The NFL Thread (with added College Football)

[Dave Cooper please]

Is anyone else as confused about the last three pages as I am?

[cdbearsfan]

This might explain things for you Dave...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nfl_draft

[Dave Cooper please]

This might explain things for you Dave...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nfl_draft

I think that's made it worse to be honest!

[cdbearsfan]

Basically, NFL teams don't have youth or reserve matches. Players play at college and are then picked to play in the NFL via the Draft.

In order to maintain balance in the league and prevent the same teams winning every year (like in the Prem) the worst team gets first pick. So this year the Detroit Lions, who lost every game last year, got first pick. Teams then take it in turns to pick according to how badly they did in the previous season with the Superbowl winners picking last.

There are seven rounds (ie every team gets to draft seven players) plus some extra picks ('compensatory picks' for teams who have lost a few players, either due to retirement, trading, being arrested for various offences, etc).

To complicate matters, teams can trade their draft pick. So for example Team A get Team B's back-up running back, Team B get Team A's second and fourth round pick.

You can also trade a higher pick for lower picks - so you might trade a second round pick for one third and one fourth round player. Theoretically, the lower down you pick, the less quality players should be left to choose from so it is a matter of choosing between quality and quantity when deciding whether to "Trade up" or "Trade down" to get a higher draft pick or two or more lower draft picks.

I've confused you even more now haven't I?

[sali,salifou]

Titans took a  WR, suprised me

[cdbearsfan]

He sounds good according to NFL.com

"30. Tennessee Titans - Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
The Herculean pass catcher from Rutgers gives Kerry Collins a big target over the middle of the field. Although he suffers from inconsistent hands, Britt has the skills to be a productive playmaker in the Titans' vertical passing game."

[pmarachi]

This might explain things for you Dave...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nfl_draft

I think that's made it worse to be honest!

HAHAHA

yeah, it's not as complicated as that article made it sound.

Draft Day is a pretty big deal.

ESPN covers it the entire day, people have Draft Day parties, all the bars show it live.  Some people even go to their stadiums for it.

(keep in mind it is all a big gamble anyway)

[pmarachi]

so, given their position, who did the best yesterday?

Obviously it is early to tell, but if you are a Jet's fan, a Broncos fan, or a Ravens fan you have to be pretty happy.

Check out the life of Michael Oher, pretty good story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Oher

If you don't find yourself rooting for this guy, something is wrong...

[Dave Cooper please]

Right, I can see (sort of) how it works, I'll ignore the complications of trading your picks, that is way over my head.

One question for now (there may be more):

What if a player does not, in any way, want to go to the team that picks him. If some star quarterback from some college in New York gets picked by the Alabama Lynchers does he have to go and play for them?

[cdbearsfan]

In some cases you can have a stand-off where a player does not want to sign for a team but they sign him any way. This happened with Eli Mannings when the Chargers drafted him. Eventually he winghed and sulked his way to a trade with the Giants.

If a player absolutely refuses to sign with a team that have drafted him and they don't decide to trade him he cannot play for any other team for a year and goes into the next year's draft instead. This virtually never happens though.

[sali,salifou]

And the 2nd day is never as much fun....

[cdbearsfan]

I didn't realise they'd started again, wasn't it much later yesterday?

We've got a Defensive End, better sign a bloody receiver or I'lll be upset. Cutler can't pass to himself!

[pmarachi]

Right, I can see (sort of) how it works, I'll ignore the complications of trading your picks, that is way over my head.

One question for now (there may be more):

What if a player does not, in any way, want to go to the team that picks him. If some star quarterback from some college in New York gets picked by the Alabama Lynchers does he have to go and play for them?

Also, no one who went to college in New York gets drafted...

HAHA

but seriously, the standoffs are annoying.  They are going to change a lot about the draft next year, such as pay structures etc.

Right now, it is almost not worth it to get the first pick, because you have to spend too much.

There are also Undrafted players who go from camp to camp trying to make a team.  and when they play well, that's really cool.

[sali,salifou]

Titans traded up in round 3 and have taken a TE and a CB, fairly happy with our business so far

[cdbearsfan]

Bears take a WR! Don't know much about him though.