On Thurs, April 2nd, the NFL Draft begins in prime time. Mel Kiper’s (Rogaine, why have you not signed this guy up as your pitchman yet? You two fit together like Jimmy Buffet and Margaritas.) big day just keeps getting bigger every year, due to the ever-increasing NFL popularity, and now year-round interest in every aspect of the league. Every fan is excited for the future of their team, and every fan has an opinion on which college stud(s) should be wearing their team’s colors.

Perhaps no player causes more opinions to be formed than Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen. Many are of the negative (as in “Jimmy Clausen will be an NFL failure”) variety. Maybe it’s because some people just like to hate on those who are the big names in a given industry. Maybe it’s because Jimmy was the face of college football’s most visible program, and people were just over-saturated with Clausen. Maybe it’s because people feel Clausen was born with a silver spoon in hand, given opportunities most would kill for from the time he was fourteen years old. Maybe it’s because people didn’t like his coach, or that his coach’s other prized-pupil hasn’t cut it in the NFL. Underlying thoughts and resentments like those mentioned, are the ammo that people are using to claim Clausen will bust, even when that opinion has to be contrary to the information (film, and validations from teammates) we have been given to see.

Face it, Clausen is a guy that people love to hate, and they are taking shots at any given opportunity.

From reputable college football writer Stewart Mandel:

“I can understand why scouts prefer the taller, more prototypically-sized Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen (cough, bust, cough), but there’s very little discrepancy in terms of McCoy’s actual passing ability.”

From an NFL executive type (who was actually backing Clausen’s playing ability):

“He can throw the ball downfield. He’s the perfect Raiders quarterback, what Al [Davis] has been dreaming about for years. I don’t want to like him, but I do. I mean, just look at him – when you see that guy, you just want to punch him.” Keep in mind this is a comment from a mature, successful business man. This is the type of ire that Clausen draws.

From scout Todd McShay (in general):

“Not a leader. not a good teammate.”

There are countless others that will bust on Jimmy Clausen, given the chance. (The aforementioned Kiper won’t, he actually likes Clausen.) The next few years will tell if they are doing it because they actually see a questionable skill set, or if they just wanted to bring down a “golden boy” from Notre Dame.