Seahawks CB Richard Sherman: The NFL draft is a ‘sham’

St. Widge said
Overhyped by the media sure. But, that is not why he was picked #1. And I too did not understand taking him #1. He probably warranted a pick in the middle of the first based on his skills and performance, but QBs always rise because of the position they play. Of course, I also think many LSU fans were way too critical of him. No matter what he failed to do in the NFL, he was a very good, clutch college QB.

But to think that NFL GMs and Coaches make picks based on media hype is foolish. If anything, the media hype is created by NFL staffs who tell reporters that they like or do not like certain players. The problem of course is that lots of times those leaks of info are designed as smoke screens and to get guys like Al Davis to take a player too early because he is afraid someone else will take him before he can. (Of course, with Al gone, there aren't many left, outside of Jerrah Jones that would fall for that stuff.) So, while I think information from the media is used by teams to fool other teams on who they will take and when, media "hype" does not make players significantly rise in the draft. The teams use the media to create the hype, not the other way around.

Widge, I bolded that last part b/c I agree with what you are saying and REALLY agree with you there. Scouts and coaches fall in love with a player's measurables or "potential" and will ignore warning flags, talking guys up non-stop. Mel Kiper doesn't know anything; he parrots what coaches, scouts, GMs say to him.

Look at Tim Tebow in Denver. McDaniels went crazy for the guys athleticism and leadership and ignored the warning signs: Tebow had never run a pro offense or even taken snaps under center(!), his mechanics were horrible, had a very long and slow release and his accuracy on short throws was quite poor. Truthfully, he probably should have been a 4th-5th round choice.

Or Vernon Gholston back when he went to the Jets. That guy is HUGE and runs like a deer. He just did not have the passion or drive or whatever to succeed in the pro game. I think he's out of the league now.

Now look at a guy like Richard Sherman. This guy is a competitor. He has FIRE in his blood and loves to play, loves to win. Combined that fire with intelligence and athleticism (doesn't hurt that he's so big and fast....) and you have an All Pro cornerback, a playmaker.

A guy who reminds me of that (in a more subdued fashion) is Kenny Vaccarro of Texas. No, he's not a small school player, but he has that same fire, intelligence and athleticism.
I would love for the Saints to draft him.

Good thread so far :)