Hodges Is The Man

[The Man of Steel]

College numbers are ridiculous....albeit small school.

Last year Hodges lit up Florida State for 475 yards in a near upset so he can definitely sling the football around.

[Captain Lemming]

Yet Dobbs was kept over him.

Dobbs had trade value. Then we brought the kid back.
Nobody was primed to steal him.

We have a new tight end PLUS Hodges because we did that.

[Captain Lemming]

Last year Hodges lit up Florida State for 475 yards in a near upset so he can definitely sling the football around.

He has played Auburn and Georgia....bunch of top schools. Not just scrubs.

[Northern_Blitz]

While many don like Ben he is a HOF QB not Tommy Gun being replaced by a rookie. I give Ben every opportunity to come back and be the starter. But any bump or bruise he can sit out with a capable back up waiting and learning.
I am not sure Ben will even play out his contract. He might get injured more often now. And I don't think he can bounce right back any more. That's if he can come back 100%. He is said to not be the hardest worker in the off season. But sitting out a year might reinvigorate him to come back his best in years.

If the D looked bad, I'd say try to trade Ben and speed up the rebuild.

But I think the D is going to be good this year and next....so crazy to type that.

If that's the case, keep Ben and see if he can go out like P Manning.

[SS Laser]

If the D looked bad, I'd say try to trade Ben and speed up the rebuild.

But I think the D is going to be good this year and next....so crazy to type that.

If that's the case, keep Ben and see if he can go out like P Manning.

I do wonder if there is a trade clause in his contract. Can't see him being ok with a trade to say the Buc's even being with BA and others being there. He could just retire. And who gambles on that trade with BR coming off surgery? Could he even be worth a 1st rd pick at this point? I see pro's and con's to trading him.
In the end treat it like PM in Denver. See if BR can get 1 or 2 at the end of his career with this defense looking good! Ben would have scored a TD on 50% of the TO this season. So the Season looks a lot different then.

[Shawn]

Jackson’s team won but he personally is not a good qb. When he’s not playing bottom feeder teams, he’s not good.

You are wrong about Jackson. Always have been.

[papillon]

One scouting report that focused on his play versus measurements.

QB Devlin Hodges
Samford
DRAFT CLASS: 2019

NEED TO KNOW:
IS HE MOBILE? Average.
DOES HE HAVE POCKET AWARENESS? Yes.
IS HE ACCURATE? Very.
WHAT KIND OF RELEASE? ¾ but varies as needed.
ARM STRENGTH? Just-above-average.
FOOTWORK? Solid.
CAN HE READ A DEFENSE? Yes.
CAN HE MAKE THE PRO THROWS? Yes, but best inside.

FLASH SCOUTING REPORT:
Devlin Hodges broke FCS/I-AA passing records of Alcorn St. Steve McNair for career… measures just under 6’1… sturdy, compact build… very smart, alert and creative passer… sets up quickly with well-balanced passing platform… high ball carriage always ready to throw… shows awareness in the pocket but calm, cool under pressure… excellent short-stride, shoulder torque and rapid release… the ball is coming out with Hodges… displays overall average velocity but zippy from mid-range-in… plays with an effective school-yard style… whatever it takes to complete the pass… varies release points as needed… though high-energy, Hodges is poised in live action… clearly trusts his eyes, intuition and his receivers… Hodges’ vision and anticipation was far ahead of his receivers… he’s throwing where they are supposed to be… lets it rip before receivers break; at times that’s a turn-over… very decisive and quick in his progressions… gets out of the pocket smartly but always looking for the throw… rarely gives up on a play… receivers were short on speed, size and elite skills yet Hodges racked up record numbers… completion %, YPA and TDs match what he shows on film… with Hodges at QB, all potential receivers must stay “hot” as the ball is coming… Devlin Hodges is a savvy, aggressive and productive passer that can be a capable starter in the NFL… he can make most pro throws, but his sideline rips tend to float some… he’s best between the numbers.

Sounds like Pat Mahomes

Pappy

[papillon]

By no means am I saying he's got no work to do, but I'm not 100% sure MR > DH???

I think the team performed better with Hodges in the game. His drives were more productive. In regulation we scored a TD, FG, and had 1 Punt with Devlin, but even on the drive with a punt, we moved the ball far enough to flip the field. Plus TOP once Devlin came in was about even in a game where the Ravens had about a 14 min edge.

MR had one successful series that lead to a TD to Juju. We had 3 punts after drives that did essentially nothing. We scored 2 FGs when our D got turnovers in the RedZone at the Baltimore 7 and 19. MR had 1 successful drive out of 6 chances.

I know it's a small sample size, but DH had 7.6 YPA vs MR having 6.6. MR was a little better last week, but he's still at 6.9 YPA for the year. And let's remember, MR has a year under his belt with the team. He hasn't been cut. The team has said they had him rated as a 1st rounder.

DH on the other hand was cut, sent home, then brought back and put on the roster after Ben's injury. And he came in the game looking a lot more confident than MR looks to me. Even comparing their interviews after their first games, MR was all about he need more time to prep, he's a hard worker, yada, yada. DH says he was ready to come in and do what he needed to do. He wasn't nervous. He knew the plays. They didn't have to scale anything back for him.

The main difference between the 2 is one is 6'5 and the other is barely 6'. But imho, DH has it. He's got this uncanny confidence. Even though he was undrafted, he doesn't seemed fazed by anything. To him it's just football and I think he believes he can play football.

I also think DH either had a stronger arm than MR or makes decisions quicker because he doesn't seem to shy away from guys that might not be open by 2 yards before he throws. He just seems to me to have a level of confidence in himself the way that Ben does. Minus the size and big arm. MR seems a little slower, a little more reserved, and just overall a little more cautious in the way he plays.

And I'm not down on MR. I think he's progressed nicely in a years' time. But let's see what everyone thinks when DH has a huge game next week and brings home a victory. Hopefully

Don't forget that the Ravens were completely unprepared for Hodges and that makes a difference as well. I have seen many games where the starter is injured and a backup comes in and plays well in relief but when the next opponent gets a chance to prepare the results are a bit different. Hodges was a complete unknown and is a very different QB than Mason as we saw, he took chances (one very bad one that should have been an INT), he's on the short side, throws from multiple angles because of his height and seems to be fearless.

Pappy

[steelz09]

People have a very short memory. Hodges also looked decent one of the preseason games and everyone thought he was the second coming of Tom Brady.

Then, reality hit and be looked like a #4 QB... Like he was.

Rudolph was the better prospect and still is the better prospect as a future starting QB in this league. Maybe, Hodges will surpass him but at this moment, he's not close.

And stop with the Ben trade talk. The Steelers would never do that nor would Ben allow it. He would retire.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

You are wrong about Jackson. Always have been.

what about the guy here who actually watched every college game of his? (yes, that's me)

The correct answer is somewhere between your opinions... I've said from the start, Mike Vick 2.0. Electric player with a cannon for an arm - streaky with accuracy. He'll win games for ya. He'll lose games for ya. I also said "coach killer" 2.0, but, I'm giving the Ravens staff credit for doing a better job that what Atlanta did with Vick.

In any event, if you thought Vick was a capable QB, then Lamar's better (because unlike Vick, he'll get in the playbook as best he can; you'll never mistake his IQ for a Peyton Manning, tho).

Never wanted him as OUR guy because of the streakiness. Also don't want to face him because of his athleticism. AFCN is the worst place he could've landed as a Louisville alum who's a Steelers fan.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

he took chances (one very bad one that should have been an INT), he's on the short side, throws from multiple angles because of his height and seems to be fearless.

All that stuff isn't necessarily a bad thing...




(and no - he isn't these guys, but, ya can't lump a guy in a box because he doesn't fit the norm)...

[papillon]

All that stuff isn't necessarily a bad thing...




(and no - he isn't these guys, but, ya can't lump a guy in a box because he doesn't fit the norm)...

I wasn't pointing them out as bad things, I was making the point that the Ravens were completely unprepared for Hodges at quarterback and that is part of the reason he had success. He is a vastly different quarterback than Mason Rudolph, that was my point, not that those are bad traits.

Pappy

[Jooser]

He surprised the Ratbirds, they had no idea what to expect with him. Once the NFL gets you on tape and game plans for you, things get tougher. I'll reserve judgement on Duck until he at least makes a start.

[NorthCoast]

He didn't look like a 4th string QB that's for sure. But two things make me hesitate to anoint him as Roethlisberger's heir apparent. 1) BAL pass defense is near the bottom of the league, 2) sustainability. Really tough when teams find your weakness and exploit it defensively. Still, he's got some positives; really like his movement in and out of the pocket. Kept eyes downfield and seems to make good decisions.

[NorthCoast]

I like everything I'm reading ('cept for the small hands):

Strengths
Four-year starter
Team captain for four years
Has a strong arm
Can fit the ball into a tight window
Gets good velocity on his throws
Throws well on the run
Quick release
Excellent touch on his throws
Uses pump fakes well
Accurate passer in the short/intermediate areas
Can throw from different angles and platforms
Heart and soul of the team
Displays scrambling ability when needed
Pocket passer
Impressive improvisational skills
Excels under duress and keep those eyes downfield
Very good pocket awareness
Has played well against top competition
Confident, gunslinger mentality

Weaknesses
Undersized QB
Small hands (8 ¾ size)
Ball placement on short throws isn’t ideal
Sidearm delivery (awkward motion)
His passes get batted down at the line
Needs to work on his drops (took snaps out of the shotgun formation in college)
Has to improve his decision making, will force throws into coverage
Other Notes
Holds FCS records for passing yards, completions and attempts
SoCon Offensive Player of the Year for three years in a row
Walter Payton Award winner as a senior
His nickname is the “Duck”
Overview
Hodges is a signal caller that hasn’t received much attention during the draft process. His size, small hands and sidearm delivery will cause some concern. However, he is an accurate QB with a strong arm and a quick release. He broke Steve McNair’s FCS record for passing yards. He will be an undrafted free agent, but he has the tools and the mental makeup to become a backup QB in the NFL