Michael Sam ?

[Crimsoncrew]

As image-conscious as the NFL is, it would not surprise me at all. If he doesn't get drafted, the gullible public will be asked by the media "How can the Defensive Player of The Year in the country's strongest conference not be good enough to be aong the 225 college players drafted"? They'll swallow it whole.

256 guys drafted. Sam should still be drafted, even with poor workout numbers. His combine performance is pretty similar to Jonathan Massaquoi who went in the 5th in 2012, and Massaquoi didn't have the same on-field production. But now there's at least a chance he won't be based purely on projecting him for the NFL.

 

[clyde_carbon]

256 guys drafted. Sam should still be drafted, even with poor workout numbers. His combine performance is pretty similar to Jonathan Massaquoi who went in the 5th in 2012, and Massaquoi didn't have the same on-field production. But now there's at least a chance he won't be based purely on projecting him for the NFL.

And none of the 256 guys come equipped with a full blown media circus.

Same reason why Tim Tebow doesn't have a job in the NFL. He's a better football player than a lot of people in the NFL right now, but the circus and SportsHoopla that comes along with him just isn't worth it.

I'm not gonna blame the teams or Sam, but I AM gonna blame the piranhas in the media who love to prod and exploit these kinds of situations for personal gain.

Honestly if I was a GM, I don't think I would draft him. What he's gonna give me on the field just isn't worth it. I can easily find the same type of player that won't bring this package with him.

 

[NinerSickness]

I think the media circus would die down over time for a non-QB. For a QB it's different.

But I still wouldn't draft him before the late 5th or 6th round, and I wouldn't draft him at all if I were a 3-4 team.

 

[clyde_carbon]

I think the media circus would die down over time for a non-QB. For a QB it's different.

But I still wouldn't draft him before the late 5th or 6th round, and I wouldn't draft him at all if I were a 3-4 team.

It might. But who knows when it can pick up again as soon as someone on the team says something that can be misinterpreted or questionable.

The talent just isn't worth it, IMO.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I think the media circus would die down over time for a non-QB. For a QB it's different.

But I still wouldn't draft him before the late 5th or 6th round, and I wouldn't draft him at all if I were a 3-4 team.

Yeah, Tebow was kind of an aberration in terms of staying power. I wouldn't expect coverage of Sam to be as fierce or last as long. And I don't really see people screaming for him to start the way some were for Tebow.

 

[Dodub]

Haralson, but actually a fair bit less athletic. I have doubts about his ability to hold up against the run, and that was/is Haralson's best attribute. I agree for us he's looking like a 6th or 7th rounder. I wouldn't be shocked to see him go in the 5th, though.

What's pretty interesting here is that normally the best thing about this type of guy is that he's a hard worker, leader, catalyst (positively) in the locker room. Whether fair or not, teams may be concerned that he will be a catalyst in the locker room in a negative way, and that kind of offsets his biggest benefit. He's still draftable based on his on-field performance, but there's no doubt this performance hurts him. At least his arm length was pretty good....

IIRC, Haralson also posted pretty terrible numbers. I'll have to look and make sure

 

[TobyTyler]

256 guys drafted. Sam should still be drafted, even with poor workout numbers. His combine performance is pretty similar to Jonathan Massaquoi who went in the 5th in 2012, and Massaquoi didn't have the same on-field production. But now there's at least a chance he won't be based purely on projecting him for the NFL.

I thought there were only 7 rounds for 32 teams?

 

[TobyTyler]

It might. But who knows when it can pick up again as soon as someone on the team says something that can be misinterpreted or questionable.

The talent just isn't worth it, IMO.

......or when someone on another team cheap shots him and injures him. Accusations will fly.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

I thought there were only 7 rounds for 32 teams?

Plus 32 comp picks.

 

[joshuar56]

And none of the 256 guys come equipped with a full blown media circus.

Same reason why Tim Tebow doesn't have a job in the NFL. He's a better football player than a lot of people in the NFL right now, but the circus and SportsHoopla that comes along with him just isn't worth it.

I'm not gonna blame the teams or Sam, but I AM gonna blame the piranhas in the media who love to prod and exploit these kinds of situations for personal gain.

Honestly if I was a GM, I don't think I would draft him. What he's gonna give me on the field just isn't worth it. I can easily find the same type of player that won't bring this package with him.

No he's not, stopped reading right there.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

IIRC, Haralson also posted pretty terrible numbers. I'll have to look and make sure

Parys Haralson | Tennessee, DE : 2006 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

Haralson was better across the board. Biggest things for Haralson physically were pretty good bench and vertical numbers. His strength allowed him to play the run very effectively despite his lack of ideal size. Sam's 40 isn't the problem, IMO. Bigger concerns for me are his bench, his vertical, and his three-cone (on par with guys who outweigh him by 60+ pounds).

 

[maniax]

With those poor combine results, it's time to give Micheal Sam a new title.

He will be the first openly gay athlete to be NOT drafted for the NFL.

 

[NinerSickness]

Also, the dude's full of crap (no innuendo intended). He said he's looking forward to the day when people call him Michael Sam the football player rather than Michael Sam the gay football player. Meanwhile, he comes in with rainbow button asking people to "stand with Sam."

You can't have it both ways toots.

 

[MHSL82]

Also, the dude's full of crap (no innuendo intended). He said he's looking forward to the day when people call him Michael Sam the football player rather than Michael Sam the gay football player. Meanwhile, he comes in with rainbow button asking people to "stand with Sam."

You can't have it both ways toots.

He's looking forward to the day, it's just the day isn't today. I'm looking forward to the draft, but I don't want it to be today, because Baalke and Harbaugh need more time to assess.

 

[MHSL82]

With those poor combine results, it's time to give Micheal Sam a new title.

He will be the first openly gay athlete to be NOT drafted for the NFL.

The last pick should be him and then see if people avoid calling him Mr. Irrelevant, because his sexuality is oh so relevant.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Also, the dude's full of crap (no innuendo intended). He said he's looking forward to the day when people call him Michael Sam the football player rather than Michael Sam the gay football player. Meanwhile, he comes in with rainbow button asking people to "stand with Sam."

You can't have it both ways toots.

Oh, if you don't think that this is a way for him to earn a buck or two or some publicity you're naive. No matter what he says there's gonna be another agenda behind it. The notion that he just wants to be looked at as a football player is...BS.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Also, the dude's full of crap (no innuendo intended). He said he's looking forward to the day when people call him Michael Sam the football player rather than Michael Sam the gay football player. Meanwhile, he comes in with rainbow button asking people to "stand with Sam."

You can't have it both ways toots.

I disagree. As MHSL says, you can hope for something while realizing we're not there yet. I'm sure most people in the civil rights movement hoped that they wouldn't have to march some day, even as they were marching. I don't see any inconsistencies there.

 

[badazzk9]

Also, the dude's full of crap (no innuendo intended). He said he's looking forward to the day when people call him Michael Sam the football player rather than Michael Sam the gay football player. Meanwhile, he comes in with rainbow button asking people to "stand with Sam."

You can't have it both ways toots.

He had softball questions in the media and anything negative was taboo to say, it helped in his advantage. After his combine performance the "Gay" tag was the best thing he had going for him.

Now he is going to be know "Michael Sam the Gay football player that sucks" (On the field and off)

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Oh, if you don't think that this is a way for him to earn a buck or two or some publicity you're naive. No matter what he says there's gonna be another agenda behind it. The notion that he just wants to be looked at as a football player is...BS.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Someone had to be the first openly gay NFL player. Odds are very high that person would much prefer to just play football and not worry about his sexuality. But that's not the reality of the situation. Accepting the burden - and publicity/fame, admittedly - of being that first player does not necessarily mean you long for the attention you are receiving. It may just mean he doesn't want to constantly lie about/hide who he is. Or he may have consciously decided that he would shoulder the burden so others wouldn't have to. There are dozens of explanations for his decision that are not financially motivated. Obviously the financial piece is also a consideration, but it's far from the only one.

 

[NinerSickness]

I disagree. As MHSL says, you can hope for something while realizing we're not there yet. I'm sure most people in the civil rights movement hoped that they wouldn't have to march some day, even as they were marching. I don't see any inconsistencies there.

The inconsistency is that he's talking out of both sides of his mouth. If he just wanted to be looked at as a football player he wouldn't have come with the buttons and slogans. He wants to be treated like everyone else, yet he's the only player who was allowed to have his agent & publicist with him during the combine. He's completely full of crap.