Hoge says ‘ain’t no way’ the Cards will draft Geno Smith

Mar 6, 2013, 11:00 PM | Updated: 11:06 pm

We all have something (or a lot of somethings) that we know we shouldn’t do but do anyway. What did Sheryl Crow call it? ‘My Favorite Mistake?’

For me, most days, it’s eating peanut butter out of the jar. Whenever I want. That’s my ‘Favorite Mistake.’

Analyzing mock drafts. Not quite as high up on the ‘Favorite Mistake’ depth chart as the peanut butter but certainly up there.

In his latest mock, ESPN draft guru Todd McShay has the Cardinals taking QB Geno Smith out of West Virginia. Clearly ESPN’s Merril Hoge is not on board that train.

Via Rotoworld.com comes this nugget, said by Hoge on Wednesday’s NFL Live on ESPN:

Hoge compared Todd McShay mock-drafting Smith at No. 7 to Mel Kiper hyping up Mike Williams before the 2005 draft. “In recent memory, I have never seen a more inconsistent thrower than Geno Smith,” said Hoge. “Receivers that are wide open, (he) absolutely completely misses them. I got frustrated by watching him. … You cannot be that inconsistent in college and then fix that in the NFL. Decision making, I thought under pressure he was below, below average. … There ain’t no way the Cardinals are gonna draft him. If Bruce Arians has anything to do about it, he will look at (Smith) and say there is no possible way.

Hoge is one of ESPN’s most opinionated NFL analysts. Remember how he lit into Cam Newton a couple of years ago?

But “ain’t no way” is pretty strong stuff.

I want to agree with him, especially when looking at McShay’s mock; he has Central Michigan tackle Eric Fisher available but the Cards passing on him. I find that difficult to believe.

But I won’t give Smith the “ain’t no way” label just yet.

Two years ago I knew the Cards drafting Blaine Gabbert was an “ain’t no way” proposition despite several national types who suggested otherwise. This time around, I’m not so sure just because Arians and his staff are new to me. Saying no to Gabbert was an educated guess. Saying no to Smith is just a guess.

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