NFL hits and misses

Sexy is fun to look at but not always what you need

The Carolina Panthers showed how and why most NFL teams stay bad year after year by drafting Cam Newton #1 overall Thursday night. Newton definitely was the headline grabber amongst all the players entering the draft making him the sexy pick for a team going nowhere. Newton was the second quarterback drafted by the Panthers in the past two years. I understand they may not be happy with Jimmy Claussen, the quarterback they drafted in the second round last year, but doesn’t this set your team back a couple of years? Even if Newton goes on to be somewhat successful in the NFL, he is years away from being productive and a couple of miracles or Christmas letters short to Santa from having an NFL arm.

Didn’t you used to be the Detroit Lions?

I like what they’re building in D-Town… and I’m not talking about the cars. Since Matt Millen was ran out of town, the Lions have drafted well and appear to be putting together a NFL team for the first time in years. I’m not sure they needed another running back as opposed to another offensive lineman to help keep Stafford healthy. Either way they are building a winner there and I like it.

#1 on the board that mattered

The NFL draft’s biggest snub had to be University of Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett. His rating going into the draft was anywhere from the 2^nd best quarterback to the 5^th best according to “draft experts”. When the dust had settled he was the 7^th quarterback drafted. Despite playing in the best conference in Division 1 (SEC), with one of the best offensive coaches in Division 1 (Petrino), having one of the best seasons in college football, and having the best arm and size in the draft, NFL brain trust picked according to media draft boards and recommendations as opposed to NCAA game film. Mallett’s fall to the New England Patriots has left the rest of the NFL scratching their heads and left themselves wondering what they were thinking by passing on Mallett; especially the Miami Dolphins.

How can the most successful coach in the NFL be the only talent evaluator in the NFL to have Mallett ranked as the #1 quarterback on their board? Again, this shows why most NFL teams are bad year after year and the elite teams remain elite.