NFL draft fever
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on April 27, 2006

This weekend will see some major sporting action going on. Both the NHL and the NBA playoffs are being played as well as a rematch of last year’s American League Championship Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. But for many, these events don’t even begin to approach the popularity of what the NFL is doing this weekend.

Beginning at noon on Saturday, the NFL will be holding its annual amateur draft in New York City.

“The draft helps build your team for potentially the next ten years,” Mike Wood, a fifth-year senior, said. “It gives you a heads-up on the future talent coming into the league.”

Ever since ESPN began airing the NFL draft in 1980, it has grown into an event watched by tens of millions of people each year. Originally, the NFL unanimously voted down ESPN’s proposal to air the draft in 1970, stating beliefs that no one would want to watch it. They could not have been more wrong.

“ESPN has done a good job promoting it,” recent JMU graduate Derek Dube said.

Dube is a member of a group of guys who have road tripped it up to the draft for the last two years.

“We drive up there, stay in the city and enjoy the draft,” Tom Deary, another member of the group, said. “It’s a great time. You really get to spend time with other football enthusiasts.”

To prepare for their trip, the guys fill out a full seven-round mock draft after spending months researching the players and have a contest to see who can get the most right.

“You can decide who you identify with before the draft, and who you think has really got the skills to go far in the league,” Wood said. “Then you hope your team gets those players.”

While most football fans don’t take their draft enjoyment quite that far, it can’t be denied that even casual fans will devote hours of their weekends in front of a TV watching very little action take place.

The question is, why has it become so popular?

One reason could be the fans’ attachment to college football and the players they have been watching over the last few years.

“I think the popularity of the college game has a lot to do with it,” Deary said. “Fans want to see where ‘their guy’ is going to go.”

Dube added, “Imagine what it would be like if a JMU football player was projected to go [in the draft]. That would draw a few more people’s attention.”

While there may not be a future Gary Clark or Charles Haley for the Dukes in this draft, many of the bigger schools have a number of guys to watch.

Another reason for the growth of the draft is its ability to stir up drama.

Who can forget the Philadelphia Eagles fans booing Donovan McNabb on draft day? All he did was lead that team to four straight appearances in the NFC Championship game and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. Eagles fans preferred Ricky Williams, the Heisman Trophy-winning running back out of Texas. On Tuesday, the NFL announced that after a fourth failed drug test, Williams would be suspended for a year.

Finally, the draft has gotten so big because of the uncertainty surrounding each pick.

“You never know who’s going to succeed.” Deary said. “[Tom] Brady was taken in the sixth round, and I think his career has turned out alright.”

In 1998 and 1999, the Indianapolis Colts selected Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James, respectively. These guys have made up the cornerstone of the Colts’ offense for the past seven seasons.

Ryan Leaf, taken right after Manning was one of the biggest flops in NFL draft history and shortly after James was picked Ricky Williams was selected. In both of those drafts, the Colts had a tough time deciding on which player to take.

Imagine how differently the past couple of seasons would have played out had the Colts taken Leaf over Manning and Williams over James.

“It’s definitely an inexact science,” Deary said. “But fans expect every year to be their year to have the draft that turns their franchise around.”

For all these reasons, fans will flock to their couches this weekend in hopes that they’ve landed the next big name in professional football.

Brian Hansen is a junior SMAD major and sports communication minor.