To borrow a term from the world of professional wrestling, folks, I think I am about to work myself into a shoot over Carson Strong. This won’t be a popular opinion based on what all of the talking heads are saying after Saturday’s Senior Bowl. But, I’m going to go ahead and go all in on Strong – life’s too short not to fall head over heels whenever you have the opportunity to do so. Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
Carson Strong happened.
I hadn’t much entertained the idea of the Tennessee Titans selecting a quarterback in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft until I, like everyone else, got caught up in the moment and thought the team might consider moving on from Ryan Tannehill like the ass that I am. So, I didn’t watch much of this quarterback class outside of my periphery, and then immediately pivoted and tried to watch everyone in a matter of a few days. That’s why I was stoked to read that six of the top seven quarterbacks would be heading down to the Senior Bowl in Mobile a week ago. I wanted to get a closer look at each guy so I could start to solidify my own opinions and sort this class out.
And, all of the things they say about Strong’s arm are true. It’s absolutely astonishing how far that ball travels in the air. He can throw bombs, but it’s not just the velocity – it’s the accuracy on the deep throws that is so impressive. It’s one thing to throw into tight windows. It’s another to do it 50 yards down the field. What I didn’t appreciate about Strong’s game prior to catching the Senior Bowl action was his placement when he’s on. In practice last Thursday, he was throwing some beautiful tear drops in drills – perfect placement, throwing the ball high and in the back of the end zone, giving his receiver the opportunity to go up and get it instead of keeping it down and risking a tipped pass. He was the best pure thrower on the field that day, and I think that sums up his game best. My goodness, just look at this throw:
Great throw by Carson Strong and even better catch by Khalil Shakir. Nice ball placement by Strong and very nice catch by Shakir being able to keep both feet in. #NFL #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/7nBXaymQGz
— NFL Insider (@AngryNFLInsider) February 3, 2022
If he can land with a team that is good at developing quarterbacks and has the patience to work with Strong, he could legitimately push for a starting job in the NFL rather quickly. He absolutely has a NFL arm. The big questions are how you get THAT arm consistently (sometimes, he’s just off – like the interception he threw in the Senior Bowl), communication ( there appeared to be issues with re-huddling at Senior Bowl practice last Thursday), and of course, his statuesque mobility (though he did prove capable of shuffling around the pocket on a few plays last week, and even recovered a wide snap to deliver a throw in a move that highlighted his sort of subtle athleticism).
He’s actually met with the Titans as reported by Crissy Froyd. Now, I think the only way the Titans come away with a quarterback at this year’s draft is if they take a guy in the first round. Otherwise, what’s the point? You’re not going to get a guy in the middle rounds this year who is going to be your franchise guy, and if you’re not going to get the franchise, why invest a draft pick at quarterback when you can load up on talent around the one you do have? The question is whether or not Strong’s stock rises to the point that he becomes worthy of that 26th overall pick. Given how mixed the reviews have been on Strong, I don’t see that happening, but if Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel decide that he’s their guy for the future, then it’s up to them to make it happen.
So, I’ll go ahead and say it. If the Titans ended up with Strong as the quarterback of the future this spring, I would not flip my table over it. I’ll leave you this morning with Strong at his best – throwing the ball accurately and beautifully deep down the field.
Carson Strong with the best throw of the morning to Christian Watson pic.twitter.com/qZoi9HxPq0
— Luke Carr (TD4LC) (@LukeCarrNFL) February 2, 2022
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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