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NFL Draft 2014: Are we there yet?
By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...4-b81b-ad70f1da0a5d.html#.U1f_v-5061Q.twitter
In most years, the NFL draft would've come and gone by now. At worst, such as last year, it would be scheduled for this week. But in the league's never-ending search for more exposure and higher television ratings, it has been pushed back two weeks to May 8-10.
"By the time May comes around, everybody's gonna be ready to pick," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "There'll be some anticipation. It's gonna be different for players this year and staffs, because it's happening later."
Hundreds of draft prospects must wait an extra couple of weeks to find out where their pro careers will start, of if they'll have a pro career at all. For coaches, scouts, and personnel executives, it means an extra two weeks of looking at tape, evaluating talent, and going over draft scenarios.
"Your football body clock tells you that the draft really should be done, and you should be in OTAs," Fisher said. "But that's not gonna happen."
No, it's not. And for those coaches, scouts, and execs there's always the chance of paralysis by analysis, spending too much time going over the same stuff over and over.
To help prevent that, Fisher gave the scouts an extended Easter weekend. They were sent home after Thursday's meetings and didn't return until Tuesday. Fisher also has changed the daily schedule to avoid getting bleary-eyed and muddle-headed down the stretch.
"What it does is it allows you to do a 9-to-5 day in the draft room as opposed to an 8-to-10 day," he said. "We just spread it out. It gives us more time to go back and compare and contrast players."
At least the finish line finally is in sight. As of Thursday, the draft is two weeks away.
By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...4-b81b-ad70f1da0a5d.html#.U1f_v-5061Q.twitter
In most years, the NFL draft would've come and gone by now. At worst, such as last year, it would be scheduled for this week. But in the league's never-ending search for more exposure and higher television ratings, it has been pushed back two weeks to May 8-10.
"By the time May comes around, everybody's gonna be ready to pick," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "There'll be some anticipation. It's gonna be different for players this year and staffs, because it's happening later."
Hundreds of draft prospects must wait an extra couple of weeks to find out where their pro careers will start, of if they'll have a pro career at all. For coaches, scouts, and personnel executives, it means an extra two weeks of looking at tape, evaluating talent, and going over draft scenarios.
"Your football body clock tells you that the draft really should be done, and you should be in OTAs," Fisher said. "But that's not gonna happen."
No, it's not. And for those coaches, scouts, and execs there's always the chance of paralysis by analysis, spending too much time going over the same stuff over and over.
To help prevent that, Fisher gave the scouts an extended Easter weekend. They were sent home after Thursday's meetings and didn't return until Tuesday. Fisher also has changed the daily schedule to avoid getting bleary-eyed and muddle-headed down the stretch.
"What it does is it allows you to do a 9-to-5 day in the draft room as opposed to an 8-to-10 day," he said. "We just spread it out. It gives us more time to go back and compare and contrast players."
At least the finish line finally is in sight. As of Thursday, the draft is two weeks away.