The Real Winners and Losers on Draft Day

by user DNL

The [NFL Draft is a hobgoblin of great unknowns. It will be three years, minimum, before we can truly tell which teams had successful drafts and which did not. Most of the "analysis" one sees is idle chatter with a pretty bow.

What we can tell, though, is how individual players fared on draft day -- including some guys who weren't even draft-eligible.

Vince Young
By going to Tennessee while Matt Leinart was still available, Young is guaranteed a long, long leash. For comparison's sake, look at Tim Couch's career versus Akili Smith's. Both were abject failures, but Couch was given many more opportunities. Expect Young to get similar, if not better, treatment.

Aaron Rodgers
Whenever a pro team hires a new coach, all prior personel decisions are rendered nullities. When the Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005, we were in the Sherman regime. No longer.

If the Pack wanted to go a different direction, Leinart was sitting there for the plucking at #6. They decided to go with A.J. Hawk. Rodgers is still the developmental quarterback on the roster, and with Craig Nall now in Buffalo, he's also the actual backup. While one can reasonably expect Green Bay to bring in a vet when the post-Favre era begins, that vet will be challenging, not replacing, Rodgers.

Tavaris Jackson
At QB, Minnesota has Brad Johnson, Caveman and Mike McMahon, Scrub. You do the math.

Chad Pennington
You're a gimpy QB. Your team brought in Patrick Ramsey to challenge you, but let's face it, if you're healthy, you're going to start. Unless, of course, they draft a stud prospect QB. They pass up on the stud, though, and instead grab two (two!) offensive linemen with those two first round picks. It's the perfect situation to do your best Drew Brees impression before that kid they just drafted kicks you out of your job.

Willie Parker
Jerome Bettis retired. Your team trades up from 32 to 2x. Oh no, DeAngelo Williams is still on the board! So is Joseph Addai! The commish gets up: "With the 25th pick in the NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select . . ." (deep breath!) Santonio Holmes, wide receiver, Ohio State. Sweet.

Domanick Davis
Rumor has it that DD gave Mario Williams an extra $1m/year on the side, just to make Mario more financially attractive to the Texans. We know the rumor is out there, because we made it up ourselves.

Losers
Aside from guys named Winston (Justice and Eric), who free falled, and Marcus Vick, who may be a good arena2 player after he gets out of prison, who else lost big?

DeAngelo Williams
The Carolina Panthers have DeShaun Foster, Eric Shelton, Nick Goings, and heck, Brad Hoover. Good luck getting touches.

Vernon Davis
Everyone says that Matt Leinart lost big by not coming out last year. That's true. But Davis is also a victim. He'll have The Smallhanded Mr. Smith throwing incompletes in his general direction.

Patrick Ramsey
There was no room for him in Washington because there was a vet blocking him and a prospect squeezing him out from below. How is this different from the current Jets situation? Only that Pennington's shoulder resembles cole slaw. If that holds up, Ramsey goes the way of Akili.

Corey Dillon
Unlike QBs, there's typically little reason for a running back to ride the pine for a year, learning the ins and outs of an offense. And unlike other teams, the Patriots do not give vets the benefit of the doubt. Laurence Maroney means Dillon's clock is ticking.

Randy Moss
Aaron Brooks, who sucks; Andrew Walters, who has yet to take an NFL snap; or Marques Tuiasosopo, who both sucks and has limited NFL experience. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the cast of characters most likely to be Randy Moss's QB this year.

Cleveland Browns Beat Writers
Their top two picks are named "Kamerion" and "D'Qwell." The Brows also managed to draft a "DeMario" and "Babatunde." We suggest giving your copy editors a raise.

Kurt Warner
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha sucks to be you.

Date
Mon 05/01/06, 6:50 am EST