The Big Gron

[HuckFinn]

Packers Wire article on Gron. Predicts Packers may choose him in round three as a long term reliable back up. Details on his upside include accuracy, run ability, leadership, arm strength, winner confirmed. Confidence in himself and how it translates to confidence in him from teammates. Really nice read by a Packer insider.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

He just won the MVP at the East vs West Shrine Bowl. Had a hell of a block on a guy for a RB TD. He's just a winner and could really be at least a very solid back-up in the NFL. I think there is also a very good chance in the right situation he possibly could start. I mean he had over 12,000 yds passing in college so he has that ability, IMO. I think he has a ceiling and is a smart QB with making the reads at the line.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Look maybe it was injury, but accuracy is not his strength based upon his year at Iowa. Yes, he got better as the year went along and yes Iowa's receivers are not awesome. But, he played behind 5 NFL offensive lineman and struggled to deliver an accurate ball consistently. He also struggle with touch on short passes. I would draft him as a project as he does have all the physical traits, but a 3rd round, plug and play back up? Stretch.

 

[Westernhawk]

Really great to see. I hope he continues to make progress and can be a reliable NFL player. Even though he was only a hawk for one year, he is a GREAT hawkeye. I will remember some of his great plays and leadership.

 

[HuckFinn]

Look maybe it was injury, but accuracy is not his strength based upon his year at Iowa. Yes, he got better as the year went along and yes Iowa's receivers are not awesome. But, he played behind 5 NFL offensive lineman and struggled to deliver an accurate ball consistently. He also struggle with touch on short passes. I would draft him as a project as he does have all the physical traits, but a 3rd round, plug and play back up? Stretch.

The Pack has done this kind of thing before. Third round, back up QB. Pretty good history there. The article focused on his accuracy over several seasons, not just Iowa. All speculation at this point. But, interesting take.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

The Packers have been starting a first round draft pick for going on four decades now (Favre was top of second technically) Its sick and wrong how they seemed to never miss on a QB. Not sure that their backups have been all that relevant. A guy like Gron has similar characteristics to Love, so I can see it.

Maybe he was accurate at SDSU, in a great system and one of the strongest programs at the FCS level. He then moved to a passing deficient Big 10 school and really struggled to throw the ball. What's it gonna be like in the NFL? Five times harder. Again, I would take a flyer on him, but not in the third. Hope I am wrong because he is a great kid.

 

[CP87]

Look maybe it was injury, but accuracy is not his strength based upon his year at Iowa. Yes, he got better as the year went along and yes Iowa's receivers are not awesome. But, he played behind 5 NFL offensive lineman and struggled to deliver an accurate ball consistently. He also struggle with touch on short passes. I would draft him as a project as he does have all the physical traits, but a 3rd round, plug and play back up? Stretch.

I was thinking the same thing mid-season, but I just don't think we got to see the best version of him due to injuries and the subsequent lack of reps in this offense. If what we got over the last few games would have been what we got all season long, we would have been a playoff team and this would have been a season to remember.

 

[trj]

My prediction is that he will be a 6th rd. pick to the Broncos. He will be Sean Payton’s new Taysom Hill.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Look maybe it was injury, but accuracy is not his strength based upon his year at Iowa. Yes, he got better as the year went along and yes Iowa's receivers are not awesome. But, he played behind 5 NFL offensive lineman and struggled to deliver an accurate ball consistently. He also struggle with touch on short passes. I would draft him as a project as he does have all the physical traits, but a 3rd round, plug and play back up? Stretch.

The weird thing is, is that last week at the Shrine practices, many were raving about his accuracy along with mention of his arm strength. Maybe he just took some time to come back from injury early in the season.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

The weird thing is, is that last week at the Shrine practices, many were raving about his accuracy along with mention of his arm strength. Maybe he just took some time to come back from injury early in the season.

There were times early in the season that I almost thought the kid had the Yips. Like he was so nervous and knew where he needed to throw the ball and his mind just zapped his instincts. Again, it got better as the year went along, and the kid threw for 10k yards at SDSU. So....

 

[MelroseHawkins]

The Pack has done this kind of thing before. Third round, back up QB. Pretty good history there. The article focused on his accuracy over several seasons, not just Iowa. All speculation at this point. But, interesting take.

No other NFL team has had such a solid run with QB's than the Packers over the last what 30 yrs! Kind of similar to Iowa's run with head football coaches. Just unheard of. They just reload at that position where so many other teams struggle to find a consistent winner that can move the chains.

Funny thing is, they also were the first team in the NFL that brought Kurt Warner in for a tryout but ended up releasing him, which allowed Brett Favre to take flourish in GB. We all know the Warner story and now he's in the HOF.

 

[Fryowa]

The Packers have been starting a first round draft pick for going on four decades now (Favre was top of second technically) Its sick and wrong how they seemed to never miss on a QB. Not sure that their backups have been all that relevant. A guy like Gron has similar characteristics to Love, so I can see it.

Maybe he was accurate at SDSU, in a great system and one of the strongest programs at the FCS level. He then moved to a passing deficient Big 10 school and really struggled to throw the ball. What's it gonna be like in the NFL? Five times harder. Again, I would take a flyer on him, but not in the third. Hope I am wrong because he is a great kid.

I'm settling on a CJB-esque pro career for Gronowski and will be pleasantly surprised if it goes beyond that.

Not a knock on either MG or CJ, making NFL at that position is insanely difficult in itself. It's just that if you take this senior season on it's own he doesn't fit into the archetypal NFL starter blueprint.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

There were times early in the season that I almost thought the kid had the Yips. Like he was so nervous and knew where he needed to throw the ball and his mind just zapped his instincts. Again, it got better as the year went along, and the kid threw for 10k yards at SDSU. So....

I agree. I think he was jacked up with excitement and nervousness playing on a larger stage, along with coming back. It will be interesting to see. I'd like to go back and look at the SD stats over the years to see if he consistently had 275 plus passing games.

It will surely be interesting to watch his next chapter. Maybe some NFL team could be sitting on draft surprise. Who knows. We will see.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

I'm settling on a CJB-esque pro career for Gronowski and will be pleasantly surprised if it goes beyond that.

Not a knock on either MG or CJ, making NFL at that position is insanely difficult in itself. It's just that if you take this senior season on it's own he doesn't fit into the archetypal NFL starter blueprint.

Um, if I could hold a clipboard for 10+ years and earn 60 million while playing in a handful of games a year in the greatest sport ever invented, I would go to bed smiling every night. Long snappers, punters, and back-up QBS in the NFL have to be the best gigs around. Low pressure, you make millions, and you can walk when you are 50. You probably get a hot wife out of the deal too. Sign me up.

 

[haydensly]

I think his knee injury in the Indiana game set him back as well. It affected his throwing. I hope he goes on to a long career in the NFL, whatever role that might be.

 

[trj]

I'm settling on a CJB-esque pro career for Gronowski and will be pleasantly surprised if it goes beyond that.

Not a knock on either MG or CJ, making NFL at that position is insanely difficult in itself. It's just that if you take this senior season on it's own he doesn't fit into the archetypal NFL starter blueprint.

You think Brock Purdy’s senior season fit into the archetypal NFL starter blueprint? A lot of this is just timing and luck. Being in the right place, at the right time.

The lazy comps are to Tim Tebow. To be honest…I am guilty of it. Tim Tebow and MG’s style are pretty similar. Tebow wasn’t willing to be a “gadget guy”…I think MG will be.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

You think Brock Purdy’s senior season fit into the archetypal NFL starter blueprint? A lot of this is just timing and luck. Being in the right place, at the right time.

The lazy comps are to Tim Tebow. To be honest…I am guilty of it. Tim Tebow and MG’s style are pretty similar. Tebow wasn’t willing to be a “gadget guy”…I think MG will be.

His block where he willingly took out two DBs so his back could score also had to open some eyes on at least him being a gadget/goal line type of weapon. Someone will give him a chance to carve out a role in the league.

I actually think the better comp for Gron is Tayson Hill.

 

[Fryowa]

You think Brock Purdy’s senior season fit into the archetypal NFL starter blueprint? A lot of this is just timing and luck. Being in the right place, at the right time.

The lazy comps are to Tim Tebow. To be honest…I am guilty of it. Tim Tebow and MG’s style are pretty similar. Tebow wasn’t willing to be a “gadget guy”…I think MG will be.

CJB is the closest thing to Gronowski Iowa has ever had, hence that comparison. And yes, Purdy was closer to what an NFL QB typically is than Mark Gronowski. By a mile and a half.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

Just my guess, but I'd bet some team is willing to have Gronowski on its scout team next year as QB3. They might see if he could be used in gadget situations, but I think mostly he'll have to show over a year on the scout team that he developed enough to be a legit QB2 and worthy of a roster spot.