On April 25, the 32 first round picks in the 2009 NFL Draft became a whole lot wealthier despite not having set foot in an official NFL game. Although the business of sports is not immune to the collapsing economy, the three main American professional sports leagues, especially the NFL, are doing quite well despite the fiscal free-fall. However, many NFL veterans are wailing for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to impose a “rookie salary cap” which would limit the amount of money that a draft pick is able to sign for. Some players feel that it is entirely unfair for a rookie to earn more than a player who has made years of contributions to their team. So far, the outcry is not large enough for change to be made. But based on the contracts that this year’s rookies are going to sign, the outcry will either increase or decrease. Contracts aside, this year’s class of rookies is loaded with talent in many positions. Here are three draft picks that you need to look out for in the 2009 NFL season:
University of Georgia QB Matthew Stafford
Stafford has the college experience, the build, and the arm to be a first day starter in the NFL. There is always skepticism when it comes to quarterbacks being lottery picks and their potential for being a bust is as high as a coin flip. But Stafford’s upside is remarkable and worth taking the risk.
Baylor University OT Jason Smith
As an offensive tackle, Smith’s pass protection ability is exceptional and he is clearly the top ranked OT in this year’s class. His quickness and work ethic earned him a spot as a top five lottery pick and it was definitely well deserved. His mobility and reaction speed is what will make him a premier NFL player.
Wake Forest University OLB Aaron Curry
The one word to describe Curry is instinctual. He gets to the ball and he gets to the ball in a hurry. He is able to take hits and recover quickly from them. Curry is disciplined and is an excellent tackler and attacker of the ball. His durability in college is equally impressive as he did not miss a single game due to injury.
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