HOW DID YOUR TEAM FARE IN THE NFL DRAFT?
Jacksonville, Minnesota get top grades
er benefits from his college program — seemed like something straight out of Bamboozled, a Spike Lee-directed film (circa 2000) with a theme laced with mass media sabotage.
Of course, this was hardly fiction. That’s why Roger Goodell’s reaction to Tunsil’s embarrassing slide — “It’s what makes the draft so exciting,” he said — was worse than the NFL commissioner just demonstrating another slice of tone deafness. It was cruel.
Goodell, who has railed against predraft leaks of drug tests, needed to strongly condemn whoever was behind the sinister acts intended to damage Tunsil at a time when his football exploits were celebrated on the NFL’s red carpet.
It’s no wonder that Goodell was so routinely booed on the Chicago stage.
In any event, by falling to the Dolphins in the lucky 13th slot, Tunsil lost in the neighborhood of $10 million.
The episode nonetheless underscored the NFL’s premium on image, even though we shouldn’t be alarmed that a kid in college appeared to smoke marijuana. It’s the optics on top of the act that added a new chapter to the history of NFL draft folly.
The good thing for Tunsil — suddenly a face of the draft in the worst way — is that the selection process is not the end. It’s the beginning. He’s hardly the first player to slide because of off-the-field issues — Dan Marino and Warren Sapp became Hall of Famers despite stains inflicted during the draft process — even though his case breaks new ground.
He also has company in some ways. Myles Jack, the versatile linebacker from UCLA, was a projected high first-rounder who lasted until the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him in the second round.
There have been ongoing questions about Jack’s right knee and long-term, degenerative concerns stemming from the torn meniscus and cartilage damage, but he is apparently recovered.
When Jack acknowledged to the New York Post a day before the draft that he might have to have microfracture surgery in the future, it represented another red flag.
With teams having layers of medical information at their disposal, including firsthand evaluations, you’d think that Jack’s comments might be taken with a grain of salt.
But at least one decision-maker, Carolina Panthers general man- ager Dave Gettleman, said he wasn’t surprised to see Jack go unclaimed in the first round because “the kid came out and said he is going to need a microfracture.”
No, the kid didn’t exactly say that. According to the Post, Jack said, “Down the line, potentially, I could have microfracture surgery — potentially. Who knows what will happen?”
After arriving in Jacksonville, Jack contended that his comments were misconstrued.
“It was kind of one of those things where I was misquoted,” he said at a news conference. “Then I got asked the back end of a question and said that, so I got quoted saying that.”
The Jaguars pretty much went on their own medical info — including three exams and numerous MRIs — in clearing Jack, who looks like another stud for a defense that has stockpiled an impressive array of talent, including rookie defensive back Jalen Ramsey (fifth overall), key free agent signee Malik Jackson and edge rusher Dante Fowler.
“With any player, there is risk,” Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell said.
The Jags drafted Fowler third overall in 2015 as a prospect who had never missed a game or even a practice at Florida because of injury. Then Fowler blew up his knee on the first day of rookie minicamp, wiping out his season.
Caldwell said the “sentimental part of me” was moved as he watched Jack in the green room during the first round of the made-for-TV draft.
For Day 2, Jack opted not to return to the green room. He stayed in a hotel room until chosen with the fifth pick of the second round, 36th overall. Then again, besides the rookie contract numbers, it’s not about where you start in the NFL. Hall of Famers Brett Favre, Michael Strahan and Thurman Thomas entered the league as second-round picks.
Jack need not to be reminded of that … or what it took to land such a prominent reality TV role.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime process, and I appreciate it,” Jack said. “But I’m glad it’s over with.”