Spotlight #1: Baylor QB Robert Griffin  

Spotlight #2: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill 

1^st quarter

14:56: Griffin makes the quick decision to Kendall Wright in the flat, but it doesn’t go anywhere.

13:40: Griffin showing his athleticism here. Nothing open downfield, went one way, nothing there, bounces off goes the other way, hurdles a tackler and gets out of bounds for a first down on 3^rd and 4. 11 yard run, plus a 15 yard penalty added to the play with an unnecessary roughness penalty on Texas A&M out of bounds.

12:51: Griffin play action, pump fakes, has Kendall Wright open deep, but Griffin just overthrows him.

12:46: Griffin sacked, didn’t see him coming.

10:50: Tannehill on a roll out, throws on the run for a first down against the sideline, 15 yard gain to Ryan Swope.

10:15: Tannehill throws underneath, a little inaccurate, receiver has to stretch out to catch it and drops it after a hit.

10:11: Tannehill incomplete to Swope over the middle, but a pass interference penalty drawn.

9:45: Tannehill on play action, checks down but the guy isn’t in much space, tackle for a loss on Ryan Swope.

9:13: Tannehill intercepted on a really short shovel pass. This one was really bad. Shovel pass right to the defender. He has to be better than that.

9:09: Play action, throws short, but Tannehill leaves it high so the receiver can’t do anything with it after the catch.

8:58: Griffin on a roll out, throws on the run, complete, first down.

8:38: Griffin checks down, not much gain after the catch, about 4 yards total.

8:15: Griffin quickly finds the wide open tight end underneath, complete, first down.

7:22: Griffin takes the snap, steps up, throws, right on the money over the middle for 18 yards.

7:07: Griffin threads the needle into tight coverage, right on the money, accurate, but dropped.

6:24: Griffin runs for first down this time on 3^rd and 6, nothing open downfield, but sees a seam to run in.

5:57: Griffin throws short again, complete, 5 yards.

5:39: Griffin throws to Wright in the flat, first down on first and 5 after some nice moves by Kendall Wright. Texas A&M is able to save a touchdown with a nice open field tackle.

4:42: Griffin with excellent timing on a short slant in the end zone, throws it at the perfect time in the perfect place, down where only his guy can get it, and his guy, Kendall Wright, does get it, touchdown Baylor.

4:23: Tannehill checks down to Jeff Fuller, not much of a gain.

3:56: Tannehill on a pass action rollout, sees he has open space to get the first down, keeps it instead of throwing it.

2:46: Tannehill has an open guy on an out route, hits him for a first down.

1:57: Tannehill hits a guy accurate in stride for 16 yards. He’s throwing deeper on average than Griffin is tonight.

1:38: Tannehill tries to throw with a man in his face on a play action pass, but the defender bats the pass down.

1:27: Tannehill on a rollout, not pressured, has time to set, doesn’t, throws inaccurate and incomplete, Texas A&M will go for the field goal.

1:13: Griffin sets, nothing open, runs with it, breaks a tackle for a loss, extends the play, no running room, has to release, gets it out, complete on the run for a first down.

0:15: Griffin throws for 8 yards into a tight window. He’s 11 for 13 on the quarter for 91 yards and a score, those two incompletions were on a deep pass barely overthrown and a dropped pass. However, he’s checking down a lot. I want to see him have to attempt tougher throws.

2^nd quarter

13:58: Griffin just an excellent pitch and catch to an open man for a 9 yard gain against the sideline.

12:58: Griffin hit as he threw, incomplete out of bounds deep, but called back on a Texas A&M offsides penalty.

12:30: Griffin doesn’t look to pass, designed quarterback run on 3^rd and 3, first down.

12:11: Griffin sacked for the 2^nd time tonight, Griffin needs to have better pocket awareness and feel it coming, even if the play is called back on offsides on A&M.

11:53: Griffin throws to a man in the flat again, gets a block and gets a first down.

11:38: Griffin complete with a defender in his face for a 9 yard completion.

10:04: Griffin pressured, has to throw on the throw with pressure, very incomplete out of bounds. Just getting this one away.

10:01: Griffin pump fakes, nothing there and then Griffin is sacked again. This Texas A&M defense will do that to you. Baylor will have to attempt the field goal.

9:20: Tannehill has an open man, but the pass isn’t thrown in their strong enough, floats and lets the defensive back make a play on it and almost pick it off.

9:13: Tannehill checks down to Swope, who is able to break a couple tackles and get a first down.

8:58: Tannehill throws accurate to Jeff Fuller, who drops it. Fuller is really disappointing this year with injuries.

8:52: Tannehill with a bubble screen to Swope, no gain on the play with a nice tackle in the open field by Baylor.

8:18: Tannehill has Ryan Swope wide open downfield, hits him perfectly in stride, touchdown A&M. This Ryan Swope kid is special. I’ve watched two A&M games, one to watch Jeff Fuller and then this one to watch Tannehill. Swope has made all sorts of big plays in both. He has 6 catches for 106 yards and a score now after this 68 yard touchdown. He has 29 catches for 415 yards and 2 scores coming into tonight after 72 catches for 825 yards and 4 scores last year. He’s been their best receiver this year. Not Fuller.

8:03: Griffin counters, takes snap, play fake, hits a guy accurately deep against coverage by Coryell Judie, a potential first round cornerback. Touchdown Baylor. 77 yards to Terrance Williams.

7:19: Tannehill finds an open man for a first down and a fairly sizable gain.

6:21: Tannehill with a shovel pass, this time accurate to the back, who makes a couple moves and just gets in for a touchdown.

6:08: Robert Griffin with a run, straight up the middle for 7 yards.

5:31: Griffin lobs a pretty limp ball for an intermediate completion to Kendall Wright over the middle. Kendall Wright is injured on the play.

5:16: Griffin with a quick throw short to his tight end, who drops it badly.

5:11: Griffin throws a jump ball up, but it’s tipped by the defender in tight single coverage. Not the best decision.

5:02: Griffin on the run to Wright, a tough player back in already, can’t convert the 3^rd down, 4^th and 2 now and they’ll punt it.

3:35: Tannehill under pressure, steps up under pressure, nice completion for a first down on 2^nd and 10.

3:20: Tannehill complete for a first again, this time to Jeff Fuller, who shows great physicality, refusing to go down on the play on first or second contact.

2:58: Tannehill blitzed, incomplete out of bounds, but off sides on Baylor.

2:25: Tannehill to Fuller again, wide open, hits him right on the numbers.

1:26: Tannehill finds an open deep guy in the end zone, but just overthrown out of the receiver’s hands.

0:33: Tannehill finds Ryan Swope on an out route underneath, puts the ball in the perfect spot and Swope is able to pound it into the end zone in the open field, touchdown.

0:25: Griffin with a questionable decision throwing into tight coverage, the defender jumps the route, almost intercepted.

3^rd quarter

14:27: Tannehill hits Ryan Swope right on the money, but the hit by the cornerback knocks the ball out.

14:19: Rollout by Tannehill, throws on the run, complete for a first down.

14:03: Tannehill goes underneath on first down, short dump off, doesn’t go for much more than 2 or 3 yards.

13:38: Tannehill throws quick and short to Jeff Fuller, who wasn’t quite ready and can’t bring in the ball.

13:32: Tannehill on 3^rd and long, money, 16 yard completion and a first down.

12:49: Tannehill on a designed run, gets 3 on the outside.

11:59: Tannehill over the middle and Swope redeems himself, establishes position and Tannehill hits him accurately for a big gain, about 14 yards.

10:38: Tannehill with 2 guys flying into his face, gets rid of it accurately to, who else, Ryan Swope, on an out route in the end zone, touchdown. Tannehill puts it where only his guy could get it and Swope makes a very nice catch going to the ground, getting his hands under the ball and staying in bounds.

9:57: Baylor answers, Robert Griffin throws a perfect spiral deep, 43 yard touchdown to a completely wide open deep receiver, caught in stride. 31-21 Texas A&M now. Is it time for another comeback against A&M?

9:40: Tannehill again with great timing with a receiver, this time with Jeff Fuller, complete for a first down.

9:20: Tannehill throws to Swope in the flat, makes a couple moves on a bubble screen, but only able to get 5 yards.

8:30: Tannehill tries to get it to Jeff Fuller, but it’s again not quite a strong enough through, gives the defensive back time to jump the route and deflect it.

8:15: Tannehill with another shovel pass, complete, not going anywhere.

7:49: Griffin complete short for about 6 yards.

7:33: Griffin complete for a first here, showing an excellent arm again.

6:42: Griffin flushed from the pocket, has to throw on the run, incomplete.

6:35: Griffin flushed from the pocket on 3^rd and 12, plants able to get off a great throw, 16 yard completion, first down.

6:04: Griffin finds a receiver in space and gets it to him in stride, 30 yard gain after some nice after the catch running.

5:30: Griffin, nothing opening up downfield, runs it for a short gain up the middle on 1^st down. Now 2^nd and 7.

4:52: Griffin a little too strong over the middle, overthrown, receiver can’t keep up with it.

4:48: Griffin throws quick and short to an open tight end in space. Tight end gets the first after the run after the catch.

4:12: Griffin overthrown into the end zone.

4:06: Griffin dodges a sack, runs out of the pocket and gets out of bounds for a short gain, play called back after off sides.

3:18: Tannehill picks up the first down with his feet.

2:44: Tannehill in a perfect spot to Ryan Swope and guess what Ryan Swope does with it. He breaks a couple tackles with an excellent open field run and then uses his break away speed to score. He’s at 11 catches for 206 yards and 4 scores tonight.

1:08: Griffin sacked again.

0:24: Robert Griffin on 3^rd and 16, looks to the trips bunch first, nothing there, stays with it, goes to the other side to Kendall Wright for a first down. You just knew he’d convert it.

0:00: Robert Griffin on the run throws an absolute bullet accurate deep for 50 yards. So strong. Even more impressive, the receiver makes the catch against pass interference on the defense.

4^th quarter

14:50: Griffin breaks one sack, but the defense’s 2^nd try brings him down.

14:15: Griffin does a great job of getting a lot of those yards back with what looks like an 11 yard designed run to the outside.

13:36: Griffin under pressure on 4^th and goal, does an excellent job of staying with the play and getting a throw off, but incomplete.

11:58: Tannehill on 3^rd and 5 in the shadow of his own goal line, complete to Jeff Fuller on a comeback route with pressure coming. Fuller does a nice job after the catch as well to make it a 26 yard gain.

10:57: Tannehill on a run after a play fake, gets a solid gain for the first down.

9:46: Tannehill on a play fake, sets his feet and throws deep for a 47 yard touchdown to an open deep man. That might have been the dagger. 48-28 A&M. That was Tannehill’s 6^th touchdown of the night.

9:35: Griffin flushed from the pocket, under pressure, just heaves one downfield, basically a Hail Mary, into double coverage. Picked.

6:58: Tannehill doing everything, a quarterback run this time for 34 yards.

5:37: Griffin checks down against a prevent defense, the back is able to pick up a first after the catch.

5:18: Griffin to Kendall Wright this time. Wright takes it for the first, but it’s called back on holding.

5:02: Griffin on 1^st and 20, receiver can’t keep it in bounds. Not a bad throw though.

4:57: This time 2^nd and 20, Griffin throws short and the receiver is stopped pretty quickly.

4:30: Griffin rolls out, but dropped by Sean Porter for a sack. Porter now has 7.5 sacks on the season. The junior has done a great job of filling in for Von Miller, but at 6-2 230, he might be too small to play 3-4 linebacker at the next level.

0:00: After blowing big leads against Oklahoma State and Arkansas and after a weak showing against Texas Tech, Ryan Tannehill needed a good game to safe his falling stock. It’s safe to say he got it. He completed 25 of 37 for 415 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 1 pick. He looked fairly good, completing passing to guys like Ryan Swope, who had 11 catches for 206 yards and 4 touchdowns on the night, and also Jeff Fuller, who caught 5 passes for 71 yards.

He’s got good pocket presence and mobility and an above average arm with good accuracy. He managed this Mike Sherman Pro Style offense very well and could end up in day 2 if he continues doing so. He struggled at times with decision making, especially on that one early, ugly pick. He also needs a bit of work on his footwork, both inside and outside of the pocket, but he hasn’t been playing the quarterback position all that long. He looks like a project at the next level, but the sky is the limit for this athletic kids with all the tools.

As for Robert Griffin, his stats weren’t quite as impressive. He was 28 for 40 for 415 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Texas A&M is easily the toughest defense he’s faced this season and he struggled against their pass rush and their blitz. He needs to develop a strong sense of the blitz coming because he has the mobility to evade sacks.

He’s got a stronger arm than Tannehill and was very accurate early, but struggled a bit down the stretch, especially on his one pick. I think he’s more NFL ready than Tannehill. Remember, Griffin was facing the tougher defense of the two tonight and Griffin has had the significantly better season overall. He’s a very cerebral quarterback, but also has excellent athleticism and physical tools. Right now I think he’s the 4^th best quarterback in this draft class, should he come out. He has a first round grade from me should he keep this up.