OT: Draft whiffs a bit unbelievable

[maverick4]

Gary Guyton is a starting inside linebacker for a team that went undefeated in the regular season last year and won 3 superbowls in 7 years. The defense of that team was one of the best in the league as well before he joined.

He was UNDRAFTED.

I believe Romo was also undrafted, and there are lots of other examples too.

But specifically for Guyton, how is it possible that a guy can be undrafted, yet land as a defensive starter on a premiere team, his rookie year?

Just how bad is the process/science behind drafting, when current methods completely whiff on a guy who can come in and immediately start for an elite team...

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

Guyton was on a really bad Georgia Tech team, I watched a few of their games and he was the only real player they had on defense (Tech is much better this year). He is a local kid (Hinesville, GA (Fort Stewart)) he played OLB at Tech, and was switched form strong to weak side his Senior year, he did make all ACC, but I think he was a victim of a bad year for the ACC, and being projected as an OLB. Still you would think that the guy who ran the fastest time in the 40 at the combine would have been drafted. I dunno why he wasn't.

But if you watched him play in college, you would have seen the same guy that is out there on Sundays now.

 

[JSn]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

Some systems are able to make good players better while other systems can make good players into a bust.

 

[drew4008]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

That Redskins safety who is right near the top of the DROTY list was drafted in the 7th round too, I believe.

Drafting is obviously an inexact science... but if you compile all the stats over a long course of time, these players are just outliers... it pays off to have high picks.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

Here's a link to a Savannah Moring News article about how he is being overlooked due to his teammate Wheeler who went to the Colts in the third round.

Hineville's Guyton out to turn NFL heads | SavannahNow.com

 

[maverick4]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

I don't buy the bad team argument though. Cutler was on a horrible team yet drafted 1st round. There are also players at less sexy defensive positions who have been drafted high out of crappy programs.

Were Guyton's production/stats in college really low?

The guy had monster combine stats so that can't be the reason...

 

[BlitzFritz]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

Some systems are able to make good players better while other systems can make good players into a bust.

like chad and lomo? LOL

 

[JSn]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

Here's a link to a Savannah Moring News article about how he is being overlooked due to his teammate Wheeler who went to the Colts in the third round.

Hineville's Guyton out to turn NFL heads | SavannahNow.com

Nice find. Here's the video he mentions. Hadn't seen it before.

YouTube - Gary Guyton has an amazing hit vs. Virginia Tech

 

[amazinPats]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

BB basically answered this question during today's press conference. Guyton's size didn't neatly place him in any specific linebacker position. He wasn't a perfect fit sizewise. Of course, he can play football. Just like Wes can!

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

It is amazing how it happens. As we all know Troy Brown would have been undrafted based on a straight 7 round draft (I think the comp picks extending the draft would have made him just drafted). David Givens was just about undrafted. And it looks like we may have gotten another in Guyton. Crazy - but it happens.

 

[maverick4]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

Troy took a few years to develop into a stud, Givens was also a developmental project who blossomed after a few years of development first. Romo didn't play until he was like 26 years old, Brady didn't play his first year. Even Bruschi, another guy with the wrong size, still took a few years to become a starter who played most defensive downs.

When is the last time you have ever seen an undrafted guy come in and be a starter, as a rookie, at a key position for an elite team.

I'm drawing a blank. Gary Guyton is like a one in a million type of guy we just found.

The more I think about this, it's just crazy.

 

[fourthandmiles]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

It also makes me wonder what we would have done with that second #1? Who would it have been? Would that #1 be a bust? Would we have traded for picks next year?

Would Guyton be out of the picture all together?

 

[JSn]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

It also makes me wonder what we would have done with that second #1? Who would it have been? Would that #1 be a bust? Would we have traded for picks next year?

Would Guyton be out of the picture all together?

That other #1 might have been Gholston. Maybe we were lucky to lose the pick.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

That other #1 might have been Gholston.

I think that's a banable post

 

[Deus Irae]

You only get 7 rounds to draft in today's NFL. Teams used to get a lot more picks. That makes a huge difference in both approach to the draft and the number of gambles teams are willing to take..

There's no longer a 10 round to draft a Roger Staubach in.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

BTW, one other reason I'm happy for Guyton--don't forget the performance pay at the end of the year. The more snaps you get, and the less your regular salary, the more you earn; Guyton's check will easily be in the high five digits, if not six.

 

[vyrago]

I'm sure there is a site where this info is available, but it seems to be beyond my search skills. I have wonder for some time how the four major sports (I'm including hockey here, but it seems to get less and less relevant every year) rank in terms of draft success.

Anyone know?

 

[DarrylS]

Guyton is a great find, amazed everytime I see an undrafted FA there on the D, seems to be in on a lot of the pass packages.. does anyone know the contract numbers and how long he will be with us??..

 

[maverick4]

There are examples of castoffs coming in after a few years of development or growth, but for a guy to start as a rookie, play tons of snaps, on an elite defense, and be undrafted, is INSANE. Mind boggling.

There must have been a crazy rumor before the draft about Guyton's character or something.

 

[unoriginal]

Re: OT Draft Whiffs a Bit Unbelievable

As we all know Troy Brown would have been undrafted based on a straight 7 round draft (I think the comp picks extending the draft would have made him just drafted).

Troy Brown was drafted with the 198th pick in 1993, which in modern drafts would put him at the end of the 6th round.

Tom Brady, incidentally, was the 199th pick of the 2000 draft. Also end of 6th round.