Yesterday was a groundbreaking day for the NFL. Missouri defensive end Michael Sam was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. That makes Sam the first openly gay player in the league. It shouldn't be a big deal and Sam most certainly doesn't want it to be a big deal. He's stated since he came out to the world that he wants this to be about Michael Sam, the football player. I'm all for that. His treatment shouldn't be any different than the other football players selected by NFL teams over the past three days. To continue as a football player Michael Sam has his work cut out for him. He was drafted by a team with the perhaps the most talented defensive line in the league. From what I've learned about Michael Sam, the football player and the man, over the past few months, I wouldn't bet against him continuing his football career.
The best thing about Michael Sam's selection by the St. Louis Rams is that we are closer to the day when an openly gay person can do whatever he or she wants and it not being a big deal at all.
Like Day 2, it was real difficult to wait through an entire round of picks before the Minnesota Vikings made their first selection of the day. They had trade their fourth round pick to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday in order to move into the first round and select Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. I think that fourth round pick was well spent but I still had to wait through the fourth round yesterday.
Then, the Vikings proceeded to bounce around the draft like the 49ers did on Friday. General manager Rick Spielman said that he wanted to come out of the draft with ten picks. He had four picks over the first two days. His moving around yesterday brought the total to exactly that. 10 picks. On the button.
After what seemed like a six hour wait, the Vikings six picks on day three played out like this:
5. David Yankey G Stanford
6. Antone Exum S Virginia Tech
6. Kendall James CB Maine
7. Shamar Stephen DT Connecticut
7. Brandon Watts LB Georgia Tech
7. Jabari Price CB North Carolina
I doubt that anyone would have been surprised if Yankey or Exum were selected on day two. Each has a chance to start this season. That's not bad for day three picks.
It was awesome to hear that the Carolina Panthers made it possible for general manager Dave Gettleman to attend his son's college graduation and conduct the draft. The Panthers set up a virtual draft room at the college and Gettleman was in two places at once. Nicely done.
Even in the worst days of Cal football they still had a player or two selected in the first or second rounds. This was not one of those years. Tight end Richard Rodgers was selected in the third round by the Green Bay Packers. He was the first Cal play selected. The second Cal player was linebacker Khairi Fortt, selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth. He was one of the Penn St. transfers. He was never healthy at Cal. I hear that he was terrific at Penn St. Fortt was never on the field enough to show it at Cal. The Saints selected him on potential. He certainly looks like an NFL linebacker.
I really like the Buffalo Bills fourth round selection of Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell. Every single time that I tuned into a Duke game, he looked like the best football player on the field.
Another pick that I really liked was the Miami Dolphins selection of Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp in the fifth round. Tripp can do a little bit of everything and do it well. Skill-wise, he seemed like a day two pick. I was surprised that he made it to day three.
When Pac-12 players were selected most of their highlights were against Cal. Very strange. This was especially true of receivers. Pac-12 receivers have routinely had career days against Cal's secondary recently.
The NFL Network peeps pointed out that all seven of the New York Giants were team captains in college. That's always a nice indication of leadership and character. The Giants also made their last pick early in the sixth round. I guess that the decision-makers had some place to be.
With A.J. McCarron, Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, and the "rankings-climber" Tom Savage still on the board, the Arizona Cardinals selected Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas in the fourth round. About two years ago, Thomas was considered the possible #1 pick in whatever draft he enters. Talent-wise, you'd have a difficult time finding a better quarterback. This pick could be a steal or an "oh well." Either way, Logan Thomas is a great fourth round pick.
Later in the fourth round, the Houston Texans selected Tom Savage. His late rise apparently pushed him past the more established and respected A.J. McCarron, Zach Mettenberger, and Aaron Murray.
I think that Aaron Murray landed in the right place with the Kansas City Chiefs. Those negotiation hangups between Alex Smith and the Chiefs might, miraculously, work themselves out now.
The defenses in the NFC West were already brutal. They are a nightmare now.
It's funny what a Super Bowl win will do to draft day criticisms. Every New England Patriots pick is golden now. The Seattle Seahawks are already getting that kind of respect. They are drafting their type of players. Those players may not be high on the lists of everyone. The team now has a trophy to show that their method works. In 2012, a Seahawks draft of Brian Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and especially Russell Wilson was given an "F" by Bleacher Report. You have to consider the source. The fact that they were especially critical of Wilson tells you all that you need to know about those supposed football experts. Still, the Seahawks drafts under general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll have been questioned by many. They aren't questioned anymore. They now let the Seahawks draft picks actually step on the field and play some professional football. Imagine that.
When the final pick is made it always feels as though the very first pick was a week ago.
Congratulations to all the college football players that are now professional football players.
Now, the race to sign undrafted free agents is on....
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