It's Christmas time in the NFL, here's a buyer's guide in what not to get

It’s almost here, basically Christmas day for all football fans.  We cautiously wait with anticipation, come down from our long spring slumbers with dreams of massive offensive lineman, blazing RB, havoc wrecking DE, and sleek CB’s dancing in our heads.  But as is too often the case, we get excited to get our brand new stretch Armstrong, only to have him start leaking two weeks later and be in the trash in three weeks.  Here are my players to stay away from unless you want that disappointment lingering in your mind come this December:

1)      Dez Bryant – The guys may be talented, the guy may be the shiniest toy on the shelf, but trust me, he is going to disappoint.  This guy has character issues to make Travis Henry seem like a good idea (OK that may be stretching it somewhat), but if he has had this many issues in college, wait until he has millions in his pocket and run of the town.  He has shown no urge to be a team guy or thoughtful player in college, why would he start now.  The fact that he hangs with the ultimate me guy in Mr. Sanders should be red flag enough, but listen to his response about not showing up to his own pro day without his shoes and you can see how self absorbed he is and why he thinks everyone is out to get him, because we all made him miss practice, show up late to games, run afoul of the NCAA, and made him forget to bring his shoes to his own practice.

2)      Tim Tebow – Yes, he is a stand up guy, yes, he looks the part of the All American man, yes he won in college, and is someone you likely would want your daughter to date, but all of that aside, he will struggle in the NFL.  He does not have the mechanics, footwork, and natural throwing motion to be an effective NFL QB.  He is not quick enough to be a “wildcat” QB, and he will have problems trying to learn how to run a NFL style system or read a defense.  I know he will work and work really hard, and maybe someday he may become an effective QB in the NFL, but there are a lot of maybes.  He is the old Star Wars kids Death Star toy that came out, looked super cool but everything had to be just so for that thing to work, and eventually it ended in the corner of the room.

3)      Rolando McClain – Was he a stud in college, yes, will he be a stud in the NFL, doubtful.  McClain will likely be a good ILB in a 3-4, but he lacks versatility and playmaking ability.  Will he make tackles, yes, will he be a solid leader, yes, will he make those game shifting plays, probably not.  McClain got to play behind an awesome line at Bama that could keep him clean for the most part, it is doubtful that will be the case in the NFL, McClain lacks that quickness to get past blockers in the NFL and will essentially be a two down LB.  I see him being very similar to Andre Davis, a guy that makes the tackle but lacks the ability to get more out of the play. 

4)      Jacoby Ford – Blazing fast, yep, but that is it.  He lacks lateral quickness and change in direction ability.  Think of a short Willie Gault, line him up and have him run fly patterns, but that is about it.  Ford will struggle mightily as a returner unless the blocking is perfect.  The NFL game is as much about angles and lateral spreading of the field as it is about vertical speed.

5)      Toby Gerhert – Fast and big, Gerhert is the that guy who looks good in the box, but won’t last long after you take him out.  Gerhert lacks quickness and his speed is more long speed than anything else, meaning put him in a hundred yard dash and he should do well, ask him to make a guy miss in the phone booth, probably not going to happen.  In many ways, he reminds me of Moreno, he will get the yards the play is blocked for, but he won’t get anymore.  The other issue is Gerhert runs way too upright, he lacks any leverage hitting the hole and is going to get stood up.

Well there is my list of five players that will likely disappoint you once the wrapping has been taken off.  This draft should be fun and hopefully we don’t fall in love with a player or two, sense I think there are plenty of very good and potentially great players available that will bring us years of enjoyment and not be thrown in the closet.

Go Broncos, may the draft be with us.