"While on the topic of subjectivity, the free-fall of Oregon State star Steven Jackson in the first round last weekend displayed the different eyes through which teams viewed the tailback position in this year's draft. It also demonstrated how little inside information the amateur "draftniks," and reporters like yours truly, sometimes get on a player. The feeling going into the draft was that Jackson was the consensus top running back. Several teams had hinted to ESPN.com that they had misgivings about Jackson but the fact he lasted until the 24th choice overall, to the Rams, really hammered home that most franchises are never going to show all their cards. It also reinforced the notion that many teams now go into a draft confident they can get a viable running back without investing a high choice in the position. The Cincinnati Bengals, who had tailback near the top of their shopping list, rated at least two runners ahead of Jackson on their board. The Cowboys, roundly criticized in some quarters for dropping out of the first round and ignoring Jackson, then choosing Julius Jones of Notre Dame during the second stanza, also had Jackson rated no better than No. 3 on their pecking order. "
TheHeat24 wrote:Teams just used him as a smokescreen to get the players they wanted... case in point The eagles wanting Andrews...
I think the media's assumption that the Eagles wanted Jackson was somewhat baseless. They figured that the Broncos wanted him, and sicne we were trading up ahead of them, that we were aiming for him. Can't be too sure what they were doing, but I'm not certain the Eagles were even using him as a smokescreen.
The media and message boards just get super hyped up about 'what ifs.' We all saw DEN trading to move up in the draft so we immediately think that they want a RB, and then the Eagles wanted to move one spot ahead of them, so of course they are doing it to position themselves to take the 'top' RB.
Mock drafts and player rankings by the media and/or the average joe are pure speculation. Thats the biggest thing that this draft really solidified. People talking about 'stretching' for a player or whatever else most likely didnt do as much research on that player as the teams did themselves. And if a team 'stretched' for a player half a round or a round too early, who is to say that player would be there the next time around? If they really want the guy and think that he is worth the pick, they are going to pick them.
I was a bit concerned on the bengals draft, but they know WAY more about the players than i do, or Mel Kiper or whoever else.
The guys pulling the trigger on players are there for a reason, and they need to do well b/c their jobs depend on it.
I guess us Cowboys fans have to trust parcells and what he did in the 1st round of the draft. I was a little disappointed that the Cowboys traded out of the first round and let Jackson slip right into the Rams hands. But the Cowboys and Parcells have two first rounders next season(Buffalo's first round pick) in the draft which is great. Before the draft began, I wanted Chris Perry from Michigan to be the Cowboys #1 pick and be the Cowboys featured back for sometime but the Bengals snatched him up before the Cowboys second round pick...
I just hope Jones was worth the second round pick even when Greg Jones from FSU was still available...
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Flux wrote:Mock drafts and player rankings by the media and/or the average joe are pure speculation. Thats the biggest thing that this draft really solidified.
I like your thinking Flux.
I think we're all a little guilty of letting the sports reporters and draft gurus sway our opinion on the values of all of these draftees. I mean face it, who here really knows enough about these players to rank, say..... Michael Clayton three spots ahead of Michael Jenkins?.....or a Vernon Carey a couple spots higher than a Justin Smiley? No one. It truly is, as Flux put it, pure speculation for us and any other prognosticator. It's amazing how seriously we and some people take it if a "predicted" player isn't chosen. I myself admit was pumped to see Stephen Jackson still there when the Broncos picked at 17, then have that adrenaline drained right out of me when they passed him up. To tell you the truth, I've never even seen the guy play.
Oh, and let's not forget to mention the post-draft report cards. Sure, it's nice to see your team with an A+ next to it based on their picks, but really........these pups haven't played a down in the NFL yet. Let them take the frickin' test before grading them.
Cupertino_11 wrote:Oh, and let's not forget to mention the post-draft report cards. Sure, it's nice to see your team with an A+ next to it based on their picks, but really........these pups haven't played a down in the NFL yet. Let them take the frickin' test before grading them.
Those post draft report cards are even worse in speculation than the mock drafts. At least w/ mocks there are consistencies with who each team is going to take b/c their are needs to be filled, but those report cards are all over the place.
One site will give a team an A, another site gives them a C-, and another will give them a B. So basically what we learn is that this team had a GREAT draft, a TERRIBLE draft, or an AVERAGE draft. Great reporting guys
Id like to see one of these sites have a feature during draft week where they look back 5 years and go over in detail how their grades actually compared to what happened in real life. But that of course would show that they really don't know what they are talking about.
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by DUKE » Sun May 02, 2004 2:25 pm 
But the Cowboys and Parcells have two first rounders next season(Buffalo's first round pick) in the draft which is great. Before the draft began, I wanted Chris Perry from Michigan to be the Cowboys #1 pick and be the Cowboys featured back for sometime but the Bengals snatched him up before the Cowboys second round pick... 
