Many golfers in this world are also big fans of the NFL, much like I am. And tonight, the annual NFL Draft is kicking off, sending the sports world into a frenzy for the next 3 days. Since I have a passion for both golf and American football, I decided to write a little piece on my own insights and thoughts as the draft gets underway tonight.
Since we already know that the Indianapolis Colts are selecting top QB prospect Andrew Luck, and that the Washington Redskins are going with the electric Robert Griffin III, all eyes are on the Minnesota Vikings. At spot number 3, they are unofficially on the clock. And the amount of things they can do with this pick is crazy. They have reportedly been receiving various trade offers for this position, and rightfully so. There are a multitude of players that can fit this pick. LSU CB Morris Claiborne, Alabama RB Trent Richardson, Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon are just some that fit the bill. They could even go with a safer pick, like USC's top OL Matt Kalil. I know many are saying this draft is going to start off boring with the 2 first picks already being known, but boy are things going to heat up once Minnesota is on the hotseat. Personally, I see them taking Kalil and boosting the O-Line for their QB Ponder and recovering RB Peterson.
Another spot where there is definite intrigue is Miami at number 8. Tons of analysts are speculating that, if Tannehill is still on the board there, the Dolphins MUST take him. And although I agree that QB is a need they'll have to address eventually, I don't think QB should be the play here. I'd much rather see Miami trade out of this slot to assess other needs, or helping out their offense by possibly choosing Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd. Although Floyd has had his legal troubles, the dude can play. I've seen enough Notre Dame games to know he can be a game changer when he has his mind right. Although it may seem as a bit of a reach, Miami definitely needs help at the WR position especially after trading Brandon Marshall. They could grab a QB in the later rounds with good upside anyway (i.e. Brock Osweiler, Nick Foles, or Brandon Weeden).
Finally, the last spot in the draft I am going to address is the middle postions, numbers 14-16. This includes the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Jets. Dallas and Philly, already bitter rivals, are both vying for Alabama S Mark Barron. The dude is a stud, but he might not last long. It might come down to who can make the boldest trade, if either one is actually willing. If not, they'll most likely still draft for defense, just different positions. The Eagles will probably still be looking for a secondary player, while Dallas will either trade down or grab someone to shore up the defensive line. The Jets, on the other hand, can do something even more crazy. Rumor has it they might be going after Trent Richardson with a top 5 selection. If they can do that, then it will be the craziest draft day thing that has happened since Denver took Tim Tebow in the first round. But with the Jets and Rex Ryan at the helm, you just never know.
Well, that's pretty much a little snippet of what's been going on in my mind the last few days. Hope you'll be watching as intently as I will be, and I hope you are as excited as I am. This should be a crazy day.
Draft coverage starts tonight on ESPN and the NFL Network at 5pm PST.
Photo via bp.blogspot
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