Drew Stanton vs. Brady Quinn
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by user AWeiner18
President George W. Bush is currently supported by 32% of the citizens in the United States of America. The only organization that receives a lower approval rating is not a political group; it is a professional football team that is controlled by one of the worst management teams (from the owner to the general manager) in National Football League history: the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions’ 3-13 record in 2006 clearly represents its current state: it has a long way to go. With the second overall choice in the draft, ESPN college football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes the Lions should consider drafting a quarterback because the future quarterback can “lead [the Lions] both in the football perspective and public appeal (his attractive looks).” Even though I agree with Kiper’s opinion, I disagree with his solution to save the franchise: Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. The Lions should not draft Quinn with the second pick and, instead, draft Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton in a later round.
The differences between Brady Quinn and Drew Stanton are many. NFL analysts such as Kiper, Todd McShay, and Scouts Inc., consider Quinn the best quarterback in the country whereas Drew Stanton’s name is be found in their top five quarterbacks entering the draft. Quinn produced spectacular throwing statistics whereas Stanton produced moderately good statistics. Quinn comes from a school who’s football program is televised frequently across the nation whereas Stanton comes from a school that is known primarily in the state of Michigan.
So why pass over a quarterback who has thrown over 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns the past two seasons? Why pick Stanton, a quarterback who played for a lousy team throughout his college career, instead? One reason is that this decision will be economical: the Lions should not pay Brady Quinn upwards of $40 million dollars where they could pay a future quarterback around $10 million. This strategy is more in tune with the Lions philosophy.
However, there are other good reasons to select Stanton. Even though scouts rank Quinn higher than Stanton, both quarterbacks possess similar characteristics. Both Stanton and Quinn stand at 6 feet and 4 inches, which is a good size for a quarterback because they are able to see over big offensive and defensive lineman. But despite their similar size, Stanton plays like an athletic quarterback that is not afraid to scramble outside the pocket. Quinn, on the other hand, could not scramble if his life depended on it. In 2006, Stanton ran for 445 yards and 5 touchdowns whereas Quinn ran for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns. And, in 2005, Stanton’s 3,077 passing yards and 22 touchdowns was favored by the media compared to Quinn’s 3,919 yards and 32 touchdowns because Stanton was a one-man team. Quinn, on the other hand, was on a team that consisted of five-star athletes.
The Detroit Lions need to make many safe investments if they want to save its franchise. By drafting Stanton, the Lions would once again draft a “hometown boy” and a fan favorite, instantly increasing the Lions’ approval ratings, and they will not have to pay him as much money that they would be forced to pay for Quinn. Perhaps the most important reason to select Stanton is that the Lions would not have to be pressured to throw their investment to the dogs.
Take former quarterback Joey Harrington for example. The only reason why Harrington failed miserably in Detroit was because Detroit was not patient, and threw him to the dogs too soon. They assumed he would be able to instantly make a smooth transition between college and professional football. Instead, they produced a quarterback who did not have faith in himself. If the Lions drafted Quinn, they would feel the pressure from the fans and media to start Quinn at quarterback right away, potentially creating another Joey Harrington. With current quarterback Jon Kitna taking the snaps, Stanton could potentially learn from Kitna until the coaching staff, whoever it may be in 2008, decides it is the right time to start Stanton.
You can blame this pathetic mess on the head administrator of the Lions: Lions president Matt Millen. As of right now, President Bush looks like a genius compared to Millen because Millen continues to screw up with his first round picks (Harrington in 2002, wide receiver Charles Rogers, who is looking for a job in the Canadian Football League, in 2003, and soon-to-be bust Mike Williams in 2005). Also, Millen has hired four different coaches, has the worst overall record since arriving in 2001, and since his tenure, has produced the least amount of Pro Bowlers in the league.
Millen, to me, approaches the draft like the stock market: picking risky investments in wide receivers Williams and Rogers (both came into the NFL with attitude problems), and then using his prize possession (Joey Harrington) impulsively by playing him too soon. Even though Quinn could potentially be a superstar in the league, Millen currently has many more issues than the quarterback position. If Millen traded down to gain extra picks, he could use those picks to address more team needs, such as offensive line, secondary, and receivers (now that Rogers was cut and Williams has trouble keeping his weight down).
The Lions are not only the worst National Football League franchise in history, they are also the worst professional sports franchise at this very moment. The head administrator of this pathetic mess, Matt Millen, could potentially improve his approval rating past President Bush if he drafted Stanton in a later round instead of Quinn with the second overall pick.
It is obvious that Millen better not screw up on this draft pick or else he will join the unemployed list in Michigan. All he has to do is think and be safe when it comes to drafting players that will hopefully turn around this under producing franchise. But truly, only one football player could potentially save Millen’s poor career thus far. That man is Drew Stanton.
