[div align=\\\"center\\\"]ExemplaryChad's ExemplaryMockDraft (Round 1)[/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Is it too early to be doing this yet? I don’t really know the protocol on these things. I’ve never done one of these before, but I think it’s high time, right? I mean, I’m an intelligent, tall, and handsome man; there’s no reason I can’t make a guess as to what teams are going to do in the Season 7 NSFL Draft. Right. Yeah. I’m gonna just do it. So with three parts guess, two parts hypothesis, and just a dash of speculation, here’s my novice’s take on the draft this year. Let’s dive into it.[/div]
1. Colorado Yeti
The Yeti obviously struggled this season. They accomplished an NSFL-record perfect season, going 0-14 and not looking all that competitive while doing it. It could be argued that they need help at just about every position. This draft class looks to be a pretty promising one, so it could be a good time to start rebuilding. The picks are there, but can the Yeti start (or continue, depending on your perspective) making the right ones? Are they going full rebuild again? Are they trying to get competitive? It doesn’t really matter, because the first pick is a shoe-in.
The Pick: Howard Miller, WR, Kansas City Coyotes
The consensus number one pick out of Kansas City is basically a lock for whomever was going to be picking first in this year’s draft. Outshining every other prospect in terms of TPE, activity, pedigree, and with veteran management, for Colorado to take any other prospect in the number one spot would be madness. He will presumably add to a passing attack that has struggled ever since the lifetime expulsion of quarterback and founding member Logan Noble. While the Yeti have not had consistent quarterback play from Nick Pierno ever since they drafted him, getting him help in the form of Miller will be a key piece of their presumed rebuild.
2. Baltimore Hawks
It’s hard to say whether the Hawks had a disappointing season this year or not. A .500 record in the NSFC is nothing to sneeze at, but missing the playoffs had to be a blow to the team’s ego. Still, with quality wins over the Philadelphia Liberty and the reigning champion Orange County Otters (twice!), the Hawks look poised to make another run at the playoffs next year. They have needs to fill, but they look to be only a couple of players away from a serious shot at the Ultimus.
The pick: Verso L’Alto, TE, Tijuana Luchadores
The Hawks shrewdly moved up to the second overall pick to make sure they got their guy. Tight end might be their biggest area of need, as they don’t currently have one on the roster at all! While L’Alto and Fyodorovich are virtually tied in every area as prospects, the Hawks will much prefer the former, and they will take him with bells on their toes. He has earned his TPE, written articles to earn money, and he’s performed well in the DSFL. There’s really nothing more you could ask of the future Hawk. He will be a welcome addition to a team that’s on either the brink of greatness, or the precipice of obscurity.
3. Orange County Otters
What could the Ultimus champions possibly have to add to their dominant, back-to-back-to-back championship roster? Well, apparently something, because they traded all the way up from pick eight to get to pick number three (and they still kept their eight! What are you doing, rest of the league?!). The aggressive move seems surprising in light of their winning ways, but you have to give the benefit of the doubt to a team that is as successful as these guys and gals have been. In parting ways with longtime defensive stalwart Julian O’Sullivan, the Otters are positioning themselves to draft an elite player here in the top three picks.
The Pick: Mark Grau, WR, Portland Pythons
A relative unknown before the DSFL season started, Mark Grau has solidified himself as the second-best wide receiver in the class, only behind the incomparable Howard Miller. In a very crowded class for pass catchers this year, that is no easy feat. His performance on the field and his dedication to training served him very well in the DSFL, and any team looking to add him to the roster is likely getting themselves an eventual difference maker. The Otters will be looking to utilize him in the slot alongside their two star wideouts Phelps and Westfield. The Ultimus champs will only be looking to strengthen their offense with the aggressive move to go and get Mark Grau at number three.
4. Colorado Yeti
The pick: Vladimir Fyodorovich, CB, San Antonio Marshals
The Yeti have let go fan favorite and all-around good guy Boss Tweed in order to acquire this pick and the next, so they must have seen something they liked at number four. This move will pay dividends, as the slight slide of Fyodorovich to this pick will leave the Yeti in prime position to get an elite player. He was only left at four because the Otters have such an elite secondary, and the Yeti will stand to capitalize on the windfall. The guy already has a nickname (“The Siberian Swatter”), and if he lives up to the hype, he’s going to be a leader on the Yeti’s young defense.
5. Colorado Yeti
The pick: Ryan Lefevre, LB, Kansas City Coyotes
This pick sees a bit of a step down to the next tier of play, as the top four picks were really in a league of their own. (No offense meant to the rest of the rookies.) Still, Lefevre has made a difference both on and off the field in Kansas City, earning high marks from GMs across the league for his locker room presence. The Yeti will need to replace recently traded linebacker AC Hackett, and they’ll look to do it with the fifth pick in the draft. Lefevre has the ability to be a leader on defense, and alongside the Yeti’s strong-ish linebacking corps, he will have a chance to shine. Still, will he be enough of a difference maker to help pull the Yeti from the bowels of the NSFL? Only time will tell, but they think they’ve got their guy at five.
6. Colorado Yeti
The pick: Desta Danger, CB, Tijuana Luchadores
In a draft dominated by defense, the Yeti will not shy away from continuing to bolster their struggling secondary. Last year, they were torched by opposing offenses, giving up huge play after huge play. In an attempt to stop the bleeding, the GMs in Colorado will make their final pick in the first round the Tijuana standout who has been making a name for himself of late with his media appearances detailing his journey to the NSFL. He seems like a competitor with a real fighting spirit, so we’ll have to see how that translates to aiding the struggling Yeti defense next year and beyond.
7. Philadelphia Liberty
It might be fair to say that the Liberty slightly overachieved this year. Nobody was expecting them to be bad, by any means, but in a crowded division that sees the Wraiths and Hawks as consistent competitors, it was a bit surprising to see the Liberty emerge on top of the NSFC. Still, they’ve had the roster to do it, and it was just a matter of putting it all together in the playoffs, when it matters most. They were able to accomplish just that, and now they’ll be looking to add some pieces that will help keep them at the top of the heap.
The pick: Alvin Chipmunk, TE, San Antonio Marshals
Both the second pick from the Ultimini championship San Antonio Marshals and the second tight end taken, Chipmunk will have to play with a chip on his shoulder to prove wrong the teams that passed on him previously. Still, he has the skills to do it, and his tradition of winning with the Marshals should be taken into account. He will be a solid pick at number seven, and I suspect the Liberty will be happy enough that they didn’t have to trade up to take someone like L’Alto all the way up at two. There’s actually nothing in Alvin’s game that suggests he’ll be any worse than those top few picks, so the Liberty could really be getting a steal here.
8. Orange County Otters
The pick: Ryan Applehort, QB, San Antonio Marshals
Finally, one of the two elite quarterback prospects comes off the board. While both Applehort and McCoy get high marks from DSFL GMs and NSFL scouts alike, Applehort is generally considered to have a slight edge. Much like Miller before him, he has the benefit of veteran management behind him. Still, he won’t need to be pro-ready yet, as the Otters are set at quarterback with perennial MVP candidate Mike Boss. Boss’s career can’t last forever, though, and with regression threatening to set in, the Otters can’t be too prepared for the future. By taking Applehort to finish out the first round, the Ultimus champs all but guarantee that there will be no purgatory between Boss and the next man up.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Is it too early to be doing this yet? I don’t really know the protocol on these things. I’ve never done one of these before, but I think it’s high time, right? I mean, I’m an intelligent, tall, and handsome man; there’s no reason I can’t make a guess as to what teams are going to do in the Season 7 NSFL Draft. Right. Yeah. I’m gonna just do it. So with three parts guess, two parts hypothesis, and just a dash of speculation, here’s my novice’s take on the draft this year. Let’s dive into it.[/div]
1. Colorado Yeti
The Yeti obviously struggled this season. They accomplished an NSFL-record perfect season, going 0-14 and not looking all that competitive while doing it. It could be argued that they need help at just about every position. This draft class looks to be a pretty promising one, so it could be a good time to start rebuilding. The picks are there, but can the Yeti start (or continue, depending on your perspective) making the right ones? Are they going full rebuild again? Are they trying to get competitive? It doesn’t really matter, because the first pick is a shoe-in.
The Pick: Howard Miller, WR, Kansas City Coyotes
The consensus number one pick out of Kansas City is basically a lock for whomever was going to be picking first in this year’s draft. Outshining every other prospect in terms of TPE, activity, pedigree, and with veteran management, for Colorado to take any other prospect in the number one spot would be madness. He will presumably add to a passing attack that has struggled ever since the lifetime expulsion of quarterback and founding member Logan Noble. While the Yeti have not had consistent quarterback play from Nick Pierno ever since they drafted him, getting him help in the form of Miller will be a key piece of their presumed rebuild.
2. Baltimore Hawks
It’s hard to say whether the Hawks had a disappointing season this year or not. A .500 record in the NSFC is nothing to sneeze at, but missing the playoffs had to be a blow to the team’s ego. Still, with quality wins over the Philadelphia Liberty and the reigning champion Orange County Otters (twice!), the Hawks look poised to make another run at the playoffs next year. They have needs to fill, but they look to be only a couple of players away from a serious shot at the Ultimus.
The pick: Verso L’Alto, TE, Tijuana Luchadores
The Hawks shrewdly moved up to the second overall pick to make sure they got their guy. Tight end might be their biggest area of need, as they don’t currently have one on the roster at all! While L’Alto and Fyodorovich are virtually tied in every area as prospects, the Hawks will much prefer the former, and they will take him with bells on their toes. He has earned his TPE, written articles to earn money, and he’s performed well in the DSFL. There’s really nothing more you could ask of the future Hawk. He will be a welcome addition to a team that’s on either the brink of greatness, or the precipice of obscurity.
3. Orange County Otters
What could the Ultimus champions possibly have to add to their dominant, back-to-back-to-back championship roster? Well, apparently something, because they traded all the way up from pick eight to get to pick number three (and they still kept their eight! What are you doing, rest of the league?!). The aggressive move seems surprising in light of their winning ways, but you have to give the benefit of the doubt to a team that is as successful as these guys and gals have been. In parting ways with longtime defensive stalwart Julian O’Sullivan, the Otters are positioning themselves to draft an elite player here in the top three picks.
The Pick: Mark Grau, WR, Portland Pythons
A relative unknown before the DSFL season started, Mark Grau has solidified himself as the second-best wide receiver in the class, only behind the incomparable Howard Miller. In a very crowded class for pass catchers this year, that is no easy feat. His performance on the field and his dedication to training served him very well in the DSFL, and any team looking to add him to the roster is likely getting themselves an eventual difference maker. The Otters will be looking to utilize him in the slot alongside their two star wideouts Phelps and Westfield. The Ultimus champs will only be looking to strengthen their offense with the aggressive move to go and get Mark Grau at number three.
4. Colorado Yeti
The pick: Vladimir Fyodorovich, CB, San Antonio Marshals
The Yeti have let go fan favorite and all-around good guy Boss Tweed in order to acquire this pick and the next, so they must have seen something they liked at number four. This move will pay dividends, as the slight slide of Fyodorovich to this pick will leave the Yeti in prime position to get an elite player. He was only left at four because the Otters have such an elite secondary, and the Yeti will stand to capitalize on the windfall. The guy already has a nickname (“The Siberian Swatter”), and if he lives up to the hype, he’s going to be a leader on the Yeti’s young defense.
5. Colorado Yeti
The pick: Ryan Lefevre, LB, Kansas City Coyotes
This pick sees a bit of a step down to the next tier of play, as the top four picks were really in a league of their own. (No offense meant to the rest of the rookies.) Still, Lefevre has made a difference both on and off the field in Kansas City, earning high marks from GMs across the league for his locker room presence. The Yeti will need to replace recently traded linebacker AC Hackett, and they’ll look to do it with the fifth pick in the draft. Lefevre has the ability to be a leader on defense, and alongside the Yeti’s strong-ish linebacking corps, he will have a chance to shine. Still, will he be enough of a difference maker to help pull the Yeti from the bowels of the NSFL? Only time will tell, but they think they’ve got their guy at five.
6. Colorado Yeti
The pick: Desta Danger, CB, Tijuana Luchadores
In a draft dominated by defense, the Yeti will not shy away from continuing to bolster their struggling secondary. Last year, they were torched by opposing offenses, giving up huge play after huge play. In an attempt to stop the bleeding, the GMs in Colorado will make their final pick in the first round the Tijuana standout who has been making a name for himself of late with his media appearances detailing his journey to the NSFL. He seems like a competitor with a real fighting spirit, so we’ll have to see how that translates to aiding the struggling Yeti defense next year and beyond.
7. Philadelphia Liberty
It might be fair to say that the Liberty slightly overachieved this year. Nobody was expecting them to be bad, by any means, but in a crowded division that sees the Wraiths and Hawks as consistent competitors, it was a bit surprising to see the Liberty emerge on top of the NSFC. Still, they’ve had the roster to do it, and it was just a matter of putting it all together in the playoffs, when it matters most. They were able to accomplish just that, and now they’ll be looking to add some pieces that will help keep them at the top of the heap.
The pick: Alvin Chipmunk, TE, San Antonio Marshals
Both the second pick from the Ultimini championship San Antonio Marshals and the second tight end taken, Chipmunk will have to play with a chip on his shoulder to prove wrong the teams that passed on him previously. Still, he has the skills to do it, and his tradition of winning with the Marshals should be taken into account. He will be a solid pick at number seven, and I suspect the Liberty will be happy enough that they didn’t have to trade up to take someone like L’Alto all the way up at two. There’s actually nothing in Alvin’s game that suggests he’ll be any worse than those top few picks, so the Liberty could really be getting a steal here.
8. Orange County Otters
The pick: Ryan Applehort, QB, San Antonio Marshals
Finally, one of the two elite quarterback prospects comes off the board. While both Applehort and McCoy get high marks from DSFL GMs and NSFL scouts alike, Applehort is generally considered to have a slight edge. Much like Miller before him, he has the benefit of veteran management behind him. Still, he won’t need to be pro-ready yet, as the Otters are set at quarterback with perennial MVP candidate Mike Boss. Boss’s career can’t last forever, though, and with regression threatening to set in, the Otters can’t be too prepared for the future. By taking Applehort to finish out the first round, the Ultimus champs all but guarantee that there will be no purgatory between Boss and the next man up.