LITTLE ROCK — “I don’t care if he’s the first pick in the draft, I’d rather he be in the position he’s in now.”
Jon Gruden, ESPN NFL analyst
“Ryan Mallett’s not going to be heard from in a while.”
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN NFL Draft analyst
“Ryan Mallett’s slide down the NFL draft board ended in an unlikely place: New England. ... Mallett was projected as a potential late-first round pick or second-round pick for one of several QB-hungry teams. But it was one of the teams that has the least need for a new QB in the entire league that provided a home for Mallett. Mallett has a big arm and has tremendous accuracy.”
- Sean Leahy, USA Today
“Ryan Mallett is arguably the biggest loser AND biggest winner on the second day of the NFL Draft, as he fell to the third round, but was selected by the New England Patriots ... . Is he going to be the next Brady? Um, no, probably not. But he can be a hell of an NFL quarterback if he can get his act cleaned up and Belichick can brainwash him into following the “Patriot Way.” - Will Brinson, CBSSports.com
“There are certain kinds of players who succeed in New England in the Bill Belichick regime. They’re relatively clean-cut, they keep their mouths shut and they do what they’re told. ... Ryan Mallett is another story. ... Mallett will not fit in with the Patriots. Belichick won’t have enough time in his day to expend the necessary effort to keep Mallett under wraps.”
- Adam Hirshfield Bleacher Report.com
“The Patriots make a bold, but quality move grabbing Mallett in the third round. The Patriots can keep him and flip him for a higher draft pick later, or develop him behind Brady until Brady retires (coming sooner than later). On the flip side Mallett gets to go to one of the best organizations in the NFL with great mentors in Brady and B.B.”
- Jerry Bartolis, NFLMocks.com
“After a long slide, the Patriots ended Mallett’s misery. He has tremendous physical skills but enough off-field question marks that every team passed on him. The Patriots finally felt compelled to add an intriguing prospect so late in the draft. Risk is mitigated by the presence of Tom Brady, a ultimate leader and chip-on-the-shoulder competitor who should provide the perfect example.”
- Tim Graham, ESPN.com
“Wow. At No. 74, the Patriots select Ryan Mallett, strong armed quarterback from Arkansas. The troubled, controversial pick with sick talent. Mallett has been dogged by rumors of drug use all through this process, and his character has been crushed all along the way. Yet the Patriots did their homework. They worked out Mallett at Gillette Stadium, and they no doubt looked into his past.”
Ian Rapoport, BostonHerald.com
Sports, Pages 24 on 04/30/2011