2014 NFL Draft Thread

[Guest]

I could have sworn I read that Sam was projected 3rd round before the announcement. Now I'm seeing 3rd - 5th.

 

Yeah, all the talk about "how will at effect his draft stock" is cracking me up, considering the first story I saw last night said "possible first rounder" and now it's "projected third to fifth rounder"

 

He was never a first rounder and once you get past the first (and maybe second rounders), it's especially tough to get a consensus on where a guy should be drafted for a whole host of reasons.

[sneakypower]

I personally don't think Emery wants the media circus that may come with drafting Sam. He doesn't want the team on Hard Knocks. He cut one of his own draft picks that brought negative attention to the team. I don't think he'd pass on a great value though, so it'll be interesting.

who was that?

[jersey cubs fan]

I personally don't think Emery wants the media circus that may come with drafting Sam. He doesn't want the team on Hard Knocks. He cut one of his own draft picks that brought negative attention to the team. I don't think he'd pass on a great value though, so it'll be interesting.

who was that?

 

Evan Rodriguez was a FB attempting to turn into a TE with a checkered past. And in one year with the Bears had a couple arrests and was cut. He was then picked up and cut by another team.

[Soul]

I personally don't think Emery wants the media circus that may come with drafting Sam. He doesn't want the team on Hard Knocks. He cut one of his own draft picks that brought negative attention to the team. I don't think he'd pass on a great value though, so it'll be interesting.

who was that?

 

Evan Rodriguez.

[sneakypower]

ah ok, i vaguely remember that, but i probably assumed his release was because he failed to make a meaningful impact

[Soul]

So anyway -- if a guy is projected mid rounds, 4th - 7th round, it's not uncommon for that player to fall out into the UDFA ranks.

 

I don't think it will "get ugly" on draft day, like I might have if he was really projected in the earlier rounds.

[ConstableRabbit]

As I saw on Twitter, I'm mostly rooting for Mike Sam to play Will.

[jersey cubs fan]

ah ok, i vaguely remember that, but i probably assumed his release was because he failed to make a meaningful impact

 

If he was any good he'd still be on the team.

[Guest]

So anyway -- if a guy is projected mid rounds, 4th - 7th round, it's not uncommon for that player to fall out into the UDFA ranks.

 

I don't think it will "get ugly" on draft day, like I might have if he was really projected in the earlier rounds.

 

I think 3rd - 5th is the best valuation for him. If he goes undrafted, it'll undoubtedly be because of this.

 

Also, if people in the media have been saying he could be picked higher than he was projected before yesterday ("possible 1st rounder" / "early draft pick"), that'll only make things uglier if he falls precipitously.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/2/10/5397454/michael-sam-comes-out-reaction-nfl-draft

The first total stranger might be THE PERSON WHO ASSUMES THIS IS ABOUT THEM. This person is most likely the one seen saying "Why is this news," a piece of code that means, "Please don't talk about your gayness around me."

 

Another total stranger might also be an anonymous NFL source talking about what a distraction Michael Sam and his now very public homosexuality would be for a team. Please note that when I say that the perpetual candid chatter of NFL front office people should be public, and is otherwise cowardly vomit spouted from the least spineful apparatchiks of the NFL's genuinely deformed political culture, I don't confuse them for everyone involved with the NFL.

 

For instance, the entire NFL scouting community knew Sam was gay, and said nothing. A number of players knew Sam was gay, and respected his privacy and said nothing. Journalists, coaches and a slew of others knew Sam was gay, and took zero issue with it. There are a lot of people surrounded by the NFL who by name and in public did and have done right by Sam, and his decision to take a step no one else at his level ever has.*

 

*And we should be clear on that level: Sam is a tweener DE with linebacker size, and thus merely a "good" NFL prospect by most ratings. It would be very tempting to, in service of his bravery on a personal level, make too much of his potential as an NFL player. He's good, which makes him one of the best athletes you'll ever meet, but he is not an obvious, no-look first-round draft pick, which means Pete Carroll will take him in the seventh round and turn him into an All-Pro pass rusher.

[Tracer Bullet]

I could have sworn I read that Sam was projected 3rd round before the announcement. Now I'm seeing 3rd - 5th.

 

Yeah, all the talk about "how will at effect his draft stock" is cracking me up, considering the first story I saw last night said "possible first rounder" and now it's "projected third to fifth rounder"

 

He was never a first rounder and once you get past the first (and maybe second rounders), it's especially tough to get a consensus on where a guy should be drafted for a whole host of reasons.

 

Yeah, the reports from Senior Week weren't glowing: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000316426/article/missouris-michael-sam-struggles-as-linebacker-at-senior-bowl.

 

And here's a "pre-announcement" summary of his stock from various places:

 

Kiper: fourth rounder

DraftTek: third round (#81 overall on their big board)

McShay: third to fifth

[rawaction]

I could have sworn I read that Sam was projected 3rd round before the announcement. Now I'm seeing 3rd - 5th.

 

Yeah, all the talk about "how will at effect his draft stock" is cracking me up, considering the first story I saw last night said "possible first rounder" and now it's "projected third to fifth rounder"

 

He was never a first rounder and once you get past the first (and maybe second rounders), it's especially tough to get a consensus on where a guy should be drafted for a whole host of reasons.

 

Yeah, the reports from Senior Week weren't glowing: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000316426/article/missouris-michael-sam-struggles-as-linebacker-at-senior-bowl.

 

And here's a "pre-announcement" summary of his stock from various places:

 

Kiper: fourth rounder

DraftTek: third round (#81 overall on their big board)

McShay: third to fifth

 

Yeah, 3-5 is about right. A bit of a tweener. Not athletic enough to drop into coverage as a LB. Not big enough to be a base DE in 4-3. Has value as a pass rusher though. Co-SEC defensive player of the year. The last 6 guys to win that award all went top 25.

[Derwood]

Draft websites have him anywhere from 85ish to 115ish overall, and between the 9th to 12th best DE

[ctcf]

Really liked Donte' Stallworth's take on the situation: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/10/donte-stallworth-michael-sam_n_4761724.html

[Smack]

Really liked Donte' Stallworth's take on the situation: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/10/donte-stallworth-michael-sam_n_4761724.html

 

Couldn't he do a 'case study' on how his team handled it when he got drunk and murdered that dude?

[NOLA]

I may be in the minority here, but outside of that horrible drunk driving incident Dante has shown some to be a smart, thoughtful, solid guy IMO. He made a horrible mistake in life, but he handled that about the best way he could by accepting his own mistakes. True, the bar has been set pretty low but it's nice to see someone in the NFL have some accountability and furthermore, speak out on issues like this. More guys should man up and do the same.

[Smack]

I may be in the minority here, but outside of that horrible drunk driving incident Dante has shown some to be a smart, thoughtful, solid guy IMO. He made a horrible mistake in life, but he handled that about the best way he could by accepting his own mistakes. True, the bar has been set pretty low but it's nice to see someone in the NFL have some accountability and furthermore, speak out on issues like this. More guys should man up and do the same.

 

Eh, if you get drunk and kill someone you should be in prison. I'm glad he agrees that gay players should be accepted in the NFL.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

New Orleans would definitely accept him. They need some pass rushers in the worst way.

 

After reading some reports of some of the quotes Vilma has made, I'm not so sure.

[NOLA]

New Orleans would definitely accept him. They need some pass rushers in the worst way.

 

After reading some reports of some of the quotes Vilma has made, I'm not so sure.

I would be very surprised if Vilma plays pro football again. Plus, he is obviously trying to get into broadcasting down here so someone should tell him to STFU if he is still wanting to do that.

I also was thinking this today, he would right in on the Saints D, and they have the organization to handle this.

[Butterscup1679666578]

David Haugh ‏@DavidHaugh 22m

 

Urlacher on Sam: "I'm trying to put myself in the situation if he was on my team I'd feel he was there for one reason: To help us win.''

 

David Haugh ‏@DavidHaugh 22m

 

Urlacher on Sam (cont.): "Beyond that, what he does away from the team shouldn't matter. It's work for him just like it is to you.''

[TruffleShuffle]

obviously an nfl locker room could never handle the turmoil of an openly gay player, after all missouri's record plummeted from 5-7 to 10-2 when he came out of the closet.

[Tracer Bullet]

obviously an nfl locker room could never handle the turmoil of an openly gay player, after all missouri's record plummeted from 5-7 to 10-2 when he came out of the closet.

 

That doesn't really make any sense.

[TruffleShuffle]

a team significantly overachieving expectations after one of its leaders comes out of the closet doesn't blow a hole in the idea that a gay player is going to ruin the team's chemistry?

[jersey cubs fan]

a team significantly overachieving expectations after one of its leaders comes out of the closet doesn't blow a hole in the idea that a gay player is going to ruin the team's chemistry?

 

To play devil's advocate, he only came out of the closet to his team. It was not the same as him being out to the world, and the media attention that will draw to his NFL team.

[Soul]

Just win [expletive] football games. Everything else is just peripheral drama.

 

He starts making big plays on Sunday, and fans will cheer for him just like any other player.

 

At some point, an openly gay player is going to be an integral part of a team -- we're really just talking about when, not if. If not Sam, then eventually it will be someone else.