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Directed at no one in particular - applicable not only to this threat but many other threads in the draft forum:
It continually never ceases to amaze me how people can look at draft picks and their future sucess in the NFL - and then 'pin' that sucess or failure onto the person(s) that drafted them. There are probably 100 different factors that go into the future persons sucess (or lack their of) that occur AFTER the selection is made. So why then do we put so much stock into blaming the person(s) making the pick if the player doesn't pan out ??
Players future NFL performace affected by:
position coach, other players (at their position) in front of them (if a starter is injured and then the rookie is thrust into the starting lineup too early), players fit to scheme, players ability to absorb that particular playbook (maybe same terminolgy to college then again maybe completely different), other players on the team either helping or hindering the players growth, coaching changes, injuries, players attitude, fit with the team chemistry, work ethic, players abilty to take criticism, friends on the team (good influence or bad influence), respect for authority, players external friends (posse), players significant other, parents, ego, self confidence, able to handle large influx of money, so on and so on.
Just the last one alone - how many of us would work as hard at our particular jobs if we just received a large multi-million dollar bonus. Would we not feel a sense of entitlement?
With all of those factors AND MORE - that occur AFTER the player gets drafted, and yet we all want to either praise or critiize the people making the pick. Newsflash: some picks pan out and some don't and those players that don't - it doesn't mean that pick was a bad one. Many things happen to the player AFTER the pick is made - some positive and some negative. So lets just keep things in perspective before we pretend we know more than those people who have 100 times more access to information and do this daily for a living. And realize that many forces will occur AFTER the pick is made that will either make or break the players NFL career.
This seems like a nice seque to 2 of my all-time favorite quotes on the subject. The first is from none other than our own Andy Johnson, from this board 2+ years ago:
When all is said and done, every draft choice is simply a work in progress who must progress astronomically beyond where they are on the day they are drafted in many areas, including:
-Working out to become bigger,stronger, and faster
-Improving techniques because top picks can getby in college on ability and weak technique, but can't in the pros
-Being a professional football player, including staying out of trouble, nutrition, lifestyle, dedication, etc Again a top player can party all night in college and still get by on talent, but will flop in the NFL
-Adapting to the differences between the college and pro game
-Dealing with the fact that it is much harder in the NFL, that you have a battle against everyone you line up against. In college maybe 10% of the guys you face are good enough to make it to the NFL and they are 20 now you are facing 27 year olds who are 7 years bigger, stronger and technically sound
In the end, you need a crystal ball to know what the raw product you draft will evolve into. Thats why half the picks bust, not because their ability was poorly assessed, but because they did not progress (or progress enough) AFTER being drafted. If it were possible to determine commitment, discipline and will before the draft, players would end up performing in the order they were drafted and there would be no busts.
http://www.patsfans.com/new-england.../339920-do-we-really-know-short-excerpt.html (post #2)
Some of the things on Andy's list are things that the Pats emphasize starting with OTAs and offseason workouts and conditioning. Players who come in to training camp behind may have already lost the battle.
The second is from Maurice Jones-Drew almost exactly 2 years ago, writing as a guest columnist for Peter King's MMQB column on CNNSI:
Mediocrity or greatness? That is the question.
The NFL consists of the world's most superior athletes .... Whether we're talking about superstars like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady or the 53rd player on a roster, the athletic and physical ability of NFL players is nothing short of phenomenal. With that said, there is still a very clear split between players considered "NFL good" and those considered "NFL great."
Why is that? In my brief four years in the NFL, I've come to believe the answer to this question rests with "want-to." In other words, because the talent level of most NFL players is so high, the question of greatness ultimately boils down to whether players "want to" do the things necessary to be great. While many criticize certain players like Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco for their off-the-field antics, no one can question their commitment to excellence on the field. Their work ethic and preparation are second to none.
These players and others who are considered the best at their respective positions indeed are blessed with god-given abilities, but they don't rest on these talents. They work to maximize them. While others are sleeping or partying, the great ones are running hills, lifting weights and studying film. They do this not because a coach has instructed them to do so. They do it because they simply desire to be the very best.
Most people never see the sacrifice these players make to pursue greatness. They only see the finished product on game day. But rest assured that any player on the field whose performance separates him from his peers has made that possible because of the willingness to push himself to his physical and mental limits. ... The formula has always been and always will be the same: Talent + "Want-To" = Greatness.
Now, although the formula appears rather simple, in actuality it's pretty complex. The decision to pursue greatness can be a scary one for a couple of reasons. First, the physical and mental sacrifice required is enough to make many shy away from making the commitment. I'm talking about a true grind. ... For many, just the thought of having to pay such a huge price is enough to bail on greatness and simply get by.
Second, the pursuit of greatness forces the athlete to put his ego aside and face the limitations of his athletic ability. ... That's some heavy stuff to consider for a professional athlete. In some ways it's understandable why many players would rather not have those questions answered. Instead, they accept mediocrity, especially when average pay at the NFL level is pretty darn good.
Maurice Jones-Drew*fills in for Peter King's Monday Morning QB - Maurice Jones-Drew - SI.com
Talent is key, but in many ways there's little difference between a 1st round pick and a 7th rounder or even a UDFA. The Wes Welkers and James Harrisons of the world push through their limitations and drive themselves to greatness, whereas the Chad Jacksons and Shawn Crables of the world accept them and flounder in mediocrity (or worse). It's a crapshoot, so diversifying makes sense, and picking players who show signs of a superior work ethic, drive to succeed, and ability to deal with adversity make sense. It's consistent with picking Tavon Wilson over Trumaine Johnson. And signing a few "try harder" guys like Jesse Holley to compete with them also makes sense.