Every year we start talking about the NFL Draft earlier and earlier. This year the first talk about the NFL Draft came out in about week 13 when the Raiders where getting whacked every week. I was watching a game and the announcer starts talking about how while the season has been a huge disappointment at least the Raiders will get the number one draft pick. This is week 13. The Raiders theoretically could have won the last four games and moved down the draft board. However, everyone in the Bay Area who was a Raiders fan talked about how the number one pick was coming to Oakland. So why does it start so early each year?
I think I have finally figured this one out. Every year in the NFL 12 teams make it to the playoffs whereas the other 20 teams are done and waiting until next year. While the 12 fan bases are excited for playoff football, the other 20 have nothing to look forward to until the NFL Draft. The Draft has generally been the best way to make your team a contender over free agency. Out of the 22 Starters on the 2006 Steelers that won the Super Bowl 18 players were drafted by the Steelers. It is the quickest way to make your team better.
So for those teams that were the worst in the NFL last year the Draft is the best possible way to get your team to over the hump and to become a playoff contender. But there is always a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the Draft. When you have a top pick is the guy you draft going to be Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf? Drew Bledsoe or Rick Mirer? Eddie George or Lawrence Phillips? Picking the wrong guy can send your team back into a downward spiral whereas you thought your team was going to be on top.
So who are the players in this year’s draft that can put your team over the top? Which are the five guys that are good enough to make your team a great team just by picking them? Here are the five guys that I see being the five best players coming out of the college game this year.
1) Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech – The best player coming out of college this year. He is 6’5” 235lbs and ran a 4.35 at the combine (he originally wasn’t going to run but decided to at the last minute and borrowed someone else’s shoes). He has freakish hands and the ability to out jump anyone. Can make any passing attack a much more dangerous one. If the Raiders didn’t have so many other issues he would definitely be the number one pick. However early WR picks in the last couple of drafts haven’t turned out to be the best Pros. Mike Williams, Troy Williamson, Charles Rogers, etc. I think he will break the mold though. He is just too good. Will probably be taken by Tampa Bay with the 4th pick.
2) JaMarcus Rusell, QB, LSU – A 6’6” quarterback with an absolute rocket of an arm. Can make any throw and despite weighing in at the combine at 265lbs can move fairly well. Throws the deep ball incredibly well and always came up big in the big game. (See the Tennessee and Notre Dame games from this year). Will most likely be the number one draft pick by the Raiders because of Al Davis’s love of the vertical passing game.
3) Joe Thomas, OL, Wisconsin – A great big athletic tackle in the NFL. A great run blocker and an even better pass blocker. Understands how to play the left tackle position but could very easily more over to right tackle if needed. However, the last big name Big Ten OL, Robert Gallery, has to this date been a bust and people compare their college skill sets to be very similar to each other. I think he is a better player then Gallery and will probably be picked up by the Cardinals with the 5th pick and move over to RT to protect the blindside of lefty Matt Lienart.
4) Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma – the Best running back in the draft. Has the size and speed to be an every down back in the NFL. Can completely take over a game from the RB position. Has had quite the problem in college with the injury bug. Missed most of last year with a broken collarbone and has missed plenty of other games with other various injuries. I originally saw him going to Cleveland with the 3rd pick but now that they have signed Jamal Lewis I’m not sure. I could see them drafting him still and use a two back set not unlike the Saints did last year.
5) Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame – A big time true drop back passer. He can stand in there and make any throw while taking the hit. Has been coached for the last two years by the Charlie Weis who coaches and teaches a pro offense in the college game. Is probably more ready to play in the NFL then Russell is but the upside isn’t there. Will probably be taken by Detroit with the number 2 pick because Kitna is a bum and isn’t good enough to be a NFL starter.
So those are the top five guys in this upcoming NFL Draft. I think all of these guys are going to be NFL Superstars someday. But then again I'm guessing everyone thought Ryan Leaf and Rick Mirer would be good as well. Ah fuck it the Raiders should take Zak DeOssie, OLB, Brown University, anyways and I swear I'm not biased at all.
2 comments:
I going to have go ahead and disagree with your recklessly bold statement in the 2nd paragraph of your blog. Referring to the NFL draft, you quote "It is the quickest way to make your team better."
How can you possible make this statement when it can sometimes take several years to develop a draft pick into an impact player. The quickest way to make your team better is through free agency pick-ups or a coaching regime change. Look at what Drew Brees has done for the Saints, now you can't possibly tell me that if New Orleans picked V.Young or M. Lienart instead that either would've made such a drastic and/or "quick" impact for the better.
Now to say the NFL draft is the BEST way to make a team better I would have to agree. The draft is the most cost-effective way to develop a team not to mention the intangible attributes of a team growing and learning together as the seasons progress.
Now I know your smarter than this Kaz, you just got lazy, and damnit, you let down the people out there that actually value your sports opinion. If you expect readership and a loyal following you had better put your all into this shit. You know, its go hard or go home man. I won't even mention the fact that your top five looks like a copy/paste out of Mel Kiefer's column. Whenever you think people are not paying attention, think again.
T.T.O.L
Woah, relax there man. My brother has put more time and energy into this draft selection than most people can imagine. I bet not alot of people have a top 5 pick going to an offensive lineman. I know that he is an offensive lineman, but thats besides the point. He is one of the few people I know that actually watches every single March Madness game, instead of just looking at the scores, and actually looks at the college players coming out of the draft that might have a shot at the NFL.
Tell him that he is plagerising, or else tell him tnat he is doing a great job, because I know that half of you aren't looking up half as many picks as he is. He is just a devoted fan, and an admirer of football. Thank you.
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