gregjcross
Footballguy
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writ...unds/index.html
This SI NFL writer guy, Jeffri Chadiha, is wrong.
The first round isn't overrated, it is however a high stakes crap shoot, one tailor-made for a bunch of split personality teams at the top of the order, seeking new players and revised identities.
I note here: The draft is a supreme Gridiron event, watched annually by millions of viewers and overseen by flavor-filled media or agent “ringleaders” such as Mel Kiper, Chris "Boomer" Berman, Jimmy (Mr. Hair) Johnson and Drew Rosenhaus. Its downright fun to follow. And it is the most important day of the year for the fortunes of NFL teams.
So what is overrated?
40 yard dash times, bench presses and position drafting seem WAY overrated. Too many teams chase the hype and go for positions in the front of the draft instead of taking the productive players. But is the first round overrated? Not at all.
To my point, ask the San Diego Chargers if the First Round is overrated... In 1990 they drafted USC LB Junior Seau, in 2001 it was TCU RB Ladanian Tomlinson, and in 2005, LB Shawn Merriman. Three guys who either would or will serve them at a Pro Bowl-level for a decade each.
The Baltimore Ravens concur. They have nabbed first round talents including UCLA OT Jonathan Ogden, Miami LB Ray Lewis, ASU TE Todd Heap, Miami FS Ed Reed, Tennessee RB Jamal Lewis and Arizona CB Chris Mcallister over a period of about ten years. Most have been at a pro bowl level and Ray Lewis may be one of the best ever.
Conversely, ask the Falcons, who followed up a wonderful 1989 choice of FSU's CB “Neon” Deion Sanders by selecting Nebraska CB Bruce Pickens at the 3 slot in 1991. Why? Because of his super fast forty yard dash of 4.3 seconds and the fact that he was a cornerback. The Falcons might reflect that they could have been a little smarter about evaluating how Pickens impacted games in college rather than his position and 'rare' speed.
Tampa Bay learned its lesson about drafting (actually I recall that they switched the people making draft decisions), but only after painful series of blown picks.
Let me review Tampa beginning with 1989: Nebraska OLB Broderick Thomas at the 6 slot, followed by Alabama LB Keith Mccants in 1990, Tennessee OT Charles McRae in 1991, Alabama DE Eric Curry in 1993 and topped off with Fresno State QB Trent Dilfer at the six slot in 1994. Most played a few years but were busts. Dilfer did get a ring later on, in a different life.
The Bucs got a lot smarter with the 1995 -2001 selection efforts, save for a dumb pick of Regan Upshaw in '96. By putting emphasis on film and less on measuring tape they took Miami's all-world DT Warren Sapp in 1995, then grabbed FSU LB Derrick Brooks that same round. Then they followed-up with FSU RB Warrick Dunn in 1997, LSU DT Anthony McFarland in 1999, and in 2001, a decent Florida OT, Kenyatta Walker. Florida Gator WR Reidel Anthony was an overrated late round one from '97 that I (and the Bucs!) wish could be omitted from this paragraph.
Now for 2006:
Conventional wisdom might say that Vanderbilt senior QB Jay Cutler doesn't belong in round one. On the other hand he played with moxy over a productive college career in a REAL power conference, the SEC. So, he could easily justify it. Because he is a quarterback, he has been elevated to the upper echelon of round one when he really belongs at the end of round one. Its six of one and half dozen of the other with this Vandy riser. Mario Edwards looks great at DE for any team with the golden opportunity to call his name. Could his teammate and bookend DE, Manny Lawson, also from NC State, be worth a shot in round one? Probably not. If they both were, wouldn't the Wolfpack have broken every sack record known to God?
So, yes, its a crap shoot. But overrated, no way.
This SI NFL writer guy, Jeffri Chadiha, is wrong.
The first round isn't overrated, it is however a high stakes crap shoot, one tailor-made for a bunch of split personality teams at the top of the order, seeking new players and revised identities.
I note here: The draft is a supreme Gridiron event, watched annually by millions of viewers and overseen by flavor-filled media or agent “ringleaders” such as Mel Kiper, Chris "Boomer" Berman, Jimmy (Mr. Hair) Johnson and Drew Rosenhaus. Its downright fun to follow. And it is the most important day of the year for the fortunes of NFL teams.
So what is overrated?
40 yard dash times, bench presses and position drafting seem WAY overrated. Too many teams chase the hype and go for positions in the front of the draft instead of taking the productive players. But is the first round overrated? Not at all.
To my point, ask the San Diego Chargers if the First Round is overrated... In 1990 they drafted USC LB Junior Seau, in 2001 it was TCU RB Ladanian Tomlinson, and in 2005, LB Shawn Merriman. Three guys who either would or will serve them at a Pro Bowl-level for a decade each.
The Baltimore Ravens concur. They have nabbed first round talents including UCLA OT Jonathan Ogden, Miami LB Ray Lewis, ASU TE Todd Heap, Miami FS Ed Reed, Tennessee RB Jamal Lewis and Arizona CB Chris Mcallister over a period of about ten years. Most have been at a pro bowl level and Ray Lewis may be one of the best ever.
Conversely, ask the Falcons, who followed up a wonderful 1989 choice of FSU's CB “Neon” Deion Sanders by selecting Nebraska CB Bruce Pickens at the 3 slot in 1991. Why? Because of his super fast forty yard dash of 4.3 seconds and the fact that he was a cornerback. The Falcons might reflect that they could have been a little smarter about evaluating how Pickens impacted games in college rather than his position and 'rare' speed.
Tampa Bay learned its lesson about drafting (actually I recall that they switched the people making draft decisions), but only after painful series of blown picks.
Let me review Tampa beginning with 1989: Nebraska OLB Broderick Thomas at the 6 slot, followed by Alabama LB Keith Mccants in 1990, Tennessee OT Charles McRae in 1991, Alabama DE Eric Curry in 1993 and topped off with Fresno State QB Trent Dilfer at the six slot in 1994. Most played a few years but were busts. Dilfer did get a ring later on, in a different life.
The Bucs got a lot smarter with the 1995 -2001 selection efforts, save for a dumb pick of Regan Upshaw in '96. By putting emphasis on film and less on measuring tape they took Miami's all-world DT Warren Sapp in 1995, then grabbed FSU LB Derrick Brooks that same round. Then they followed-up with FSU RB Warrick Dunn in 1997, LSU DT Anthony McFarland in 1999, and in 2001, a decent Florida OT, Kenyatta Walker. Florida Gator WR Reidel Anthony was an overrated late round one from '97 that I (and the Bucs!) wish could be omitted from this paragraph.
Now for 2006:
Conventional wisdom might say that Vanderbilt senior QB Jay Cutler doesn't belong in round one. On the other hand he played with moxy over a productive college career in a REAL power conference, the SEC. So, he could easily justify it. Because he is a quarterback, he has been elevated to the upper echelon of round one when he really belongs at the end of round one. Its six of one and half dozen of the other with this Vandy riser. Mario Edwards looks great at DE for any team with the golden opportunity to call his name. Could his teammate and bookend DE, Manny Lawson, also from NC State, be worth a shot in round one? Probably not. If they both were, wouldn't the Wolfpack have broken every sack record known to God?
So, yes, its a crap shoot. But overrated, no way.
and a few other Beathard-induced 
trade blunders probably could have been pointed out, I however thought Sammy Davis was a second rounder and wanted to keep this to the first round discussion
