Risk, Reward, Sure Thing! Part II

If you want a Steal, think HEELS!!!

The 2nd round of the NFL starts today at 6:00 pm on ESPN, and if you are hoping your team can get a steal in this round or the next few, you are in luck. There are quite a few good players left on the board, like Da'Quan Bowers and Ryan Mallet.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have some really good players that have not been drafted. The reason they were overlooked in the 1st round is that many of the Heels players' draft stock was hurt by all the off the field issues of the past season. This includes Robert Quinn, Marvin Austin, and Greg Little who missed the entire season. So, many of the Heels are risks this year, but if a team takes a chance on them in the later rounds these guys could deliver huge rewards!

Marvin Austin can be a little lazy and his motor is in question, add this to all the off the field drama, and you have a 1st round cabiler pick still on the board. Austin has size and speed close to a player like Warren Sapp. Austin would be a real steal in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Bruce Carter is a sure thing. Will he be great, maybe, but he is a sure fire NFL starter. He has a burst of speed that translates to production in the NFL. Carter used this burst to block a ton of kicks in college and he can close the gap on the ball in a heartbeat. He would be a great player to pick up in the next few rounds.

Da'Norris Searcy is another player who could really be a steal in the later rounds. Searcy is 6 feet tall and weights 223 lbs. so he has good safety size. 223 lbs. is a bulky man when he is only 6 feet tall, yet Searcy is a great kick returner. As safety or return man, Searcy could make an impact pretty quickly for some NFL team. Searcy would be a great value in the 3rd or later rounds.

Some other Heels who could be steals are Greg Little (good size, strong, and athletic), Quan Sturdivant, Kendrick Burney, and Deunta Williams (who is a head hunter who put viscous hits on ACC offensive players).

Some other players from the Heels who maybe drafted or at least have a chance to make a NFL roster are: Charles Brown, Johnny White, and Zach Pianalto, and even T.J. Yates (small chance).

Why Hasn't Da'Quan Bowers Been Drafted?

His knee has scared away lost of teams.

As I watched the First Round unfold last night, I was shocked as team after team passed on Da'Quan Bowers, the stud DE from Clemson.  I've heard that questions arose at the combine about his knee, and evidently a lot of teams are afraid to draft him.  Some have even taken him completely off their draft boards!  His size, athleticism and skill are hardly matched by any other DE in his draft class, but here he sits after Round One.  Why?

Evidently, his knee injury is pretty serious, as some have said he may need microfracture surgery to repair it, which would most likely cost him his rookie season.  I understand how that could scare many teams away from paying him tens of millions to sit his first season.  Teams who make huge investments want quick returns.  

When I heard "microfracture" surgery, the first two names that came to my mind were Greg Oden and Yao Ming, two NBA players who have been decimated with similar knee injuries and haven't played in two years.  This HAS to be what NFL organizations are thinking about as well, wondering if Bowers will miss out on a long career.  

I decided to do some research and found an EXCELLENT ARTICLE regarding these injuries and pro athletes.  It has been documented that NBA players careers declined at a much faster rate than NFL players, and it states that the corrective microfracture procedure actually HELPS PROLONG NFL careers! 

Certainly, now that we're out of the tens-of-millions-of-dollars contract round, somebody has to take Bowers quickly, I would think.  Since the Patriots have the first pick tonight, if they don't want him, don't be surprised if they trade down again for more picks and another team moves up to grab Bowers. 

I would be shocked if he lasts more than the first five picks tonight, as his potential value far outweighs his slotted contract price.  If the Falcons are going to trade five picks for Julio Jones, I'd trade a couple more and moved up and get Bowers.  Bowers and Jones would give Atlanta two premium talents at two positions of need (pass rusher and playmaker). 

Don't Buy the Hype:  Draft Da'Quan Bowers.  He's more than worth the risk.