Applying "The Bill Parcells Rules" To Every Chicago Bears QB Target

There are few coaches in NFL history who have garnered more respect than Bill Parcells. A two-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer. He won 172 games and is responsible for some of the great upsets the game has ever seen. His coaching tree is also one of the most extensive, having produced three different future head coaches who would win a championship. It's safe to say the man knows the game inside and out. A man who also has his own philosophy about what it takes to build winning teams. One part that is sure to interest the Chicago Bears is how he approached identifying quality quarterbacks. In fact he had a set of seven parameters that needed to be met in order to draft them. They were eventually dubbed the "Bill Parcells Rules."

1. Be a three-year starter
2. Be a senior in college
3. Graduate from college
4. Start 30 games
5. Win 23 games
6. Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio
7. Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher

One can argue it might not include some necessary things, but it's hard to argue with the results. That methodology produced Jeff Hostetler when he was with the Giants, the man who won Super Bowl XXV for him. It produced Drew Bledsoe, a four-time Pro Bowler in New England. It also was applied to a young undrafted free agent named Tony Romo when he coached at Dallas. So here's an interesting question. Which of the top Bears quarterback targets in the draft best fit these rules? Each of the names listed below are quarterbacks who have been connected to the Bears in some shape or form over the past couple months. Mostly regarding rumors of interesting with the draft on the horizon. Each will have their college career examined through the Parcells Rules. The results may surprise a lot of people.

Mitch Trubisky (North Carolina)

• Be a three-year starter - No
• Be a senior in college - No
• Graduate from college - No
• Start 30 games - No
• Win 23 games - No
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio - 30/6
• Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher - 68.2%

Deshone Kizer (Notre Dame)

• Be a three-year starter - No
• Be a senior in college - No
• Graduate from college - No
• Start 30 games - No
• Win 23 games - No
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio - 47/19
• Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher - 60.7%

Deshaun Watson (Clemson)

• Be a three-year starter - Yes
• Be a senior in college - No
• Graduate from college - Yes
• Start 30 games - Yes
• Win 23 games - Yes
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio - 90/32
• Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher - 67.4%

Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech)

• Be a three-year starter - Yes
• Be a senior in college - No
• Graduate from college - No
• Start 30 games - No
• Win 23 games - No
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio - 93/29
• Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher - 63.5

Nathan Peterman (Pitt)

• Be a three-year starter - No
• Be a senior in college - Yes
• Graduate from college - Yes
• Start 30 games - No
• Win 23 games - No
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio - 47/17
• Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher - 60.1

Brand Kaaya (Miami Fl.)

• Be a three-year starter - Yes
• Be a senior in college - No
• Graduate from college - No
• Start 30 games - Yes
• Win 23 games - No
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio - 69/24
• Tally a completion rate of 60 percent or higher - 60.6

There is really no getting around it. While a number of the quarterbacks like Peterman, Kaaya and Mahomes check some of the boxes, only one checks the majority of them. That's Deshaun Watson. The Clemson star and national championship winner fulfilled six of the seven requirements in order for Parcells to draft him. Supposed top options like Mitch Trubisky and Deshone Kizer didn't even come close. [video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Scouting-Deshaun-Watson-Clemson-QB-Bucky-Brooks-Draft-Notebook-NFL-Now.mp4"][/video] The buzz words on Watson are well-known:  athletic, smart, leader, competitive and clutch. Scouts continue to warn against his being slightly undersized and having a penchant for turning the ball over too much. Nonetheless Parcells would likely counter that argument by pointing out the simple and inarguable facts. Watson was the most productive quarterback in the draft. Not just in terms of pure stats but also in winning. He lost just two of the final 30 games he played in college. Both were despite him putting up 40+ points. That is the mark of a guy who knows how to do his job. Isn't that exactly what the Bears have been searching for in the past three decades? Just something to think about. Along with this. Here are some other notable quarterbacks who would've come out looking good under the rules.

• Dak Prescott
• Derek Carr
• Marcus Mariota
• Kirk Cousins
• Russell Wilson

Take that for what it's worth.