| I'll Have a Draft Please Steve Whitewater |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
April 1998. The Indianapolis Colts had a big decision to make: which of the two big-time quarterbacks to take with
the first pick of the NFL Draft. Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf? With the exception of the ’95 Captain Comeback team
that made the run to the AFC title game, the Colts had been a mediocre franchise for some time, leaking more oil than
the Exxon Valdez. Of course, the Colts selected Manning, who has gone on to a prolific career rife with MVPs, a Super
Bowl title, passing records, and too many spokesman roles to count. Leaf? The San Diego Chargers, attempting to get
over future Hall of Famers Stan Humphries and Sean Salisbury, took Leaf with the second pick. Leaf bottomed out
rather quickly, with his NFL career about as successful as Ben Affleck’s semester at acting school.
What does this story indicate? The NFL Draft can make or break a franchise. It is also a major media and fan
event for the NFL, as mock drafts and scouting rosters are made up months in advance and people look forward to the
draft almost religiously. Top picks can greatly alter the landscape of the NFL. Look at the ‘80s 49ers, the ‘90s Cowboys,
and the current Colts: all three franchises were greatly successful for many years and were built up largely through
draft selections. Successful picking can turn a team into a Super Bowl contender quickly, while bad picking (see Bears,
Chicago and running back selections) can send a team down the abyss. Put simply, the NFL Draft rocks, and using the
2008 draft as a backdrop, here are five reasons why the NFL Draft is a great event:
-Some big-name college players get drafted late
Flash back to the 2007 college football season: who were some of the big names? Jacob Hester, Dan Connor,
Early Doucet, Steve Slaton, Mario Manningham, John David Booty, Dennis Dixon, Colt Brennan, Andre Woodson, Mike
Hart. What do these players also have in common? They were all taken in the third round or later. It is always fun to
watch the second day of the draft and see which big names are still available. Hester and Doucet starred for the
national champion LSU Tigers. Connor was arguably the best defensive player in the Big Ten. Slaton, Manningham,
Booty, Dixon, Brennan, Woodson, and Hart were all in the running for the Heisman at some point during the season.
While some no name offensive linemen and linebackers get taken in the first or second round, it is somehow
comforting to recognize some of the late round picks. Ask the Broncos how that third round Mo Clarett selection
worked out for them- these late rounders are fun to see and truly gauge the legitimacy of these college stars.
-Small-time college players get drafted high
Jerry Rice and Walter Payton are arguably the greatest wide receiver and running back, respectively, of all time.
They also happen to be graduates of small colleges: Rice (Mississippi Valley State) and Payton (Jackson State)
dominated in the pros after beating up on off-the-radar collegiate teams. Look at the current Cowboys- possibly both
their best offensive and defensive player come from small colleges: Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois) and DeMarcus Ware
(Troy State). In the 2008 NFL Draft, five first round selections were from small universities: Leodis McKelvin (11th pick
to the Bills- Troy),
Ryan Clady (12th pick to the Broncos- Boise St.), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (16th pick to the Cardinals-
Tennessee St.), Joe Flacco (18th pick to the Ravens- Delaware), and Chris Johnson (24th pick to the Titans- East
Carolina). It is fun to see small college players get drafted so high- it is great for those schools and great for the NFL.
Steve McNair just retired after a 13-year career, having put up major statistics, an AFC title, and a co-MVP award.
Where did this potential Hall-of-Famer go? Alcorn State.
-Mel Kiper Jr.’s enthusiasm
Sure, he can be annoying, and sure, his depth of knowledge can be rather frightening. But Kiper sure knows his
stuff, and that is why his presence on the ESPN set during the draft is so comforting. It’s too bad Kiper does not
extend his talent evaluation skills to other professional levels:
Kiper: “I really like what I see out of Barack Obama. He has little experience but his great oratory skills have
boosted him from a possible City Commerce Secretary position to the chance at being U.S. president. Obama has
shown flashes of elitism and opinion backpedaling, but his ability to cover his political tracks and depose of his more
well-known competition should boost him in the upcoming November election. I look for Obama to utilize his raw skill,
select a good cabinet around him, and prepare for two terms in the Oval Office. Look for the Democratic National Party
to pick Obama in the first round of the 2008 draft.”
-It breaks up the monotony of baseball
I know, the basketball and hockey playoffs are going on right now, but baseball is almost the only thing on
nowadays. We need football- it is in the American bloodstream. Sure, we may suck at getting everyone health care or
implementing a proper exit strategy from Iraq, but we can sure beat each other’s brains in over a good game of tackle
football! The NFL is king right now, no question about it. After the Super Bowl, there is no football until the Hall of Fame
Game in early August. We need the draft, more than Tony Danza needs that “Who’s the Boss?” reunion episode. And
unless you are a fan of the FIRST PLACE Chicago White Sox (hey, ScrubSports is run by all Cubs fans, and we need to
institute some objectivity here) or another successful baseball team, the NFL Draft is a sight for sore eyes.
-It is shorter than in years past
Commissioner Roger Goodell has put his foot down on several things: suspensions for poor behavior, a revamped NFL
logo, a haphazard investigation into Spy Gate, and a shorter NFL Draft. The 2007 event’s first round lasted more than
six hours. Six hours! Goodell changed things up by knocking the time for a first round pick back to ten minutes and for
a second round pick five minutes. This helped the 2008 draft go much shorter and allow a much more fan-friendly
process. Not that we would not have watched anyway, but it sure helps that we can spend less time watching the NFL
Draft and more time watching “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” Decisions, decisions.
The NFL Draft is a right of passage for 262 college football players, stretching all the way from the greatness of
the top picks to the suckiness of Mr. Irrelevant. We fans find solace in the idea of potentially finding that diamond in
the rough who can make our last place team the new chic pick to win the next season’s Super Bowl. And either way it
goes, even if your team finishes last again, at least you won’t have to wait too long to see their first pick in the next
NFL Draft.