Yes, Jon Gruden loves every quarterback. Yes, he struggled to develop young quarterbacks in Oakland and Tampa Bay. That doesn’t mean the former coach, and current Monday Night Football analyst, doesn’t know how to evaluate the position.
In his words, here are Gruden’s thoughts on five quarterbacks who will be drafted next week:
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Cam Newton
“The thing that impressed me was not only his physical attributes, but his charisma, his eagerness to learn and to improve. He showed good retention in the meetings and I liked the look in his eye and the eagerness and the feeling that he has a lot to prove to everybody. Newton impressed me the most in that regard.”
Blaine Gabbert
“Blaine is a top-10 pick. All you have to do is see the ball come out of his hand. He has a quick, strong arm and prototype size. He was a finance major so you know he has the intelligence. He has speed. He’s elusive back there. His scrambling and playmaking will be enticing. His physical talents are noticeable to everybody.”
Ryan Mallett
“You watch Mallett play and he’s in a lot of pro-style situations. He does have a beautiful throwing motion that a lot of guys are excited about. He has the ability to throw the ball from a lot of areas in the pocket. He has a good football aptitude.”
Jake Locker
“This is one tough guy. He does have to improve his accuracy, but when you get hit a lot and you’re asked to do as much as he was, sometimes your fundamentals disappear. He does have a strong arm and an outstanding athlete. There’s a real passion and fire inside this guy that someone will capture. He’d be a fun guy to coach. … He can be a one-man wrecking machine.”
Andy Dalton
“Andy can play in any offense. I’ve seen him be accurate down the field. He has four years of production. The more you put on him above the neck to make decisions and to play the game with his head, the better he will be.”
