A look back, CP9 draft

[*ochocincos*]

(01-09-2020, 02:39 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: The 2003 draft seems like forever ago, in Bengals world. And to be honest I don't remember it all that well. However....

The Mother Ship board started in like mid September 2005 IIRC ? I think I joined on like the 28th of Sept. somewhere in there ? So there wasn't any board I'm aware of then.

But at any rate I don't remember they're being much push back on drafting Palmer 1OA ? I know just about everybody I talked to wanted him. And I don't remember any ya buts being but out by the media, mock draft stuff or anything.

There's been quite a lot of ya butts on Burrow, several people on here saying he's to old been in school to long, one year wonder, product of a system/coaching, not mobile, weak arm, and on and on.

But take a look at CP9:

5 years at USC like 23 1/2 years old when drafted.

2000 - 54.9% comp.% 2914 yards passing 16 TD's 18 int's Trojans finished season 5-7

2001 - 58.6% comp.% 2717 yards passing 13 TD's 12 int's Trojans finished season 6-6 lost Las Vegas bowl to Utah

So averaging like 56% comp % 2800 yards 29 TD's 30 int's total during Sophomore and junior seasons. Pretty MEH

2002 63.3% comp. $ 3942 yards passing 33 TD's 10 int's Trojans finished 11-2 including beating Iowa in the Orange bowl.

In 2000 Paul Hackett was USC HC and Hue Jackson was OC. In 2001 Pete Carroll took over as HC and Norm Chow as OC and of course they guided Palmer thru 2002.

I wonder how many people would have torn CP9 down back then had the internet, draft sites, boards been up and going as they are today ? Product of a system, one year wonder, on and on.

I hadn't looked back at Palmer to realize how similar his and Burrow's last two years were in terms of growth.
Both also have that quiet, calm demeanor.
Both could also end up wearing #9 in the NFL, as this was Burrow's number in college.

I think to your point, information was not nearly as widely accessible back then as it is now.
Social media wasn't a thing so you really weren't seeing/hearing a lot of fan opinions like you do now.

It's actually funny going back to the 2002 passing leaders.
The #1 passer in college football that year was now Arizona Cardinals HC Cliff Kingsbury with 5017 passing yards.
There were 4 passers with 4000+ yards.

Compare that to 2019 and you see...also just 4 passers with 4000+ yards. The only difference is there are two with 5000+ yards...Anthony Gordon and Joe Burrow.

In fact, Burrow's final season is more impressive than Palmer's probably was. I say probably because statistically it is better but I didn't watch Palmer back in college (I was just in high school).

Definite rep to you for showing how well Burrow compared to Palmer but 17 years later.