DRAFT 2008: In draft, hype is the only sure thing

[Wolf]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20080416/APS/804163096

NEW YORK (AP) -In 2002, the Houston Texans began the NFL draft by choosing David Carr as their first pick ever. Then, after Carolina took Julius Peppers, Detroit chose Joey Harrington and Buffalo picked 6-foot-8, 360-pound offensive tackle Mike Williams.

That was just the way most mock drafts had them, all four assumed to be future stars.

Six years later, Carr is a backup QB with the Giants, his third team; Harrington also is on his third team; and Williams is out of the NFL. Even Peppers, a star early, has had back-to-back bad seasons, and his former North Carolina teammate, defensive tackle Ryan Sims, taken sixth by Kansas City, is another major failure.

If the draft has become the NFL's second-most anticipated event after the Super Bowl, it's also one in which many ``future Hall of Famers'' turn out to be duds. These days, the increasing number of people writing, reporting and blogging about the NFL turn out mock draft after mock draft, some starting as early as the week after the Super Bowl.

Nor does analysis stop after the draft. Every team is graded instantly. The results are haphazard, of course - no one can analyze a draft the day it happens, including the people doing the drafting.

``We're giving these guys grades and they haven't even taken any classes or exams yet,'' laughs Bill Polian, the president of the Colts, whose success rate is as good as anyone's in nearly a quarter century with Buffalo, Carolina and Indianapolis.

 

[kastofsna]

yeah, but who cares. it's all in fun.

 

[brakos82]

yeah, but who cares. it's all in fun.

Until they're getting paid more than top players...

 

[Spled]

I remember when they were calling Robert Gallery "once in a decade".

 

[Andrew6]

from what I've seen out of the RB position I'd have to go with Johnathon Stewart as the #1 pick. Most mocks are showing aqib talibeab or whatever his name is but I've seen him get burned and looks like Faggins. I've also seen some mocks talking about Otah but I don't know much about him to say one way or the other.

 

[kastofsna]

Until they're getting paid more than top players...

that's got nothing to do with draft hype.