>>Character Matters
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>>I don't know enough about whatever it is Jimmy Clausen is or does to honk people off, but to go from being a lock top ten pick (and some talking about you in the top 3) to falling out of the first round is about a $30 million dollar hit.
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>>Holmgren said, "I wish I liked him more."
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>>And Denver trades up to be sure to get Tebow.
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>>I guess nice matters. It is one thing for teams to consider a guy like Tebow to be chancy because he comes out of a spread offense or has weird mechanics. ( and somebody still trading up for him in the first round because they think he's a great person and great athlete)
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>>But imagine all those teams passing on somebody who is supposed to be the most "NFL ready" QB in the draft just because they think he's an a$$hole. <g>
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>But a guy like that, if he really is, can wreck a clubhouse and the team morale needed to win. If he really is as bad as made out, I'd pass on him too. That is, unless I had a truly dismal team and was desperate.
>
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>>http://purplejesus.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/jclausen001.jpg

Absolutely agree. I want to see the NFL steering more toward smart, disciplined guys who have their heads screwed on straight. Good character and the ability to be a normal human counts for a lot.

Joe Thomas is probably one of the best draft picks Cleveland ever made. Starter from day one, Pro-bowl every year and the most normal person you could ask for. Ditch the prima donnas, thugs and head cases.

I don't think Jimmy Clausen is that bad, but I'm pretty sure Holmgren doesn't want him in the locker room and I know for sure he's not Mangini's kind of guy. McCoy would be okay and Tebow could fit in anyplace. I wish them all luck because they accomplished a lot to get where they are and I admire that, but I'm really okay with Cleveland going with Delhomme and Seneca Wallace this year and picking up a franchise QB in 2011 when the pickings will be greater. They may take somebody as a project in the 5th round this year, but I think they are pretty focused on guys who will start in the fall.

(Mallet out of Arkansas or Luck from Stanford in 2011 look like the kind of guys Holmgren could warm up to. Of course Pryor out of Ohio State would be a very popular pick here and MH might see him as a worthy project.)