2008 NFL Draft: Don't Overlook the Later Rounds

Andrew Kneeland explains the importance of Day Two.

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Sports

March 17, 2008

This year, if you Google "2008 NFL mock draft" you get just over two million pages in as little as .5 seconds.

I haven't looked over all of these, but I'm willing to wager that many of these "mock drafts" don't include the second day selections.

Drafting players on the second day of a draft is an art form. It takes a sharp eye and a keen nose to scope out those "diamonds in the rough". How can you know whether that player will turn out to be the next Tom Brady (sixth round) or the next Tyler Thigpen (seventh round)?

I'm not saying that free agency is worthless. Many teams improved this year through free agency, and other teams lost key players through free agency.

The key to building a good team is to be successful in the later rounds on draft day.

There have been many gems found amid the late rounds of the NFL draft. Will an NFL owner find the next Derek Anderson (sixth round), or Randy McMichael (fourth round), or even Rex Hadnot (sixth round)?

There is also the possility that an NFL owner makes a fool of him/herself like Minnesota Viking's Rick Spielman did in 2000 when he passed over both Tom Brady and Adalius Thomas to pick Ernest Grant in the sixth round.

It's almost a game among NFL owners: who can find the best player latest in the draft? To help with that, teams hire scouts that are cream of the crop.

Jerry Resse, currently the GM of the Giants, has this to say about the second day of the draft:

"On the back side of your draft, we always talk about, 'This is where we really make our money. We have to get some diamonds out of the rough on the back side'...and we were able to do that (Super Bowl win with eight rookies). It's really a testament that there's probably more diamonds in the rough than you would expect."

One benefit of having great scouting is the ability to sit back and relax during the free agency period. Why would you have to worry about making your team better in every aspect right now, when you can wait until the draft and uncover some gems?

For this year's draft, be sure to not tune off your radio or TV too soon.

Andrew Kneeland is a senior writer at Bleacher Report. You can read all of his articles here.

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comments (12) write a comment »

reply to comment by Jeff
5 months ago

Good Article Andrew, the later rounds are key to a teams success. You expect that the 1st & 2nd round picks to be hits and solid players but as stated you build your team in picks 3-7. This is where a teams scouting department really earns its money.
reply to comment by Max
5 months ago

I agree as well, admittedly I was to lazy to go 2nd day or even 2nd round on my mock, 2 and 3 I could do soon with some research but I'm the first to admit I don't know enough about the college game to go in depth good points all around
1. by Andrew
  from 5 months ago
  
  Same here. I'll admit, I don't even know some of the players that should be taken in the second round...
reply to comment by Kayte
5 months ago

Great article! I completely agree. I think there are a lot of amazing players that don't get to go in the first few rounds that are completely underrated but are going to make great assets to the NFL. I will be watching waaaay beyond the first couple drafts.
reply to comment by JJ
5 months ago

As a Bears fan, I couldn't agree more. Lance Briggs and Alex Brown were 3rd and 4th rounders, Nate Vasher was a 5th rounder and Bernard Berrian was another 3rd rounder, just to name a few of the later-round picks the Bears have made.

Of course, they've wasted first-round picks on studs like David Terrell, Marc Columbo, Michael Haynes, Rex Grossman, and Cedric Benson. Hooray for Jerry Angelo!
1. by Andrew
  from 5 months ago
  
  Man, I hear you when you say that the Bear's have wasted first-round picks. Sounds like you're a Minnesota fan.
  
  We've had the ever-valuable Troy Williamson, Derrick Alexander, Duane Clemons, Lawyer Milloy, and Demetrius Underwood as some of our early round duds.
  
  Welcome to the club.
2. by JJ
  from 5 months ago
  
  Yeah, but you guys stole Berrian from us.
  
  Actually, check that. We let Berrian go in one of the worst front-office decisions of the offseason. Now our No. 1 wide receiver is Marty freakin' Booker.
  
  Maybe we'll win four games next year...
3. by Andrew
  from 5 months ago
  
  Huh, are we really arguing as to which team has the worst front office?
  
  What has the NFL come to?
  
  If you want the title of worst front-office decisions of this offseason, I think it's your's for the taking.
4. by JJ
  from 5 months ago
  
  Let's hold off on that until we waste the No. 14 pick on a defensive player we really don't need.
5. by Andrew
  from 5 months ago
  
  Watch Minnesota draft Jonathon Stewart...
reply to comment by Chris
5 months ago

There have been many hidden jems in the later rounds. Terrell Davis was a 6th or 7th round choice. Donald Driver the #1 WR of the Packers was a 7th round choice. Aaron Kampman another Packer was a Pro Bowler this year at DE. He was a 5th round choice and has had two straight seasons with double digit sack numbers. Many times there is a lot pressure with Round 1 picks because they are unproven yet are already demanding huge contracts. Many of them turn out to be total busts which kills the team that drafted them. Nothing like paying millions to an unproven player that turns out to be flat out terrible.
1. by Andrew
  from 5 months ago
  
  Some more players to be taken in the later rounds are Andre Reed (4th round in 1985), Karl Mecklenberg (12th round in 1983), Shannon Sharpe (7th round in 1990), Mark Clayton (8th round in 1983), Jay Novacek (6th round in 1985), and Rich Gannon (4th round in 1987).
  
  There are countless busts out there however, as you said. Thanks for the comment!