Scouting Notebook: Landry Jones, LSU vs. Alabama Defense, Why SuckForLuck, and Top 10

I can’t doubt Jones’s ball placement inside 20 yards. He seems confident in all his throws within that distance, anticipates routes and the defense well, and can pick teams that play zone and can’t rush him well. He takes advantage of what defenses are giving him, which is something that can’t be overlooked. He sets his feet in the pocket and can adjust himself after play action and on easy rollouts well and can deliver a soft, accurate pass consistently. His arm is good enough, not great, and he has the ability to deliver a strike downfield thanks to his arm strength and previously stated anticipation.

But I also noticed some issues with Landry Jones. First off, especially in the game against Texas, the development and overall ability by his top two receivers (Ryan Broyles and Kenny Stills) make his job very easy. They consistently make smart plays in their routes, allow for big throwing windows, and consistently make catches they need to. Also, when Texas was able to rush him successfully, Jones looked uncomfortable and never had a good grasp of the pocket and lacks great accuracy when flustered.

He still was able to complete passes under pressure in this game, which was a good sign, but moreso because of poor positioning by Texas defenders at times than just Jones’s pure pocket ability. His overall quickness in and outside the pocket really is concern, as outside of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees, all who have ELITE pocket presence at the NFL level, almost every good quarterback has the feet to escape pressure or struggle. Finally, Jones’s low release point and somewhat slow release needs to be tweeked a little at the NFL level, in my opinion, as his lack of a big arm and that low release will lead to later delivery to quick outside routes or quick deep inside routes at the NFL level.

I do like Jones as a quarterback prospect, really I do. I would not be surprised at all if he ends up being an NFL starter. But in my Top 10 pick, my quarterback better be a lock (at least in my eyes) to be a Top 5 quarterback in the future, and I’m not certain Jones has that. He might, but I’m not to crown him as that future Top 5 QB, something of great importance that I’ll discuss later.
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Battle of #1 Team in Country: LSU vs. Alabama Defense
The LSU Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide both have legitimate cases for the #1 team in the country, while both are currently “behind” Oklahoma in the Top 25 polls. The reason for both of their successes is mostly thanks to the defense. While Trent Richardson and the LSU receivers have been great, it’s the well-roundedness of the defenses. And as NFL teams’ generally do, they have taken notice of the talent on both teams.

LSU has 5-6 seniors and juniors that have draftable grades by Optimum Scouting. They are younger defensive, having a mostly sophomore and freshman defensive line rotation and three sophomore’s starting in the back 7, and that youth has been impressive, especially Tyrann Mathieu at the cornerback spot. However, as far as NFL talent is concerned, the best of the bunch is junior CB Morris Claiborne, who not only likely will declare for the draft, but has a great chance to be a Top 20 pick in the draft based on how he’s been as a returner, shut down cornerback, and do it all playmaker. Also on the defense, safety Brandon Taylor, Kendrick Adams, and Ryan Baker at safety, defensive end, and linebacker respectively, have played well and are all firmly in the draft pick discussion. 

Alabama’s defense isn’t nearly as young as LSU, and their talent is reaching NFL talent level already. Four linebackers in their defense are draftable if they all declare. Seniors Courtney Upshaw and Jerrell Harris are solid draft picks, while juniors Dont’a Hightower and Nico Johnson are juniors that have impressed thus far. Upshaw and Hightower both could be 1st round picks. On the defensive line, Josh Chapman at the nose guard spot is the loan senior, a Top 5 rounder in his own right, but junior Quinton Dial at defensive end has loads of talent himself. And the secondary could have not only 4-5 drafted plays, but 3 first rounders and starters by this time next year. Dre’ Kirkpatrick and Robert Lester, both juniors, have NFL size and playmaking ability. Mark Barron could have been a fringe 1st rounder in last year’s draft, and he hasn’t disappointed this year. Finally, DeQuan Maze as a spot starter and nickel cornerback could be looked at as a solid late round draft pick.

Alabama continuously pumps out great juniors and seniors every year, and this year is no different, with between 2-5 first round picks on that side of the ball alone, depending on how many juniors declare. LSU is much younger, but the talent level isn’t much different. When these two face each other come November 6th, expect loads of NFL teams there and/or watching from home and finding out how many, not if, they will have as players they desire on their draft board.
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So 17 of the last 20 Super Bowl winning quarterbacks and 15 of the last 20 Super Bowl playing quarterbacks were Top 5 NFL quarterbacks. Lesson to be learned: If you don’t have a Top 5 quarterback or a young passer who has that potential, team’s need to draft one. 

So while the Dolphins, Colts, Chiefs, Seahawks are in “Suck for Luck” mode already, teams like the Bills, Browns, Raiders, Broncos, Giants, Redskins, Cardinals, and Bears all don’t have quarterbacks that will most likely ever be Top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL in a season. While team’s can #SuckForLuck, other teams should still look for Barkley, Jones, Griffin, and other young, promising quarterbacks.
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Top 10….Scoring Offenses in FBS College Football 
With offense being substantially more important at the college football level in every conference but the NFL’s triple-A affiliate league the SEC, let’s take a look at the top scoring offenses in college football.

A few notes. For one, the top two teams (Georgia Tech and Oregon) both average over 300 yards RUSHING per game and are top 5 in the country, a bit surprising considering most of the rest of the teams are pass first offenses. Houston, at #8, is the only team in the country so far this year to crack the 3,000 yard total yard marker. Cincinnati doesn’t average 300 yards passing or rushing per game this year, the only team on this list that doesn’t average 300 yards in either category. Finally, while Washington State isn’t totally on the rebound, the fact that they are consistently putting up points is a sign of life.