NFL DRAFT-"Best player available"?

Just got finished writing my NFL Draft Guide (now for sale on my website—nudge,nudge) and it still amazes me how some of the people responsible for their team's drafts, such as GMs, owners, coaches, etc., don't seem to have a clue about what to do when it comes to drafting.

All this talk about we'll take the "best player available" always seems like a joke to me, and it's no wonder some of these teams continue to suck while others remain at the top of the heap!

Let's look at the Lions for instance.

With the No. 1 pick in the draft this year, it is speculated by many that QB Matthew Stafford from Georgia or LB Aaron Curry from Wake Forest are looking more and more to be the favorites over T Jason Smith of Baylor.

Why? Ok, Daunte Culpepper isn't what he used to be, but he has slimmed down again and could definitely help improve this team if he can stay healthy and if he has some blocking.

Another factor here is that there will be other QB's still on the board later in the draft that could come in and challenge for a starting role, as well as the fact that they could draft another QB next year if things don't work out for Culpepper this season.

So, sorry folks, but for me, QB Matt Stafford is not the smart choice here.

LB Aaron Curry is the No. 1 rated player in the draft, but again I have some questions about this pick.

LB Ernie Sims is one of the best LB's in the league, and they also acquired Julian Peterson from the Seahawks. Again, there will be linebackers available later in the draft they could select to battle it out with Alex Lewis and Jordan Dizon for the third LB spot, so I can't see the sense in drafting Curry either.

Now look at the offensive line.

Jeff Backus in one of the best tackles in the league, but ex-Titan Daniel Loper or T George Foster at the other tackle could immediately be upgraded, and probably for a lot of years to come, with the addition of Jason Smith.

Ok, so you could make an argument that the T position has some fine prospects as well this year, but Jason Smith and T Eugene Monroe of Virginia seem to be in a class all their own.

Any of these players will help a horrible team, but you need to make your picks count, and hey, it is just my opinion (although I do end up being right a lot of the time when it comes to the NFL), but if they don't select Smith it could haunt them for years to come.

Why do you think teams like the Steelers, Giants, Cowboys, and many of the other consistently good teams in the league don't have more than a couple of down years in a row?

They are experts at looking at their roster, knowing what holes they have to fill, and getting players that will help the team become more solid no matter where they pick in the draft.

Another scenario that I find perplexing is the Saint Louis Rams with the second pick.

There has been much talk about T's Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe, LB Aaron Curry, and even the possibility of Stafford if the Lions don't sign him.

I have to ask; What about WR Michael Crabtreee?

Ok, I understand T Orlando Pace is gone (Ravens), but there are a lot of teams that are worse off than Alex Barron and Adam Goldberg as their starting tackles.

Curry would be a nice fit to go with Will Witherspoon and Pisa Tinoisamoa at LB, but LB's Chris Draft and Quinton Culberson are not horrible, and as I said before, there will be other LB's available later on that can also help.

QB Marc Bulger doesn't look as good as he used to, but this could be more because their inside blocking needs help (especially the guard position now that they have C Jason Brown from the Ravens), and the fact that without Torry Holt (Jaguars), who is the QB going to throw the ball to?

Donnie Avery should only get better, but with their second WR being either the often injured second year WR Keenan Burton, or ex-Falcon Laurent Robinson, how can you pass up on a talent like Crabtree? Again, just my opinion, but looking at the whole picture, it makes more sense to me.

Look what the Lions have done recently as well as teams like the Marvin Lewis led Bengals and the Herm Edwards led Chiefs, and you can see how poor draft choices have taken these teams into the crapper.

"Best player available," how do you know?

These guys haven't even played an NFL game yet!

Tom Brady was a seventh round draft choice for pete's sake, so I guess there were over 200 "best players available" before him huh?

The teams that thrive are the teams that take the "best player available" for their team.

Do you think the Colts, with Peyton Manning, are going to take QBs Mark Sanchez or Josh Freeman because they are the "best player available" when their pick comes up? Of course not.

Do you think the Steelers will take a LB in the first round because it is the "best player available?" Never gonna happen!

Fill in your weaknesses, make your depth stronger, and pick the best player for your team. Those are the teams that thrive and survive in the NFL.

For anyone who is interested I have all the free agent and trade activity for every team posted on my website at www.johnnynfl.com, and my 2009 NFL draft guide, complete with my seven round mock draft, is now available for purchase as well, so check it out and hope your team has a draft to be proud of!