Todd McShay: NFL Draft Expert or ESPN Puppet?

For 30 years, ESPN has televised the NFL draft. In 1984, the network introduced Mel Kiper as a draft expert who relayed his analysis to fans sitting at home on the couch. For over two decades, Kiper's analysis remained unrivaled until the emergence of NFL Network's Mike Mayock. Not soon after Mayock and NFL Network began offering an alternative analysis to Kiper, did ESPN introduce Todd McShay as a second draft expert. Given McShay's thrust into the spotlight with numerous controversial opinions, I have to wonder if McShay is truly providing analysis, or he is playing a role on behalf of ESPN. By limiting draft controversy within their own programming, ESPN can avoid having to cross network lines and acknowledge the budding NFL Network.

To put it bluntly, ESPN is not stupid. They have maintained their status as the "worldwide leader in sports" for over three decades, drawing ratings from around the globe. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the most "controversial" pick in this year's draft is a Notre Dame quarterback; perhaps the most beloved and hated college football program in America. Again, ESPN has succeeded in creating controversy when there likely is none, attracting both pro-Notre Dame and anti-Notre Dame audiences to listen to the "experts" battle out their opinions. In case you haven't noticed, ESPN does this same spiel on a weekly basis during the football season, with former Notre Dame head football coach Lou Holtz and former Pittsburgh offensive lineman Mark May, arguing about Notre Dame's relevance and whether or not the team is overrated or not.

While this may create interest in ESPN, the real loser of the charade is Jimmy Clausen. Come Thursday, it is highly unlikely that NFL teams will base their picks off of what Mel Kiper, Todd McShay or Mike Mayock believes to be true, however, NFL general managers have to keep an ear open to public opinion. When a team drafts a franchise quarterback, that player becomes the face of the franchise. If McShay's bashing of Clausen results in trepidation from fans, the city may be hesitant to embrace the player, already putting him in a hole before he ever takes a snap.

Getting back to McShay, he seems to be the only "expert" who does not think Clausen is a top 10 pick, going so far as to drop him into the second round. Now, does McShay know something about evaluating quarterbacks that the rest of the league and his peer analysts do not? Keep in mind this is the same guy who touted JaMarcus Russell as the next all-pro quarterback in 2006, heralded Kentucky's Andre Woodson who is now out of the league after failing to be retained by the Giants and Redskins practice squads, and projected prior to the 2009 season that Jevan Snead would be a top five pick and first quarterback selected in the 2010 draft.

To shed light on McShay's analysis of Clausen, McShay believes that Clausen lacks mental maturity, leadership skills and has small hands which will negatively affect his ability to play in cold weather. This kind of analysis makes me question whether McShay was watching film from Clausen's freshman year or the 2009 season when he led Notre Dame to multiple fourth quarter comebacks, kept a poorly coached team in every game until the final drive and played the season on two torn tendons in his foot. Forget about the fact that Clausen was named captain by his team and the weather in South Bend is about as poor as it gets. Are these really serious critiques of Clausen, or is McShay grasping at straws? Is McShay really a draft expert or is his analysis being shoved down the throat of viewers to attract controversy and boost ratings? I think his track records speaks for itself.

Sources:
Mike Florio Todd McShay backlash builds , NBC Sports

USA Today Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen fights back after stinging criticism from ESPN analyst Todd McShay, The Huddle