Drafting football players is not science. Literally and figuratively. It’s amazing that we must be reminded of that every single year at this time once the annual “entertainment gala” has concluded and we begin to hem-and-haw over guys that didn’t get drafted versus the ones that did. Although most of us are acutely aware that the draft is something that is closer to playing blackjack in Vegas, our actions during–and reactions following–give off a vibe that the people in those war rooms our chocked full of PHD’s in Astrophysics and Behavioral Science and that we trusted them to literally have all the answers. We, nor they, should be giving more credit than what is actually deserved when it comes to making the right “choice” or shall we say–investment–in a player.
Case in point? Google search: “The NFL Draft is not an exact science” or even “The NFL Draft is not rocket science” and count the number of titles to stories dating back years with those precise words in them. Another case in point? Google search: Eric Striker. Quite frankly, that should be the end of this article. The walk-off shot. The mic drop. The our-point-has-been-made-in-less-than-200-words-moment. Well, that’s where we begin.
How does a basketball player who hasn’t played organized football since he was fourteen years-old get drafted and a linebacker that totaled over 300 tackles in high school, 100+ in college and led a Power-Five conference in tackles-for-loss does not? The answer: the basketball player is 6-8/275-pounds, the linebacker is not. That’s all we’ve got for you. Although that’s actual science, their reasoning for taking him is flawed at best. Last time we checked, this was a draft for football players, not the draft for guys-that-have-the-frame-of-LeBron-and-we-just-tryin’-to-see-something-right-quick.
It’s infinitely easier to explain taking a kicker in the second round–since, the Bucs are four games better in the win column if not for their woes in the kicking game last season. It’s infinitely perplexing trying to figure out how all types of “characters” were taken versus guys who were insanely productive–(not just Striker, mind you)–in college and just appeared to be a dime-a-dozen to GM’s and coaches.
Much was made about “character concerns” over the Ravens’ and their supposed taking of Laremy Tunsil off the board once they saw that picture floating around. The media narrative was pushed that they weren’t about to take someone with questions and they immediately moved to eliminate him from their wish list. Look at the Ravens, being proactive and a model franchise. Except, Jon Harbaugh clearly stated on The NFL Network during Saturday’s coverage that they “took him off their board when the Miami Dolphins selected him.” That doesn’t sound like the holier-than-thou theme that made everyone feel warm-and-fuzzy does it? Sounds like business, to us. Not science. Trust, if the inexplicable had happened and Tunsil was there in the second round to Baltimore, Tunsil would have been a Raven.
Although we are clearly using a late-round pick as an example of Striker versus someone else, it’s ironic of sorts that that we are talking about the Dallas Cowboys because they weren’t picking fifth in the opening round due to some trade scenario. They had earned it by being terrible (save your Tony Romo excuses) and we suppose they simply HAD TO HAVE their “Monstar” when they could have had defensive help and depth. Or at least the opportunity to bring someone into camp that had a chance of making the roster. If Rico Gathers makes their roster, then consider Pandora’s Box officially open. Why “waste” a pick?
One of the other possible suggestions for Striker not getting drafted flying around on social media was the idea of him not having a “true” position to play in the league. What the hell does that even mean? Some teams are already setting up triage units instead of mini-camps before August comes around and you can’t possibly explain how he wouldn’t have been worthy of pick–especially juxtaposed with scenarios like Rico Gathers from Baylor or the young man from Germany–(who, happens to be 6-4/220 pounds with WR qualities). If you caught that moment on The NFL Network, you would have witnessed actual brokering live on-air in which Mike Mayock literally “hooked-up” Moritz Boehringer from the always-dangerous Schwabisch Hall Unicorns with a job with the Minnesota Vikings. The Unicorns.
The silver-lining in our minds is that Striker couldn’t have landed at a better spot in Buffalo in spite of all the nonsense that transpired over the weekend. There are junkyard dawgs on that roster that will take him in and teach him the ways along with the head dawg himself, Rex Ryan–. Sometimes you’ve got to apply Faith to a “scientific” situation–which is full of all kinds of irony and potentially confusing. In one regard, you want things to work so well that Striker becomes the rookie of the year so that he can scream at the haters, but in another we don’t want this sort of practice of brushing off quality football players just so you can get them on the cheap to STAY a habit. Remember what we said, these folks aren’t rocket scientists.
So with all of this in mind, let’s come to an agreement on a few things regarding the draft. It’s not science from a prediction-based statistical standpoint or behavioral standpoint. All of the numbers in college and all the accolades like Heismans’ and Butkus’ don’t mean squat in terms of guaranteeing production. All of the claims about character over skill-set while not outright lies, certainly are prevarications. Let’s agree most of this is simply a guessing game. Kind of like conducting your own fantasy football drafts. There are no crystal balls or Miss Cleo’s running around giving us a heads up when it comes to injuries derailing a season, or character concerns that may end up becoming stellar citizens. It’s just like Vegas. The only “science” that is involved in the draft process is the science of “winning”–whatever that may be and whatever it takes, right?