The NFL Draft: A Debate that Can't Be Settled for Four Years

There are two debates that catch the attention of our country more than any others: the NFL Draft and the Presidential election. Of course they share only one thing in common, neither one is justifiably and completely settled for a period of years.

A President must fulfill his promises, work on getting things accomplished with Congress, fix problems that were present prior to his election and solve problems as they arise while planning for the future. Your favorite NFL team has to spot weaknesses at vital positions, work with the coach and the G.M. to pick personnel that fit the team's model, draft players that they will be able to sign and plan for future free agency and salary cap issues.

The NFL picked a great time to hold their annual draft for maximum exposure and interest. It's after the end of March Madness and before the serious rounds of the NBA and NHL playoffs. Baseball has started, sure, but nobody cares about game 12 of 162 on the Kansas City Royals schedule compared to pick 12 of 32 in the first round for the Kansas City Chiefs. (Note: the Chiefs were much worse than that last year, and have a much higher pick. I am unaware of the Royals exact April game schedule).

For months before the NFL Draft actually takes place we have to watch and read countless NFL Mock Drafts. The chances of picking all 32 first round draft picks in the correct order is probably roughly equivalent to picking all 32 first round games in the NCAA tournament correctly. Sure, it could happen, and it has. But it's equally as likely that you get 10 of 32 right. The only thing your NFL Mock Draft gauged correctly was that you'd end up getting mocked for it.

The NFL Draft is a riddle that cannot be solved for several years. Some say three years is a good time to revisit the success of a draft, others say it's really five years before you have a chance to see how every player is going to develop. Either way the real results for how a team performs in the NFL Draft will not be known for quite some time.

Still, the next week after the NFL Draft is held magazines, papers and television shows start grading each team on how they did. It's a preposterous system and it's performed to satisfy the insatiable and immediate cravings that NFL fans have.

In reality, you can grade on expectations and predictions but you can't grade on how players are going to turn out or which teams picked well. If a team had blatant holes on the offensive line and in the defensive backfield and they spent their high picks on offensive linemen and cornerbacks, you can say that at least they tried to fulfill an obvious need. That's a good thing. But you don't know how those players will turn out and you usually won't for quite some time.

Fans also usually aren't aware of the intricate salary cap issues involved, what the team plans to do with the rest of their current roster, future free agent or trade acquisitions and so on. Most of all, fans still don't realize just how much of a crap shoot the draft really is.

The attrition ratio of first round quarterbacks is especially high, with just as many busts as future stars being picked highly. For every Peyton Manning, a number 2 overall pick, there is a number 1 pick like Ryan Leaf and a sixth round standout like Tom Brady.

So relax NFL fans. I know the NFL has a hold of you, as it does over me. And I'm sure I'll flick past ESPN on the weekend of the NFL Draft and watch a few minutes to see what's developing. But there's no need to jump up in consternation if your team picks the safety from Virginia Tech instead of the linebacker from Virginia.

Obama's first 100 days in office haven't determined the prospects of his reelection in 2012. And your favorite NFL team's third round pick didn't seal the fate of your team's next three seasons.

We all like instantaneous feedback and immediate results, but the NFL Draft needs to simmer for a bit and be evaluated down the road. I beseech you, take it easy on the day-by-day NFL mock draft updates and the day-after NFL Draft report cards. It'll be good for you and for the rest of us rabid sports fans as well. Besides, there's the 12th Kansas City Royals game of the season to watch instead.