What happened to the NFL ready rookie QB?

NOTE: Yesterday on NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I looked at the teams that did not make the playoffs last year and what 5 things they had to do to get in this season.

There are a lot of teams looking for a franchise ready quarterback in the draft. But the league is not doing what they need to do to transform the college spread QB to an NFL drop back pocket guy.

Let me make 1 thing very clear. It is not the job of college coaches to get a QB ready to play at the next level. College coaches need to win games to stay employed. They have no incentive to get a QB ready for the NFL.

The spread offense defines the throw for most QB reads. Most college offenses use an either/or read on one defender. If the corner comes up to cover the short pattern, the throw goes to the long route. If he covers the deep route, the throw is to the short guy. If both are covered, most college QBs run.

In addition most pre-snap reads are done by the coaches then signaled in on picture boards. College QB prospects are also not expected to adjust protections. Those adjustments are made by the center or the signal from the coaches.

In the NFL, a QB must not only read the defense before the snap, but adjust to post snap defensive changes into things like combination man/zone coverages not seen in college ball. While defenses in college have not figured out the spread, NFL defenses have progressed well beyond the spread into the the most complex defenses in the history of the game.

The only way to transform a college spread QB into an NFL pocket passer is to give him a QB guru beside the QB coach. But in the NFL, the QB coach is not a destination but a stepping stone to Offensive Coordinator. As a result most QB coaches fail to recognize issues with mechanics, footwork and throwing motion. Those issues compound the problem and reduce the number of qualified potential QBs that could develop into starting quality guys.

There are issues as well teaching a college QB to read coverages. While tape work is required, a college QB has to be taught how to watch film. The QB also has to have a work ethic like that of Russell Wilson.

So the most important position in the NFL goes unfilled for many NFL teams. While there are potential candidates, they fail because they do not get the kind of coaching that it takes to develop them.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: News, Notes and Rumors podcast are BACK. Check out our thoughts on Fridays about the games coming up and Monday on the results of the weekend. My co-host is Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports. Podcasts can be heard on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Thanks for your support.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/. Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts. You can hear the previous shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

He also edits .

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.

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