So the 2010 NFL Draft, which was WAY LONGER than it had to be by the way, is finally over and now it is time to assess the damage. For the most part, I’m of the Gregg Easterbrook School of “This is Just Guessing Anyway”, but I did come away from this draft with some serious convictions.

First Round

Sam Bradford is not a Hall of Fame QB. Let’s be honest, there is really no way of knowing how a career will turn out, but lately guys are simply drafted based on pedigree and position. There is an assumption that you MUST take an elite QB to win titles, and obviously the only elite QBs can be found at the top of the draft. Well, scratch that.

Of QBs taken #1 overall (there have been 17) only a few have actually won Super Bowls. Bradshaw (’70), Plunkett (’71), Elway (’83), Aikman (’89), Manning (’98), Manning (’04). It used to be if you picked a QB with the first selection you were getting an ace – teams used to actually diversify selections! – now you’re just getting a player at a position. Teams drafting with the top spot usually have a good reason for being there. They need LOTS of help, and paying one guy a tremendous fortune to go out and maybe perform admirably is simply not how winners are made.

Jason Pierre-Paul, the one year wonder from USF, was taken at 15. His running mate on the line at USF, former national defensive player of the year George Selvie, was taken a full 211 spots after him. JPP will cost the Giants, who already have tons of Des, multiple millions of dollars. Selvie will cost the Rams almost nothing. Selvie was awesome on tape and was double-teamed for his final two years of college, this cost him about 200 spots in the draft and millions of guaranteed dollars, so I expect the 7th rounder to make an impression in the NFL in a hurry. Meanwhile, unless JPP performs insanely well, it’s hard to see justification.

But hey, that’s the draft. Because of the stupid rookie wage slot system teams get forced into a scheme that makes them pay enormous sums to unproven talent.

"With the 20th selection of the 2010 NFL Draft the Houston Texans select... an undersized rookie corner who will get eaten alive by the Indianapolis passing attack for 3-5 years before being let go or traded, assuming he even starts."

Dear Houston, you don't stop the Colts with defense, you stop them with offense. You passed on the Dez Bryant - Andre Johnson - Matt Schaub offensive showcase for a cornerback. Seriously? Do you know the name of the guy who intercepted Manning in the Super Bowl? Tracy Porter, second round pick. The Saints kept the Colts offense off the field, they didn't shut it down, and even then Peyton made just one bad pass out of 45 and had more than 300 yards. Come on Houston, get your head out of your ass.

The Bengals passed on Dez Bryant and picked up an injured TE who can’t block. THEY ALREADY HAVE AN INJURED TIGHT END WHO CAN’T BLOCK. Adding insult to this injury they picked a perfect slotmate for Bryant with Jordan Shipley later on. Carson Palmer could have added an epic talent and a great slot guy that would make him look like a workable QB again, instead he got a broken pass-catcher who can’t block. Sucks.

sucks to your John 3:16

Tim Tebow – LAUGH OUT LOUD

Jerry Hughes to the Colts is a perfect fit. All season long I knew two things; 1) the Colts would draft at around #30, and 2) they needed a pass rusher to spell Freeney. I marked Jerry Hughes two years ago, and I called this pick a mile away. Perfect selection for a team that could really use his skill set on their line.

Second Round

Rodger Saffold was a surprise there for the Rams, who are probably kicking and screaming about spending upwards of $50 million guaranteed on Bradford when they could have traded the spot for veterans and gotten Clausen/McCoy/Pike/anyone at the top of the second round. This is why losing organizations continue to lose… because of stuff like this.

Taylor Mays went from SUPER OVERRATED to INCREDIBLY UNDERRATED in about t-minus 11 seconds during the draft week. A Heisman dark horse at this time last year he runs a 4.3 and is bigger than Ray Lewis was coming out of school. How did he drop to the middle of the second round? As a safety he’s a liability in coverage, but as an LB – next to no less than Patrick Willis – he would be ridiculous! He doesn’t need to bulk up one bit to be an elite cover linebacker in the NFL… if only I were the head coach of the 49ers right now.

Toby Gerhart is a steal this late in the draft, but why the Vikings? Are they about to give away short yardage and goal line carries? Peterson will continue to get 80% of the carries, so this doesn’t make sense for them.

The Bengals draft a drunky with character issues… awesome. Seriously Cincinnati, as a native son and one-time childhood fan, you deserve better.

Terrance Cody’s fat ass drafted by the Ravens. He won’t make it out of preseason without retiring, being traded, or vomiting Coco Crispies up during two-a-days.

The Patriots continue to pick up college players who actively assaulted opponents while on the field of play. They used to cover up their assholeness and overall dirty play… now they aren’t even trying.

Colts note: 2-for-2 with Angerer… but I’M ABOUT TO GET ANGRY with these late-round selections.

tune in tomorrow for the next rounds’ overview

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