Why did Sam Darnold fail to develop into a good NFL QB?

[thebuzzardman]

I selected "other" because did not see the "He sucks" box

[thebuzzardman]

Just now, thebuzzardman said:

I selected "other" because did not see the "He sucks" box

Then I selected "all" because that seemed the closest to "just plain sucks" 

[TuscanyTile2]

5 hours ago, sourceworx said:

Sam was overhyped as a prospect based on one game his sophomore year.

His last season at USC really wasn't that great.  Some considered him to be a generational prospect along the lines of Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning ("He has the It Factor!!!"), yet if you watched him objectively it was clear that he wasn't. 

It also didn't help that he was drafted by Mike Maccagnan, who was the anti-Midas. Everything that guy touched turned to dogsh!t.

Bring him home, JD!

[DoubleDown]

Slow processor of defensive coverages

Poor decision maker leading to high interception rates

Mentally ruined by consistently poor pass protection

[sourceworx]

2 hours ago, jgb said:

Josh Allen is not an argument for. He’s an argument against. There’s a reason he is THE example that’s always given.

Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Tony Romo, Kurt Warner, Phil Simms.

Josh Allen isn't THE example. He's just the latest one.

 

[Jetsfan80]

1 hour ago, slats said:

Synthetic? 

Yes, the same kind Kellen Winslow Jr used while masterbating in a Target parking lot.  

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/witness-kellen-winslow-masturbating-in-target-parking-lot/

[Jet9]

Because this franchise doesn't develop anything. Well, anything positive. 

[jgb]

11 minutes ago, sourceworx said:

Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Tony Romo, Kurt Warner, Phil Simms. I'm sure I'm missing others, but all of them played against weak competition in college. 

You're so right! It NEVER happens!

 

I wasn’t saying no other QB ever played against weak competition in college. Come on you don’t have to pretend to be as dense as Geno Smith to try to make a point. Be better.

[Jetsfan80]

38 minutes ago, DoubleDown said:

Slow processor of defensive coverages

Poor decision maker leading to high interception rates

Mentally ruined by consistently poor pass protection

I read this list and the way I see it, the 3rd item is heavily influenced by the first 2.

If Darnold was "mentally ruined" by taking hits, a lot/most of it was his own damn fault for not being able to make any presnap decisions and for holding onto the ball so long that even the early 90s Cowboys OL wouldn't have been able to prevent him from getting taken down.

[Joe Willie White Shoes]

2 hours ago, Awesumtenor said:

You’d think after Leinart and Sanchez league pundits would be more pragmatic about USC QBs…

How does wearing the same uniform but with completely different coaching staffs across almost two decades dictate success or failure as a QB?  What was the same across Leinart, Sanchez, and Darnold other than the laundry and the facilities?  Nothing.  

[Jet9]

3 minutes ago, Joe Willie White Shoes said:

How does wearing the same uniform but with completely different coaching staffs across almost two decades dictate success or failure as a QB?  What was the same across Leinart, Sanchez, and Darnold other than the laundry and the facilities?  Nothing.  

While you're right, the only one worth a sh*t was Carson Palmer. Sanchez, Cassell, Leinert, Kessler, Booty, Darnold, Marinovich, Rodney Peete, Sean Salisbury, Rob Johnson...all very meh. 

[sourceworx]

21 minutes ago, jgb said:

I wasn’t saying no other QB ever played against weak competition in college. Come on you don’t have to pretend to be as dense as Geno Smith to try to make a point. Be better.

My post that you responded to was about Zach and Josh Allen playing against lesser competition. 

If you're going to play the role of message board sh!tbag, at least be good at it.

[jgb]

3 minutes ago, sourceworx said:

My post that you responded to was about Zach and Josh Allen playing against lesser competition. 

If you're going to play the role of message board sh!tbag, at least be good at it.

[DoubleDown]

47 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I read this list and the way I see it, the 3rd item is heavily influenced by the first 2.

If Darnold was "mentally ruined" by taking hits, a lot/most of it was his own damn fault for not being able to make any presnap decisions and for holding onto the ball so long that even the early 90s Cowboys OL wouldn't have been able to prevent him from getting taken down.

Agree to a certain extent, but the OL was horrendous in its own right.

The three years Darnold started had the worst OL play I have seen in over 30 years of watching football. It was the culmination of putting essentially zero investment into the OL under the management of Idzik and Mac.

[slats]

1 hour ago, Jetsfan80 said:

Yes, the same kind Kellen Winslow Jr used while masterbating in a Target parking lot.  

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/witness-kellen-winslow-masturbating-in-target-parking-lot/

Masturbating in a parking lot? You must have me confused with another one of our users.  

@Jetsfan80

[southparkcpa]

8 hours ago, sourceworx said:

Sam was overhyped as a prospect based on one game his sophomore year.

His last season at USC really wasn't that great.  Some considered him to be a generational prospect along the lines of Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning ("He has the It Factor!!!"), yet if you watched him objectively it was clear that he wasn't. 

It also didn't help that he was drafted by Mike Maccagnan, who was the anti-Midas. Everything that guy touched turned to dogsh!t.

Perfect for a desperate GM who passed on Mahommes, Watrson and drafted Hackenberg.  

[southparkcpa]

1 hour ago, Jet9 said:

While you're right, the only one worth a sh*t was Carson Palmer. Sanchez, Cassell, Leinert, Kessler, Booty, Darnold, Marinovich, Rodney Peete, Sean Salisbury, Rob Johnson...all very meh. 

How fukked up is that....  1 good QB all those years. Hell, NC State had 5 in the NFL at the same time recently. 

[rangerous]

the usc aspect was left out.  but really he just didn't seem to have much court awareness or understand the flow of the game.  sure we can say he wasn't surrounded with better talent but that's something that all teams go through at times and the qb's do better than darnold.  no sense kicking the guy when he's down.  he made a ton of money and should be set for life.  maybe three's a charm and he succeeds at his next team.

[rangerous]

9 hours ago, sourceworx said:

Sam was overhyped as a prospect based on one game his sophomore year.

His last season at USC really wasn't that great.  Some considered him to be a generational prospect along the lines of Andrew Luck or Peyton Manning ("He has the It Factor!!!"), yet if you watched him objectively it was clear that he wasn't. 

It also didn't help that he was drafted by Mike Maccagnan, who was the anti-Midas. Everything that guy touched turned to dogsh!t.

it's pretty funny after remembering that big write up about how mac was stalking darnold from his first season at usc and was sooooo happy to have drafted him.  funnier too because mac was supposed to be a good evaluator of talent.  i guess not.  good riddance.

[jgb]

24 minutes ago, rangerous said:

it's pretty funny after remembering that big write up about how mac was stalking darnold from his first season at usc and was sooooo happy to have drafted him.  funnier too because mac was supposed to be a good evaluator of talent.  i guess not.  good riddance.

No one talks about the real villains here: James and Noah. Those little bastids have some 'splainin to do.

“So this is what’s going on—Sam Darnold just slipped to us,” Maccagnan said smiling to 12-year-old James and 10-year-old Noah. “I think I’m gonna draft Sam Darnold to be the Jets’ next quarterback. Are you OK with that?” Noah responded, “Uh-huh.” And James: “Yup.” 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/05/16/new-york-jets-sam-darnold-2018-draft

[CanadienJetsFan]

Very simple:

happy feet.

[jgb]

28 minutes ago, rangerous said:

maybe three's a charm and he succeeds at his next team.

I will happily take any and all action if you care to wager on that.

[Normstansfield]

For the same reasons Zach Wilson won’t pan out 

[jgb]

22 minutes ago, Normstansfield said:

For the same reasons Zach Wilson won’t pan out 

Remember: when you get banned don't tell anyone about our arrangement to make the Board stop thinking I'm a troll. I will PayPal your fee as agreed.

[Normstansfield]

3 minutes ago, jgb said:

Remember: when you get banned don't tell anyone about our arrangement to make the Board stop thinking I'm a troll. I will PayPal your fee as agreed.

It’s a bannable offense to tell the truth here?  Man, being a jets fan does suck this is like the North Korea of the NFL

[jgb]

4 minutes ago, Normstansfield said:

It’s a bannable offense to tell the truth here?  Man, being a jets fan does suck this is like the North Korea of the NFL

Depends on if you come off as a cheeky Loki-esque figure of mirth and mischievousness or a turd missile. 

[Facts]

I was pounding on the table for Allen.

No one wanted to listen.

[Greenbloodblitz]

If I can make it there I'll make it anywhere it's up to you New York!

Darnold had a sh*tty run. No bones about it changing gm's, coaches, systems, bad talent etc.

As I've been saying for years now New York isn't for everybody it's not for some country boys from Arkansas and surfer dudes from California. This is a high pressure place. That includes the media.

Can you imagine being from Alabama and getting in your first taxi cab in New York City and you feel like you're going to  be killed 12 times in the first four blocks? It's not for everybody~

I actually thought Baker Mayfield was the guy that could handle New York. Ain't it funny how that turned out!?

Which brings to mind the topic of when are we cutting Denzel Mims and  Mekhi Becton!? These are two guys who have not adjusted well. Our team is looking up we should cut bait with any problems.

[Raideraholic]

He was a USC Qb  product where play on superior team , that Wr get ridiculous separation from Cb’s.   Than get in the pro’s where the window between the Qb and wide receiver are so much small .        That USC Qb gets exposed for the fraud he is.    You have high pick don’t pick USC Qb , or guy who  kisses every loose woman.

[Larz]

Over drafted to a team that traded away the picks necessary to build around him. 
 

maccacnan fell in love with his sideline demeanor and the legend of how he turned the USC program around. 
 

If he went later in the draft to a better place he would be better but he still has the brain freeze that kills you and I don’t know if that can be completely coached out of him. 

[Sonny Werblin]

The bottom line is that if you want to get drafted by the Jets as a QB out of USC, you just need a signature game vs Penn State in the Rose Bowl

[Sonny Werblin]

IMO the main reason for Darnold's failure to fulfill his potential is that for whatever reason (practice habits, brain, coaching, etc...) the game has not slowed down for him. 

[UntouchableCrew]

I think of the options listed "vision/in game awareness" are at the top of the list. He just didn't see the field/process what he was seeing quickly enough and was always turnover prone. Not a good decision maker.

I don't think arm talent or athleticism were weaknesses, even if his mechanics were a little wonky.

He was poorly supported in terms of talent and coaching but I don't think that was the determining factor with him, it just made his floor even lower (and allowed JD to fleece the Panthers.)

[JoeNamathsFurCoat]

Watch his game vs Ohio State.

That basically told you everything you needed to know about how he would be as a pro.

Maccaganan apparently never watched that game or ignored it. 

Instead, he placed total confidence in having scouted him live in LA and sensing the "positive vibes" around Sammy on the sidelines.  And after all, Sam's USC teammates "loved him".  Definitely worth dealing 3 2nd round picks to move up 3 spots for the possibility of drafting.

[RVAJet815]

Arm talent and decision making isn't really the issue. It was a bunch of things, though. In retrospect, I think Sam is one of those guys that would have really benefited from sitting and watching for a while. As it was, he was surrounded by lesser talent and not really supported by his GM and HC. Some of it is his fault for sure and he was much too set in his ways to catch up after a lousy start, but I don't think it's debatable that he was in a horrible situation from the jump.