Friday, April 18, 2008

I told you so...Kind of...

By Jason Jones

As we get closer to the 2008 NFL Draft, a great number of questions still loom. As you begin to seriously look at the top 5 (or 6 for this example), most of the country's analysts are still shuffling the top of their mock drafts. Note: Our entire NFL Draft Guide is completed and up for download at www.fantasydrafthelp.com.

Up until this week, EVERYONE had Miami selecting Chris Long first overall, now they are shifting between that and Jake Long (despite the fact that Jake wants no part of Miami, poor guy, everyone should be so unlucky). At 2 and 3 (St. Louis and Atlanta, respectively) there are pretty much 3 guys who could go. At 4, still 90+% of people have Oakland taking Darren McFadden, and so on and so on. I, on the other hand, have not wavered or changed the top of my mock draft in well over six weeks. One of the mainstays I speak of is Darren McFadden donning the Green and White of a New York Jets jersey. As crazy as it may seem, my name does not echo miles of credibility when weighed against some of the heavy hitters on ESPN or the NFL Network television crews.

Well, that has changed. As I have been the relative voice of difference across the NFL Draft analyst spectrum in saying McFadden will be a Jet, finally someone of national recognition has agreed. Adam Schefter (Mr. Breaking NFL News) has finally made the connection. The New York Jets look like a mirror image of the 2007 Minnesota Vikings (pre-draft). The Vikings had a questionable QB situation, serviceable RB's, middle of the road WR's, a franchise left tackle (picked high in the first round), arguably the best OG and a notable OC. The Vikings picked Adrian Peterson and immediately produced roughly twice the wins. I've been saying since December that this is an avenue that the Jets would consider. The signing of guard Alan Faneca only solidified that concept. It took him a while, but Adam Schefter of the NFL Network has in effect put his name next to the idea that the Jets will be looking to draft Darren McFadden in the hopes that the selection will render similar results as it did for the Vikings. Personal note: IT WON'T! Although this makes perfect sense on paper, McFadden can't carry Peterson's shoulder pads (trying to keep this rated G). Naturally, all of this is dependent on Al Davis not making McFadden a Raider. Adam Schefter reports (as he does on everything NFL-he seems to be Mr. Exclusive in that regard) that the Raiders are not expecting to draft McFadden (assuming both McFadden and Vernon Gholston are on the board at 4, furthermore Dorsey and Chris Long are still possibilities). Not to say Schefter is the end-all be-all, but at least I am not alone. Mike Mayock (whom I greatly respect) agrees with me that McFadden isn't even the best RB in this class-check the blog archive, it's in there somewhere. Now Schefter agrees that McFadden is going to the Jets. A coincidence? WAKE UP...and check out the FantasyDraftHelp "FREE" NFL Draft Guide available on www.fantasydrafthelp.com. If I were in such a situation, I would put something on it...that our guide is as good if not excessively better than anything you will find on a newsstand. After the draft has concluded, I plan on comparing the results from to our draft guide. And like this new revelation from Adam Schefter, I believe we will be much more accurate that the "experts"...AGAIN! Check the record, I believe Mel Kiper was batting somewhere in the 0.280 range while myself and Managing Partner of FDH Rick Morris were somewhere north of 30-50 points higher. If you are at all interested in the NFL Draft, it is in your best interest to spend the 20 seconds it will take to acquire the FDH NFL Draft Guide.

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