The Christian Ponder Bandwagon

The more I see this draft playing out, the more likely I see Ponder being drafted in the teens and early twenties by a QB-starved team that may reach at 12 or 15, or trade down a few spots to make this selection. I doubt he slides past Seattle at 25, unless Philadelphia and the Seahawks have a wink-wink deal in place for Kolb before the draft.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
The more I see this draft playing out, the more likely I see Ponder being drafted in the teens and early twenties by a QB-starved team that may reach at 12 or 15, or trade down a few spots to make this selection. I doubt he slides past Seattle at 25, unless Philadelphia and the Seahawks have a wink-wink deal in place for Kolb before the draft.

Kolb-to-Seattle is probably the most likely landing place for him. McNabb could go to Seattle as well -- they tried to get him before Washington did -- they lost on price from my understanding.

I could see Ponder going to Miami at #15. After that, I don't see anyone other than Seattle (if they don't get Kolb or McNabb). That being said, lost of teams can trade up:

Arizona, Tennessee, Buffalo, Minnesota, or the 49ers could all trade up:

- I excluded Cincy because they never trade in the draft.
- I would also exclude Buffalo since they're either taking Cam at #3 or Fitzgerald is the guy.
- Tennesse might as well wait for Mallett, who they like.
- Minny could definitely trade up
- Arizona could definitely trade up
- The 49ers could definitely trade up

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ninerinsider/detail?entry_id=86041

"Additionally, Nawrocki, and other draft experts, remain unimpressed with this year's quarterback contingent. Nawrocki called Florida State's Christian Ponder and TCU's Andy Dalton career backups. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick has starter's potential, but Nawrocki believes he needs three years of grooming, and the 49ers probably agree with him."

Pro Football Weekly tends to be a pretty decently regarded publication and this is how they feel about Ponder.

Best case scenario - he overcomes his injury histroy and becomes a servicable backup/game manager.

Worst case scenario - he doesn't and ends up washing out of the league in 2 years tops.

Originally posted by Rathman_44:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ninerinsider/detail?entry_id=86041

"Additionally, Nawrocki, and other draft experts, remain unimpressed with this year's quarterback contingent. Nawrocki called Florida State's Christian Ponder and TCU's Andy Dalton career backups. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick has starter's potential, but Nawrocki believes he needs three years of grooming, and the 49ers probably agree with him."

Pro Football Weekly tends to be a pretty decently regarded publication and this is how they feel about Ponder.

Best case scenario - he overcomes his injury histroy and becomes a servicable backup/game manager.

Worst case scenario - he doesn't and ends up washing out of the league in 2 years tops.

i definitely dont want a game manager just dont make mistakes qb, i want an absolute star qb. its time the 9ers find a star qb once again

Originally posted by FredFlintstone:

Originally posted by Rathman_44:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ninerinsider/detail?entry_id=86041

"Additionally, Nawrocki, and other draft experts, remain unimpressed with this year's quarterback contingent. Nawrocki called Florida State's Christian Ponder and TCU's Andy Dalton career backups. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick has starter's potential, but Nawrocki believes he needs three years of grooming, and the 49ers probably agree with him."

Pro Football Weekly tends to be a pretty decently regarded publication and this is how they feel about Ponder.

Best case scenario - he overcomes his injury histroy and becomes a servicable backup/game manager.

Worst case scenario - he doesn't and ends up washing out of the league in 2 years tops.

i definitely dont want a game manager just dont make mistakes qb, i want an absolute star qb. its time the 9ers find a star qb once again

That was one of the worst columns I've read in a while. So because Pro Football Weekly feels negative about the QBs, that puts the 49ers in a worse position? WTF??? Go figure it would be written by Kevin Lynch...

I dont see how Ponder's best case scenario is a game manager. The dude is a good athlete and he's very accurate. He has great footwork already. His arm is so-so but so was Joe Montana's. Nobody thought he would be anything more than a back up besides Bill Walsh, look how that turned out. Bottom line is someone's gotta believe in a QB at some point in their career for them to be succesful.

I dont see why he's so negative on Dalton either. Like wtf? People who have seen Dalton throw at Manning's QB camp have said is arm is even better than people think, he's another guy who is very accurate and his team won games on his arm.

Originally posted by FredFlintstone:

Originally posted by Rathman_44:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ninerinsider/detail?entry_id=86041

"Additionally, Nawrocki, and other draft experts, remain unimpressed with this year's quarterback contingent. Nawrocki called Florida State's Christian Ponder and TCU's Andy Dalton career backups. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick has starter's potential, but Nawrocki believes he needs three years of grooming, and the 49ers probably agree with him."

Pro Football Weekly tends to be a pretty decently regarded publication and this is how they feel about Ponder.

Best case scenario - he overcomes his injury histroy and becomes a servicable backup/game manager.

Worst case scenario - he doesn't and ends up washing out of the league in 2 years tops.

i definitely dont want a game manager just dont make mistakes qb, i want an absolute star qb. its time the 9ers find a star qb once again

I don't know anything about PFW. They seem to be taking a shot at everybody just for the heck of it.

But I do have this uneasy feeling about Ponder. It does seem that he has it all EXCEPT for the arm. He's a bit less than the complete package and the rest of his qualities don't quite make up for that one shortcoming. That puts him shy of the Rodgers, M Ryan, Bradford, Stafford types that the Niners ideally need to be set at the QB position IMO.

I do think that he is in the mold of the intelligent game manager QB that you allude to. Which may not be that bad of a thing. It may turn out that the rest of his qualities will prove out to be so far off the charts that it makes up for the lack of a cannon, but then that is the gamble. You cannot count on that happening. But some team may gamble that it turns out that way. That's when they "reach". That'll probably happen.

It seems when a guy has everything BUT for the arm, they term him a "west coast" QB.

Originally posted by nickbradley:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
The more I see this draft playing out, the more likely I see Ponder being drafted in the teens and early twenties by a QB-starved team that may reach at 12 or 15, or trade down a few spots to make this selection. I doubt he slides past Seattle at 25, unless Philadelphia and the Seahawks have a wink-wink deal in place for Kolb before the draft.

Kolb-to-Seattle is probably the most likely landing place for him. McNabb could go to Seattle as well -- they tried to get him before Washington did -- they lost on price from my understanding.

I could see Ponder going to Miami at #15. After that, I don't see anyone other than Seattle (if they don't get Kolb or McNabb). That being said, lost of teams can trade up:

Arizona, Tennessee, Buffalo, Minnesota, or the 49ers could all trade up:

- I excluded Cincy because they never trade in the draft.
- I would also exclude Buffalo since they're either taking Cam at #3 or Fitzgerald is the guy.
- Tennesse might as well wait for Mallett, who they like.
- Minny could definitely trade up
- Arizona could definitely trade up
- The 49ers could definitely trade up

Can't see Miami gambling on Ponder at 15. This is a team with no 2nd round pick. Miami likely wants to move down. You have to feel VERY strong about Ponder to grab him there and while Ireland & Sparano may have gotten extensions this offseason their jobs don't appear to be that safe, especially considering the actions of one Stephen Ross this offseason and no Bill Parcells in the Miami picture.

Originally posted by KRS-1:

Originally posted by nickbradley:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
The more I see this draft playing out, the more likely I see Ponder being drafted in the teens and early twenties by a QB-starved team that may reach at 12 or 15, or trade down a few spots to make this selection. I doubt he slides past Seattle at 25, unless Philadelphia and the Seahawks have a wink-wink deal in place for Kolb before the draft.

Kolb-to-Seattle is probably the most likely landing place for him. McNabb could go to Seattle as well -- they tried to get him before Washington did -- they lost on price from my understanding.

I could see Ponder going to Miami at #15. After that, I don't see anyone other than Seattle (if they don't get Kolb or McNabb). That being said, lost of teams can trade up:

Arizona, Tennessee, Buffalo, Minnesota, or the 49ers could all trade up:

- I excluded Cincy because they never trade in the draft.
- I would also exclude Buffalo since they're either taking Cam at #3 or Fitzgerald is the guy.
- Tennesse might as well wait for Mallett, who they like.
- Minny could definitely trade up
- Arizona could definitely trade up
- The 49ers could definitely trade up

Can't see Miami gambling on Ponder at 15. This is a team with no 2nd round pick. Miami likely wants to move down. You have to feel VERY strong about Ponder to grab him there and while Ireland & Sparano may have gotten extensions this offseason their jobs don't appear to be that safe, especially considering the actions of one Stephen Ross this offseason and no Bill Parcells in the Miami picture.

No way Miami takes Ponder at #15. A trade down to the mid 20's is the more realistic scenerio.

He'd be a great pick up in the 2nd round. A QB that ran a pro style offence that can throw on the run...YES PLEASE!!!

Have you seen this?

Christian Ponder's Touch - ESPN Sport Science

Originally posted by PTulini:
Have you seen this?

Christian Ponder's Touch - ESPN Sport Science

I haven't seen it, but I read about it and posted about it:
http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/thread.php?num=148466&page=22
Post 326. I'd been waiting to watch it. Thanks PT! I thought it came out April 14th, guess they giving us teasers to the show.

^---just another reason I hope he's our guy. Although, I think Harbaugh may have a man crush on Andy Dalton.

Originally posted by 9erguy:
^---just another reason I hope he's our guy. Although, I think Harbaugh may have a man crush on Andy Dalton.

i think that was all posturing... i think Jimmy likes Dalton but the only guy he hasn't said one word on is Ponder which makes me think this is Jimmy's guy.

Ponder is fragile. Good QB's aren't.

Originally posted by WINiner:
Ponder is fragile. Good QB's aren't.

It's a brutal game...everyone gets hurt at some time or another. How is one year and a couple injuries(he's over them BTW) considered fragile? Hes a tough kid. The dude tried to play through a concussion at the end of the year.

Also, in my opinion, they were bad luck injuries. But this debate could be endless. Guess we'll just to take the wait and see approach.