2008 Draft-What if you could vote for a specific player to be drafted?

[DW Toys]

Cousins,
This is a little unusual survey. I would appreciate comments from all who view this site.

The NFL Draft is a huge happening to the NFL fan. 2008 is no exception. It augments the building blocks that you favorite NFL team will have to compete for a certain amount of years to come. The fortunes of your team depend on these "picks".

The NFL fan spends billions of dollars each year on the NFL product.

We have all seen NFL teams that we, as very well football educated NFL fans, feel they make some very odd and strange picks that never work out. With all of the draft media information, draft books on stats and comparisons, film on college players, televised college games, the NFL combine and on-line football "intelligence", the knowledgeable NFL fan of today has as much data on a specific player as a team might have. We even know now that some of the draft choices are never even interviewed by said team and only game film and clips might be used to select.

How many times have you said,"there is the player I think they should have drafted" and a rival team takes that player and he is a superb pick?

The pick your chosen NFL team made is a miss. Why did they take him? Did the agent talk the team into the "pick".

How many UDFA have you seen that you thought were Draft worthy that have fallen out of the Draft for whatever reasons that could have helped your team immediately?

The below is in a perfect world scenario.
Question:
1-Would you love the chance to personally help choose an NFL draft choice?

2-If it ever came to be, would you personally purchase a product or a brand that would allow you, the NFL fan to help choose a player drafted for your favorite team in a specifically appointed draft round? The way this could work would be that the drafted player would be chosen by the number of votes cast (by entry blanks provided by product or brand purchase) and if that said player is on the board and still available.

3-This player is not guaranteed a roster spot as are none of the draft choices, but your team has to comply with that choice. Would that give you, the NFL fan, a deeper vested interest in supporting your specific team?

4-Would it be interesting to you to follow up on all the players chosen this way if each team did this?

5-If the designated choice was a second day pick, would you stay tuned the second day as your voted pick was chosen?

6-Would this add more new excitement and anticipation to the Draft and Draft day?

7-Would this open the door to more forums and fan "Draft meetings" to discuss that teams possible picks in a fantasy football type atmosphere?

DW Toys

 

[Mike the Brit]

The quick answer is "no".

At least, "no" for the New England Patriots. I want BB and Pioli making our picks! I wouldn't mind watching the fans drafting on behalf of the Jets or Dolphins, though. Could be funny ...

 

[stinkypete]

No.

If fans could vote on the picks, there would be no dynasty. I'll take my defense over the "fans choice" defense of Jimmy Kennedey, Bobby Carpenter and Corey Webster.

Likewise, if the fans were in charge, the Jets would be a perennial powerhouse, think about it...

 

[drakesta101]

No - but I think it would be a good idea to poll the fans to see which players they want to take and then after the picks are taken have the coach address the reasons why these fans suggestions were not taken.

 

[RayClay]

"On a day when they could have had impact players David Terrell or Koren Robinson or the second-best tackle in the draft in Kenyatta Walker, they took Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour, who had 1 sacks last season in the pass-happy SEC and is too tall to play tackle at 6-6 and too slow to play defensive end. This genius move was followed by trading out of a spot where they could have gotten the last decent receiver in Robert Ferguson and settled for tackle Matt Light, who will not help any time soon."

I am humbled. I am a Pats fan.

By the way, just cause he's gone is no reason not to bash Borges.

In this story, "the wizard" Ron opines that the drafting of Wilfork an Marquise Hill and Watson proves that Ty warren is a bust and theyare making up for mistakes.

Certainly the drafting of Warren and Wilfork look pretty good right now.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2004/04/25/nose_job/

"Certainly there were questions to be asked after the Patriots completed the first two rounds of the NFL Draft and came away with two defensive linemen and a tight end, apparently drafting under the theory that if you don't get it right the first time, just repeat yourself."

"The Wiz then followed up by drafting LSU defensive end Marquise Hill in the second round, which certainly should make Ty Warren wonder about his future in Foxborough."

 

[RayClay]

No - but I think it would be a good idea to poll the fans to see which players they want to take and then after the picks are taken have the coach address the reasons why these fans suggestions were not taken.

I'm sure Mr. Belichick would love to spend some of his leisure time on that. He's certainly friendly and open about procedure and welcomes criticism about these types of decisions.

Perhaps he'll give a medical clinic with all th injured players and provide diagnoses and likely recovery times.

 

[BB_dynasty]

No, the dolphins might actually have someone who can play QB in the coming years. They wouldn't have a 9th pick overall punt returner.

 

[drakesta101]

I'm sure Mr. Belichick would love to spend some of his leisure time on that. He's certainly friendly and open about procedure and welcomes criticism about these types of decisions.

Perhaps he'll give a medical clinic with all th injured players and provide diagnoses and likely recovery times.

I knew I'd get a response like this haha - but if the league required it to make the league more fan friendly - much like the coordinator's pressers, I think it would be fun to here why the Pats passed on so and so.

 

[Flying Fungi]

I knew I'd get a response like this haha - but if the league required it to make the league more fan friendly - much like the coordinator's pressers, I think it would be fun to here why the Pats passed on so and so.

that wouldn't be fan friendly to me--that would be harrassment

 

[DW Toys]

Cousins,
Let me dial this in a little better. None would be in the top five rounds. I am talking later round pics. I look at the draft this year and see what the scouts picked for us this year in 5-7 and I look at a kid named Desmond Bishop at ILB and see what the Packers got in this kid (too early to tell but he looks like a player) or last year Colson from the Saints who we were discussed as an draft option for him.
Nothing that is as intense as a first day pick but just a vote on some late round gambles. We do not want to de-bowel the draft sytem just add a little excitement in fan participation.
It's a crap shoot there and I think some of our suggestions would be as good as some of these teams who seem to throw darts at a board. You can only vote for players for your team in your immediate zip code, so we can't flood the Colts with seven quarterbacks or give the Jets seven punters or something.
Would you enjoy playing in that game? Taking a shot on a vote for a later round pick?
DW Toys

 

[dryheat44]

It would be great if in the next CBA they expanded the draft to 8 rounds.
8th round picks could not be traded, and the fans got to make the pick, either by consensus or a contest winner. GMs would have nothing to complain about, since they still have the seven rounds per usual, and it would be great to see how many 8th rounders eventually made the league. Imagine if the fans chose Troy Brown way back when? The franchise would owe the fans a huge debt of gratitude. It definitely would build casual fan interest. Although if it went to a vote, the Patriots 8th round pick would be a Boston College or UMASS pick every year.