It’s Pre-draft Rumor Time
It has become increasingly apparent that the most overvalued position in the NFL draft is quarterback. Last year Jake Locker was taken at No. 8 by the Titans, and Christian Ponder was grabbed shortly thereafter by the Vikings. Locker probably went 10 spots early and Ponder a full round ahead of his evaluations.
This year it’s evident that Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III will go one and two in whatever order, and that is in keeping with most draft grades.
The zaniness is likely to commence with Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, a converted receiver regarded as a mid-second-round talent who could go as high as third overall if the Vikings can be convinced to trade the pick. It could even find Oklahoma State QB Branden Weeden slipping into the late first round, even though he will turn 29 in October.
Draft reports from here on in are notoriously unreliable – you really can’t believe anything coming from any team representative. The commitment to misinformation and misdirection is quite remarkable.
And it even gets pretty nasty.
The report that LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a 4 (out of 50) on his Wonderlic test was leaked by a team, according to journalists, with the hopes of driving his value down.
While the intelligence test result is not considered crucial for his position, the score is so low that its is causing many to question how he finds his way home at night.
It is undoubtedly causing the young man a great deal of embarrassment in an effort that will assuredly fail.
Likewise expect results of failed drug tests to be leaked as well, as teams will see if they can drop the market on a player that they can then grab with a low pick.
And yet there will be huge bargains in this draft. Running backs such as Chris Polk of Washington, Doug Martin of Boise State and LaMichael James of Oregon will likely be available long after the first round has passed into history.
And know this: The Pro Bowl is full of players taken in later rounds. Identifying them is the trick, and those with the knack will never be without a job in the NFL.
Kentucky is the men’s champion and Baylor took the women’s trophy in NCAA basketball. The most dominant player on either team is Brittney Griner, the Bears’ 6-foot-8-inch post player.
A remarkably athletic shot-blocking defender, Griner has said she’ll stay in school.
It’s not like she has wonderful options. While her male counterpart, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, will become an instant millionaire many times over, Griner will eventually end up in the WNBA where a $60,000 per year salary is well above average and a star might make twice that. Doesn’t seem fair, but it’s a big reason women players are far more likely to remain in school.
The UH football schedule is a done deal at 12 games. When Texas State pulled out of a scheduled game for 2012, the scramble was on to find a replacement, but UH couldn’t find anyone willing to come on either of the available home dates.
But the good news is that Hawaii becomes bowl eligible with six wins, which would be a noble goal in Norm Chow’s first year.
