The 2015 NFL Draft will revisit downtown Chicago at the historic Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. This will be the first year the NFL Draft returns to Chicago since 1964. Every year there are subtle changes, but with the relocation of venue will host many variations, including a gold carpet entrance displaying the prospects and their mother’s.
Last year at the 2014 NFL Draft held at Radio City Music Hall, there was the decision to push the draft back a few weeks. As you heard media and fans overanalyze who was going to be drafted to what team and at what number, you saw the tension not only in the players, but in the media as well. With the few extra weeks to dissect the prospects and their performances everyone had thought of every possible option viable as to why this guy, now weeks after his Combine performance and Pro Days was going higher or lower than he was last week. Last year also added a touch of personality, when the NFL decided to let each player chose their own song that would play as they walked across the stage to be recognized by their new home. Most players put a lot behind their song selection, and had a story to why it represented them. It was a nice touch of getting to know their character.
Subtle changes can also be the most blatant facts. For instance, which school will have their talented athlete drafted first or second overall? As you start to look at history you will find that since 1936 Norte Dame and Southern Cal are tied for having the most overall number one picks out of their university (five each). While Norte Dame takes the cake for most number two overall picks with a high score of seven athletes taken second, Southern Cal is a close second with a total of four. Many of Notre Dame’s first overall drafted athletes came in the earlier years of the NFL Draft like, Leon Hart, Angelo Bertelli, Frank Dancewicz, Walt Patulski, and Hall of Famer, Paul Hornung. Southern Cal has quite a few names drafted number one overall in some of the more recent years including, Carson Palmer, Ricky Bell, Keyshawn Johnson, and Hall of Famers, O.J. Simpson and Ron Yary.
As you start to scroll the mock drafts you will see that, Defensive Tackle, Leonard Williams of Southern Cal is projected by some, to go number two overall, which would be right in line with the current statistics and working to chip away at Norte Dame’s title for having the most overall number one and number two draft picks out of their school.
The quote is as goes, “history repeats itself”. A quarterback, it’s what every team wants. They are ‘the brain’ of the team; the one who gets there early and stays late, the leader the team depends on, the motivator. Since 1936, thirty-one of the first overall NFL Draft picks have been a quarterback. This year there are two, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, both Heisman Trophy winners and both very capable of going first or second overall. Having them in the mix gives a likely chance that the tradition will reign on of choosing a quarterback first overall. With two highly sought-after quarterback candidates shooting for that number one spot, history again repeats itself with this possibly being the sixth occurrence of quarterbacks going first and second overall. If the past rules on, one of the chosen quarterbacks will fight to keep his head above the water in the NFL, but is likely to fail.
As you start to dissect The NFL Draft, you will see that each year there are many similarities regarding how each teams draft players, trade players amongst themselves and negotiate between one another. You will also find that there are quite a few unpredictable differences. The NFL is a business and is constantly working to make this event new, exciting and more efficient for all. I look forward to seeing what Chicago, Roger Goodell, all 32 NFL teams, Oikos and the NFL have up their sleeves for this years 2015 NFL Draft. Who will be drafted first overall, who will be the surprise pick and who will be the game changer?
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