2011 Senior Bowl will make or break Jake Locker

by Dan Kadar on Jan 24, 2011 9:01 AM EST in 2011 Senior Bowl

A career completion percentage lower than 60 percent. 35 interceptions to just 53 touchdowns. Statistically, a less-productive senior season than junior season. Enough overthrown passes to fill a lowlight reel. Undoubtedly a lessening opinion from NFL scouts.

With the 2011 Senior Bowl, Washington quarterback Jake Locker can change the perception some have of him.

Quarterbacks have done it in the past. Last year, Tim Tebow showed off a more compact throwing motion. In 2008, Joe Flacco showed he could hang with top competition. In 2007, Kevin Kolb showed promise.

But there have been numerous others where the Senior Bowl has exposed them as average quarterbacks. Quarterbacks always get the most attention in Mobile, and none this year have Locker's clout.

Whichever way Locker goes is now up to him. There will no longer be the qualifiers of Locker not having good wide receivers or offensive line. In practices, he'll get to throw to sure-handed receivers like Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks, Boise State's Titus Young and San Diego State's Vincent Brown. He'll take snaps behind Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt, Colorado's Nate Solder and Boson College's Anthony Castonzo.

Locker should be fine, though, right? After all, he's been playing in a pro-style offense for two years and takes snaps from under center. Or is all that overblown?

The sky may have been the limit for Locker, but it's quickly falling down on him. With a good week and Mobile, he can prop it back up.

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I find it interesting the Bengals will coach Locker

And now they are in the market for a franchise QB

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You might remember me as "Firstpick"

by Joe Goodberry on Jan 24, 2011 9:04 AM EST reply actions

Thats a good point...

We’ve used the Senior Bowl the last couple years to scout guys, so he might be a second round target now if he performs

by The Dealio on Jan 24, 2011 12:07 PM EST up reply actions

I hope

he just does well enough to bring him to the #10 spot

by vjessejamesv on Jan 24, 2011 10:24 AM EST reply actions

I can't see him going in the 1st round

But then I’ve been wrong before.

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Success is not given to those who know what to do......unless they do it.

by titansfan4ever on Jan 24, 2011 11:22 AM EST reply actions

It only takes one team to fall in love with him

It doesn’t matter if 31 other teams thinks he’s a 6th-round talent.

How has Pete Carroll failed you today?

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Jan 24, 2011 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

So you're saying Raiders trade into the top 10?

by B Money on Jan 24, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

San Fran..

Going to WCO?.. ring any bells..

Hopefully my picture doesn't show my bias.

by C Byers on Jan 24, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

There's a lot of talk that the Redskins want him

and there are a lot of QB-needy teams this year.

How has Pete Carroll failed you today?

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Jan 24, 2011 6:13 PM EST up reply actions

Why?

I don’t understand that…how is he a not a 1st round pick?

by Montell on Jan 24, 2011 1:33 PM EST up reply actions

He's still raw and had an unproductive year

The guy’s all about “upside”.

How has Pete Carroll failed you today?

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Jan 24, 2011 6:15 PM EST up reply actions

Like Maybin?

Or Gholston? JPP? Felix Jones? Chris Johnson?

These guys were all decent enough for at least a year in school, but “upside” is what makes them 1st rounders. If he has a decent showing in the combine and senior bowl, that upside will make him a high pick.

by Stephen Schmidt on Jan 25, 2011 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

how can you say he's raw

when last year he would’ve been arguably the #1 overall

The Curse of Bo Jackson: Jan 13th,1991- present day

by TruWhoDey on Jan 27, 2011 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

It's all part of the plan.

Locker will fall all the way to #25 to the Seahawks.

Aaron Curry was a bust the moment he took the field.

by Fearless Frog on Jan 24, 2011 12:26 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Is that your hope?

What’s your take on the QB prospects and Seattle’s need?

by jacobstevens on Jan 24, 2011 2:01 PM EST up reply actions

Kind of.

I like the main QB prospects equally but I’m not convinced any are going to be superstars. I think Ryan Mallett could be the best of them by a significant margin, though. As for Seattle, we still have needs everywhere but none as pressing as QB. The Hasselbeck era should have ended a long time ago.

Aaron Curry was a bust the moment he took the field.

by Fearless Frog on Jan 24, 2011 2:21 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I don't get the Mallet love

he’s awkward and lanky and throws off his back foot a lot. I’m also not sold on his poise and his character is questionable. I’m sure it’s been exhausted here, but I’m new, what’s the consensus on Mallet at MTD?

by B Money on Jan 24, 2011 3:08 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed with this.

Mallett has bust written all over him.

by Coach Owens on Jan 24, 2011 3:09 PM EST up reply actions

I do think if he somehow fell to pick 64 or later

quality pick up and maybe he’ll get his head on straight

Hopefully my picture doesn't show my bias.

by C Byers on Jan 24, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

He's got the physical measureables

and his height can be an advantage just as much as it makes him weird and lumbering. Mocks with Mallet in the top 10 just defy every ounce of logic that I have.

by B Money on Jan 24, 2011 4:23 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed.

Which is why i would never use an early pick on him.

Physical abilities don’t matter if the minds somewhere else.

Hopefully my picture doesn't show my bias.

by C Byers on Jan 24, 2011 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

Question

Do you really feel Mallet will be the a star QB for the next decade for you. or are you just
wanting him because he’s decently ranked in a bad class and you need a QB

Hopefully my picture doesn't show my bias.

by C Byers on Jan 24, 2011 4:08 PM EST up reply actions

agreed

Mallet has bust written all over him, and from what I’ve heard probably can’t even spell Bust….if we do end up going QB, I’d be down for Nevada’s Qb, Kaepernick*….or maybe Locker, Locker just seems like he needs more coaching/developement than we’d be able to give him adn at this point in his collegiate career, he should still be putting up decent #’s not degressing….

The Curse of Bo Jackson: Jan 13th,1991- present day

by TruWhoDey on Jan 25, 2011 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

I still find it amusing how people seem to forget how bad the talent is around him.

Luck had one of the best offensive lines in college football and some good receivers. Locker didn’t. Yeah, yeah, yeah, “a great QB makes his receivers look better”, blah, blah, blah. But I remember a local scout saying that they saw Washington receivers drop at least 20 passes this season, and that was before the Holiday Bowl where there were about five more. Add those 25 would-be completions and his completion percentage rises all the way up to 63%.

by Coach Owens on Jan 24, 2011 1:20 PM EST reply actions

I'm a UW diehard

and the WR corps this year wayyyy under-performed. They dropped 20 sure balls, and probably another 10-15 that weren’t great balls, but would be caught by a majority of D-1 WR’s.

That said, I really don’t think, when I look deep down that Locker has it to be the superstar everyone had built him up to be last year. His ceiling is 2010 Michael Vick, but his floor is Rick Meier. He’s a good value in the 20’s and a great value outside of R1. He’ll be a serviceable starter and maybe make a pro bowl. He’s just such a physical freak that it’s hard to pass him up. I don’t think he can hurt himself much this week, but come combine time, when he runs a sub 4.5 and benches a gazillion times, he’ll earn back a lot of what he lost.

by B Money on Jan 24, 2011 3:06 PM EST up reply actions