HOUSE Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 (edited) Who's to blame for D.K. Metcalf's draft fall? Us and a social media hype machine NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If we ever need to be reminded that NFL draft slides are rough and this live televised event is real life mixed in with entertainment (sometimes unmercifully), we only need to cue up the Seattle Seahawks’ call after selecting Ole Miss wideout D.K. Metcalf with the last pick in the second round. The same Metcalf who became the flashiest of advertisements for the NFL’s scouting combine in February, when he ran a scorching 4.33 40-yard dash after smashing the internet with a shirtless weight room photo that probably threatened some marriages. That hype machine loved Metcalf, predicting him as a potential top-10 pick and all but guaranteeing he would be one of the most promoted players leading into this draft. D.K. Metcalf was a star at the NFL scouting combine in February. That didn't carryover for the rest of the draft process. Seattle did, however, select him as the last pick in the second round on Friday night. (AP) While social media and 40-yard dash times can create excitement, boring old film of a player’s collegiate production is often what creates a high first-round pick. And that part of the process was hard on Metcalf’s stock. That’s how one of the hottest stars of the combine suffered through a cooler draft reception, leaving him to be the last player in the NFL’s green room selected. That is, if Metcalf was still there when it happened. He wasn’t, choosing to spend Friday’s proceedings at his mother’s house after going unselected in the first round. We figured that out when the Seahawks posted an emotional call that appeared to leave both Metcalf and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll with some tears flowing. Metcalf started off sounding composed if not a little angry when he answered his phone. But when general manager John Schneider uttered the only words that mattered – “Hey man, get fired up. We’re gonna make you a Seahawk, OK?” – the emotional levy broke. Before you knew it, Metcalf was sobbing and Schneider was handing the phone off to Carroll. And then Carroll appeared to choke up, saying “We’ll both cry together then, all right?” What happened here? Well, we happened. All of us, really. The media happened. We got amped up on a player again at the combine despite a litany of yellow flags that were clearly sliding him down boards in the ensuing weeks and months. Despite constantly admitting that we overhype some guys, we do it annually because we can’t seem to help ourselves. But we occasionally have help, too. In the form of, say, Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden. Who can forget Gruden’s love letter to Metcalf in February? https://sports.yahoo.com/whos-to-blame-for-dk-metcalfs-draft-fall-us-and-a-social-media-hype-machine-043500812.html Edited April 29, 2019 by HOUSE 4 1
Fr. Jerk Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 (edited) Crying is OK... as long as its not in Baseball. Edited April 29, 2019 by The Jerk 2 6
TroutDog Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Yup to the article. I am so thankful we didn’t fall for the hype (not that I expected Beane to do so) as he just didn’t play like a first rounder. Barely like a second rounder. 4
SoCal Deek Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Whereas the WR the Bills selected was.....oh wait! 1 2
BuffaloBill Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 3 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said: Whereas the WR the Bills selected was.....oh wait! So you wanted them to take an over-hyped guy way before he should have been selected? That move is what some of the past regimes did. How did two first round picks against Watkins work out? 14 2 5
Chuck Wagon Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 It's the flaw in the death star of this predraft process. Media isn't making picks. Often times they are used by teams as smokescreens. None of us know where teams truly evaluate prospects. Even in post draft grades, people are really only grading based upon their own evaluations. 1 1
SoCal Deek Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Just now, BuffaloBill said: So you wanted them to take an over-hyped guy way before he should have been selected? That move is what some of the past regimes did. How did two first round picks against Watkins work out? I actually didn’t want Metcalf but I really thought they’d get a WR in the 3rd or even in the 2nd. Now that the dust has cleared I’m going to really watching to see how our 2, 3, and 4 picks pan out. This year’s draft grade will hinge on those three guys.
PetermansRedemption Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Hype or not, as a combine warrior alone, I would have been thrilled with DK in the 3rd round. Far more than a RB. It’s not like D.K. didn’t produce when not injured. 3
atlbillsfan1975 Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Great article and shows scouts and front offices are getting more savvy. This was a weak WR class. I think Beane looked at who was available in the draft and felt the team already had players who possessed that skill set. He didn’t waste a pick on a player he knew wouldn’t have a great chance to separate himself from the others. Another sign Beane knew better than us what was going on. 3 2
george c Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Whaley would have bit hard, and traded up to 3rd overall for this guy.. 1 17 1
aristocrat Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 1 minute ago, ScottLaw said: Who on the team possesses DK's skill set? What WR? John brown has that straight ahead speed. That’s all dk has. Dk is like one of those racing semis. They go fast straight ahead but they can turn. 5 1
Toesy Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 The funny thing about that article and Metcalf's shirtless photos-you can walk into a gym in any fair sized city and there will be a few guys or more who have a lot more impressive builds than Metcalf-it doesn't make you an NFL star. 2
RobbRiddicksTDLeap Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 4 minutes ago, ScottLaw said: Who on the team possesses DK's skill set? What WR? John Brown has at least been productive in the league in the same role that Metcalf would have played. Oh, and he can make lateral cuts with ease, isn’t sluggish on digs or comebacks, and can get off press coverage at the line. So.... 4 1
hondo in seattle Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Before the draft, an anonymous scout told Bob McGinn that Metcalf was a “media creation.” 3
Buddy Hix Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Maybe Yahoo Sports can get caught up in the hype but guys that watch thousands of hours of film, like Crabbs and the crew at TDN, had a high grade on DK. I guess we’ll see how it turns out. Personally, I’d much rather have stayed put in round 2 and taken DK than have traded up for Ford. 1
RobbRiddicksTDLeap Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 Just now, Buddy Hix said: Maybe Yahoo Sports can get caught up in the hype but guys that watch thousands of hours of film, like Crabbs and the crew at TDN, had a high grade on DK. I guess we’ll see how it turns out. Personally, I’d much rather have stayed put in round 2 and taken DK than have traded up for Ford. He has tremendous potential, there is no questioning that. The issue is, when is the right time to pull the trigger on potential? Beane said it best in his post-draft presser, he watched the board thinking “oh man i can’t believe some of these guys are still on the board”, but that he wanted to stay put instead of spending draft capital and messing with the big board. In years to come we may look back and say “man I’m glad we have Singletary instead of Metcalf”. It could also go the other way too. That’s the beauty of the draft. You trust your scouts and your guts and you build your team the way you see fit. I would have loved him in the 3rd or 4th, but I’m also happy with the way things panned out for the Bills this draft. 2 1
Mrbojanglezs Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 I think he will do good in Seattle, at least at what he is already good at....going deep and catching bombs....we'll see if he develops anymore of his game
aceman_16 Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 37 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said: Whereas the WR the Bills selected was.....oh wait! We didn't draft a QB either 1
apuszczalowski Posted April 29, 2019 Posted April 29, 2019 11 minutes ago, Mrbojanglezs said: I think he will do good in Seattle, at least at what he is already good at....going deep and catching bombs....we'll see if he develops anymore of his game That was the only reason why I thought he could make a good fit in Buffalo, his best ability is to just go out and catch bombs. The one draft analysis of him made it sound like he was tailor made for Allen. He will need the right offence to be any good. He isnt a guy who can be plugged into just any offence and be good 1
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