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It’s like reviewing a
Broadway show before it opens.
The Jets are getting a lot of good grades from the media for their draft
Absolutely meaningless. Ignore them at all costs. None of these players have played one game in the league.
And if you don’t want to believe me, then listen to Robert Saleh.
“[Draft grades] are for you guys (the media),” Saleh said. “I’ve also been in places where we’ve been universally mocked. I think we took Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson (in Seattle) in the first three rounds and got a D-grade . . . we’ll know in three years.”
Here is part of what is going on here with media draft grades.
ESPN’s Matt Miller gave the Baltimore Ravens an “A.”
Why?
“In the 2022 draft, the Ravens drafted three of my top 30 players and four in the top 40 overall,” wrote Miller.
He let the genie out of the bottle. He gave them a high mark based on how he ranked players.
So with that being said, let’s allow former NFL GM Mike Lombardi to expound on the problem with these grading systems:
“Those draft grades everyone is coming up with, they are all predicated on the person who evaluated the team,” Lombardi said on VSIN not talking about a particular grader. “He’s grading himself. That is what he’s doing. He’s grading himself., so if you did what he recommended you do, then you are going to get a good grade, if you don’t listen to him, you are going to get a bad grade. It’s self-indulgent. It’s one of the greatest cons of all time. We’re giving out draft grades, no, you are grading yourself – whoever drafted Willis was going to get an ‘A.’ How many hours was Willis under the ESPN banner as best player available.”
Willis went in the third round to the Tennessee Titans, a team that got a lot of high grades from the media.
Not picking on Miller. I appreciate his honesty.
Remember, every team has a different draft rating board. No two are the same. So much is based on the systems they play on offense and defense.
When a draftnik rates players, he isn’t basing it on systems, because he’s not rating it for one team.
So how can you give grades when each team has a different rating system and much is based on their schemes?
For instance, Jets’ fourth-round offensive tackle Max Mitchell might have been lower on other team’s boards, because he might not have the size they want at 307 pounds at over 6-6. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zeirlein had him rated as a sixth-round prospect. But he’s very light on his feet, which makes him a great fit for the Jets zone blocking scheme that calls for linemen to move a lot, so to the Jets, he was a great value where selected.
Some considered the selection of guard Cole Strange a reach for New England at the end of the first round. But keep in mind, not only is he a solid player, but a borderline genius, with a very high IQ. We all know Belichick wants really smart players.
We could give you many examples.
So not only are instant grades after the draft foolish because you need a few years to see how the players play, but also because you have to remember every team has a different value board, and aren’t all picking for the same playbooks.
With that being said, while it looks good on paper, I will give the Jets draft an “incomplete” right now.
May 3, 2022
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