigate well in the pocket, which is why he takes so many sacks. He will definitely be taken No. 1 overall, but he is more of a product of the Fame Monster than a great football system.
So please re-evaluate your take on Jimbo Clausen, his own community is glad he’s gone, that’s why he was punched in the face at the local bar.
–> You brought up a huge misconception: The “Notre Dame couldn’t beat good opponents, so Jimmy Clausen sucks” belief. Let’s look at it.
Notre Dame played EIGHT Bowl teams this year.
OK, so two of those were crappy Nevada and pedestrian Navy. Let’s take those out.
In those other six games, Clausen was:
22-31, 300 yards. 2 TDs, 0 INTs (vs. Mich St).
24-43, 260 yards. 2 TDs, 0 INTs (vs. USC).
26-39, 246 yards. 2 TDs, 0 INTs (vs. Boston College).
27-42, 283 yards. 1 TD, 1 INT (at Pitt).
30-45, 329 yards. 2 TDs, 0 INTs (vs. UConn).
23-30, 340 yards. 5 TDs, 0 INT (at Stanford)
That’s 14 touchdowns and only one interception against six quality Bowl teams! Yep, Clausen REALLY struggled against good competition.
Now, Notre Dame was just 2-4 in those games. But was it Clausen’s fault? Absolutely not. Look at the point totals Notre Dame’s defense allowed in those four losses:
34, 27, 33, 45.
I don’t care who your quarterback is; you’re not winning much if your defense allows 35 points per game.
You’re just feeding into the crazy anti-Notre Dame hype. Don’t fall into that trap. Clausen is a stud and perhaps the most pro-ready junior quarterback to ever enter the NFL Draft.
Yes, Clausen was punched at a bar, but that was right after he had dinner with his family. Just some douche bag trying to make a name for himself. Clausen played through injuries this whole year.
Although plenty of mocks from Draft Debacled seem to be on board with Clausen going No. 1, I’m still seeing way too many mocks that just don’t get it (just like 2009 where I saw a few mocks with Stafford going 8th 2 weeks before the draft.)
Do people honestly believe that the Rams will go with Bulger, Boller and Null so they can have four straight years of basically 3-13? Do they also think that the Rams will get in a bidding war for Jason Campbell if he’s an RFA? Or that they will call the Niners for the human statue Shaun Hill to play behind that o-line? (8 sacks vs. SF last week?)
Todd McShay thought Mark Sanchez was a 2nd-rounder when he left USC and we know how that turned out. If a s***ty team with a QB problem has to pay out a 45 mil signing bonus to a rookie, it’s going to be to a QB. Not to hard to figure out.
–> Great e-mail. I’m going to do a feature article going into more depth about why the Rams absolutely have to take Jimmy Clausen. I’ll have that up in a few weeks.
When have you known surgery to post a player’s stock? Why does the Rams pick “have to be” Clausen? Why would another pick set the team back 5 years? If the Rams pick an All-Pro at DT, this hurts their team?
As far as the Lions go, I completely disagree with your statements about last year’s draft. If anything, Schwartz let it be known he starts with a QB. While the Lions were coy, there was never the consesus about the pick there is in STL.
–> If this were knee surgery, it would hurt his stock. If this were shoulder surgery, it would hurt his stock. But toe surgery? That’s no big deal. The fact that he played so well with an injury raises his stock.
The Rams must pick Clausen. To win in the NFL, the primary thing you need is a franchise QB. If the Rams pass on Clausen, they may not have a chance to draft a franchise QB in a very long time, thus dooming them for years.
I agree with many of your projections and reasons for them. However I don’t think the Patriots will take a TE in the 1st round. Wouldn’t you agree that their biggest need is to improve the pass rush? I see the Patriots taking an OLB/DE with that pick and maybe looking at TEs in free agency or in the second round? As far as the Rams not going with Suh I think you are definitely onto something.
–> I agree that a rush linebacker is New England’s greatest need here.
Two problems though:
1. Bill Belichick is smart and knows that most rush linebackers bust because they don’t play the position in college.
2. Jerry Hughes, the only first-round rush linebacker is off the board. Belichick won’t reach for a guy who will probably bust.
Belichick took a tight end (Ben Watson) in the first round a few years ago. Gresham is really talented and would be a welcome addition in New England.
Where do you see Jevan Snead? He definitely seems to have all the tools, but everytime I watch him play he makes horrible decisions with the football.
My brother is enamored with him as a prospect because of his tools and potential, but I am gunshy on Junior QBs and Snead terrifies me. I wouldn’t go within 50 feet of him unless it’s the 4th round. Where do you stand on him?
–> He had a great sophomore year, so there was something there when he had talent around him. He lost a lot of key players, but that’s not an excuse.
Still, he has the upside to be drafted in the second or third rounds. Someone will fall in love with his upside.
2011 NFL Draft Mailbag Archive:
2011 NFL Draft Mailbag Home
Post-Round 1 E-mail - April 29
Hate Mail Volume 7 - April 10
Crackhead Mail Volume 2 - April 10
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 5 - April 10
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 5 - April 10
Hate Mail Volume 6 - April 3
Crackhead Mail - April 3
Trade and Prospect Speculation - April 3
Hate Mail Volume 5 - March 28
Cam Newton Mailbag - March 28
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 4 - March 28
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 4 - March 28
Hate Mail Volume 4 - March 13
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 3 - March 13
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 3 - March 13
Random Questions and Comments - March 7
Hate Mail Volume 3 - March 7
Combine Questions and Comments - March 7
Combine Hate Mail - March 7
Hate Mail Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Random AFC Questions and Comments Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Random NFC Questions and Comments Volume 2 - Feb. 22
Quarterbacks - Feb. 15
Hate Mail - Feb. 15
Random AFC Questions and Comments - Feb. 15
Random NFC Questions and Comments - Feb. 15
NFL Picks - Dec. 11
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Dec. 11
NFL Power Rankings - Dec. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
