#1-Alex Smith, #250-Ryan Fitzpatrick starting Sunday: Wonderlics 40 & 50

[tiptoe]

Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith videos
Video - Fitzpatrick

Analysis - Ryan Fitzpatrick
One of the most skilled quarterbacks in the NCAA Division 1-AA ranks, Ryan is the type of player capable of taking over a game on offense. He is a tough competitor with quick feet, a strong arm and very good accuracy passing in the short area. … A three-sport (football, basketball and track) star at Highland Gilbert (Az.) High School, Ryan was a second-team Class 5A All-State selection, adding Arizona High School All-Star team, Fiesta Region first-team and Fiesta Region MVP honors as a senior. He set twelve school records and one state mark (throwing a 99-yard touchdown pass) while leading the team to the state playoffs from 1998-2000 and to the 1999 Fiesta Region title. He graduated in the top one-percent of his class and received the Presidential Award of Excellence. … Ryan served as a very capable backup to record-setting QB Neil Rose during his first two years with the Crimson, excelling in five starting assignments during the 2001-02 seasons when Rose was injured...

Alex Smith
Negatives: Shows very good accuracy in the short to intermediate areas, but does not have a cannon for an arm to be a "home run threat" on his deep throws. … While reviewing film, I noticed that when he lines up under center, he has the foot speed to get back, but shows some difficulty setting his feet (will slide out from under him at times) and is prone to throwing off his back foot, more so than when he takes the shotgun snap. … Used to have "happy feet" at the first sign of pressure, but improved considerably in this area last season, though he is still apt to run with the ball if he spots a free lane. … It is very rare that he will make a bad throw, but there are times when he is caught in the backfield because he held on to the ball too long (seven of his thirteen sacks led to fumbles). … Shows good accuracy when on the run, but does lose some velocity behind his deep tosses when rolling out. … He needs to secure the ball better, as he has had a rash of fumbles due to arm tackles. … On long tosses, Smith has adequate strength, but tends to throw too close to the defender rather than to the sideline side of his target. … Operating mostly out of the shotgun is a concern, as I am not much of a fan of his footwork driving back from center.

WPT-R - Making the Best Even Better
Sample Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT)
Sample Revised Wonderlic test

NFL and Wonderlic
50 - Ryan Fitzpatrick, Harvard
50 - Pat McInally, Harvard (punter)
42 - Drew Henson, Michigan
40 - Alex Smith, Utah
39 - Eli Manning, Ole Miss
39 - Brian Grise, Michigan
37 - Drew Bledsoe, Washington State
33 - Tom Brady, Michigan
33 - Steve Young, BYU
30 - John Elway, Stanford
30 - Quincy Carter, Georgia
30 - Philip Rivers, N.C. State
29 - Troy Aikman, UCLA
25 - Ben Roethlisberger, Miami (Ohio)
22 - Chris Simms, Texas
22 - Brett Favre, Southern Miss
17 - Aaron Brooks, Virginia
16 - Dan Marino, Pittsburgh
16 - Heath Shuler, Tennessee
15 - Steve McNair, Alcorn State
14 - Wayne Madkin, Miss. State
13 - Neil O'Donnell, Maryland
12 - Donovan McNabb, Syracuse
11 - Romaro Miller, Ole Miss
11 - Tee Martin, Tennessee
10 - Jeff George, Illinois

"Observations --
Quarterbacks from Michigan do really, really well on the Wonderlic (besides Elvis Grbac, who made a 15); Quarterbacks from Mississippi do really, really poorly on the Wonderlic (unless you are from the Manning family, or are Brett Favre); scores aren't that accurate of a predictor of success."

[Arkana]

1. And you know what?

Fitzpatrick will end up being better--some of the greatest quarterbacks have been drafted in the fifth, sixth, and even seventh rounds of the draft. As a Patriots fan, I can think of one such QB who went from zero to hero. :)

[tiptoe]

2. And you know what?

I agree.

I think both Rodgers and Fitzpatrick will perform better than Smith in the long run.

Niners should have taken Rodgers (Fitzpatrick was unheralded at time) -- better trained, better instincts...last QB to beat USC (...and would have repeated against USC, if receiver(s) hadn't been injured).

Factors that won't help Smith's development: Head coach who is a former defensive coordinator, assistant head coach who is also defensive oriented, disruption of 49er West Coast Offense tradition, last veteran QB Rattay traded (no tutoring help), lack of "football people" in owner's administrative offices. Apparent quality in head coach of a "my way or the highway" attitude (i.e. an inability/unwillingness to integrate established skill-talents into his scheme...very unlike Bill Walsh, who could -- with talented coaching staff -- develop a scheme around his players' skills). Video of Smith displays his long stride, a tendency to "wind up" on his throws (and telegraph, more important on longer attempts...not his strength); Rodgers was much better developed/refined under Tedford at Cal. Smith revealed some his fundamental deficiencies in the first few weeks of the season.

(Were Mike Nolan and "people around him" "qualified" to assess and draft a QB?)

Anyway, we'll see how Smith "plays out." The 49er coaching staff gets a reprieve from scrutiny while young, inexperienced players dominate the roster. (In time, the coaching staff will be revealed to be a problem, as well as the owner -- IMO.)

[tiptoe]

3. "As a Patriots fan, I can think of one such QB..."

Would that be a fan of Joe Montana, the only QB to fully execute Bill Walsh' West Coast Offense? ;)

[Arkana]

4. It would be THE Tom Brady, one of the only quarterbacks in history

that would be able to quit before he's 30 and STILL make the Hall of Fame.

[tiptoe]

5. Ah! "Tuck" Brady

j/k :)

(The Raiders shouldn't complain about that call, since replay shows Woodson head-slapped Brady BEFORE the ball-tuck action arose.)

[Arkana]

6. I have to admit, it was a bad call...

but the Pats obviously had some talent, otherwise they wouldn't have won the SB that year.