The Place for Football Education
We've discussed in the past the importance of clubs doing their due diligence in making first round selections. As the start of the 2013 NFL Draft fast approaches, organizations are going back over their own evaluation processes to ensure that no "surprise stone" is left unturned. My experience says that most NFL front office decision makers are locked in to their desired selections should the cards fall in their favor. The Football … [Read more...]
As the draft process begins to wind down and clubs start to zero in on their selections for 2013, scouts are already busy planning for the 2014 draft. In fact the overall process for this season started well in advance of this same time last year and the amount of club investment in time, work, and dollars for 7 young 21/22 year olds to add to their roster is at times unfathomable. Yet the annual NFL Draft is thought to be the life blood of … [Read more...]
Putting the finishing touches on a first round draft choice requires ensuring that all the boxes are checked off and the various angles examined. The Football Educator is not a fan of the mock draft process, but recently I was asked to present my Top 10 picks from a general manager's perspective. Along with Charley Casserly the two of us surmised who we would each select given the scenarios facing the club at the time. Evaluating a prospect's … [Read more...]
As Pro Days wind down and the clock towards the NFL Draft continues to tick there’s not much else for the pundits to do but tweak their positional rankings and adjust their 1st round mocks. The analogy often used is a player’s stock “rising or falling” as if the current economic crisis in Cyprus is going to have much effect on the commodity of tight ends taken. Contrary to the picture that’s painted, NFL draft boards don’t … [Read more...]
Type “NFL Draft” into Google Search and you’ll get about 110,000,000 results. If you do the same for “Capital Hill Hearings” you get around 7,950,000. The interest in this once a year selection of college football talent is mind boggling. There are thousands of websites, podcasts, blogs, and YouTube videos established solely for the purpose of following the annual event within professional football. The diehard NFL fan has access … [Read more...]
Recently TheFootballEducator.com looked at the trending of the Tight End position in the National Football League. It had been noted by one of the astute pundits on Monday Night Football the incredible athleticism and ability of Pittsburgh’s own Heath Miller. Miller had made what we admit was a rather incredible move to create separation off the line of scrimmage and then make the over the shoulder grab to tie the score against the game … [Read more...]
Continuing the series on where to look for the best incoming talent through the annual NFL Draft, TheFootballEducator.com addresses the all important yet oft-overlooked offensive line. A " Chorus Line" Generally speaking it’s difficult to fathom any sustained success without a consistently stable front five, and the best way to describe a productive NFL offensive line is using the analogy of a “chorus line”. In unison they’re a … [Read more...]
Many might say quarterback is the most important member of any NFL offensive, yet it’s hard to argue that running back might very well be the most glamorous of them all. As a kid no other position epitomized the game than one that carried the weight of the team on his shoulders. I grew up in an era of Earl Campbell, Franco Harris, Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett; men you road hard into the 4th quarter. A test of wills between a runner and … [Read more...]
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars are two teams sure to be at the top of the 2013 NFL Draft that will be looking for franchise caliber QB help. Both are just a few years removed from making huge financial and opportunity cost investments in their current starters. Matt Cassel was handpicked by GM Scott Pioli after his one year super season in relief of Tom Brady. Blaine Gabbert was just drafted by Gene Smith in 2011 but is … [Read more...]
By Richard Hill for TheFootballEducator.com Economics Economics is the science and analysis of the network in which goods and services are produced, exchanged, and consumed. Some economists have taken to analyzing alternative "markets" with the same economic principles in order to evaluate the system as a whole, in a new brand of study called "freakonomics". I believe the National Football League can be considered one of these alternative … [Read more...]
