February. The time to shovel your drive way, kick the frozen blocks of sand and salt off your car, and time for this guy to get into full NFL Draft prep mode. This year’s tweak to the NFL Draft process was pretty big. Some of the more notable changes were:
· Senior Bowl was moved to the week before the Superbowl.
· Free Agency was moved up sooner to March 11th.
· NFL Draft was moved back to from the middle of April to early May.
All the aforementioned, was a shrewd move by the league to make the total NFL experience a continuous year-long ride. Now of course, this elongation has brought newfound opportunity for the NFL to capitalize on its product. Simply by shifting existing events around to bring each into its own spot-light... equating to TV revenues to pad the coffers. So… what does this mean for the draft process?
Drawing out the draft process brings more time for decision-makers to scrutinize and mull over the minutia. GMs will over-analyze Jadeveon Clowney’s pad-level and Derek Carr throwing from an uneven base. As a Draft follower, it has created a ton of media group think… and has opened the door to a smoke-screen bonanza of false truths.
So here I will offer up what I believe to be reality. The “What I know, I know”.
· There is no quarterback worth a top 3 pick in this draft, but there are at least 4 QBs better than any in last year’s class.
· LT Greg Robinson (Auburn) is the best NFL prospect in this draft class. The buzz on this guy has not reached the level that it deserves. BTW, Jadeveon Clowney is easily the 2nd best prospect.
· This crop of Wide Receivers is the best that I have ever seen (by a mile). There will be WRs picked in 2nd Round that will be better than 1st rounders in a ton of other draft classes.
· No one cares, but the Offensive Guard class has the same quality at the top and depth throughout the rounds. There will be draft parties across the country that will dial in a collective WTF, when their team drafts an OG in the first 2 rounds.
· QB Brett Smith (Wyoming) getting snubbed by the NFL Combine is shocking. Who ever made that decision should be fired when this guy gets drafted in the 3rd round (or better).
View this as a way to keep the blog alive in our FFB offseason. I’ll put some NFL Draft posts out here for your reading pleasure. Throw around some responses, and we’ll see where this takes us.
I wish you posted this at 10:30 when I needed bathroom reading material. That's right -- I take care of my business in the morning! I hope you enjoy that mental image.
ReplyDeleteWhat QB do people think the Vikings will take (or end up with)?
ReplyDeleteMost mock drafts have the Vikings taking Blake Bortles (Central Florida) at #8 overall. Personally, I think is not a good fit for a Norv Turner offense. Sure Bortles has the proper eye level and the composure within a congested pocket. But he lacks the above average arm strength to drive the ball down the field, which is a key requisite for Norv.
DeleteZach Mettenberger is hands down the best fit in this draft class, and could be had between the 2nd and 3rd round. The next best schematic fit would be Derek Carr, who would cost them their 1st round pick, and after all other draft eligible QBs lack the attributes that make sense. Other possibilities answers at QB are trading for Patriot’s backup QB Ryan Mallet, whom the Patriots have made it known they want a second rounder for. And a high second rounder in this year’s stacked draft class is way too rich for my taste. Finally, option would be the extremely uninspiring Chad Henne in Free Agency.
In the end, I expect the Vikings to make a run at Henne in FA. With FA starting far sooner than previous years, teams will not likely use FA as a way to fill in the gaps. The best scheme fit free agents will likely get gobbled up early in the FA period, so Henne should be a target. If they fail to sign Henne, Carr in the 1st or Mettenberger in the 2nd are more than adequate.
First of all, this is fantastic Gow. Thank you for giving the blog the shot of adrenaline it needs. I don't get to see you guys as much without football, so this is a good place for us to go back and forth and all the usual bullshit that we throw out on Monday nights.
DeleteRegarding QBs... I'm sort of moving towards a "Draft Teddy (because I think he's the best) or Johnny Football (because it would be too much fun, for so many reasons, whether or not it works out) or defense with #8 pick" mindset. I don't want them to trade up because it will cost too much and this draft is DEEP. I want more picks, not less. And I still am not sold on Bortles, and certainly not Carr.
I'd much prefer Mettenberger in the 2nd or 3rd, or even someone line Murray from Georgia. Hell, I'd even be interested in the Gow's guy from Wyoming... I just don't want our overwhelming need for a QB to force us to take another Ponder way too early, passing on too many other great players.
Most mocks right now have the Vikings taking Khalil Mack, who I've admittedly had to research a little because I didn't catch much of Buffalo on TV. From what I've read, I've developed a mini-mancrush on the guy. I'd love him in the 1st and like Mettenberger in the 2nd. We're probably going to have 6 new starters on D next year and we'll need to fill a number of those holes with rookies.
I've got lots of questions and topics that are draft-related, but maybe I'll save them for future posts so you dudes keep visiting.
I also intend to put a post up soon talking about people's general thoughts on some league changes for next season. Nothing guaranteed, but it would be good to start discussing in earnest now, while we have the time. Any notable changes will need to be agreed upon before the summer.
Gow-
ReplyDeleteCan you just make a depth chart for major positions with a short blurb/highlights? It easily digestible for people like myself and doesn't hurt as much went I poop out knowledge bombs for others.
Your pal,
Andy