Yes.  Finally.  You may say offseason, but The Machine says Draft Season.  You may also be wondering:  Why hasn’t The Machine put up a mock draft yet?  Are we lazy (no way [grabs another beer]).  Did we lose our love for the Draft (not a chance).  Then what is it?  Well, we respect the Draft so much that putting up a mock draft before free agency starts is moronic.  Like, really dumb.  Like, is the dress blue or white dumb (who gives a shit)?

Sorry, mock drafts before free agency are pointless.  And we openly judge any mock draft before the combine.  Teams fill their needs through free agency first, then the draft.  Query:  is anyone going to be mocking a WR to the Jets anymore?  Exactly.

But what, then, can we do with our time?  Great question.  Maybe we can watch some spring training [laughs hysterically].  Well, while you wait for The Machine to put up its first mock and details for The Machine’s Draft Party, sit back and , it’s not too early to analyze a prior draft.

Given all the preparation, analysis, and studying that teams do, you’d think that drafting (at least in the first round) would be a slam dunk.  But, as The Machine will show you, that’s not exactly the case.

Drafts, like that fine box of white zin you have in your fridge, take time to mature.  A good rule of thumb is it takes three years to give a true analysis of a draft.  Instant analysis of a draft is dumb.  Like, really dumb.  Case in point:  3 years out, it’s unquestionable that the Seahawks had the best draft, drafting Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagoner, and Russell Wilson with their first 3 picks.  However, the instant analysis of the 2012 Draft was harsh.  Kiper gave them a C-, Pete Prisco graded the Wilson pick a D (I mean, they had Matt Flynn, what were they thinking?), and SB Nation gave them an F.

With that said, let’s take a look at the 2012 and see how the experts did.

The Colts got it right, but very few others did.

First, wow.  Ok, Luck’s legit and Kuechly’s a stud, but what about the rest?  Blackmon’s not even in the NFL anymore (so much for those background checks) and Trent Richardson just joined him on the unemployed line.  RGIII?  The Cowboys traded up to grab Claiborne, and he’s been a huge disappointment.

What about the rest of the first round?  Glad you asked.

The rest of the first round isn’t that pretty.  Brandon Weeden just turned 60, and he’s a career backup qb, David Wilson’s already retired, and several other players haven’t made much of an impact.  Number of pro bowlers from the first round?  6.  That’s it.

Ever wonder why the Browns always suck?  It starts with inept management.

Upon review, the 2012 Draft sucked.  For all the scouting and sleepless nights in the war room, a lot of teams (cough, Cleveland Browns, cough) got it wrong.  The Machine grades the first round a D.  The best player (Russell Wilson) wasn’t drafted until the third round.  And despite 4 receivers drafted in the first round, the best one (Alshon Jeffrey) was drafted in the second round.

Ok, back to this draft.  Now that free agency has started, our mock drafts will be coming fast and often, all leading up to the greatest non-sporting night of the year.  Check back soon to find out your team will draft.