ESPN Insider (McShay) 2012 Mock Draft - Skins #3 pick - Matt Barkley QB

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Only way Luck isn't the #1 overall pick is if a cement truck rolls over his legs between now and draft day.

He's not just the consensus #1 overall pick, he's considered the best QB prospect in quite some time.

I don't disagree and have heard this a lot...but in your opinion, he is the best QB prospect since who?

I just hear that phrase thrown around a lot lately. It was Bradford a couple years ago and Ryan before that. I'm just wondering if Luck is more highly regarded than those 2 and the best since Manning? Elway?

[illone]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, but the knock on Barkley since he was in high school at Mater Dei was that he threw way to many INTs. While his TD to INT ratio has improved in college, he continues to throw some really terrible picks. Check out the Stanford, Oregon and Washington games from 2010.

Barkley really needs a great year in 2011 to be worthy of a top 10 selection in 2012.

I was kinda shocked by this draft projection as well. didn't make sense to me either.

Plus, McShay is wrong about where the Skins will be drafting. We'll be #1 with a bullett.

[jflow78]

I think losing Harbaugh will really hurt him.

Absolutely agree. I think people are under valuing the importance of having a great coach in college. It's true that if you're one of the top teams in college football (Texas, Miami, Ohio St., etc.) that you can out recruit everyone and just lean on the talent you bring in (ala Florida when Spurrier was there), but Stanford isn't one of those teams in the Pac12.

Also, he lost his top 2 receivers, 3 great OL (both which were strengths for the team last season), has a first year head coach who is trying to replace his DC, himself (formerly OC), and one of their best offensive coaches who have all joined Harbaugh with the 49ers. Also, his starting TE (and #4 target last season and assumed to be one of his top targets this season) is suffering from an apparently serious knee injury which hasn't allowed him to practice this spring.

If Luck retains his status at #1, and we've got an OL that can protect him, we should go get him, but I still don't think we're going to be picking in the top 5, maybe not top 10. I still say we're 8-8 and Andrew Lucks draft stock drops a little, either because the team at #1 doesn't need a QB or because another QB suddenly has an amazing year while Luck doesn't, and this other QB has "more upside" which is an ambiguous phrase that's used annually to justify picking guys like Newton, Leaf, Russell, and others with the top pick.

[NavyDave]

Plus, McShay is wrong about where the Skins will be drafting. We'll be #1 with a bullett.

It will take more than Luck to be that high to draft Luck.

[vicrodjr]

The third pick overall? I know we see the Skins usually in the best light, but 3rd overall pick, is just insane to me.

[Rabsuz]

3rd overall?

No way, I say we go 8-8 to be honest. When we played focused, we played well despite having glaring needs. People forget we did very well until the Bye Week. But Barkely? Am I the only one that worries drafting a USC QB (or any USC offensive player) because none of them ever seem to pan out that well. I would be fine trading up to number 3 to get that coveted QB for next draft, and then use the rest on offensive line. I would be okay rolling with Landry Jones even though he has his knocks or some of the other picks.

Also, why would the Browns be the worst team in football? They have a decent team and a good rookie class.

[grantarchy]

I'm not sure why people are so sure we'll go 8-8 or be an average team. Even with this nice draft, we're still clearly the worst team in the division and could (probably should) go 0-6 there. We end the season against teams like the Jets, Patriots and Vikings. Again probably should lose those. We play improved teams like the Rams and 49ers who are certainly not gimme games. The only games that I expect to win is the game against the Panthers, and maybe the Cardinals and Seattle (in Seattle still tough). Personally I think we're looking more at 3-5 wins next year.

[Conn]

I'm not sure why people are so sure we'll go 8-8 or be an average team. Even with this nice draft, we're still clearly the worst team in the division and could (probably should) go 0-6 there.

We were a worse team and did pretty well in the division last year. Not sure why you think we're going to slump back to 0-6 again.

[SkinsHokieFan]

We were a worse team and did pretty well in the division last year. Not sure why you think we're going to slump back to 0-6 again.

Dallas had an off year and we were lucky to injure Vick in the first Philly game. The Giants owned our asses again

2-4 in the division last year

[TheGoodBits]

Dallas had an off year and we were lucky to injure Vick in the first Philly game. The Giants owned our asses again

2-4 in the division last year

Yep. Dallas will unfortunately be not as crappy this year. I honestly think this division race will be really close between the 3 teams not name the Redskins. I don't see us winning more than 1 game in the NFC East.

[paloosa]

I guess McShay is already putting us in the loser bracket for the 2012 draft even before we have played a game.I guess that is based on us not taking a QB this year. I guess they also factor in the speculation that McNabb won't be here and all the other things they have said. So why not listen, right? Well what do they know about what the team situation is? When did the Redskins say they were trading or releasing McNabb? When did they say anything about their plans that makes they guys correct? No one except a bunch of rumors from LaCanfora, Rich Tandler and a whole bunch of others that haven't given any credible sources for their information. So until any of the things they say comes true I am going to ignore the rumor mill and McShay's mock draft.

[jflow78]

I'm not sure why people are so sure we'll go 8-8 or be an average team. Even with this nice draft, we're still clearly the worst team in the division and could (probably should) go 0-6 there. We end the season against teams like the Jets, Patriots and Vikings. Again probably should lose those. We play improved teams like the Rams and 49ers who are certainly not gimme games. The only games that I expect to win is the game against the Panthers, and maybe the Cardinals and Seattle (in Seattle still tough). Personally I think we're looking more at 3-5 wins next year.

Part of it is that against a MUCH harder schedule we were 6-10.

I'm not sure why people keep saying the Vikings are SOOOOO good. They don't have Favre anymore, their OL and DL are deteriorating quickly and there's still no answer at QB for them (which is the main reason people at ESPN, McShay included) think we're going to be so bad this year.

The part that makes the least sense is that if we DID have a rookie QB, how exactly would that improve our team THIS season? Ponder is NOT going to be good this year, maybe not next year either.

[ADF]

Part of it is that against a MUCH harder schedule we were 6-10.

How often does our team actually beat the so called "team we're suppose to beat". I'm not even sure what that means anymore when it comes to the Redskins.

[ChiefPowhatan17]

Yeah, like anyone knows who we will pick in 2012, especially McShay who barely knows anything about what the teams are really doing.

[Koolblue13]

The record of the team who picks third, will not be 6-10.

[Backpack3r]

I hope we are drafting in the top 5 next year

[yellow41]

Luck is obviously all the experts' favorite, but gotta say Landry Jones looks great too. Wouldn't it be funny to have a kid named after Tom Landry as the Redskins QB?

[Diesel__44]

Should have a really good look at Luck, Jones, or Barkley....just being realistic.

[SkindaNFC]

If John Beck is our starting QB and Rex is our Back up (and even vice versa) you bet your bottom dollar we're picking top 5. I personally rather take a Landry Jones, guy looks really good throwing the ball on the move and looks pretty comfortable moving around in the pocket. I think he's perfect for Shanahan's bootleg offense.

I'm not sure after watchin this video how you couldn't be excited about a guy like that in an offense like ours.

[SkinsTerps26]

I will definitely be DVRing every single usc, oklahoma and stanford game that is broadcasted around here.

[SkinFaninOKC]

btw for the OU fans how does Landry Jones compare with Sam Bradford in college

I am not a Sooner fan but I've watched enough of Landry Jones that I don't want to see him in a Redskins uniform. Everyone saw how Sam ran the offense, it clicked like a mother ****er, Landry Jones is a good QB but I don't know about franchise but we'll see after this season. Jones make poor decisions at the wrong times.

[mjpanzer]

With everyone jumping on the RG3 train, I wanted to bump this so people who support MATT BARKLEY as the best prospect after Luck cant talk.

What do I love about Matt?

I love that he is extremely accurate.

I love that he plays under center.

I love that he keeps getting better and better.

I love that he is the youngest QB as a true Junior.

I love that he destroyed Oregon; the same team that made Luck look average.

[gamecokskins703]

With everyone jumping on the RG3 train, I wanted to bump this so people who support MATT BARKLEY as the best prospect after Luck cant talk.

What do I love about Matt?

I love that he is extremely accurate.

I love that he plays under center.

I love that he keeps getting better and better.

I love that he is the youngest QB as a true Junior.

I love that he destroyed Oregon; the same team that made Luck look average.

Barkley has also played with a great offensive line and good team support. whereas Luck has had to carry his team (ala peyton manning)

[bird_1972]

Barkley has also played with a great offensive line and good team support. whereas Luck has had to carry his team (ala peyton manning)

Luck has arguable the best OL in college. Two dudes will be first round picks of that OL as opposed to probably one with USC.

I think they are comparable.

[Goingforburgundy]

Why bump this thread instead of using the draft thread?