Chicago Bears: Davis Mills, QB, Stanford

[Z Bear]

I will officially write off Ryan Pace if we draft Mills at 20. He is on very thin ice now and that would seal his deal in my book.

[wab]

No more drafting guys because they're Hollywood's version of an NFL QB. Select a guy who's actually delivered in college and checks the boxes.

Soooo. Mac Jones?

[Grizzled]

No more drafting guys because they're Hollywood's version of an NFL QB. Select a guy who's actually delivered in college and checks the boxes.

Soooo. Mac Jones?

If he's available at 20, I'd take a flyer. I'd hope he would be Joe Burrow Version II. Supposedly he's modelled his game this way.

[G08]

0:30 mark... someone check my math, but was that ball 62 yards in the air? [assuming it were to land at the 5 yard line]

[G08]

“I’ve seen Davis throw a ball 72 yards flat-footed,” Shaw said. “From day one in the NFL, this guy is gonna be in the upper 20 percent of arm strength. But people might not know that because he doesn’t throw his fastball every time.”

This would explain why it looks like he throws such an easy ball...

[mmmc_35]

“I’ve seen Davis throw a ball 72 yards flat-footed,” Shaw said. “From day one in the NFL, this guy is gonna be in the upper 20 percent of arm strength. But people might not know that because he doesn’t throw his fastball every time.”

This would explain why it looks like he throws such an easy ball...

Honestly that is surprising if accurate. The ball certainly doesn't jump out of his hand nor does he show case that zip as other QB. Not to say his arm strength looks poor. I would visually suggest between below Goff and above Prescott. Probably closer to Prescott. Not that it's an accurate assessment.

Top 20%? That would put him at #6 in the category. I guess if you count backups that waters down the comment. I think allen mahomes Stafford clear 1,2, 3. Then Mayfield, Wentz, Goff, Roger's, maybe even Cousins in no particular order. Big Ben's lost a few MPH.

[G08]

This would explain why it looks like he throws such an easy ball...

Honestly that is surprising if accurate. The ball certainly doesn't jump out of his hand nor does he show case that zip as other QB. Not to say his arm strength looks poor. I would visually suggest between below Goff and above Prescott. Probably closer to Prescott. Not that it's an accurate assessment.

Top 20%? That would put him at #6 in the category. I guess if you count backups that waters down the comment. I think allen mahomes Stafford clear 1,2, 3. Then Mayfield, Wentz, Goff, Roger's, maybe even Cousins in no particular order. Big Ben's lost a few MPH.

I keep watching that throw over and over, most QBs have to torque their body and release the ball with violence/aggression, this dude just casually let's it fly 62 in the air.

I would love to see him "get into one" and see how far it can go. Watching his games, there are many examples of him rolling left and flicking his wrist and the ball coming out on a rope.

I'm going to do more digging.

[Z Bear]

I would be willing to bet his accuracy suffers so his coaches have tried to turn it down so he an actually get it near a WR. That could explain some of his poorer throws.

[Z Bear]

I would be willing to bet his accuracy suffers so his coaches have tried to turn it down so he an actually get it near a WR. That could explain some of his poorer throws.

[Z Bear]

oops

[G08]

I would be willing to bet his accuracy suffers so his coaches have tried to turn it down so he an actually get it near a WR. That could explain some of his poorer throws.

Perhaps, but Jesus H. Christ if "turn it down" means an easy 62 yards in the air?

[Arkansasbear]

Two months ago I was worried about taking hm in the second, now I'm talking myself into trading back to the end of the first to draft him.

[Yogi da Bear]

0:30 mark... someone check my math, but was that ball 62 yards in the air? [assuming it were to land at the 5 yard line]

What I like about that pass is not so much the distance, but notice how it just drops down into the basket. With how flat Trubisky, Lance, and Fields throw, none of them could make that pass. Oh they could get the distance no question, but they don't get the loft.

[G08]

0:30 mark... someone check my math, but was that ball 62 yards in the air? [assuming it were to land at the 5 yard line]

What I like about that pass is not so much the distance, but notice how it just drops down into the basket. With how flat Trubisky, Lance, and Fields throw, none of them could make that pass. Oh they could get the distance no question, but they don't get the loft.

He can throw with touch, that's for sure. I didn't know he was 22 going on 23 in Oct...

[karhu]

No knock on Mills, but that throw alone isn't enough to separate him from Kellen Mond in my mind. I mean, Mond did roughly the same thing at his pro day. At 1:33 or so, he even does it falling away a bit.

[Yogi da Bear]

Nice. Now, if only he can do that in a game, because I haven't seen it from him. In games, all I've seen from him on long balls are those flat Trubisky type throws.

[karhu]

Nice. Now, if only he can do that in a game, because I haven't seen it from him. In games, all I've seen from him on long balls are those flat Trubisky type throws.

Of course he can. So can Mills, who I haven't seen throw rainbows like those in game play, either. For that matter, Trubisky can get a ton of air under the ball, too. Not at the distance these guys can, but he made similar throws at his own pro day.

Between the system Mond played in, the general lack of talent he had at receiver, and the fact that throwing ICBM-trajectory passes is only a good idea once in a blue moon, it shouldn't surprise anyone.

[EricTighe]

The guys drafted after the so-called top 5 are interesting with the good, the bad, and the ugly to go with all their games.

Though I believe Mills has the most upside in time. I also believe that if Trask is given time to pass he could end up better than some of the top 5 prospects. With Trask, you get what you get. A big, not very mobile QB who can make all the throws. A throwback to a simpler time that can still excel in today's game given the right Coach and right system. Which I don't believe we have. So Mills is still my guy from round 2 on.

Mond and Elhinger are two guys I believe would fit well into Nagy's short-throwing game. What it does for our future head coach is another story.

[wab]

I like Elhinger if the Bears have to wait until the 5th to take a QB.

[G08]

I like Elhinger if the Bears have to wait until the 5th to take a QB.

People rave about his football character, leadership and toughness.

We also have his previous head coach, Tom Herman, on staff... wouldn't shock me if we took a flier on this kid in round 6.

[Yogi da Bear]

Nice. Now, if only he can do that in a game, because I haven't seen it from him. In games, all I've seen from him on long balls are those flat Trubisky type throws.

Of course he can. So can Mills, who I haven't seen throw rainbows like those in game play, either. For that matter, Trubisky can get a ton of air under the ball, too. Not at the distance these guys can, but he made similar throws at his own pro day.

Between the system Mond played in, the general lack of talent he had at receiver, and the fact that throwing ICBM-trajectory passes is only a good idea once in a blue moon, it shouldn't surprise anyone.

You're absolutely right with respect to Mond's "rainbows." Look at those two clips again. There's a huge difference between Mond's throws and Mills'. With Mond, the high point of his arc is halfway to his target. It's like he's throwing it straight up and straight down. Nobody throws it straight up and straight down in a game.

With Mills, though, the high point of his arc is just behind where the receiver is and it comes down in his hands. And NO, I completely disagree that this is seldom thrown by Mills in games. He does it all the time. It's how he drops the ball over the receiver's shoulder into his basket. Remember when Rodgers beat Kyle Fuller in the corner of the end zone a while back despite Kyle's great coverage. That's how he did it.

You want a perfect example of it in a game? At the 3:15 mark:



There are other examples in that clip, but that one is a perfect illustration.

It's also how you throw a fade successfully. It's why Trubisky never had any success with that pass. It's why Mond, Fields, and Lance won't have success with that pass either.

[G08]

@Yogi da Bear ^ That was an unbelievable ball. It's stupid how often Mills drops it in the bucket like that, especially considering he lets the ball go before the WR has created any separation.

[wulfy]

He can throw the pill for sure.

Just nervous about the knee.

And I really have a man crush on Fehoko.

[karhu]

Might've taken your comments a bit literally, but the point stands: Mond's just as physically capable of making that throw as Mills.

That's a great example, and a fine play call when you've got an experienced 6'4" WR to throw to, let alone two. Or more? I don't know Stanford's roster very well, but I do know that at least one of its towering WRs will be drafted in the next few days. It's hard to find examples of Mond even *attempting* throws like the one you highlighted. It just wasn't part of the game plan, for whatever combination of personnel and system.

At about :48 here, there's a great example of this. In a similar situation, A&M doesn't send a single WR deep along the sidelines. Instead, they're looking to set up a single guy on a deep post. Mond doesn't exactly drop it over his shoulder (any more than Mills did in the very nice example you posted: otherwise, he'd be Tom Brady, and that would've been a TD), but he gets the kind of air under it that lets his guy and only his guy run under the ball and make a play.



Maybe that translates into sideline throws and others that depend on more size and/or separation than Mond's receivers tended to be capable of. Maybe it doesn't. But Mond's made plenty of adjustments over the course of his college career, and it seems a bit harsh to me to assume that he can't make throws beyond his college repertoire. Especially when he's manifestly capable of doing so in shorts.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

It's amazing how fast Mills' stock has risen. Before the draft Pro Day's got going in earnest, Mills was a day 3 prospect, maybe a day 2 reach. Now he's listed as the 7th best player available left on the board. Meteoric rises like that are always dangerous (see Mitch Trubisky). Some team is going to over reach for him in the 2nd round, and find out they have a multi-year project on their hands. Or worse, throw him in day 1 and ruin his career.

[wulfy]

I’m glad I don’t have to talk myself into Mond or Mills anymore.

Both interesting prospects - but both with big question marks.

[G08]

I’m glad I don’t have to talk myself into Mond or Mills anymore.

Both interesting prospects - but both with big question marks.

Bro me too

[IotaNet]

I’m glad I don’t have to talk myself into Mond or Mills anymore.

Both interesting prospects - but both with big question marks.

I know that's right.

I know this is after the fact but upthread, there was a conversation about how well Mills "Drops it into the basket." Was I the only one watching Fields against Clemson where he dropped two absolute BOMBS to Olave and Williams? (The Olave pass was a tad underthrown but both passes were "lofted" quite nicely.)

[Rusty Trombagent]

I’m glad I don’t have to talk myself into Mond or Mills anymore.

Both interesting prospects - but both with big question marks.

Bro me too

it feels like an incredible weight has been lifted off my shoulders

[Hoog]

Bro me too

it feels like an incredible weight has been lifted off my shoulders

Right there with you guys. To know that the Andy Dalton experience is almost already over, is a huge relief as well.

Hey, Rusty, are you going to have to change your board name now? Just wondering.