Anatomy of scouting a quarterback

by sixrings09 on Mar 17, 2010 10:21 AM CDT

Found this article from a few years ago concerning a scout's take on finding the next great quarterback. "This is the quarterback problem. There are certain jobs where almost nothing you can learn about candidates before they start predicts how they’ll do once they’re hired. So how do we know whom to choose in cases like that?" - Malcolm Gladwell

Since the Cowboys are on spring break per DC.com, here is an interesting in depth story about the draft:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/12/15/081215fa_fact_gladwell

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Comments

OMG

that is a really long rean but good nonetheless. thanks.

by DCowboy on Mar 17, 2010 12:29 PM CDT reply actions

thanks for passing that on.

It’s more about teaching than the draft, but a very good article nonetheless. Draftwise, it would suggest that a shotgun approach, i.e. keeping 4 QBs on the roster/practice squad at all times would be a good way to go. That makes sense to me, especially having lived the Tony Romo Experience.

The thesis of the article, that the only way to know if someone has the skills of an NFL QB is to have them play QB in the NFL, probably wouldn’t get much credence in GM/coaching circles though. History says that the current way of scouting college QBs isn’t very effective, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that success is as nebulous as Gladwell makes it out to be. As Gladwell’s book “Blink” suggest, predicting success is a matter of figuring out which elements are important and not getting distracted by the others. With a QB, it’s incredibly complex thing, but it’s not just the luck of the draw.

by greatwhitenorth on Mar 17, 2010 1:39 PM CDT reply actions