Here's the real knocks on the young man.
He's under the ideal NFL standard for a QB of 6'4", at a bit over 6'1".
He doesn't run 4.5.
He doesn't have a canon for an arm.
On the other hand, he does have a good NFL level arm and can make all the throws inside and outside the hash. He runs 4.8 and when you watch him, he has good quickness and is plenty fast to gain yards with his legs, and has the frunning and avoidance instincts to do so.
He isn't "big", but he also isn't little. He doesn't have a "skinny" body type. He'll probably play between 215 and 220 in another year or so.
Plus, he has guts, high character, plays banged up, and when you listen to the long time professional football evaluators and former GMs and QBs, many say he reads D's the best of all who came out, processes faster than all other QBs who came out, is very accurate, can throw on the run, and most important, plays under center and has excellent drop back footwork and knows how to play with his back to the D. This is not minor stuff.... its big.
Now, attributes don't always wind up to equal a winner or a champ. We see that every single year. There's a mysterious quality about the best QBs that is hard to put your finger on. Plus, a lot of other factors like what team they wind up on, how good of players they are surrounded with, scheme, HC, play caller... it all matters big time.
Look at the example of Stafford. He goes from bride's maid in Detroit for all those years to immediate Superbowl by changing teams. Think he'd be MVP if he wasn't on the Rams? He did not become a different Stafford. He was put in a great set of circumstances.
Simpson was on a below average Alabama team, decimated with injuries on both sides of the ball, and around 8 or 9 games into the season Simpson started, the team around him fell apart. Until it did, he was considered right there as perhaps the best QB and number one pick in this past draft.
He has the attributes to be a winner, maybe even a champ. He is in what appears to be an ideal situation and team and coach. What happens in the end is yet to be written. But, I just don't see the reason for pessimism and predicted failure. Wait and see??? Of course!!
'
