Don't get me wrong, nothing beats 20 consecutive Sundays full of NFL action. Letting your team send you on an emotional roller coaster for three and a half hours, while your fantasy football team sends you to the doctor for a refill of your blood-pressure medication, be honest, you love it.
However, once the Lombardi trophy has been raised, many seem to wash there hands and crawl into football hibernation, until it starts all over again. Mean while, the real football junkies like you and I, continue to get our fix from arguably the most entertaining process of them all, the NFL draft.
Besides a free agent signing or two, and perhaps a coaching change, the draft is the one thing that gives the 31 other teams' fans hope for the future. A new young crop filled with potential. The potential to obtain the next Randy Moss, Adrian Peterson or Ed Reed. The opportunity to find hidden gems in the late rounds like Shannon Sharpe (seventh round), Matt Birk (sixth round), Donald Driver (seventh round), Richard Sherman (fifth round), and Tom Brady (sixth round).
What makes the draft process so addictive and thought provoking, is the amount of varying opinions from each prospect to each team and their needs. With the internet loaded with new mock drafts and information being leaked daily, one can't help but ponder every single scenario that might play out on draft day. It use to be just Mel Kiper and his hair would tell you who to draft, and who to stay away from. Now, with the growing popularity of the event and the emergence of social media, everyone is an expert.
We are now getting near the half-way mark of the 2014 draft process. The players who made the jump from college to the pros have officially declared for the NFL draft. The Shrine Game and Senior Bowl have already taken place, giving us are our first glimpse at how some of the top prospects hold up against their peers.
The next stage we are about to embark on takes place in Indianapolis at the Combine, otherwise known as the underwear olympics. Called that because most of the week-long event is filled with players standing shirtless in shorts, in between their 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and bench press. Among other drills they will face at Lucas Oil Stadium, which is filled with coaches, general managers, and scouts, they will also be heavily interviewed. The 15-minute interview process is one of the more underrated facets of the event. Teams get their first real opportunity to engage with players one-on-one, as they get a feel for their personality, confidence, and white board Xs and Os. Along with a blazing 40 time, this 15-minutes alone could be the difference between a first-round pay check filled with lots of zeros, or filling out an application for the local insurance door-to-door salesman.
The biggest reason the draft is so perplexing could be the fact that its always different. Imagine picking up your favorite book but the words and stories were different every time. Thats the draft, with new faces and new story lines every year its the book that will always entertain us. Here are some of the biggest stories and players to watch as we head into day one of the real action.
Johnny Manziels' Red Flags?
No questioning his dominance on the football field, but before teams invest a top-10 pick in him they want to make sure his off the field incidents are behind him. Johnny was caught up in selling autographs for money, showing up late and "uninterested" for the Manning football camp, and has apparently posted some sketchy picture on his Instagram account. If he can convince teams that all those issues are in the past, then a top-5 selection becomes a very realistic scenario. Johnny's team interviews will vault him, or drop him, more than any other player in Indianapolis.
Clowney's "Effort" Concerns
Another player with top-5 talent, but must first dust off the chip on his shoulder. That chip has been linked to Clowney's so called lack of motivation and to put it bluntly, his laziness. Many scouts have called Clowney out on his inability to give 100% effort on every play resulting in a surface of skepticism. While no matter how good a prospect is, teams will always pick away to find something that can be scrutinized. Don't be surprised to witness Clowney do great things at the Combine showing why he is the best defensive prospect to come out in years. All while quieting those nay sayers along the way.
Quarterback Dart Board
Step right up, step right up, throw a dart and see where it lands. Every year its a close race for the number one quarterback in the draft. This year there is a three man competition with Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel. The early word is Bortles has the inside track to be the first quarterback selected by the Houston Texans. Bortles is a strong-armed player with good football IQ being compared to Andrew Luck and Ben Rothelisberger, and although still raw he could be the best of the bunch years down the road.
Bridgewater has taken some heat for his "smaller frame" and inaccuracy issues deep down field, he had a lights-out career for Louisville and is to be said the most NFL-ready of the three. Then there is the firecracker, Manziel. A former Heisman winner who is a magician in the pocket. Although his 6'0" stature will scare some teams, those teams can rest assure Johnny help sell jerseys and tickets in a heart beat.
The wild card of the group is Derek Carr. Unlikely to be drafted first, but has the NFL arm and leadership skills that can't be taught. His tape suggests there is plenty to improve on, but his off the field suave and work ethic might be the best of the group, and when investing millions of dollars those intangibles will help you sleep easy at night.
Michael Sam
Hats off to Sam who made a very courageous decision by announcing he was openly gay, becoming the first NFL player to do so. What comes next is just part of the process, Sam will be under heavy attention through out the seven days of the Combine. Media will swarm him where ever he goes and the lights will be a bit brighter for him. Expect his announcement to be a heavily discussed topic for Sam and everyone else attending, as players and coaches will be asked to give their opinion on his decision. Many NFL executives have gone on record stating that his choice will have nothing to do with his draft stock, and that what he does on the field will be where he is judged. For Sam's sake and the progress of humanity, I hope thats true.
Guys that will help their stock in Indy
The players that excel in Indianapolis are the physically gifted athletes. Its a time to shine as there given the stage to unleash their god-given talent to the world. Although most of these drills don't really equate to football talent or skills, the event itself has seem to taken on its own importance in the football world. With one good performance during specific drills, any prospect could catch the eye of a new team helping their chances of being selected higher. Here are some special players that are ready to break the stopwatches.
Ryan Shazier Linebacker, Ohio State
Shazier was an animal for the Buckeyes running all over the field making plays. He recorded over 20 tackles for loss while making plays in the passing game and special teams as well. With his speed, Shazier is a sideline-to-sideline player and one of the best athletes at his respective position in the country. Expect him to run a blazing 40-time and vault him from his second round projections into the late first round to a team like the Saints or Chargers.
Bradley Roby Cornerback, Ohio State
Another blazer from the Buckeys defense. Roby was All-Conference last season because of his shut-down potential. What Roby lacks in technique and size he makes up for and more with his speed. Not only does he excel at cornerback, but because of his speed he is a very dangerous return man.
Jadveon Clowney Defensive End, South Carolina
Clowney has said he will perform all the drills and tests presented to him at the combine. If he does in fact follow through with those statements then we should be in for a treat. Clowney is the best defensive prospect to come in years in part to do with his physical presence. Clowneys athletic ability is off the charts and will look to put his talent on display in drills like the bench press, cone drill, and 40-yard dash.