For the NFL, it’s that time again; the Scouting Combine is now in the books. Now the real work begins — deciding who to select in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Considered by many scouting experts to be one of the weakest draft classes since 2009, the 2013 class lacks the big arm of Andrew Luck, the dual-threat combination of Robert Griffin III or the speed and agility of Russell Wilson. The 2013 draft class’ biggest star is Manti Te’o, who ruled a news cycle not for what he did on the football field, but off it.
With their 2-14 record of 2012, the Kansas City Chiefs have the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history. With an abysmal offensive display last year, the Chiefs need to rebuild their offensive line. The recent addition of former San Francisco 49er Alex Smith through a trade is a good start considering the lack of talent at the quarterback position in this draft class.
The NFL Draft, like any draft, is a lottery. You’re just rolling the dice on the possibility that something good might come out of it. That is what happened to the Seattle Seahawks when they rolled the dice on quarterback Russell Wilson last year and ended up .28 seconds away from the NFC Championship Game.
Last year, most sports commentators considered the draft class to be elite, as the focus was on Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III. But, actually, the 2012 draft class was a weak one, with several leading prospects at the top leading the charge and a bunch of average players behind them in line.
This year, the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills are the top six on the draft board. Five of these teams have new head coaches who will want to imprint their own marks on their teams.
The first need for any NFL team is a quarterback. For draftees Geno Smith, Tyler Wilson, Ryan Nassib and Matt Barkley, the prospect of being drafted by one of these teams is likely. I expect University of West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith to be the first quarterback picked by the Oakland Raiders, with University of Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley being the next pick by the Arizona Cardinals.
The predictions for University of Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson and Syracuse University quarterback Ryan Nassib are harder to make, but it’s likely they’ll be picked in either the first or second rounds of the draft.
Last season showed the power of the running backs with the excellent performance of Minnesota Viking and Most Valuable Player Adrian Peterson. The 2013 class is filled with talent at this position.
University of Alabama running back Eddie Lacy is expected to go high in the first round. I think that North Carolina Tarheel, Giovani Bernard, Wisconsin Badger Montee Ball, Clemson Tiger Andre Ellington and Oklahoma State Cowboy Joseph Randle will all go in the second round. They all have different styles, but they are very talented and can make big plays in the NFL.
As for the star of this draft class, Manti Te’o, my hopes aren’t optimistic. With a lackluster performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, he is starting to prove that he is not worth a high draft pick. He ran an official time of 4.82 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which was the seventh-worst among all linebackers who ran during the on-field drills. He doesn’t affect the passing game and can’t pressure the quarterback. A second or third round pick is my prediction for this catfish victim.
In every draft, there is a player whom a team is willing to take a chance on. Whether it is the player’s athletic ability or off-the-field concerns, one coach is willing to gamble in the hopes of coming up big. Last year, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll gambled big on Russell Wilson and struck gold. Who will be that coach to gamble on — what is likely the biggest bet of this draft class, former LSU cornerback and Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu?
Nicknamed “The Honey Bager” for his speed and playmaking ability, Mathieu saw his college playing career end when he violated team rules by smoking marijuana, of which he has admitted to having an addiction.
Considered a high risk, high reward draft pick, Mathieu could become the steal of the draft. With many teams afraid of his off-the-field issues, many coaches will stay away. I expect him to be picked anywhere from the third to the fifth round in the draft.
If Mathieu can overcome his character issues, he should have a long NFL career and become that steal of the 2013 NFL draft.
