Chapter 1: Boom or Bust

Over the next two months I will be writing a series of blogs that are dedicated to my thoughts on the upcoming NFL draft. 

Chapter 1: 

With the NFL draft right around the corner, scouts are out looking for the next star for their NFL franchise. There are many teams every year who are looking for the next big thing at Quarterback. Just about every team at the top of the draft boards don't have a franchise QB.  

To me drafting a franchise quarterback is the most important task you have until you find one. Many teams choose to go the opposite way now days. Teams will skip the suspect QB prospect for a left tackle or defensive end. I think skipping over who could be your future face of the franchise for a position you can get at anytime is just idiotic. 

You can find a solid left tackle or pass rusher at any time. You can't find your Tom Brady or Payton Manning anywhere. Even though Brady was a 6th round pick, it goes to show you that many teams probably chose busted players before the great QB. 

In 2008 Jake Long, offensive tackle out of Michigan was drafted number one over all. He was drafted over Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. Matt Ryan became a Pro Bowl caliber player and Flacco has a Super Bowl ring. 

It can be tough to judge a college prospect. A young athlete who dominated in the college ranks but could he dominate in a men's league? If I'm an NFL team with the number one pick and in need of a franchise QB, I would probably choose the best QB in the draft over the best defensive end or offensive lineman. 

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, was picked in the 3rd round in the 2012 draft. He has a Super Bowl ring and two NFC championships under his belt. Seventy-four people were drafted infront of Wilson. There may have been 74 people in taken in front of him that were taller, stronger, and more athletic than Wilson but were they a better football player than him? The answer to that is obviously no. Taking who could be the next Drew Brees or Ben Roethlisberger is more important than taking the next Orlando Pace. 

Over the past few years there have been many busts at the quarterback position. In 2011 there were three quarterbacks taken after Cam Newton in the first round. Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, and Jake Locker were all picked in the first round and all have been busts to say the least. Another QB was taken later in the draft. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, was picked in the second round from TCU. He ended up going to the Pro Bowl his rookie year and one more since then. 

34 players were picked before Dlaton. That may not sound as bad as Wilson's position but it just shows you that scouts can sometimes miss big time on QB's. The most important position in football is had position to judge sometimes.  Over the past few years I would say that picked a franchise QB has been somewhat of a bust. Since 2010, 14 quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round, only three of them have produced a trip to the Pro-Bowl. 

You could argue that the talent at the QB position coming out of the draft has been poor. I don't think that is the case. I just the the scouts aren't doing their jobs the best they could. Nick Foles, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and Andy Dalton were all drafted after the first round. All four of these Qbs have taken their teams to the playoffs. All four of these Qbs have a division title under their belt. Two of these Qbs have been to the Super Bowl. One of the Qbs has won the Super Bowl. 

It goes to show you that sometimes scouts don't make the correct judgment. If I'm and NFL GM or coach, I would always draft the quarterback before I draft any other position. The quarterback is the face of he franchise. The motor that drives the engine. A team with a great QB and an average left tackle will always win before a team with a great offensive tackle and a average Quarterback.