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Ryan Mallett Fallout Could Impact 2016 NFL Draft

By Erik Lambert

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Sep 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

How in the world could a career-backup quarterback with just six starts in five seasons possibly have a profound impact on an entire upcoming draft?  To understand that is to know the situation at hand.  Ryan Mallett is a special case.  The 27-year old was once considered a prized acquisition by the New England Patriots.

Taken in the 2nd round out of Arkansas, most felt he might be the heir apparent to Tom Brady or at least would become a valued trade commodity down the road.  At 6’6″ he featured ideal NFL size along with a cannon arm that could make just about any throw in the playbook.  All he needed was an opportunity.  With Brady intent on playing into his 50s, his chances in New England became minimal, so the team traded him to the Houston Texans.

An unfortunate injury sidelined him during his first opportunity to start in 2014, but most felt it was a matter of time before he got the job in 2015.  Then the unexpected happened:  fellow former Patriot Brian Hoyer beat him out as the starter.  Mallett didn’t handle it well, showing up late to team practice shortly after getting the news.  He proclaimed it was nothing but an alarm clock malfunction.

True or not, it was the first red flag in a series of moments that began to clarify Mallett’s mental frame of mind.  He got another chance to start, but when he suffered a minor injury that took him to the sideline in a game against Indianapolis, the coaches decided to stick with Hoyer.  Mallett’s body language told the whole story.

One can understand him being upset, but the mark of true starting quarterbacks is being able to reflect an air of impassiveness, not letting their emotions rule the situation.  As the flip-flopping continued, Mallett made his gravest mistake yet when he missed the team charter flight for a game against Miami.  Again he had an excuse, citing bad traffic.

Clearly the team didn’t buy it, as they cut him the following week.  It was a sad end to such a promising opportunity for a talented young player.

"“Ryan clearly just didn’t get it,” one Texans player, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “How can you miss the flight? That’s ridiculous and disrespectful to just not show up when everyone else is here ready to go.“That makes you question whether he cared at all about what we’re trying to do, or what kind of problems he’s dealing with. He’s immature.”"

What does this have to do with the 2016 NFL draft, you ask?  More than ever, this situation hammers home how careful teams must be about drafting a quarterback.  Physical talent is one thing, but nothing defines the great ones more than what’s between the ears.  Even coming out of Arkansas there were warning signs that Mallett exhibited a bad attitude.  Yet talent still won out in the end.

This incident is a key teaching lesson for teams heading into next April.  As many as four quarterbacks are expected to possibly go in the 1st round.  Mallett’s example could in fact cool teams to jumping on one too early, especially if they have any misgivings about the mental makeup.  Quarterbacks whose talent at one point would get them taken in the top 10 might now last into the 2nd round.

In that vein, a crestfallen former backup quarterback may have caused a butterfly effect on how teams draft the most important position in professional football.

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