2010 NFL Draft: The Intangibles of the Intangibles

Forget about 40-yard dash times, brute strength and football fundamentals, it appears "intangibles, work ethic, leadership ability and character" is the new black. 

Those have been the characteristics used ad nauseum during NFL Draft coverage this week to describe pro prospects.

If those descriptors were used on ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper's "Best Available" list, the draft would have ended Day One because those terms would have been exhausted. 

No other player in this draft has been at the center of this trait discussion more than Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow.

It was hard to turn on a TV, read a newspaper or log on to Internet site and not find someone mention character, work ethic, leadership or intangibles in relationship to the former Florida Heisman winner. 

"It's not just about playing quarterback, it's about adding him to your football team," former Tampa Bay Bucs coach and ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden told USA Today. "Who knows when he's going to play, what he's going to play, how he's going to play? But you are adding one big-time human being on your football team. This is what Josh McDaniels is all about—character, work ethic dependability, leadership."

Ironically, similar words were thrown in the direction of Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour.

Super Bowl champion quarterback Trent Dilfer said during Saturday's draft coverage, "No one will work harder than LeFevour to get better. There was a player taken in the first-round because of intangibles. LeFevour has similar intangibles. Teams should take a chance on him."

This is so confusing.

If LeFevour had similar intangibles to Tebow, why is he a sixth-round pick? And if Tebow trumps every other prospect in many of these categories, why did the St. Louis Rams make Sam Bradford the No.1 pick instead of him?

Florida State safety Myron Rolle has been described as a super student-athlete who wants to one day become a doctor once his NFL career is over. You would think that Rolle fits perfectly into the work ethic, character and intangible category, considering it takes those attributes and a little more to be a Rhodes Scholar and start at safety at a major college program that has a history of producing pro players.

Dr. Cornell West told Rolle he is the future of black America. 

But Rolle was destined to be a late round selection.

So how important are these measurables to begin with?

I'm pretty sure every single athlete who were on draft boards this weekend shared similar characteristics. One could say Bradford has displayed more work ethic than Tebow after separating his shoulder twice, only to bounce back and become a franchise quarterback. An argument could be made that Eric Berry has more discipline than any player in the draft. He only committed one penalty in his college tenure at Tennessee.

Heck, football guru Todd McShay graduated from Richmond's Jepson School of Leadership.

It is hard to fairly determine which athlete will work harder, display more character or is a better leader than the next guy unless we all have spent time with all 255 draftees.

Quite frankly it is tiresome that these labels are overvalued. It goes without saying that a NFL player needs to have a good work ethic, good character and desire to be successful in the NFL.

At the end of the day, intangibles, like those the draftniks were beating us over the head with, are just that, intangible.