Jake’s Take: NFL Draft hype is stupid

Former+Redskins+quarterback+Robert+Griffin+III+was+one+of+the+biggest+prospects+coming+into+the+2012+NFL+draft.+After+leading+the+Redskins+to+the+playoffs+in+his+first+year%2C+he+regressed+in+production+as+years+went+on.+Courtesy+of+Pintrest.

Former Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III was one of the biggest prospects coming into the 2012 NFL draft. After leading the Redskins to the playoffs in his first year, he regressed in production as years went on. Courtesy of Pintrest.

Jake Brown, Sports Editor

Over the past what seems like forever, NFL analysts have been shoving predictions down our throat about which star or bust is going to be drafted by the Browns, Giants, Jets, or Broncos. Every time I scroll through my timeline, I see another prediction by a former NFL star or reporter, and each time I just want to comment “Who cares?” I think I actually did a couple times on Instagram. Here’s why the hype around the NFL draft is stupid.

First of all, the NFL draft is months away when they start making predictions, meaning they have no other news to talk about. All it is, is recycled news. It’s pointless. Find something else to talk about. Have an interview with a player. Show why some teams have been more successful than others. What are the flaws of each team that need to be filled, and which free agents can fill those voids.

Another reason is that some of these players will be drafted high, but some may be busts. For example, in 2012, every NFL and ESPN analyst was conversing about whether Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III (RG3) would be the better player, and at the time it was a fair argument. They were up for the Heisman Trophy and RG3 won it. They played in a preseason game against each other and RG3 won it. But who ended up having a better career so far? Andrew Luck did, and RG3 became a bust.

But what about the players we don’t talk about? We keep talking about the same three quarterbacks and the same running back all the time. What if we talk about who would be a surprise star? Maybe in the second round? Third round? It would make for a more interesting conversation than just predicting each time that quarterback Baker Mayfield is going to the Jets, or running back Saquon Barkley is going to the Giants or Browns each and every first round prediction.

But why do we keep getting the first round draft prediction every other day? It’s because it’s an easily digestible news that some football fans accept. I’ve read the comments of these posts from draft predictions, and there are a good amount of people who are fed up with these posts. I know it’s not just me.

Some of these guys are going to be busts, and some will be stars, but it won’t just be quarterbacks Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, and running back Saquon Barkley. There are players in the latter round who will be better. Why not have hype for the third round?

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