Snowflakes: Jake Long Goes #1 (and Other 2008 NFL Draft Thoughts)

The NFL Draft is this Saturday, and some of our Southern teams appear to hold the key to the most important non-gameday of the year. The Miami Dolphins have the #1 pick, and the Miami Herald reports that OT Jake Long will be the face of the new Bill Parcell’s regime.

The Dallas Cowboys have two first-round picks (#22 and #28), and that gives Jerry Jones an interesting dilemma. He could add two top-notch players to the team, or he could trade up for fellow Arkansas Razorback Darren McFadden and have a huge weapon (both football and marketing) to take into his new Stadium. Maybe the most important team on Draft day will be the Atlanta Falcons, who hold the #3 overall pick and six other choices in the Top 103. That’s an amazing number of high picks, and it will give new Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff a chance to improve the club and win back fans after the Michael Vick debacle.

The Draft has become a huge part of the fabric of the sports calendar for fans all over the country. In fact, over 36 million people tuned in to at least part of ESPN’s draft coverage last year. I think the main reason for this type of interest is that the Draft represents the perfect marriage of hope for all teams plus it unites college football fanatics from SEC/Big 12 country with NFL followers in New York, Pittsburgh, Seattle, etc. Fans in the Southeast and Southwest have formed bonds with their favorite players during their collegiate careers, and it becomes a source of pride to see those gridiron warriors graduate to the next level.

Just look around our Swampland region, and you’ll see how Southern fans view their favorite players on the professional level. There are tons of Packers’ fans in southern Mississippi, Colts’ fans all over Tennessee, and Titans’ fans in Austin, Texas. Obviously, the reasons for those allegiances are favorite sons Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Vince Young. Think there are some New York Giants’ jerseys being sold in Oxford, Mississippi these days? You better believe it. And whether it’s Dallas, Oakland, or New York, some NFL town is about to gain some fans in Arkansas when Darren McFadden is selected.

As far as the actual picks this year, I agree with the AJC’s Mark Bradley that the Falcons should take Matt Ryan, unless they just do not think he is a franchise leader. I believe the Cowboys should resist the temptation of McFadden and go with getting two solid, first-round players to add to their Playoff roster.

And for the Dolphins, I believe they have set the tone for a new culture of football by going with all-business, tough offensive tackle Jake Long. One thing is for sure, nothing affects the long-term health of an NFL franchise-on the field and with their fan base- more than the decisions they make at the top of the Draft.

- Patrick Snow

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