NFL Scout Says Robert Griffin III Has a “Selfish Streak,” Wonders Why the Media is Going Easy on Him
The praise from everyone on planet earth for Baylor QB Robert Griffin III has been nearly universal. He can’t miss! He might be better than Andrew Luck! He killed the Combine! He’s got a howitzer where his arm should be, the stats love him, he’s athletic, and on and on. The Redskins proceeded to give up two future No. 1 draft picks to get Griffin. (Yes, they grossly overpaid.)
Here’s what one NFL scout told Bob McGinn of the Journal-Sentinel about Griffin:
“Everybody is just assuming because of the Heisman and the socks and all that bs. . . . they are ignoring a lot of bad tape that he’s had,” a third scout said. “I don’t think he has vision or pocket feel, which to me are the two most important components of quarterbacking. He’s just running around winging it. He’s (Michael) Vick, but not as good a thrower.”
I’ll be shocked if Griffin has anywhere near the career of Mike Vick.
“As much as is written about his athleticism, his athleticism under duress in the pocket isn’t even close to Cam Newton’s. This guy, the only way he gets big plays with his feet is if he’s got a wide-open field and the sea opens for him. He’s got a little bit of a selfish streak, too. Everybody was laying on Cam, but for some reason this guy has become gloves off. He doesn’t treat anybody good.” Another scout also questioned the way Griffin deals with people.
And finally, Cam Newton has entered the discussion. Last year at this time, scouts and pundits were savaging Cam Newton. Destroying him. He went out and had the greatest rookie season in NFL QB history. Griffin has been considered Cam-lite – he’s smaller and played in a weaker conference, but both are mobile, athletic, non-traditional QBs. Are those same scouts and pundits laying off Griffin out of fear of being wrong again? [Journal-Sentinel]
- Brand Lacrosse Takes Center Stage
- Female Rugby Fan Hurls Racial Insult in Player’s Face, Gets Ejected Immediately [Video]
- “Matrix Bird” Escapes Death By Back-Flipping to Avoid Formula One Car During Monaco Grand Prix Practice [Video]
- Austrian Soccer Team Celebrates Championship By Throwing Sky Sports Reporter in the Hot Tub [Video]
- The 10 Greatest Trilogies in Movie History
- Jim Harbaugh Scramble on The 10 Greatest Trilogies in Movie History
- ohheelyeah on "Matrix Bird" Escapes Death By Back-Flipping to Avoid Formula One Car During Monaco Grand Prix Practice [Video]
- Jim Harbaugh Scramble on The 10 Greatest Trilogies in Movie History
- RexKramerDangerSeeker on The 10 Greatest Trilogies in Movie History
- ms621 on The 10 Greatest Trilogies in Movie History
91 Responses to “NFL Scout Says Robert Griffin III Has a “Selfish Streak,” Wonders Why the Media is Going Easy on Him”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
![Chuck Norris Wants a NFL Team to Sign Tim Tebow Because He is a Winner Like Chuck Norris [NFL]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13693275350-thumb0.jpg)
Chuck Norris Wants a NFL Team to Sign Tim Tebow Because He is a Winner Like Chuck Norris [NFL]![Is Anthony Davis Dating One of the Gonzalez Twins? [NBA]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13693092011-thumb1.jpg)
Is Anthony Davis Dating One of the Gonzalez Twins? [NBA]![Fox Sports 1 Heavily in Pursuit of Former NFL Player Trevor Pryce and Sarah Spain of ESPN Chicago [Media]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13693423562-thumb2.jpg)
Fox Sports 1 Heavily in Pursuit of Former NFL Player Trevor Pryce and Sarah Spain of ESPN Chicago [Media]![Birdman, Birdman: TNT Had a Great 7-Minute Interview with Chris 'Birdman' Andersen [Video]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13693161843-thumb3.jpg)
Birdman, Birdman: TNT Had a Great 7-Minute Interview with Chris 'Birdman' Andersen [Video]![Juwan Howard Hanging out at the Beach with MSG Sideline Reporter Jill Martin [Photos]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13692572294-thumb4.jpg)
Juwan Howard Hanging out at the Beach with MSG Sideline Reporter Jill Martin [Photos]![Baltimore Orioles Wearing Canadian Tuxedos (All-Denim) For Their Trip to Toronto [MLB]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13693186075-thumb5.png)
Baltimore Orioles Wearing Canadian Tuxedos (All-Denim) For Their Trip to Toronto [MLB]
2013 NBA Mock Draft![Michael Crabtree Has a Torn Achilles, And He Could Miss the 2013 Season [NFL]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13692568007-thumb7.jpg)
Michael Crabtree Has a Torn Achilles, And He Could Miss the 2013 Season [NFL]![Max Domi Executes Magnificent Between-the-Legs Saucer Pass [Video]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13691529938-thumb8.jpg)
Max Domi Executes Magnificent Between-the-Legs Saucer Pass [Video]![Wayne Gretzky Got Drunk at a Bar in South Carolina [Photos]](http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/plugin/resize_13692402159-thumb9.jpg)
Wayne Gretzky Got Drunk at a Bar in South Carolina [Photos]
April 19th, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Damn racists
April 19th, 2012 at 10:57 AM
I’m not sure how to read this. Better or worse?
April 19th, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Always seemed pretty humble to me. I’m more curious to know what happens to Luongo in the off season. Schneider’s awesome.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Some of the playing concerns may be legit. I think a lot of the “character concerns” might stem from him refusing to do private workouts because he knew the Redskins were going to pick him.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Let me get this right….early 20′s…fame…(soon to be) millionare….world at his feet….and he has a bit of a selfish streak?
How in the world could that have happend?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:02 AM
SEOsplosion in this post.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Griffin always comes off as a class act. Clearly not a player to root for.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:02 AM
The media loves the “well-spoken black man.” Tiki Barber always got a pass as well until it became all too apparent what a dbag he was.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:02 AM
No. For real though. People in the NFL are stupid.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:03 AM
I love watching Mike Vick play football but I would think that Robert Griffin would prefer not to forfeit 18 months of his prime because he broke federal laws by doing something heinous.
Maybe those scouts work in the SEC and therefore don’t watching Big XII football games. They don’t want to comment on something they haven’t seen in great detail. Kinda like how reading a headline and topic paragraph and then writing about it doesn’t work.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:04 AM
I’d like to see him do well. What are the odds that both QB’s taken in the top 3 are all world though? Not like that happens very often.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Accurately throwing is the weakest part of Vick’s game…after not being able to read a defense and being a despicable human being.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Are those same scouts and pundits laying off Griffin out of fear of being wrong again?
Cam Newton was a bad enough person to be kicked off a team by Urban Meyer. That’s very difficult to ascertain for most people. How could an awesome football player ever be bad enough that Urban Meyer would kick him off the team?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Can everyone please vote for Cam Newton in the Madden cover contest!?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Agreed. I didn’t follow a lot of Baylor football, but going with a general assumption that all Big 12 defenses are horrendous…did he actually play against a good defense last year? Not saying that won’t make him a good pro, just curious.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:06 AM
What everyone who read that line was thinking.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Also, RE: Cam and bad press, I watched those stupid QB drills at the combine last year and Cam looked like he couldn’t fit the ball inside of a 40′ x 40′ window against no defense. I still can’t figure that out
April 19th, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Already did. No way I was letting 52 win that last round against Cam.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:07 AM
can’t wait to see what the talk is when he doesn’t live up to the bar he set with the Rookie Season numbers.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:07 AM
How could an awesome football player ever be bad enough that Urban Meyer would kick him off the team?
Blame Tebow.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Further proof that the combine is a waste of time.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Isn’t that valid though? Scouting is all about prognostication and if they’ve got recent history to give them pause, they’re kind of doing their job.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:08 AM
I’ll be shocked if Griffin has anywhere near the career of Mike Vick.
I’m not sure how to read this. Better or worse?
I suppose it reads worse, but I’m having a hard time quantifying the career of Vick. Looking at the numbers doesn’t seem to fully explain his career.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Vick wasn’t a good passer until he got to Philly and even last year didn’t complete 60% of his passes…Griffin going to suck then if he can’t get to that level?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Did Luck?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:10 AM
I would like to take the opposite side of TBL’s argument and do it in the most reasonable fashion possible, but it seems like that may just result in him throwing a child’s tantrum.
So great post, TBL. Love it.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Clueless.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:10 AM
I haven’t seen many Skins games, how’s the O-line? Seems like it’s been old for quite a few years.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:11 AM
I’ll be shocked if Griffin has anywhere near the career of Mike Vick.
Weed, Jail, and fighting dogs?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:11 AM
great athlete, shitty QB, except for one season with the eagles when he didn’t even play the full season due to injury.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:12 AM
This semi-myth was covered in a God awfully lazy post and then debunked quickly in the comments.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Some of the playing concerns may be legit. I think a lot of the “character concerns” might stem from him refusing to do private workouts because he knew the Redskins were going to pick him.
I’ll echo this and say these amateur psychology statements based on (maybe) one personal interaction are dumb. I don’t have many connections but I do have relatives in Waco who are tied to the program and interact with the athletic department. I’ve heard nothing but good things for years, even before he was being talked about as a top NFL prospect, with the biggest criticism being that he slow plays injury sometimes and takes too many hard shots.
Also, is “selfishness” however that is defined a bad characteristic for a QB? They never want to come out and think that the team revolves around them. That’s not typical of the football team ethos. Willingness to put in work to achieve selfish goals is a much bigger indicator.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Jersey – no myth. He beat up an awful conference and a terrible schedule.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:18 AM
If you compare schedules and defensive rankings, so did Luck. I know someone can find the post we were talking about. It wasn’t too long ago.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Not really. I think he faced one in the top 30 all year if I remember correctly.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Belichick has said that the best way to motivate players is not by getting them to buy into the team, but align their own personal “selfish” goals with those of the team.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Here we go:
Dr. Tom Says:
April 12th, 2012 at 4:23 PM
[Gravatar image]
Note: Last year, among the top 30 defenses in college football, guess how many were Big 12 teams? Zero.
Griffin did play against #28 TCU and proceeded to shred them.
I also like the arbitrary “Top 30″ which conveniently eliminates Oklahoma (#31) and Texas (#33) who were less then half a point worse than the #30 team.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:22 AM
*cough* Notre Dame *cough*
April 19th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Vick in college was never as accurate as Griffin has been. Accuracy over 60%, high Wonderlic scores (over 26) and games played at the QB position are good indicators for success at the NFL level.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Using the bathroom the morning after dining at Red Lobster can cause a shellfish streak.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
in the real world, this is commonly referred to as managing your department efficiently. a good manager analyzes the organizational behavior of his department and provides opportunity for each employee to pursue what motivates him. Belichick gets this.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
April 19th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
But we never saw Griffin face off against SEC speeeeeeeeed…
April 19th, 2012 at 11:24 AM
I suspect that if I did a study the quality of defenses faced in college would have little bearing on NFL success among top picks. Also, Big XII would have had more top 30 defenses if they didn’t face Griffin, Weeden, etc. OU didn’t exactly struggle defensively against Florida State like they did against Okla State and Baylor.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:24 AM
California was the best D Stanford played (25th). Luck was 20/30, 257, 2 TDs, 1 INT. Notre Dame was the second best defense Luck faced last year. He lit them up pretty good, though. 20/30, 233, 4 TDs, 1 INT
April 19th, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Don’t we have to take into account the fact that Big XII defensive stats/rankings were likely hurt by having to play against Griffin in the first place?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Yeah. I mean the reason Graham Harrell isn’t a legitimate pro QB isn’t just because he played bad defenses.
Jamarcus Russell played some awesome defenses.
A guy’s tools don’t change based on the defenses he’s playing.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:27 AM
April 19th, 2012 at 11:28 AM
So the solution to the negative over-reaction to Cam Newton last year is to have a positive over-reaction to RG3 this year?
Are these scouts, pundits and execs? Or are they high school girls?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:29 AM
I don’t disagree with you. You’re EIC/boss might, though.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:29 AM
If saying that he wouldn’t do private workouts to try and draw more people to Baylor’s Pro Day so that teammates like WR Kendall Wright & RB Terrance Ganaway would get more views is selfish, then RGIII is guilty as charged.
And I doubt he’s a rude person usually. His military parents raised him right.
If you ask enough scouts, you’ll find dirt on everyone.
And as far as Cam Newton vs RGIII goes, one huge difference between the two is the fact that RGIII had put a ton more on tape than Newton had. Newton barely played in his two seasons at Florida before blowing up at Auburn.
RGIII threw almost 1200 passes at Baylor. Newton threw just under 300 at Florida & Auburn.
Maybe there are fewer questions because RGIII is a four year starter and Newton only started one year at Auburn……
April 19th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
His success or failure will have zero to do with his selfish streak.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Just because I’m still amazed at this fact, here are Bama’s defensive stats last year.
183 YPG conceded. Next best was LSU at 261. The best B12 school was Texas at 306. The 2nd best B12 school was 55th in the nation. Alabama conceded 3.32 YPP. The next best was LSU at 4.08. Bama conceded 12 TDs the entire year. Next best was LSU at 15. Third was Temple at 24.
Seriously…that was the best defense I’ve ever seen since I started watching CFB.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Free Shoe finished 77th in the nation in offense. Not your best example, Lisk.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Well, he is a pass first QB…so yes, he only takes off when it’s his best option.
Nice job by this scout.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:33 AM
OU finished 55th in total defense in 2011. They were the second best unit in the B12 after Texas (top 10).
April 19th, 2012 at 11:34 AM
I think there are some old school scouts out there that cannot comprehend athletic quarterbacks like Newton and RG. Back in these scouts prime years Cam and RG would have been converted to WR or DB. In Tebows case…fullback.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Please tell me there is a link.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:34 AM
It is amazing to me that someone would say such things about a kid who has worked their butt off to get to where he has. Just because he did play the game you wanted him to play don’t bad mouth or bash this young man. Oh and don’t jump on cams or Vicks bandwagon now y’all said they couldn’t play qb in the nfl either…
April 19th, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Why are we talkin about Griffin when Taguchi is still banned?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Check that. Texas was 11th.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:37 AM
The rankings were from the link TBL used to make his point.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Free Shoe finished 77th in the nation in offense. Not your best example, Lisk.
Sounds like they are a pretty good example of how OU did against a bowl caliber team with a mediocre offense then.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:38 AM
This. Any successful small college quarterback probably faced shit for defenses. How does that fit into the narrative when you talk about guys like Kurt Warner, Steve McNair, etc.?
April 19th, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Big 12 is higher pace so yards per game isn’t the best metric…yards per play would probably be better
April 19th, 2012 at 11:39 AM
He’s just running around winging it. He’s (Michael) Vick, but not as good a thrower.”
this scout may want to watch a little more tape. as griffin’s career has progressed, winging it has become a rarity. He is far more accurate than vick was in college. i agree that RGIII may be a little up his own butt sometimes, but overall this post is ill informed at best.
its getting pretty annoying the things blogs/scouts/espn says without doing a whole hell of alot of actual research.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Big 12 QB’s stink. They play no defense. Good thing for RG3 he has the great QB maker Mike Shanahan teaching him how to be Brian Griese.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:48 AM
The word “mediocre” is drafting up a massive lawsuit against you for associating it with Florida State’s offense.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:50 AM
I don’t think doing well against the back up QB for a QTR+ is something to hang one’s hat on defensively, though.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:52 AM
3 in the top 30, 4 in the top 54. So…yeah, they still suck.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
The word “mediocre” is drafting up a massive lawsuit against you for associating it with Florida State’s offense.
It’s a good thing I’m judgment proof.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:56 AM
I think only CRM should be allowed to write about Mike Vick.
JMac, Lisk and Duffy should only write about White Vick.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
He is right though, every time I say the same thing about Griffen theres 10 people telling me he’s Joe Montana crossed with Micheal Jordan. His first read is run and his second read is chuck. He breaks down and runs when there isn’t even pressure.
Can he be good, sure, is he some kind of lock, hell no.
April 19th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Only because the starter tapped out.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
I just don’t get the hatchet job that TBL has decided to endlessly pursue against RG3…yet, he acts as if Andrew Luck is the Second Coming. Puzzling.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
That’s just not true, though. Not saying he will be great (though I think he’ll be pretty good) but he’s not a run-first guy.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Luck is most likely the second coming though. Dude is incredible.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
This is not true at all.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
There are lies, there are damned lies, and then there is some straight up fabricated, cocaine laced bulllllllshit.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Not run first, but breaks down and runs in the pocket. Many times he still passed, but after running around for a bit.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:06 PM
so does big ben.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
I picture RG3 having the same type of career as MKG
April 19th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
There was a point like 4 or 5 games into the season where he had thrown more TDs than incompletions…why are people questioning his throwing ability?
April 19th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
So you mean buying time? Manipulating the pocket? Making sure he gets to where he can make the best throw possible? I mean those things would have made more sense then “First read run, second read chuck”.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Not watching enough basketball, hockey, and/or baseball. Just bored people all around.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Difference between buying time and immediately breaking down and moving. And Big Ben does sometimes do it and he’s always hurt, and his dumb ass is the size of a fat tank. Griffin will get killed.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
b/c when andrew luck is a bust and cut from the colts he’s getting primed for the Jets to pick him up.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Coop: I think you’re perception of RG3 is just… wrong. No other way to say it.
April 19th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
I just don’t get the hatchet job that TBL has decided to endlessly pursue against RG3…yet, he acts as if Andrew Luck is the Second Coming. Puzzling.
i dont either. there seems to be a pattern of ignoring stats when tbl makes their little case against RGIII.
April 19th, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Those in the media who actually sit down and watch film (Greg Cossel, Trent Dilfer) both had a lot of good things to say about Cam Newton last year, IIRC. Both of them like RGIII this year as well.
April 19th, 2012 at 5:53 PM
rg3 lovers are rediculas. He has a chance, a chance like everyone else. Only time will tell for sure, but he does not have stats or ability that countless others have had coming into this league. Colt McCoy was a much better QB and where it counted, above the shoulders. He would do much better if givien a chance with a half decent team instead of the worst team in the league. But that doesn’t make him Luck or Cam or anyone else. Where rg is going, he will be average even if he is good, but he is NOT a franchise QB! Just another one of countless others with the right team might be successful. The guy’s like Luck and Cam, Rogers, Bree’s, Brady and so on are far and few between. RG is not one of them!