Draft Secrets Vol III

The season draws near. Your draft is this week. Time to check your lists and make your final plans. Your season is on the line (maybe some money too.) RELAX. Here is the third and final installment of time tested draft secrets. Read and winning will be part of your future. Good Luck!

Believe the Pros.

Some guys spend hours planning, rating and plotting. Find a prognosticator (pro) and trust what he/she is saying about the draft. Let their hours of study and endless resources work for you. That is their JOB. Look at some of the sample drafts. It may expose someone that you have not been considering. Of course you should have some idea who you are considering, but don’t waste numerous hours with it. You will just wrap yourself around the axel and become stuck on specific players because you have decided that they may are better than what the pros are saying. You are not smarter that they are. See Be Flexible.

Look For Gems.

This is my biggest secret. In every draft I am looking for a late round gem. That guy that no one is talking about. I like to surprise the field with those picks. I have not failed to grab a very productive player in that manner. A couple of years ago, everyone was talking about the RB tandem of Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown out of Auburn. They were high visibility on a National Championship contending team. But quietly, in the great white north, two RBs labored for a mid of the conference team. They silently picked up 1,000 yards EACH, first time in NCAA history, for a year. Who? Marion Barber III and Lawrence Maroney. Barber was available on a decent team, the Cowboys. But they still had their current feature back. I took him with little return his first year. Maroney had another great year in college and was drafted by New England. A perfect fit. He was my gem. I got him in round 11. And he produced. Another example was Willis McGahee. He suffered a serious knee injury and missed his first year in the pros. The next year no one was talking about him. Knee injury for a RB is not a good thing. I took him in the 12th round. He was great. Let’s see where he goes this year.

Make the Late Rounds Count.

The late rounds in the draft, most guys are just filling their position needs with bodies. Make them count. Depth is important. I see lots of teams that have great front line guys but no depth. One injury and they are toast. I was battling with a team for the league lead last year and he suffered a key loss. He probably would not have won the regular season, but was in good shape to make the playoffs. Four straight losses and he was watching boring week 15 football. Grab a solid backup defense. Who is left that has some punch? Get that gem.

Know who you like as a Team.

Do you like Shanahan and the Broncos? How about Belechik? Are the 49ers going in the right direction? Is it their style, their coach, the frenzy of their fans, or are they just plain good? Know what you like and draft from those teams. I personally didn’t like Denny Green. His teams underachieved in Minny and in the desert. I would never draft anyone from his teams. They always underperformed. It may not be that players fault. They may be that gem in later seasons, when properly coached.

Made a Bad Pick? Don’t Panic.

I was in a draft where a new guy picked a kicker with his # 1 pick. Being the understanding Commissioner, I suggested that he reconsider and that I would allow him to change his pick. He declined. He also made the playoffs. If a pick goes bad or you have an early injury, the season is not over. Don’t make a foolish trade just to fill that sudden void. Stay the course. Every team has a weak spot somewhere. Fill as best you can or use that solid late round draft pick (depth) to fill in. You will survive.

Get the Best at a Position.

So you don’t have the best RB or the best WR or QB. But you have the best Defense, TE and K. You are a long way towards winning it all. I believe that if I have a shot at getting the best at a given position, I’m going to get him. He is the best because he has a track record. The odds of him doing it again this year are good. It is not a gamble. You know you have a solid producer at that position. One less place to worry about. One extra point: Do not forget to pick a strong defense. Many FF guys leave that until last. Last year in both leagues I had a strong defense. Many games were decided by the points put up by my defense and the lack of then by my opponent. The difference can be 20 points or more.