NFL Football Draft 2008 - Carefull with busts!!

Now, let’s examine the 2008 draft with an eye to the future and pick a few players who may or may not become complete unfortunates.

A good model is Derrick Harve. He has trouble written all over him. He was a player known to take plays and games off in college which lifts a big red flag when you are about to receive 20 million dollars without playing a single play or raising a single weight or running a single wind sprint. That would scare us if it were our 20 million.

Another good example is Malcolm Kelly. After his collapse on Pro Day and his mannerism toward his training staff at Oklahoma - not to mention the 4.68 forty time - we took him off our board.

Now, by getting drafted late in group two as the THIRD receiver taken by the Redskins, and by being the eighth receiver overall to come off the board, Kelly may have been able to rescue his career. It seems to us he could use some sobering and also could use some rivarly and he has it now. He might just make it.

In the final analysis, Kelly could be done in by the 4.68 and lack of talent, but his track record at Oklahoma suggests otherwise.

Ryan Leaf had all the natural ability in the world. He was a party boy and had a bad attitude once he became a millionaire. Take that cash away, and according to the players - he now coaches on the West Texas A&M golf team -he is a pretty good guy after all. He was a bust because of expectations and character flaws that became exagggerated when he hit the lottery. Money changes people and usually not for the better. Kelly had his money taken away, so maybe...

Let’s skip scaling the teams in the draft and see if we can spot who will be a bust. First, if a player has to be a first round pick and second, if money changes people, then we better find the person that it changes in a positive way (or at the very least the person for whom money is not a guiding force).

The teams that took offensive linemen, thinking they were safer choices, might be looking at things differently now. This isn't personal; it's just a matter of character. Now, we will grant you that WR and CB are two of the best positions that come to mind when we think of character flaws that might become exposed after a million dollar signing bonus, but these are still people and some will be unreduced while others will contain. Now, who scares us most in the 2008 first round:

Matt Ryan – not reputation, but an average team and a bad situation for a “savior” to walk into means major pressure.

Darren McFadden – from his background and bar issues, to his running style, to his arrival in Oakland.

Vernon Gholston – he structured play offs back in college, but demanded passion - what does he do as a millionaire?

Derrick Harvey – we have said enough above.

Leodis McKelvin – from a middle school in Alabama to the cold of Buffalo, I might take my $15 million and rest.

Aquib Talib – testing positive three times for drugs doesn't prevent a first round pick... he must be unbeatable.

Chris Johnson – if a packed backfield and 4.24 was so great, why has no one heard of him until the combine?

Duane Brown – this was a third or fourth rounder on most elections, pressure to perform is rough even as an OT.

Kentwan Balmer – one year marvel, propelled by a new coach in college, rich and idle now is our guess.

Time past has shown that players in about half the first round will not be deserving of their draft position. The question is always: which half? We may not be right about the players above, but the Instant Millionaire Effect has got to be a part of a draft strategy and why not? it's all about the money in the end.

Which players will continue to perform when they just hit the jack pot? Which players are moved by the desire for greatness? Which players truly love this fierce sport as it is played at the top quality levels?

These are the signs that will point you to draft success. Trading out of the first round where chips on the shoulder get bigger and pride is knocked back a notch can help.

So praise to Philadelphia (one more time) and to Washington (who maybe knew something by missing the draft drama the last few years). Only time will tell who was right and who was wrong, but skipping the first round is not a bad action plan.

NFL Draft 2008 - 2009