Libertarian Librarian

Though there are tons of opinions out there regarding the recent NFL Draft, my favorite evaluatioin goes to Tuesday Morning Quarterback, Gregg Easterbrook, now of ESPN.com Page 2. Great stuff-- insightful and funny, with some cheesecake thrown in as well. His breakdown of the Mel Kiper "phenomenon" towards the end of the piece is really cool. One of my favorite lines:Denver traded up from the 21st to 17th positions to get Jarvis Moss. Cincinnati was drafting at 18th, and perhaps the Broncos feared that because there were clouds over Moss' reputation, he was sure to be the Bengals' choice.

He might be on to something there.

I was underwhelmed by the Packers' draft, but we'll see-- which is generally all you can say about the draft until three or four years down the line, by which time you've forgotten all about it. The one thing I REALLY don't get is why Ted Thompson declined Cleveland's fevered pleas (they really wanted Brady Quinn) to trade their second round pick (and a 3rd--5th?-- as well, I think) AND their first round pick in '08 for the Packers' 1st round pick.

Cleveland's 2nd round pick was a high one, so the Packers move back about 20 spots to get an extra 1st next year (likely at least a top 15, and possibly a top 10 or top 5). Plus an extra pick later in this year's draft. Thompson's explanation for not making the trade? He's never been able to "wrap my head around the concept of trading future picks". He can't figure how to value future picks relative to current picks-- he can't fit them into his beloved board.

Um... yeah. Ted? You're the GM of a professional sports team. You might want to investigate this whole "trade for future picks" thing. It's something that TMQ notes Bill Belichick and the Patriots do pretty well-- and they seem to be doing alright now that they've "wrapped their heads around it."

Good grief.