The draft is about so many things. Value. Risk. Luck. Hidden gems and high-pick busts.
The definition of success, more times than not, can swing on who was taken after your team’s first round pick.
Case in point: There’s a real argument to be made that JaMarcus Russell going No. 1 overall in 2007 was the worst pick ever because the game’s best wide receiver (Calvin Johnson), tackle (Joe Thomas), running back (Adrian Peterson), middle linebacker (Patrick Willis) and cornerback (Darrelle Revis) for the better part of a decade were taken after the Oakland Raiders missed with Russell.
That’s of huge import today since there are a couple of quarterbacks rumored to be in the mix among the top 10 picks in a draft that features an elite pass rusher in Jadeveon Clowney, an elite tackle in Greg Robinson, an elite wide out in Sammy Watkins and an elite linebacker in Khalil Mack.
The draft starts with all the caution signs and a simple warning: Caveat Emptor — buyer beware.