100 in 100: Jimmy Clausen (5 of 100)
Fooch's Note: Don't forget to check out our plans for a community mock draft and join in if you're interested and have the time.
The general opinion of most has been that Notre Dame Junior Jimmy Clausen has climbed up the board to the number one overall slotted quarterback. Since Jake Locker decided to go back to Washington for his Senior year, it by default has been Clausen that has been talked about as the number one. Some folks even before Clausen declared, had the Notre Dame quarterback number one on their boards. Clausen had a real up and down season in '09 losing to Michigan early on and toward the middle of the season dropped one to USC. They lost the last four games of the year against Navy, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Stanford.
Clausen has some of the tangibles it takes to make it at the pro-level if he works hard and lands in the right place. He is mobile out of the pocket but lacks speed, however makes up for it by getting the ball out pretty fast. He is not as polished as some of the more recently selected high first round picks (i.e. Stafford, Sanchez, and Ryan), but he could very well start for a team in the '10-'11 season.
Earlier in the year Clausen found himself involved in a pub fight in which he got his eye blackened for impulsively firing off at the mouth toward another student that was also attending the University. This is the sort of arrogance and ego that will need to be monitored once he becomes a pro. However, the fierce, fiery attitude could be a positive if it is channeled in the right direction.
People seem to have split opinions of how Clausen's game will translate, but I feel like he will probably amount to a fairly decent quarterback; possibly even more. Clausen recently had foot surgery but is expected to fully recover and participate in some of the NFL Combine drills this Spring. Specifically as to what drills he will compete in is still up in the air. Some have speculated that he will be 100% healthy and ready to compete in them all.
Below, I will provide more in-depth analysis regarding Clausen including highlights, stats, and projections...
This video illustrates how good potentially Clausen can be. He completed just about every throw in this game and stayed pretty cool under pressure and the heavy blitzing by Hawaii. A few of the passes in this highlight feed were dropped but very catchable by the receivers as you will notice. Certainly his mechanics and delivery need a bit of work, however, it may just be some fine tuning in the offseason as well as the preseason to fix those issues.
AWARDS AND HONORS:
- Hall Trophy Award 2007
CAREER STATS:
| Stats Overview | Passing | |||||||||
| YEAR | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | YPA | LNG | TD | INT | SACK | RAT |
| 2007 | 138 | 245 | 1254 | 56.3 | 5.12 | 44 | 7 | 6 | 35 | 103.85 |
| 2008 | 268 | 440 | 3172 | 60.9 | 7.21 | 69 | 25 | 17 | 21 | 132.49 |
| 2009 | 289 | 425 | 3722 | 68.0 | 8.76 | 88 | 28 | 4 | 24 | 161.43 |
| 2009 Regular Season Game Log | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||||
| DATE | OPP | RESULT | CMP | ATT | YDS | CMP% | LNG | TD | INT | RAT | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | |
| 9/5 | Nevada | W 35-0 | 15 | 18 | 315 | 83.3 | 88 | 4 | 0 | 303.67 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 7 | 0 | |
| 9/12 | @Michigan | L 38-34 | 25 | 42 | 336 | 59.5 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 150.30 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 9/19 | Michigan State | W 33-30 | 22 | 31 | 300 | 71.0 | 54 | 2 | 0 | 173.55 | 7 | -1 | -0.1 | 9 | 0 | |
| 9/26 | @Purdue | W 24-21 | 15 | 26 | 171 | 57.7 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 117.94 | 4 | -13 | -3.3 | 1 | 0 | |
| 10/3 | Washington | W 37-30 | 23 | 31 | 422 | 74.2 | 77 | 2 | 1 | 203.38 | 8 | -32 | -4.0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 10/17 | USC | L 34-27 | 24 | 43 | 260 | 55.8 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 121.96 | 9 | -4 | -0.4 | 11 | 1 | |
| 10/24 | Boston College | W 20-16 | 26 | 39 | 246 | 66.7 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 136.58 | 6 | 1 | 0.2 | 6 | 0 | |
| 10/31 | Washington State | W 40-14 | 22 | 27 | 268 | 81.5 | 50 | 2 | 0 | 189.30 | 2 | -9 | -4.5 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11/7 | Navy | L 23-21 | 37 | 51 | 452 | 72.5 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 156.02 | 5 | -5 | -1.0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 11/14 | @Pittsburgh | L 27-22 | 27 | 42 | 283 | 64.3 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 123.98 | 7 | -9 | -1.3 | 8 | 1 | |
| 11/21 | Connecticut | L 33-30 | 30 | 45 | 329 | 66.7 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 142.75 | 4 | -9 | -2.3 | 4 | 1 | |
| 11/28 | @Stanford | L 45-38 | 23 | 30 | 340 | 76.7 | 78 | 5 | 0 | 226.86 | 3 | -15 | -5.0 | 1 | 0 | |
SUMMARY AND PROJECTIONS:
Some have Clausen being selected as the number one overall pick in the draft going to St. Louis. While this is possible, it does not look like the most likely scenario with Ndamukong Suh on the board. It's my belief that Clausen will most definitely be selected in the top 10 hands down but to which team will remain a mystery until April 22nd, 2010. Once drafted, Clausen will more than likely have the opportunity to compete for the starting job of the team that drafts him. Clausen is 6'3" 223 LBS.
Possibilities-- Rams, Redskins, Seahawks, Browns, Raiders, Bills.
For those interested, here is a link to the previous 100 in 100 articles:
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28 comments
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Comments
Would the Browns really draft another Notre Dame QB?
I’m up and down on Clausen. There are times I really like what I see, but others I just don’t care for him. Throw in the fact that he still looks like he’s 12 years old, and I can’t see cheering for him.
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
Jimmy Clausen =/= Brady Quinn
They weren’t even recruited by the same guy.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 17, 2010 7:51 PM PST up reply actions
gutsy
just one word to use for him. With all the ND games on weekly we got to see a lot of him. Playing with his bad foot all year and producing the way he did is just great to see.
Plus his height is a plus too.
But who’s a better pick? him or Bradford?
Obviously Clausen....
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 17, 2010 7:52 PM PST up reply actions
I can only hope
Clausen’s maturity level will lower his stock and make it possible for the 49ers to draft him at 13.
Sanchez though, was not as polished as an NFL prospect as Clausen is now.
Who are these new authors on NN?
Not going to happen
The 49ers wouldn’t slap Alex Smith in the face like that after coach Singletary publicly declared Smith as the starter going into next season. Hill has another year left on his contract and Nate Davis has a lot of potential.
Secretly
I would kind of like that….
But there is no chance in [site decorum] that it happens.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 17, 2010 7:52 PM PST up reply actions
Clausen = throwing the football like a baseball pitch vs Sanchez = throwing the ball in a more orthidoxed manner with great foot work …. most polished QB Award goes to [opening envelope]……….Oh surprise! …Mark Sanchez.
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
pitcher comparison
I don’t know where you’re getting this from dude.
Tebow is the one that drops the ball to his waist when winding up.
Clausen puts the ball near his head and then launches it on short/intermediate passes.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 19, 2010 9:44 AM PST up reply actions
He winds up whe he is throwing “dude”. I’m getting it from watching him…I think it’s pretty crystal clear that he does.
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
Not to me
You’re the first person that has mentioned this.
He puts the ball near his helmet and then fires…..
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 20, 2010 11:39 PM PST up reply actions
He brings it from down low…it’s very clear and evident in the video highlights and any game he’s played in. The guy looks more like Nolan Ryan than Matt Ryan when he throws it. I dont care if I’m the 1st person or the 954th that says it. It’s pretty crystal clear that he does this frequently. Maybe not every single throw but A LOT.
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
Not to mention that his mechanics are inconsistent. It looks like a different QB is throwing each time he passes it. His release is all over the map
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
hey your pick is like 2 away
GO COLTS!!! 09 IS OURS!!!
previously known as (ANGELSFAITH)
by TheAngelsColts on Jan 21, 2010 6:42 PM PST up reply actions
If we did draft him it wouldn’t be the first time we drafted a Notre Dame QB. If I remember correctly we got a pretty good QB from Notre Dame in the 80’s
In the 70s, if you want to be a pedant about it ...
… He certainly didn’t turn out to be too bad ;)
"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...
by LondonNiner on Jan 16, 2010 10:51 AM PST up reply actions
does this guy even watch college football?
Clausen had an up and down season? Notre Dame had an up and down season, but even with a bad foot Clausen played very well all year long. And how exactly does 14 starts make Sanchez a polished QB coming out last year? This guy sounds like a tool
by monkey spanker on Jan 16, 2010 11:48 AM PST reply actions
seriously?
If you don’t like it that’s fine, but calling somebody a tool is really not necessary.
by David Fucillo (Fooch) on Jan 16, 2010 11:58 AM PST up reply actions
Ahh…. the infamous “does this guy even watch football?” argument. One of my favorites.
To answer you seriously, I watch a ton of college football… and I watched Jimmy Clausen quite a bit this year considering all the Notre Dame games were broadcast on NBC. He had very good stats but the one thing we saw a few times this year is he couldn’t finish games out. There were a few times this year that his Comp Rate was in the 50% range.
One question, have ever took at Clausens throwing motion? It looks like he’s winding up to throw a baseball on some of his throws. Sanchez get’s the ball out really fast and so does Stafford. So when I say he has work to do, I am not telling it falsly. His mechanics are a little rusty and if he doesn’t fix it, he’s gonna have a lot of balls batted down at the line at the NFL level.
Tool: When you use a word like that in an argument, it’s hard for anyone to take you seriously in an argument… just food for thought.
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
wind up motion
didn’t Dorsey have that same type of motion?(Whats he doing now?)
by sundaysfinest on Jan 16, 2010 11:40 PM PST up reply actions
I am a ND fan and saw many games live in person this year. Clausen has everything you want in a QB. I don’t know if he will be a great pro though. He played in a good system for QBs, but if he is drafted by a team that doesn’t have a good system for a QB, he could struggle for a while. He had a great year (not an up and down year). Only 4 INTs and 28 TDs- some really good numbers there. We don’t need Clausen though (unless he drops to the 3rd round like the other ND QB)
the west coast offense isn't really a good "system" for (bad) QBs
It takes a lot of skill to execute that offense.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 17, 2010 7:55 PM PST up reply actions
He's the "draft expert" here
I tend to disagree with him on nearly everything though….
Don’t call people names though.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by chikmagnet_565 on Jan 17, 2010 7:54 PM PST up reply actions
^
Likes to argue to argue …haha
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
Drew your pick is about to be up for the mock so you know
GO COLTS!!! 09 IS OURS!!!
previously known as (ANGELSFAITH)
by TheAngelsColts on Jan 21, 2010 6:41 PM PST up reply actions
I can't believe you....
He is not as polished as some of the more recently selected high first round picks (i.e. Stafford, Sanchez, and Ryan)
Not as polished as Matt Ryan?
That’s true.
But Sanchez and Stafford?
Are you [site decorum] kidding me?
Sanchez started like 16 games at USC before entering the draft.
Stafford was regarded as a very raw QB prospect with tons of upside.
You’re saying those two were more “polished” than Clausen (who played-and dominated-in an NFL offense)?
Earlier in the year Clausen found himself involved in a pub fight in which he got his eye blackened for impulsively firing off at the mouth toward another student that was also attending the University.
Link?
I know he was punched in the face by a ND fan after a loss.
He was supposedly with family and the guy walked up to him and punched him.
Clausen recently had foot surgery but is expected to fully recover and participate in some of the NFL Combine drills this Spring
He was playing with the injured toe all season long.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
Even though what happened was not very catholic :)
I like the fire he has. It’s definitely something the Niners could use. Unfortuntately the timing is bad and there’s no way they take him. He likely won’t even be around by the 13th pick unless the Niners trade up, which I can’t see them doing. Some mock drafts have Clausen going first to the Rams. Not a bad idea, but players like Suh are much more than a dime a dozen.
Don't know what it is...
I am a HUGE Notre Dame fan and haven’t missed a game in 8 years. I have seen every single one of Claussen’s starts. I just don’t know what it is about him, but I had a hard time rooting for him the last 3 years. If anyone saw his first and second years, he looked pretty average (especially for a guy who showed up to his signing day in a limo). The reason he put up big numbers last year was their ease of schedule and he still only won six games. The reason he put up over 3000 yards is because they were down and needed to come back. He wouldn’t have had 28 TDs if they had the lead. Maybe that’s coaching, maybe that’s their defense giving up points, but I didn’t see enough to call him the number one rated QB on the board. Stats are great, but winning is everything.
There’s no debate the kid has talent, I just wouldn’t hand him the keys to my franchise. And please…stop with the comparisons to Joe. Aside from their college, there is no comparison.
Maybe he’ll prove me wrong. I see him as the next Philip Rivers…good stats, big mouth, can’t win the big important games (USC, Michigan, NAVY).

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