Heard in the Cheap Seats

As the NFL draft rapidly approaches, the onslaught of typical draft columns has picked up steam.  From Todd McShay to Mel Kiper, the NFL Draft machine is in full swing.  And with that machine comes a barrage of columns highlighting the all-time worst draft busts.  I’m not here to add to those columns, but rather to take a look from a different angle.

The majority of draft bust articles focus on the player-laying the blame at the feet of the person that was drafted.  But shouldn’t we be blaming the person doing the drafting?  Sure, a player bears the brunt of the responsibility to perform on the field, but the expectations that a player is saddled with as a result of their draft position falls squarely on the shoulders of the GM.  Instead of focusing on the player, we should be highly critical of the GM that thought it was prudent to select the player in that position.

As an Eagles fan, the prime example that comes to mind is Mike Mamula.  Mamula came into the NFL draft combine as an unheralded defensive end from Boston College.  After putting up eye-popping combine numbers, he skyrocketed up draft boards.  Ray Rhodes immediately fell in love with Mamula-trading away the Eagles first and second round picks to move up and grab him with the 7^th pick.  Mamula was largely a disappointment.  But to be fair, he did have two seasons with 8.5 sacks and finished his career with 31.5 sacks.  Not numbers that warrant his draft pick, but not horrible either.  So again I ask, is it Mike Mamula’s fault that he never lived up to expectations or Ray Rhodes’ for jumping up in the draft to take him at that spot?

I’d contend that the blame should be place on Ray Rhodes-not Mike Mamula.

I am by no means suggesting that a player does not have some responsibility to play to the best of his abilities.  But every article written about drafts past focuses on the player as the true bust.  But in reality, their talent never warranted the expectations they carried around.  For Mamula, had he been drafted in the 3^rd or 4^th round where his talent suggested he should be taken, we might be talking about him as a bargain.

It’s time we hold the GMs accountable for their draft miscues and not just the players.