Mayock: Luck not a once in a lifetime prospect

[clyde_carbon]

Mayock: Luck is great, but not a “once in a lifetime” prospect | ProFootballTalk

 

[I_am_1z]

Mayock: Luck is great, but not a “once in a lifetime” prospect | ProFootballTalk

While I don't believe Bradford is the right comparison, I do agree with the level of collegiate prospect they are.

Franchise QB potential is there, but if the rookie's salaries were still uncapped I don't believe either of them warrant going 1st overall. More like 10-15 (for Luck) and I had Bradford somewhere in the teens (13-19)

 

[clyde_carbon]

I hate all the talk of Luck being a once in a generation prospect or once a lifetime prospect. It's just stupid to say that. He is, however, an excellent prospect and undoubtedly the best player in this draft. He's right up there with Matthew Stafford as a prospect, for me.

Comparing him to Sam Bradford, IMO, is a borderline insult, though. Sam Bradford wasn't even a first round prospect.

 

[deep9er]

interesing....one analyst now backing off a little.

 

[imac_21]

interesing....one analyst now backing off a little.

What did Mayock say about 6 months ago?

 

[tallglassofwater007]

Is there ever really a once in a lifetime prospect in football?? In basketball you have guys like Lebron and Durant. They are giant and...freakish athletes. And in basketball one guy can change everything. In football, the only time one guy can change everything is a QB. And he can't even play defense. But he touches the ball every play on offense so he is as close as you could be to that. And there were doubts with every player. I don't think in football there is such a thing as a once in a lifetime prospect.

 

[EaseUrStorm]

Is there ever really a once in a lifetime prospect in football?? In basketball you have guys like Lebron and Durant. They are giant and...freakish athletes. And in basketball one guy can change everything. In football, the only time one guy can change everything is a QB. And he can't even play defense. But he touches the ball every play on offense so he is as close as you could be to that. And there were doubts with every player. I don't think in football there is such a thing as a once in a lifetime prospect.

I'll work this backwards. Barry Sanders (and Jim Brown from previous era) would definitely be categorized as a once in a lifetime freak talent player who could do things no one else could do. But as far as a prospect he wasn't categorized as a once in a lifetime prospect (or he'd go #1 despite positional value).

You can have a once in a lifetime punter. A once in a lifetime FB who wouldn't go #1, but let's simplify around that and just target athletic types who would go #1 and be considered can't miss once in a lifetime guys. I think a once in a lifetime prospect would just as likely be a non-QB.

Looking at previous #1 overall picks there's a few candidates who stick out to me as rare freak of nature athletes:

1. Bo Jackson
2. OJ Simpson
3. John Elway

I don't know how Bruce Smith was considered as a prospect, but he might have fit. These guys don't pop up very often, but even in today's game some anomaly guys like this will sporadically pop up in the future.

 

[deep9er]

What did Mayock say about 6 months ago?

you try too hard.

 

[tallglassofwater007]

I'll work this backwards. Barry Sanders (and Jim Brown from previous era) would definitely be categorized as a once in a lifetime freak talent player who could do things no one else could do. But as far as a prospect he wasn't categorized as a once in a lifetime prospect (or he'd go #1 despite positional value).

You can have a once in a lifetime punter. A once in a lifetime FB who wouldn't go #1, but let's simplify around that and just target athletic types who would go #1 and be considered can't miss once in a lifetime guys. I think a once in a lifetime prospect would just as likely be a non-QB.

Looking at previous #1 overall picks there's a few candidates who stick out to me as rare freak of nature athletes:

1. Bo Jackson
2. OJ Simpson
3. John Elway

I don't know how Bruce Smith was considered as a prospect, but he might have fit. These guys don't pop up very often, but even in today's game some anomaly guys like this will sporadically pop up in the future.

I agree that these guys were great players with once in a generation talent, but look at it this way...

Barry Sanders and Bo Jackson won how many combined playoff games?? I think the answer is 1. Then look at guys like Manning. He wins a Superbowl and the team wins countless playoff games in his career, then he goes down and the team manages 2 wins. This is why I can't say that a anybody but a QB can even be considered in football.

But then again.... a once in a life time talent/prospect is just that. Should we even consider what they do in their careers when putting them in this category?? As far as current players fitting this category I would think Megatron would be the top of that list.

 

[imac_21]

you try too hard.

You said he backed off. If he's backing off, he must have been on the "Luck is a once in a lifetime prospect" bandwagon.

Or could he be stating an opinion he's held for a long time?

 

[EaseUrStorm]

I agree that these guys were great players with once in a generation talent, but look at it this way...

Barry Sanders and Bo Jackson won how many combined playoff games?? I think the answer is 1. Then look at guys like Manning. He wins a Superbowl and the team wins countless playoff games in his career, then he goes down and the team manages 2 wins. This is why I can't say that a anybody but a QB can even be considered in football.

But then again.... a once in a life time talent/prospect is just that. Should we even consider what they do in their careers when putting them in this category?? As far as current players fitting this category I would think Megatron would be the top of that list.

This is the thing that really draws me to football. There's plenty of awesome players that are stuck on crappy teams. So much is dependent on GM's/coaches/organization/system, and even the way the league is set up for team success.

I would separate the player from team success in this one. These rare players have the deck stacked against because they're being drafted by the worst teams. Megatron is a great example... or think about a player like Eric Dickerson who's individually crushing, but doesn't have much around him most years. Teams can go to great lengths to slow these players down, but that doesn't take anything away from their talent.

To me it's someone who can dominate in any system based on extreme talent. Like a Lawrence Taylor/Deion Sanders type player who has the ability to redefine a position and change the game, only the prospect is actually understood as a prospect. The player is essentially projected to become a HOFer.

 

[numone9er]

I consider him to be more of an Eli Manning type of prospect. It would have been interesting to see who was selected first if he was in the '04 draft.

 

[NinerSickness]

I don't consider Luck a "once in a lifetime" prospect either. I just think he has the highest chance of being great and the lowest chance of being bad in a really long time. But it's not like I expect him to be BETTER than the likes of Brady, Brees, Manning, Rivers.

 

[tallglassofwater007]

This is the thing that really draws me to football. There's plenty of awesome players that are stuck on crappy teams. So much is dependent on GM's/coaches/organization/system, and even the way the league is set up for team success.

I would separate the player from team success in this one. These rare players have the deck stacked against because they're being drafted by the worst teams. Megatron is a great example... or think about a player like Eric Dickerson who's individually crushing, but doesn't have much around him most years. Teams can go to great lengths to slow these players down, but that doesn't take anything away from their talent.

To me it's someone who can dominate in any system based on extreme talent. Like a Lawrence Taylor/Deion Sanders type player who has the ability to redefine a position and change the game, only the prospect is actually understood as a prospect. The player is essentially projected to become a HOFer.

Yeah, I think I agree with that. Good posts on this one.