Bill Polian's benchmark for QBs: "Fast Eyes" - Who has it in this draft?

[The Full Monty]

From Sally Jenkins' otherwise lame article in the Washington Post, here's a gem from Colts head honcho Bill Polian:

If Polian has a secret, it's that he tries not to overrate the physical in favor of the mental and emotional aspects of the game. Just because a guy has an arm doesn't make him a quarterback.

Rather than pure strength, he puts a premium on accuracy and poise, and a particular kind of processing intelligence that he calls "fast eyes," the ability to assess complex situations quickly.

"Intelligence is awfully important," Polian says. "It's a complex game and they have to be able to comprehend and process lots of information. It's not rocket science but it's pretty close, it's like financial engineering, or the things that pilots do."

[Dukes and Skins]

From Sally Jenkins' otherwise lame article in the Washington Post, here's a gem from Colts head honcho Bill Polian:

Well of the guys who I've been following Gabbert aced the interviews and chalk talk part so if he did that very well you think he's gotta be that guy

[Mahons21]

Well of the guys who I've been following Gabbert aced the interviews and chalk talk part so if he did that very well you think he's gotta be that guy

He certainly didn't show good decision making this year when time after time he left the pocket before he needed to.

Knowing the right thing to say in an interview, and doing the right thing with 5 defensive players trying to throw you around like a rag doll, are two entirely different things.

Like Polian says you need fast eyes, you need to be make the right decisions in a split second.

[darrelgreenie]

Its impossible to tell from our vantage point.

My guess?

The QB that has good efficiency and production while have the least amount of time to make decisions

[Soup]

If this is true we should all listen to ATL and take McElroy in the late rounds.

Or take Ryan Fitzpatrick away from the bills.

I can name a lot of QBs that did well and did not have as bill polian says "Fast eyes"

Everyone knew that peyton manning would be a great player just like everyone knows Andrew Luck will be a great QB next season.

If it were sooooo easy to gauge Qbs, there wouldn't be busts like Matt Lienart who had a 35 in the wonderlic and also did the well in "chalk talk". Remember they can get coached up for that stuff now.

[The Tris]

FWIW, Polian has drafted 5 QBs in his career: 1 in Buffalo (Brian McClure), 1 in Carolina (Collins), and 3 in Indy (Manning, Sorgi, Painter). He did not draft Jim Kelly.

However, while he did not draft Kelly, in his first year as GM in Buffalo, one of his initial moves was to convince Kelly to finally sign with the NFL team. Considering his first draft picks in both Carolina and Indy were QBs, you could say that Polian showed that getting a QB early was one of the most important items for a rebuilding (or in the case of Carolina, building) team, regardless of the talent around them.

[jflow78]

I'd rather take the advice of Belichick. He picked Brady in the 7th and Matt Cassel in the 7th.

Polian is a great drafting GM, though recently he seems to have lost a step, but he's only picked one great, or even starting caliber, QB and that was Peyton Manning who most people said was the sure thing of that draft, while Ryan Leaf was the guy with the bigger "upside".

[SirClintonPortis]

"Financial engineering"? lolwut? I know there civil, electrical, chemical, etc. But financial engineering? Pfffffffffffffffffft. You don't need Multivariable calculus to do accounting and whatever.....

---------- Post added March-2nd-2011 at 01:01 PM ----------

Never mind, looks like there is a discipline. But please, Mr. Polian, it sounds like the fellas in the discipline spend hours and hours studying doing math and stuffing stuff into Excel. How the **** does that tell anyone the GHzs, L2 cache, etc of the person's brain.

[The Tris]

I'd rather take the advice of Belichick. He picked Brady in the 7th and Matt Cassel in the 7th.

Polian is a great drafting GM, though recently he seems to have lost a step, but he's only picked one great, or even starting caliber, QB and that was Peyton Manning who most people said was the sure thing of that draft, while Ryan Leaf was the guy with the bigger "upside".

Belichick, who was so sure of his Brady pick that he rewarded Bledsoe with the largest contract in NFL history at the time in 2001, after a full year of watching Brady on the practice field, that Belichick the QB guru?

If Belichick really knew Brady was going to be great when he drafted him, he would not have signed Bledsoe to a 10 year extension in 2001.

Brady was the perfect storm of system, hidden talent, and blind luck.

[jflow78]

Belichick, who was so sure of his Brady pick that he rewarded Bledsoe with the largest contract in NFL history at the time in 2001, after a full year of watching Brady on the practice field, that Belichick the QB guru?

If Belichick really knew Brady was going to be great when he drafted him, he would not have signed Bledsoe to a 10 year extension in 2001.

Brady was the perfect storm of system, hidden talent, and blind luck.

I agree, and even Bill Polian was the one who said the draft is "a crap-shoot", but the fact is, Belichick has had better luck with QBs than Polian.

No one is sure of anything in the NFL until it turns out.

[Horton_Predator48]

Gabbert will be gone. The only QB we might take IMO is Ponder. Hopefully his arm surgeries will let him slide into the 2nd Round.

[fish]

My pick is Dalton.

Of course I don't know as much as Belichick or Polian but.............

I'd love to see him sitting there in the 4th round!

[SkinsTribeVA]

"Fast eyes" sounds like the aspect that JC was always missing...

[The Full Monty]

Last two super bowl QBs definitely had them, terrific football IQs.

[ABSTRACT]

My pick is whoever Shanny picks. He's a freakin genius. Probably knee deep in film right now lol... seriously.

[Voice_of_Reason]

In this draft, there just isn't anybody who excite you tremendously.

I still say the 'Skins should pass on all of them, and spend all of the picks on defense. At least all of the high picks. They need a full defensive overhaul, and would have needed one regardless of 4-3 vs. 3-4. So this is the year you go out and get the defensive pieces, then you get your QB next year. Let Rex start, or McNabb, or whoever.

If you're going to have to overhaul the team, I think that you start with defense. You can find good WRs out there, good RBs out there, without drafting them too high or spending a ton of money.

I might be in the minority, but I still believe in Mike Shannahan and Kyle Shannahan as offensive coaches, and I think that in the second year of their offense, things will get better regardless of the talent level. I really have no evidence to support that, but it's just my gut feeling.

So I guess, I would probably keep McNabb because he's better than Grossman, draft all defense, find a few pieces as best as possible on offense, and try and improve. And then go after offensive players and QB the next year.

[jnhay]

"Financial engineering"? lolwut? I know there civil, electrical, chemical, etc. But financial engineering? Pfffffffffffffffffft. You don't need Multivariable calculus to do accounting and whatever.....

---------- Post added March-2nd-2011 at 01:01 PM ----------

Never mind, looks like there is a discipline. But please, Mr. Polian, it sounds like the fellas in the discipline spend hours and hours studying doing math and stuffing stuff into Excel. How the **** does that tell anyone the GHzs, L2 cache, etc of the person's brain.

What is you talking about?

[Newera]

Interesting. Sounds like Kellen Moore. Next year.

[The Full Monty]

I might be in the minority, but I still believe in Mike Shannahan and Kyle Shannahan as offensive coaches, and I think that in the second year of their offense, things will get better regardless of the talent level. I really have no evidence to support that, but it's just my gut feeling.

So I guess, I would probably keep McNabb because he's better than Grossman, draft all defense, find a few pieces as best as possible on offense, and try and improve. And then go after offensive players and QB the next year.

I mostly agree with your whole post, but I quoted my favorite part. Only possible true need need need on offense, when all is said and done, is a new center.

[mistertim]

Interesting. I'd say I actually agree, as far as my understanding of the position. But, at the same time, that sort of thing CAN be learned and improved with practice. Though I would think there might be other mental + visual exercises that, over time, increase the information processing and pattern matching portions of the brain. I don't think it is one of those things where "you either have it or you don't". Sure, some people might be somewhat more naturally gifted when it comes to processing lots of stuff quickly, but that hardly means that it can't be learned/improved.

Sort of reminds me of an article I was reading about "geniuses" and how people automatically consider any Grand Master chess player a natural genius when, in fact, it isn't necessary at all. Most of it is conditioning the brain to think in a certain way after playing thousands of matches and practicing for hundreds of hours.

[Annonymous Source]

I mostly agree with your whole post, but I quoted my favorite part. Only possible true need need need on offense, when all is said and done, is a new center.

With that said, if there is a center the Skins like available in the 2nd round they should absolutely pick him. The amount this offense would improve with a dominant center would be more than any position except for QB, and there arent many options for stud QB's coming in out of the gate. I could see the Skins using a second on a center and a fifth on a QB and then focusing on defense the rest of the draft.

Also Polian's saying that QB's need Fast Eyes is a fairly ridiculous statement. It is something that is almost impossible to measure until a QB is in the NFL. All he is really saying is he wants a QB who can slow the game down and, while obviously very important, isnt something that can be scouted when they are playing against college level talent. In college these QB's are typically one of the best atheletes on the field, but in the pro game most of them are close to the weakest athletes on the field. Unless you have a QB that is just so athletic that it isnt an issue then that drop in comparitive talent causes fits. That is why it is so hard for scouts to assess talent at the QB position going into the draft.

[darrelgreenie]

I think the end result of QB that possess the skills Pollian is refering to is this:

But most systems require quarterbacks to look at primary and secondary receivers, usually based on the defense that confronts him. You can see if he locates that secondary receiver -- or maybe even an emergency outlet receiver -- with ease or with a sense of urgency.

This should work like a natural progression, not a situation where it's -- "Oh, my gosh, now I must look over here ... no, over there.'' You can see which quarterbacks handle these situations with grace. These are the types who have a chance to perform with consistency in the NFL.

or as John Wooden said:

"Be quick but don't hurry"

Which goes back to what I was saying before:

You have to look at efficiency/production in relation to the environment or circumstances under which the QB plays.

If a QB plays under adverse conditions yet has efficiency/production that are par or near his peers.

[WALL-LE]

Polian is highly overrated. The Colts suck other than manning, he got lucky its not like the colts would be any good without manning. He makes his WR good.

Everyone thinks hes a god because the colts are always 11-5 or better. Its because of Manning not polian.

[The Full Monty]

With that said, if there is a center the Skins like available in the 2nd round they should absolutely pick him. The amount this offense would improve with a dominant center would be more than any position except for QB, and there arent many options for stud QB's coming in out of the gate. I could see the Skins using a second on a center and a fifth on a QB and then focusing on defense the rest of the draft.

WalterFootball has a list of the top college centers, and puts Stefen Wisniewski (6-3/313lbs) at the top, writing this:

Wisniewski's best position is center and he is a great fit for zone-blocking schemes. He is tough, plays with terrific technique and does a great job winning the leverage battle.

[Truant]

Interesting. I'd say I actually agree, as far as my understanding of the position. But, at the same time, that sort of thing CAN be learned and improved with practice. Though I would think there might be other mental + visual exercises that, over time, increase the information processing and pattern matching portions of the brain. I don't think it is one of those things where "you either have it or you don't". Sure, some people might be somewhat more naturally gifted when it comes to processing lots of stuff quickly, but that hardly means that it can't be learned/improved.

Sort of reminds me of an article I was reading about "geniuses" and how people automatically consider any Grand Master chess player a natural genius when, in fact, it isn't necessary at all. Most of it is conditioning the brain to think in a certain way after playing thousands of matches and practicing for hundreds of hours.

Good stuff. As is the case with most things, it's probably a combination of multiple things. If a QB is naturally gifted, in the right system, with the right supporting cast, with the right coach, and puts in the right amount of time... they can look to have "fast eyes".

Certainly anyone can improve. That's why experience is so important in every occupation. Every employer wants some experience hoping that you crapped the bed somewhere else and won't make the same mistake again. With dedication a player can improve their awareness but at some point instincts kick in. Take Grossman, for example. He probably knows our offense pretty dang well. I think he could perform well in it. But say DeMarcus Ware comes through untouched and the smart play is to take the sack and protect the ball, he can have a brain fart and instinctively try to make a play when there is no play to be made.

But I agree with you, this is a still that can be developed... to a point. Some players have it naturally, some work at it. But to be seamlessly smooth might be a trait that is bred rather than taught -- rare indeed.