| 20 January 2011
People, people, people. When Mel Kiper speaks...we need to stop listening. Unless he's talking about his gloriously manicured head of hair, of course.
Yes, it's a cushy gig being a "draft expert."
Though I have no clue how it happened with my track record...
I found it hilarious BOTH Detroit dailies felt the need to breathlessly write about Kiper releasing his first mock draft on their websites Wednesday, and then keep it at the top of the page today.
ESPN's Mel Kiper projects Lions to draft UCLA LB Akeem Ayers
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. unveiled his first NFL mock draft of the year today, projecting the Detroit Lions to pick UCLA outside linebacker Akeem Ayers at No. 13 overall.
Lions take UCLA LB Akeem Ayers in Mel Kiper's mock draft
ESPN's Mel Kiper, draft expert, has issued his first NFL mock draft and he has the Lions drafting UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers with the 13th pick in the first round.
As I ranted last week, mocks must be taken with a grain of salt the size of the Louisiana Purchase. It's far too early, especially with the first of the college All-Star games not taking place until this weekend, to make Kiper's naming Ayers as the Lions' target anything more than pure speculation.
I can guess Kiper's exact thought process: "Hmmm. The Lions fanbase is still leery of offensive skill position players. Offense is out of the question. But the defense is weak! What's up on D...Oh, really? The Lions announced they plan to cut Peterson and Follett is still a question mark with the neck injury? Linebacker is a glaring need, eh? Let's see....Ayers is the "it" guy at the position at the moment. IT MUST BE AYERS! So It Shall Be Written, So It Shall Be Done!"
And that's how you do a mock draft. Or you could flip a coin, and do just as well...
Need I remind anyone of some of Kiper's "greatest hts" when it comes to the Lions?
Kiper LOVED the Lions' selection of Andre Ware 7th overall in 1991, thinking he had NFL star written allover him...despite the beyond obvious evidence of his being a system quarterback at the University of Houston.
The coiffed one hated the selection of Chris Spielman, claiming he was a "4th- or 5th round pick” when the Lions drafted him 29th overall in 1988 draft.
Lets not forget the Hair's greatest hit of all, one Big Mike Williams. Kiper had BMW as his highest rated player in the 2005 draft, believing the Lions got a steal with the 10th overall selection.
Well, we all know what happened.
Spielman had a 10 year career, anchored the Lions' defense for eight seasons, made four Pro Bowls, selected All-Pro in 1991, and became one of the most popular players in Detroit Lions' history.
Ware really was a system quarterback. He started five games in four seasons, ending his mercifully short NFL career with 5 TD's, 8 INT's and a 63.5 QB rating. He's considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history.
Williams was Kiper's pièce de résistance, poster child for everything was wrong with the Matt Millen regime. BMW was drafted as a wide receiver, yet weighed as much as a tackle. A receiver in nose tackle clothing. If Dean Wormer had been the Lions' GM, would have told BMW, "Fat, slow and unmotivated is no way to go through life, son." (Admittedly, BMW somehow managed to turn his career around with the Seahawks this season, proving to be a decent possession receiver. So Williams has progressed from 1st round bust to serviceable...but still not remortely worthy of Kiper's pre-draft accolades.)
So remind me again why EVERYONE follows Kiper's mocks?
Oh, right.
Kiper has the marketing might of ESPN behind him. Hey, any entitiy that has Chris Berman as an NFL "expert" knows precisely what they're doing, right?
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