Where do you see Jimmy Clausen going in the draft?

There seem to be very conflicting views as to where Clausen should be taken in the draft. Some people speculate he could fall to the second round, while earlier in the year he was projected as a top 5 pick.

My main reason for asking the question is in case the Rams do trade down out of the top 5. Im wondering if Clausen's projected value would allow the Rams to take him should they trade down.

I think Clausen will be taken in the 6-10 range. Seattle, Buffalo and Cleveland could all use a young QB, and the Rams could trade down with Cleveland and take him there at 7.

Like you, I can't see him slipping out of the top ten, unless all the GMs are stupid enough to take McShay's word as gospel.

Buffalo at nine is most likely, barring trades.

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Originally Posted by DistantRam

Like you, I can't see him slipping out of the top ten, unless all the GMs are stupid enough to take McShay's word as gospel.

Buffalo at nine is most likely, barring trades.

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Brian Baldinger from NFL Network, also thinks that if he goes by Buffalo that he will go way way way down in the 1st.

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Originally Posted by thickandthin

Brian Baldinger from NFL Network, also thinks that if he goes by Buffalo that he will go way way way down in the 1st.

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If he gets by the Bills, the Jags are right there, and are in the market for a QB of the future. Then you have the ***** at 13 with two picks, which may make taking a qb in the first round more manageable. And soon thereafter, the Seahawks come around again, etc.

I don't think he takes that big of a plunge on draft day.

While any team is technically a possible destinations, I think the following teams are more likely to consider Clausen based on their need at the position or other factors: Washington, Kansas City, Seattle, Cleveland, Oakland, Buffalo, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Arizona, and Minnesota.

You'll notice that, if he gets by Buffalo, Jacksonville, and San Francisco, there's a big drop down the first round in terms of other possible teams in Arizona and Minnesota.

Ultimately, I think Washington, Seattle, Cleveland, and Oakland all pass. I currently see him going to Buffalo, because I think the top three offensive tackles will be off the board. If there's an OT available for the Bills, they may also pass on Clausen. Then you've got Jacksonville, who has David Garrard but aren't incredibly confident in him. They could choose to go DB or DE, or maybe even RB if Spiller is there.

Then you've got San Francisco, who have said they could look his way if he slips. I think with Crabtree, Morgan, Ginn, Davis, and Gore, the ***** have put together a solid young supporting cast for a quarterback. They just don't have a very consistent one. The ***** could draft Clausen and then the best OT available to help protect him, and have a fairly solid offense.

But in the end, I think Buffalo snags him if one of the top three tackles isn't available, which I don't think they will be.

Many teams could take him. His interviews were supposedly absolutely horrible at his pro-day. I wouldn't be shocked if he fell all the way to Arizona at 26.

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Originally Posted by RebelYell

Many teams could take him. His interviews were supposedly absolutely horrible at his pro-day. I wouldn't be shocked if he fell all the way to Arizona at 26.

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Where did you hear that? That's an interesting tidbit. I haven't heard anything regarding how his interviews went one or the other, but then again, I haven't exactly looked for that info either.

Haven't heard the Clausen interview woes, if he manages to get past Buffalo which is certainly possible, I can see the ***** or Seahwaks making a play with him with those two picks.

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Originally Posted by Nick

Where did you hear that? That's an interesting tidbit. I haven't heard anything regarding how his interviews went one or the other, but then again, I haven't exactly looked for that info either.

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I believe I heard it on Mike & Mike on ESPN radio. From what they (I don't remember who it was) said, the question of maturity was more of an issue AFTER the interviews than before.

edit: I said I wouldn't be shocked to see him fall but I still put him in the 11-20 range. I'm guessing someone trades down and gets him. Joe Flacco fell to 18. I think Clausen beats that but I wouldn't be shocked if he fell further.

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Originally Posted by RebelYell

I believe I heard it on Mike & Mike on ESPN radio. From what they (I don't remember who it was) said, the question of maturity was more of an issue AFTER the interviews than before.

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I haven't seen or heard much about his interviews, but the one thing that struck me was at the QB camp, when Gruden asked him about why he was ready for the NFL (Or something similar, I forget the exact question) Clausen's response in the short and long of it was "Because coach told me I am". That is a pretty poor answer right there, and not something I would not be happy with as a team. I know in Devaney's online chat he said that when interviewing, they look for guys who say they want to win, and win championships, not go to pro bowls or the hall of fame. Could be that is what teams felt about him, that getting accolades was more important than lifting the Lombardi. Pure speculation on my part, 100%.

I get the feeling the Browns won't take him at 7, the Raiders probably not with as many QBs as they have, and most pundits seem to think the Bills will pass so they can build their O-line first. I would say the Bills are most likely at #9, but if they pass, I can see him dropping down into the early 20's where my guess would be someone like Cleveland or the Bills will try to trade back up into the 1st and grab him.

I'm not sold on Arizona grabbing him. Yes, it is an uncapped year, but to pay first round money to two QBs is still a lot of cash to pump into that position when only one of them will play. I don't think they give up on Leinert yet and use that pick to fill other holes. Ditto for the *****. They can really build their roster with those two firsts and try to get a vet. QB for cheaper if they don't like Smith.

If I had to bet, I'd go Cleveland. I sure hope it's not one of the Rams' division rivals.

Note: both Bradford & Clausen are interviewed on Dan Patrick's radio show. If you can take the sophomoric Patrick's style, it's worth a listen.Neither guy gives any clue as to where they think they'll go but some interesting background stuff. Sam was a Steelers fan as a kid & his fav player was Kordell Stewart. Jimmy liked the Cowboys & The Triplets + Neon Deion.

Sam was shilling his Sprint sponsor's draft cellphone app pretty hard as well. If he learns to make hot reads from under center as fast as he seems to have learned how the for-profit publicity game is played, he should do fine in the NFL...lol...

Both guys opted for a star LT over a star WR when pressed to choose just one.

Listen to BOTH interviews-esp the lead into JC's- to squash the rumor on the net that The Rams haven't talked to Sam's agent AT ALL about contract.One hysterical blogger goes so far as to say "Bradford calls Demoff a liar!". All based on Patrick's skewing of Sam's answer. I don't even think it's deliberate on Patrick's part; he's just an idiot. All SB says is what we have already been told; no definite decision has been made nor have serious nitty-gritty money talks started that would lead to a pre-draft contract.

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Originally Posted by berg8309

I would say the Bills are most likely at #9, but if they pass, I can see him dropping down into the early 20's where my guess would be someone like Cleveland or the Bills will try to trade back up into the 1st and grab him.

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I'd love to see the reaction of Browns fans if their team trades back up into the first round for another Notre Dame quarterback. I get the feeling that'd be too eerily similar to them, though obviously Clausen and Quinn are different prospects. Still, I wonder if Cleveland would be content waiting on Colt McCoy rather than moving up for a sliding Clausen.

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Originally Posted by berg8309

I'm not sold on Arizona grabbing him. Yes, it is an uncapped year, but to pay first round money to two QBs is still a lot of cash to pump into that position when only one of them will play.

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Wasn't a problem when they were paying Warner big bucks with Leinart on the bench, and if Clausen falls into the late first round, the contract isn't going to be very big.

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Originally Posted by Nick

Wasn't a problem when they were paying Warner big bucks with Leinart on the bench, and if Clausen falls into the late first round, the contract isn't going to be very big.

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If they aren't sold on Leinart, they could also just go ahead and cut him. He received a 6 year deal with $14 guaranteed. That would mean cutting him would only cost about $4.67 million. His salary is probably at $7 million so cutting him would save some money. Nothing tells me the Cardinals are sold on Leinart being their guy for the future.

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Originally Posted by RebelYell

If they aren't sold on Leinart, they could also just go ahead and cut him. He received a 6 year deal with $14 guaranteed. That would mean cutting him would only cost about $4.67 million. His salary is probably at $7 million so cutting him would save some money. Nothing tells me the Cardinals are sold on Leinart being their guy for the future.

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Good points. Leinart's 2010 salary is actually $2.485 million. Not bad at all. And the Cardinals don't have to worry about what his pro-rated bonus money does for his cap cost, since there isn't a cap. In 2011, his salary jumps to $7.36 million with a $5.5 million roster bonus. Hard to believe they're going to keep him around at those figures, even if he has a good 2010.

If Clausen is there, the value may be too good to pass up. The Cardinals could part ways with Leinart via trade or simply by cutting him, and then let Clausen and Carr battle it out for the starting job.

Our good friend Scott Wright is a huge Clausen proponent. In a recent chat he said he personally liked Clausen to be the better pro and the better choice when compare with Bradford.