ProMallNinja

What's interesting to me about the "mock draft" process is that the media creates this 20-40 player pool that must be selected before anyone else. Then the public becomes outraged when their team passes on a player who's public perception is more popular for a player that the team has spent loads of money and man hours on scouting him. It's also becomes pretty clear when we have a very deep year when none of the mocks ever look the same as their counterparts. There has been a lot of variety in this year's mock draft selections. It's at least interesting enough to help pass the time while we wait for bigger football fish to fry.

jeanpierre

One benefit of mock drafts is you become more familiar with players, their skill set, and other teams tendencies and needs...

While most good teams will select BPA, can't see a team using a 34 defense taking a three technique defensive tackle unless it's an outstanding player and to strategically prevent certain teams from getting said player and/or to trade the player for equal value to meet a team personnel need...

Shuffling and reshuffling also tends to get the overall player's value into a better perspective; even though once the real bullets, spears, arrows let fly, you really find out what you got...

At the end of the day, Mocking is Rehearsing, and as luck favors the prepared individual, teams mock so that they may be ready should an opportunity (i.e. trade offer, unexpected prospect availability) present itself and some prior thought has been put into a decision that may be made rather quickly...

For amateurs and fans who enjoy the process, they have a better understanding of what is happening as NFL decision makers are drafting and can have a deeper appreciation to some degree certain events that take place more so than the casual fan...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

SaintsBro

I like reading all the lofty discussion of draft predictions and what the Saints should do, and then Payton and Loomis goes and picks some guy from Canada, some dude from a tiny school that no one has ever heard of, or a guy who didn't even play football in college.

Utah_Saint

Mocks encourage discussions about prospective players and team needs, both the Saints and other teams. It's the offseason, having things to discuss is a good thing.

Personally, I learn a lot about the players coming out. I don't watch much college ball so I get most of my draft info from guys on here doing Mocks.

And as always, if someone doesn't like power rankings, mocks or polls, they shouldn't click on threads that have power rankings, mocks or polls in the title.

Just my opinion.

Danno

Are you talking about mocks or player profiles? I love reading the player profiles, but mocks are very similar to power rankings. Sometimes fun to read if the writer comments on each team and each pick, but just a list of teams-player is kinda boring.

saintfan

Player profiles are more or less the truth. Mocks are pretend, by definition.

SmashMouth

...sorta like an impersonation of Zoey!

Marlboro Man

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG, AHAHAHAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Utah_Saint

I'll admit they're mostly above my head because I have to go find the profiles to know who anyone is.

That being said, there's enough people on here that do it, they must be getting something out of it. Like...

"I picked up player X to fill to upgrade position 1"... "that leaves me player Y in the next round for position 2"

TheOak

Personally, I start reading player profiles after the draft because it makes the draft more enjoyable for me. I have yet to see anyone successfully predict the Saints draft picks and its more time than I care to spend on 300+ players when we will get 7ish of them. I am not much of a fan of getting my mind set on a few players and we end up picking none of them...

I like digging into the Salary cap because there are at minimum some basic knowns and there is a lot that is either not understood or misunderstood. I cant do that for the draft, there are so many variables that is is nearly impossible to know... For me it is much like sitting around guessing lottery numbers, and even with lottery numbers there are more knowns.

For instance in Round One of the draft, there is no way to know who will be available for the Saints pick this season @ 27. To even be able to guess at that, I would have to know how 26 teams make their picks, either Need or BPA.... Then there is the issue that we as die hard fans don't know how our own team picks.

I do not even run mock drafts for Fantasy Football, it just isn't time spent with any value what so ever.


Here is an example:

Kenny Vaccaro - Our first round draft pick. No reference to any mock draft and only reference in the search was because there was a visit. Hagen did say he would go in the 1st.
http://blackandgold.com/saints/57099...houghts-2.html