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basel90
3/25/2010, 10:00 AM
What a great ambasador Sam is to OU . He is a kid with high charachter and we need this type of players to represent OU as always, and under stoops we have had a bunch.


Article below


ORLANDO, FLA. — Steve Spagnuolo has studied a lot of film on quarterback Sam Bradford.

"The one thing that jumps out is his accuracy," Spagnuolo said. "He's extremely accurate. I was talking to a couple other (NFL) head coaches about him, and that's the first thing they say, too."

Last month at the NFL scouting combine, Spagnuolo came away from the Rams' allotted 15-minute interview session impressed with the University of Oklahoma quarterback. MORE RAMS
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"Everything you hear about him, that's said, it's legit," Spagnuolo said. "He walks into a room, you can see he's a quarterback. That was impressive to me." ShopSTL Marketplace

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There were about 10 Rams officials on hand, including Spagnuolo, general manager Billy Devaney, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and several scouts when Bradford walked into the combine meeting room in Indianapolis. There were floodlights in the room as well because the Rams were taping the interview.

"There were a lot of bodies in there, in kind of a small room," Spagnuolo recalled. "It was a little intimidating, or it could've been for a 22-year-old guy. And yet, he walked in and did not seem to be —— wasn't rattled at all. I think that's a good sign."

So the Rams can mark accuracy (from film) and presence (from that meeting room) on their Bradford checklist. But the "big enchilada" in terms of evaluation comes Monday in Norman, Okla. That's when Bradford has his pro day at the University of Oklahoma.

It marks the first time the Rams, or any other NFL team, will see Bradford throw since the season-ending injury to his throwing shoulder last fall for the Sooners. And it's the best way to gauge Bradford's arm strength.

"You've got to get that live in my opinion," Spagnuolo said Wednesday at the NFC coaches breakfast. "When you're on film, is the wind blowing against him or with him? You don't really know. So I think you've got to assess (arm strength) live."

Spagnuolo also will get another gauge of Bradford's "presence" — this time on a football field instead of the more controlled setting of the combine meeting room. Spagnuolo will see how Bradford reacts with his teammates and the coaches who are on hand. He'll study Bradford's body language.

"He's in his own setting now," Spagnuolo said. "I'm really interested in that. I'm going to try to grab him by myself at some point, probably early in the morning, just him and I. See if I can pull a couple other things out of him, find out a little bit more. And just come away with an overall assessment."

League sources told the Post-Dispatch last week that Devaney and Shurmur traveled to Pensacola, Fla. — where Bradford had been training and rehabbing — to meet with Bradford and his doctor.

But save for that 15-minute session at the combine, Spagnuolo hasn't spent any time with Bradford, who seemingly is the growing favorite to be taken No. 1 overall by the Rams in the draft.

The Rams and Bradford will get a lot more face time in the coming weeks, starting with Monday's pro day. Bradford also will be making a "top 30" visit to Rams Park on April 12. In addition, Spagnuolo strongly hinted that the Rams will have a private workout with Bradford sometime between Monday's pro day and the first day of the draft April 22.

Bradford's session Monday will consist of throwing only. He will do no running, no lifting, no other drills. Even if Bradford shines Monday, the Rams probably want to see him throw again at a later date.

"You know, when I was in college and had to get ready for a test, I'd still be studying past midnight 'cause I just figured it was every little bit you could get in," Spagnuolo said.

Similarly, the Rams would like to do as much homework as possible on Bradford, watching every throw possible from his surgically repaired shoulder before investing tens of millions of dollars.

"Let's assume it's a 'blowout' workout," Spagnuolo said. "But yet, you want to see a couple weeks later, is it still — you know — did (the shoulder) react properly? … I could see us still doing it even if it was a great workout."

Because of his defensive background, Spagnuolo is leaning more on Devaney, Shurmur, and quarterbacks coach Dick Curl in terms of evaluating mechanics, fundamentals, etc., of the quarterback position.

He's also picking the brains of head-coaching counterparts in the league who have offensive backgrounds, including Philadelphia's Andy Reid, Minnesota's Brad Childress and Denver's Josh McDaniels.

"The guys I respect and that know quarterbacks," Spagnuolo said. "They don't have to tell me (anything), but most of the guys are great. They're pretty open about it."

Spagnuolo spent eight years as an assistant on Reid's staff; for most of that time Childress was also on that Eagles staff.

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(38) Comments
Shepdog March 24, 2010 10:17PM CST
Here's the one thing to remember about a quarterback's accuracy--it goes up alot when you have a great O-line blocking for you. Bulger had great accuracy until he got pummeled into submission by a series of bad O-lines and Bradford could very well experience the same thing. He seems like a great athlete, but how will he handle the pressure?
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kikosanchez March 24, 2010 10:47PM CST
I agree, you need a offensive line! So, please don't waste the first pick on him only for him to be Bulgerized! Get SUH please, this team has disappointed me too much and I think it will be a mistake to get Bradford! I'm sure he's good, but no o-line.
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gmatter March 24, 2010 10:58PM CST
I still can't believe that a team will spend tens of millions of dollars and the first over-all pick on a QB who hasn't played in a game since major surgury on his "Throwing shoulder". Add to that the O-line and the wide-receiver's we have, and it's hard to figure other than hype. If he is picked #1 by the Ram's and suffers a careet injury to his shoulder it will go down as a gaffe as big as any #1 overall QB busts we have seen.
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Can't read this?

stoopified
3/25/2010, 10:25 AM
No NO NO NO NO ,say it ain't so.Please don't let the Rams be impressed with Sam.

Crucifax Autumn
3/25/2010, 04:49 PM
Sam rules.

Big Red Ron
3/25/2010, 05:48 PM
much like AD made the Vikings hidious uniforms cool, Sam will make the rams drab uni's slick.

KantoSooner
3/26/2010, 09:43 AM
Sam's got the temperament to fit in with any pro team: he's quiet and let's his performance talk. That'll earn him more loyalty from his team mates than some rah-rah guy would get.

VA Sooner
3/27/2010, 08:58 AM
Give Sam a chance. Bulked up in the off-year, has a level-headed presence, smart as a whip... he'll be OK.

westcoast_sooner
3/27/2010, 10:09 AM
Kinda funny you posted this thread. I played golf yesterday after work. Twosome that they paired my wife and I up with were an older gentleman and his son - Chinese guys. I'm wearing my OU hat. Finally on the 9th, the son asks me about Bradford and said he had been hearing that the Rams were interested.

The "kid" turned out to be a UCLA grad who went to med school - guy looked like he was about 23, but had to be 30. How he had time to know anything about the OU QB, I have no idea.

basel90
3/28/2010, 01:30 AM
Kinda funny you posted this thread. I played golf yesterday after work. Twosome that they paired my wife and I up with were an older gentleman and his son - Chinese guys. I'm wearing my OU hat. Finally on the 9th, the son asks me about Bradford and said he had been hearing that the Rams were interested.

The "kid" turned out to be a UCLA grad who went to med school - guy looked like he was about 23, but had to be 30. How he had time to know anything about the OU QB, I have no idea.



That is interesting , i live in Dubai , UAE and see some OU grads and fans from military personel and oil industry employees here from other schools as well, and it is funny and great how other americans from all walks of life know so much about OU football.

OU-HSV
3/28/2010, 06:56 AM
I'd rather see Sam go to the Skins, I think it would be a better place for him. Shanahan would be a solid coach to learn from and I don't think Shanahan would throw him immediately out there, so he'd actually have a chance to observe things before getting put in there as the starter.
That being said, an OU QB going number one overall would be awesome too though. We shall see.