NFL Draft Winners and Losers
Harrison Stanfill
The road to the Super Bowl starts with the NFL Draft.
It is a time where teams can rebuild with young talent or solidify their mediocrity by handling the draft the wrong way.
This year’s NFL Draft was no different. It provided some great entertainment, questionable moves and awkward hugs.
In case you missed the three day event that lasted more than 10 hours –– totally reasonable –– here is a quick recap of the winners and losers.
Winner –– Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill is out of his element.
He turned 19 starts in college into a No. 8 overall pick and millions of dollars. Miami is desperate and Tannehill benefited from it.
Loser –– Miami Dolphins
You drafted Ryan Tannehill at No. 8!! Desperation is a stinky cologne Miami.
Placing the livelihood of your franchise on a guy who couldn’t seal the deal in the Big 12 is a risky move when you are in the same division as the Patriots, Jets and upstart Bills.
Winner –– Jon Gruden
Gruden is pure entertainment. His QB camp on ESPN was fun to watch and not only that, but the guy is actually pretty smart.
Throughout the first round, Gruden was calling what teams were going to draft which players. He showed knowledge of both the college and pro game, all the while being the most entertaining talking head on the draft show.
Hey, anything is better than Ron Jaworski.
Loser –– New York City
Is there anything more annoying that New York sports fans?
In what is the most important day in some of these college player’s lives, New York fans response was to boo. The crazy thing was there was no rhyme or reason to why they booed.
Why New York fans booed when the Vikings drafted Matt Kalil is beyond me. Stay classy, New York, never change.
Winner –– ESPN
Yay ratings!! ESPN has perfected the art of profiting off of something nobody realized they cared about.
Stick Mel Kiper Jr. in a room with Todd McShay and make them talk about draft prospects, you have good TV. Add Chris Berman and Jon Gruden, you have gold.
Loser –– Roger Goodell
Two years in a row Goodell has been booed when he took the stage.
Last year it was because of the lockout, this year…..because New York loved it so much last year.
It is painful watching Goodell trudge up the steps and across the stage making a face like scorned ex-girlfriend, all while fat guys in Mark Sanchez jersey gleefully boo him.
Winner –– New England Patriots
You think Bill Belichick has gotten over that Super Bowl loss yet?
Through the first three rounds the Pats drafted strictly defensive players –– Eli Manning Nightmares –– including Arkansas’ own Jake Bequette at linebacker. If there is anyone who can turn the undersized defensive lineman into a stud linebacker it is Belichick.
Oh yeah, you can also add first-round picks Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower to the defensive arsenal that the Pats drafted to stop Eli Manning from making his legacy off of New England.
Loser –– Awkward Hugs
Oh Roger Goodell, you just can’t catch a break. Like James Franco once said “Lingerers man.”
There is a fine line between a nice man hug and lingering just a little too long in the arms of another man. Roger Goodell, you have provocatively straddled that line.
Winner: EVERYONE
The draft is finally over and we no longer have to hear about the Indianapolis Colts. That is until 2017, when Andrew Luck leads them to a Super Bowl.
Harrison Stanfill is a staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Monday.
