Colin Kaepernick. Robert Griffin. Russell Wilson. Who will be
next? A new style of quarterback could be taking over this league. Strength and
speed is now teamed up with incredible intelligence and decision-making
ability. This past season RGIII, Russell Wilson, and Colin Kaepernick have
taken the league by storm with their incredible talents to run and pass
effectively. When looking at this years most memorable moments all three(RGIII, Kaepernick, and Wilson) have each
stamped their seal in our memory banks.
Since Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts took down the
New York Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship game, pocket passers have defined
this league. Even this year, three of the four quarterbacks left in the
playoffs are prototypical pocket passers. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees
and Aaron Rodgers aren’t going anywhere and are still the best the game has to
offer. However, in this past season these three quarterbacks burst into the
league and are changing the way professional football is played.
When Michael Vick was drafted in 2001, he was said to be
the “Next Big Thing.” He was hyped to the level of Lebron James, Bryce Harper,
or Kobe Bryant. He was a duel threat star that could run a 4.4 second 40 yard
dash and pass the ball 60 yards with the flick of his wrist. Everyone wanted
him. Though they didn’t know it at the time, Atlanta traded two draft picks
that turned into future Hall of Famers (LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees) for
the rights to the first overall pick. Though he turned into one of the most
exciting players in the league for a few years, Vick did not pan out as the
quarterback who would change the NFL forever. The whole world knows what
happened to Vick off the field but his on the field talent never equaled what most
predicted of him. Vick could never put all of his skills together. There were
glimpses throughout his years in Atlanta and later Philadelphia, (insert clips)
but a bad attitude for much of his career and inconsistency derailed his game
in big moments. What is happening now in the league is far different from what
Vick did for the NFL however.
The difference between Vick and the new crop of dual-threat
quarterbacks are that along with the arm strength and speed similar to what Vick
possessed, they have the accuracy, the decision making and the ability to win
that Vick never seemed to have in his career. They also all have great humility with which keeps them
grounded and is the backbone of their dedication to their craft. They also have
coaches that are changing the way offense is run in order to cater to their
star athletes.
More and more offenses are running from out of the shotgun
or pistol formation. Before this would never have worked as defenses could pin
back their ears and come for the quarterback. Defenses are having trouble
defending the read options that these quarterbacks and offenses are running. With
their ability to make quick decisions on whether to hand the ball off, run
themselves, or pull the ball back and throw, quarterbacks are becoming a
nightmare to game plan against. What quarterbacks like Kapernick, RGIII, and
Russell Wilson have proven is that their elite decision making skills, along
with their athleticism, are making them nearly unstoppable.
After decades of the best athletes being moved from the
quarterback position once they enter college or the NFL, the truly elite ones
are becoming successful. It will be interesting to see what the games most
valuable position looks like in five, ten, or twenty years. Coaches will be
more and more willing to take chances on duel-threat quarterbacks and defenses
will have to adjust accordingly. There are other athletic quarterbacks in the league that can rise
to the heights these youngsters have as well however. Someone like Cam Newton, who showed an ability
to succeed in the NFL, can join this group of elite dual-threats but he will
need to become a better leader and learn how to really win in the NFL. By no means will this be the end of
elite pocket passers, but as the game continues to evolve, wave of incredible
athletes that will take snaps under center in the National Football League
could be just beginning.
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