Football Discussion Forums

NFL Draft was another hit, so far anyway - full rating yet to come

1 - TV ratings for Day 1 were 12.5 million viewers...! second only to last yr. Topping the Oscars and last years NBA Finals/World Series
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... n-viewers/

2 - Power 5 conferences get 210 of 259 drafted positions, SEC hits record 65.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/313 ... -2019-mark

3 - Only 10 QBs were selected in total, 1 not even an FBS school in Trey Lance
https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/positions

4 - Jets looked good IMO - first 4 picks all Offense with Zach obvious but others look real good. Can Saleh and Joe Douglas turn them around? Good start.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/teams/_/ ... -york-jets

5 - New England got Mac Jones as many mocks predicted sticking at #15 in round 1

6 - Now the focus will shift to UDFA - The non-power 5 schools will likely figure heavy here.

You almost wonder if anyone playing today will be impacted, and if playing is keeping them from signing a UFA deal. I would guess though that this is a one-time deal that works like when the MLB Draft was held while the NCAA baseball tournament was going on (it was moved to All-Star week this year), both drafted and undrafted

Besides, most of the big prospects were on teams that didn't make the playoffs and the ones that did were opt-outs anyway (Trey Lance, Dillon Radunz, Cade Johnson)

Good overall summary of the Draft 4th&long. However, one key point (at least for me) was Justin Fields to Chicago. With his talent, could be the pick of the draft.
No doubt the potential Jimmy G/Patriots reunion (which clearly didn’t happen) and the A-Rod/Packers eruption stories gave the ratings a boost.
So only about 50 non power 5 players were drafted?!!! That’s an incredible stat. Many more good football players will soon have to leave their careers/dreams behind. If only we had another avenue for these players to continue to play and develop!

Gopher123 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 12:43 pm Good overall summary of the Draft 4th&long. However, one key point (at least for me) was Justin Fields to Chicago. With his talent, could be the pick of the draft.
No doubt the potential Jimmy G/Patriots reunion (which clearly didn’t happen) and the A-Rod/Packers eruption stories gave the ratings a boost.
So only about 50 non power 5 players were drafted?!!! That’s an incredible stat. Many more good football players will soon have to leave their careers/dreams behind. If only we had another avenue for these players to continue to play and develop!

So true on Chicago/Fields - I was thinking about it and forgot...! Nagy and GM are hanging by a thread and this gives them at least a shot.
NFL UDFA signings and CFL will pick up a few of the other school guys but yes... XFL or TSL or something is needed for these other guys to get a shot.

I also think all the NFL buzz gets people looking forward to FB and if they hear or catch on the the TSL they may give it a look.

Obviously the highlight of the draft, besides Mike Golic's joy over the Eagles' selection of Devonta Davis, was the Jets picking the two Michael Carters--who played against each other in the ACC, neither is related to former 49er/Olympic silver medalist (shotput) Michael Carter however

Gopher123 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 12:43 pm So only about 50 non power 5 players were drafted?!!! That’s an incredible stat. Many more good football players will soon have to leave their careers/dreams behind. If only we had another avenue for these players to continue to play and develop!

The NCAA is a joke when it comes to preferential treatment toward the Power 5.

But you also have to keep in mind this year's incredibly erratic situation, with shortened seasons, the NCAA giving an extra year of eligibility, and the lower divisions either postponing to spring or cancelling outright. The draft pool was incredibly shallow this year. I suspect a huge glut of talent will drop into the 2022 draft.

johnnyangryfuzzball wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 7:06 am

Gopher123 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 12:43 pm So only about 50 non power 5 players were drafted?!!! That’s an incredible stat. Many more good football players will soon have to leave their careers/dreams behind. If only we had another avenue for these players to continue to play and develop!

The NCAA is a joke when it comes to preferential treatment toward the Power 5.

But you also have to keep in mind this year's incredibly erratic situation, with shortened seasons, the NCAA giving an extra year of eligibility, and the lower divisions either postponing to spring or cancelling outright. The draft pool was incredibly shallow this year. I suspect a huge glut of talent will drop into the 2022 draft.

Agreed P5 get the better treatment... however, that's where the money is and what most fans want to see.

I think you're assessment of this past years erratic situation, and shallow draft pool. You are likely right that 2022 will be much better due to it.

I was shocked at the number of picks who opted out of play in 2020 yet drafted pretty high up ie Trey Lance - not only an FCS (Div 1-AA) player but also no 2020 season (as u said played spring and he didn't). Shanahan better be right (lucky) or he may not be alive (in SF) come January .

4th&long wrote:1 - TV ratings for Day 1 were 12.5 million viewers...! second only to last yr. Topping the Oscars and last years NBA Finals/World Series
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... n-viewers/

I found it interesting when Mel Kiper was talking on ESPN's coverage about the early days of the draft and how it has become this cottage industry compared to the very simple beginnings. Personally I think it's become too much "show" when you have guys reading the draft names and spending ten minutes working the crowd beforehand.

4th&long wrote:2 - Power 5 conferences get 210 of 259 drafted positions, SEC hits record 65.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/313 ... -2019-mark

Not really surprised that the focus was on Power 5 schools. As others have mentioned, this was considered a down year in terms of quality for this draft class because so many seniors opted to return to school. The inequity in how games were played from conference to conference and division to division, not to mention the lack of boots on the ground from scouts in some of these places, likely contributed to the focus on more well-known (i.e. "safer") prospects and schools.

Next year is going to be real interesting because of how deep the class is expected to be. You'll be able to get guys in UDFA that would've gone mid-to-late this year. At least, that's the early prognostication for it.

4th&long wrote:3 - Only 10 QBs were selected in total, 1 not even an FBS school in Trey Lance
https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/positions

I think ten was about the right number of QBs. Jamie Newman and Felipe Franks I had getting drafted but ended up as UDFAs. It was a real crapshoot beyond the second tier. The guy that really intrigues me is Kellen Mond.

Some scouts expected 2020 opt-outs to fall in the draft, but as pointed out elsewhere, that didn't really happen. Tape is important, but some guys who opted out were just too talented to pass up. I think it hurt those who were in the mid-rds more so than it hurt the early rounders.

Kinda answering my earlier question, what about guys playing right now or just recently finished their season who declare in the next couple weeks or so? I'm assuming that they'll go into the supplemental draft in July (Agyei-Obese and Barriere come to mind).

MGB01 wrote: ↑Mon May 03, 2021 1:43 pm Kinda answering my earlier question, what about guys playing right now or just recently finished their season who declare in the next couple weeks or so? I'm assuming that they'll go into the supplemental draft in July (Agyei-Obese and Barriere come to mind).

Yeah, I'm not sure how that'll work. The supplemental draft would make sense. Do they have the option, as seniors, to return to college next year just as the D1 schools did? If so, I'd assume anyone who has any real chance of being drafted or being a priority free agent would take that route.