The NFL Draft matters less than you think

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The very first column I wrote for The Daily Illini was a countdown to the 2013 NFL Draft.

And here we are, 18 months later, in my last hurrah as a sports columnist, talking about the same thing.

But this time, I want to take a different approach; for the draftees, the draft doesn’t matter. 

The draft is an opportunity, a stepping-stone for rookie players looking to contribute, not the end-all, be-all of their professional football career. 

Sure, it determines how many millions of dollars — or not — a couple of 22-year-old kids will make in their debut year as professional athletes, but it doesn’t determine the future.   

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Not all No. 1 picks are destined for greatness, and there have been a hell of a lot of guys snubbed in the draft that we now worship every Sunday in the fall. 

There are even guys projected to go in the top-5 that, come draft day, have to play the waiting game, as the pit in their stomach grows bigger with each time Roger Goodell fails to call their name.

Case study: Aaron Rodgers.

It was widely suspected that Rodgers would be picked No. 1 by his beloved 49ers, but San Francisco decided to go with Alex Smith, and Rodgers fell to the Green Bay Packers at No. 24.

One league MVP, three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl championship later, it seemed to work out for him, don’t you think?

Malcolm Smith was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII this past February.

Who the heck is Malcolm Smith? A seventh-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. No. 242 to be precise.

Tom Brady is the NFL’s golden boy. Rarely throws an interception, textbook technique, calm under pressure, loved by Bill Belichick and envied by all.

The Patriots picked up Brady in the sixth-round of the 2000 NFL Draft, at No. 199.

What. A. Steal.

We waste so much time with mock drafts and possible player combinations that we lose sight of what the draft really means for the NFL. It is an opportunity for teams to develop talent.

Not every player will go pro and contribute right away, but that doesn’t mean spending time nurturing potential is all for naught.

If an athlete has the physical strength, stamina and talent to go up against the best football players in the world right out of college, more power to him. But where a player is picked in the draft has no bearing on how he will actually perform.

The draft is an estimate, a gamble that NFL owners and managers are willing to make to better their teams.

Sometimes it works; take Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning or Bo Jackson. Sometimes it doesn’t; think JaMarcus Russell, David Carr and Tim Couch.

The 2014 NFL Draft is one day away.

Teams have one day to figure out which kid to bet their future on.

But while everyone, including myself, is focused on Johnny Manziel and his quest for the No. 1 pick, there are plenty like Tom Brady and Malcolm Smith just hoping to get a chance.

Tomorrow, the sun will set in New York City and NFL hopefuls from around the country will gather at Radio City Music Hall to wait for their name to be called.

And some will keep waiting. 

Aaron Rodgers had to wait three years behind Brett Favre in the Packers’ rotation.

The draft doesn’t matter. It’s fun, yes, but it’s also superficial and monetarily based.

Hard work matters, and that comes after.

Aryn is a senior in LAS. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @arynbraun.