Why Draft "Experts" Annoy Me

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

I can't be the only one that gets annoyed by all these so called draft "experts" that change there mind like r8rh8rmike changes his underwear...about once a week. I'm going to use SI's main mock "expert" as an example. Not becuase he's the best, but because his past mocks are easy to find. H3e's just an example of what annoys me.

Don Banks 2010 NFL Mock Drafts thusfar:

1.0 Thursday January 28, 2010
1 DT Ndamukong Suh Nebraska Sr. 6-4 302 The Rams need help everywhere and must debate whether they believe a quarterback might hold No. 1 value. But a rock-solid consensus has formed around the dominating Cornhusker defensive tackle as the surest thing (Suh-est thing?) in this year's draft. We're not talking Steve Emtman here. This guy looks ready to make an impact from day one in the NFL.

Suh is a rock solid concensus as the surest thing. Sounds great, right?

2.0 Thursday February 25, 2010
1 DT Gerald McCoy Oklahoma, Jr., 6'4", 298 There seem to be equally strong pockets of support for McCoy (below) and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh going first overall to the Rams. McCoy is considered slightly more adept at penetrating the backfield on the pass rush, while Suh is viewed as a tad more stout against the run.

So roughly a month later, the day before the DT's do anything at the combine, the rock solid concensus is now split 50/50 and McCoy is our choice. Um ok. Nothing changed so why did his opinion?

3.0 Thursday March 4, 2010
1 QB Sam Bradford Oklahoma Jr. 6-4 223 The only thing anyone should be guaranteeing these days when it comes to the Rams' pick is no one knows for sure yet who it will be. But I came away from Indy believing St. Louis is very open to taking a quarterback and the key phrasing was this from Rams GM Billy Devaney: "The defensive tackles are difference-makers and we have them graded extremely high. But I have a feeling at the end of the day, the quarterbacks are going to be, if not right there, they're going to be within striking distance so that you have to think about taking them, because of (the value issue)." Besides that, you can't discount the logic that taking and playing a rookie QB probably buys Devaney and head coach Steve Spagnuolo some patience from a new Rams owner, which isn't necessarily the case if you draft a defensive tackle and then go 2-14.

So because of one quote from Devaney, who is only making picks to save his job, we're now taking a QB in Stafford. Yeah ok, whatever you say Donny boy.

4.0 Tuesday March 16, 2010
1 QB Sam Bradford Oklahoma Jr. 6-4 223 So much depends on how Bradford's throwing shoulder holds up at his pro day on March 29, but at this point there's absolutely no reason to stop putting the Rams and the ex-Sooner together on the assumption that all goes well at that workout. As I've noted before, taking a first-round quarterback might not be just the right call in St. Louis, it might also buy some time for the rebuilding program Rams general manager Billy Devaney and head coach Steve Spagnuolo have begun.

Again implying they'll pick to stay employed rather than to make the pick that helps the team the most, while also covering his backside in case they don't pick Bradford. Pretty typical "expert" BS.

5.0 Wednesday April 7, 2010
1 QB Sam Bradford Oklahoma Jr. 6-4 223 With Bradford allaying all health-related concerns at his pro day last week, the Rams can start printing his jersey for the press conference. Any lingering chance of someone trading up to No. 1 for a shot at him likely went by the boards when Washington got its quarterback Sunday night.

Bradford had a good pro day so now it's a sure thing. OK now at this point I can see someone switching to Bradford as a possibility, but before no way. It just makes no sense. But even still what happened to Suh the "rock solid concensus as the surest thing.?"

6.0 Wednesday April 14, 2010
1 QB Sam Bradford Oklahoma Jr. 6-4 223 The Rams continue to go through their scouting paces, meeting with both Bradford and Texas QB Colt McCoy this week in St. Louis. But anyone other than the ex-Sooner holding up a No. 1 jersey next Thursday night in New York -- pre-draft contract or not -- would register as the kind of stunning turn of events we haven't seen in years.

WOW. We sure did a 180 in two and a half months didn't we. First Suh is the "rock solid concensus as the surest thing" and now to take anyone but Bradford is "the kind of stunning turn of events we haven't seen in years."

This is just one example of what annoys me about these "experts." McShay has flopped from Suh to Bradford also, while Kiper has flipped from Suh being "the most dominating defensive tackle I've seen in 32 years of doing this." to Clausen. It seems like they build up and exaggerate the plus side of whoever they want. For the longest time all we heard was Suh is a lock to go #1 to the Rams, and now it's a QB. Yes I know Blger is now gone, but these guys flopped to QBs while he was still here. Is it anything more than hype and these draft guys feeding off of each other that made Suh go from the guaranteed pick to now being the #2 DT behind McCoy in many people's eyes? I just don't get it. These guys annoy the crap out of me.

[MrOrange]

Re: Why Draft "Experts" Annoy Me

All I can tell you is, when it comes to the draft, don't take anything you hear on January 28th (my b-day!!!) as a lock for anything. That is WAAAAYYYYYY too early to make a firm decision on anything.

As far as the players go, I gave up a while ago on deciding who I want to be the #1 pick. I have read so many great things about Bradford, Suh, and McCoy, that I feel comfortable knowing that as long as we draft one of those 3 people, we are entering the 2010 season as a better team.

[swatter555]

Re: Why Draft "Experts" Annoy Me

I have been saying from day one that the Rams need to do something about the QB position and that should take priority over anything else. The QB is the single most important position on the team and a big reason why we have sucked the last couple of years. Drafting a DT no matter how good is not going to make the team much better when the O is constantly doing 3 and outs. This has been my simple and core logic from day 1. Back in January I was laughed off the boards as Suh mania reached silly heights.

Now I wasn't opposed to getting a QB in FA and drafting Suh, but the tail shouldn't be wagging the dog (meaning drafting Suh and let the rest of the pieces fall where they may). The Rams needed to come up with a decisive plan to solve the QB problem and if at the end of that decision process drafting Suh was still possible, I would accept that. What I don't accept and think is poor logic is the notion of drafting Suh and trying to solve our QB problem next year. That is the type of planning that is just killing in recent years.

So, at least some of us have been consistent.

Let me add this: I think trading down without strong, strong confidence in another QB propect would be a disaster. Not only would we be letting the QB problem continue to fester, we would also be passing up likely one the best DTs in years. You don't trade down and pass up high probability talent. It would be one thing if we were passing up a running back (since we have SJ), but passing up awesome talent we need for a greater quantity of likely much lesser talent would be a waste of time.