First, everyone has a different take on WHY Rolle fell in the draft. I think there is only one answer...NFL teams deemed he lacked a commitment to the game. Coming out of high school, this guy was ranked as the number 1 safety in the country, with some scouting services even naming him the best player regardless of position. Throughout his career at FSU, he gathered all-american/conference awards while starting on a high-division I team for 3 full years. While he might not be an elite talent, there is no question that he has the physical tools to compete in the NFL. Thus, his drop was not because he was suddenly perceived to be an inferior athlete. A year away from the game is also does not affect players' as much as is commonly assumed. Mike Williams sat out a year, came to the combine and ran a 4.56, and was still selected 10th overall. Bradford was injured for a full year and still managed to get picked 1st overall. Not only was Rolle not injured, and thus still able to continue conditioning, he even followed a workout plan given to him by his college team's trainer.
With regards to this so-called "lack of commitment", I say bullshit. While some argue that most players in the NFL remain completely committed because they have no other options, they aren't actually giving up anything by playing the game. Myron is risking his entire future to play football. There is no doubt that long term brain damage is a prevalent issue in the NFL, one that would obviously hinder Rolle's success in the future. So the fact that Rolle is still choosing to devote the next decade of his life to the sport should carry more weight...other athletes might have more to gain, but no one has more to lose than this man by playing the game.
Furthermore, on a day-to-day basis, I think that Rolle's commitment should actually be viewed as a plus. Football games in the NFL are won in the film room much more so than it is on the field. Obviously, Rolle has demonstrated the ability to devote his concentration to certain tasks for long periods of time as well as resist other temptations (partying/drinking too much, gambling, or any other athlete kryptonite). So yeah, he may fill up his free time volunteering at the local hospital or reading the NYT, but isn't that better than hot-boxing with Pacman on the freeway at 3am with 2 hookers in the backseat? Plus, it could be argued (albeit weakly) that Rolle mental capacity will allow him to pick things up quicker than the average NFL player.
Many people have also argued that Rolle is only playing the game to earn a few bucks, which he can in turn use to fund his future goals of attending medical school and starting a clinic in his native Bahamas. Even if this were true, his rookie contract will be far from enough to cover those expenses. The most comparable salary, that of the contract signed by last year's 209th pick (last of the 6th round), Bernard Scott, was 1.75 million over 4 years. Even if he had been picked in the 3rd round, his salary would only be in the range of 4-5 million over 4 years, nothing close to what he likely needs to fund his future goals. Along that logic, Rolle should be even MORE motivated to outperform his rookie contract in order to secure himself a more lucrative veterans deal. Upon receiving this contract, he would have to continue performing, as the NFL's CBA does not guarantee contracts on a year to year basis.
Finally, the question I think all NFL front offices should ask themselves is...what is the relative risk in drafting a player like Myron Rolle? A recent ESPN study showed that of all starters in the NFL, the highest percentage of these players were first rounders and the second highest group was undrafted free agents, so it's not like a team's 3rd or 4th rounder is ever a slam dunk. True, drafting Rolle is not a "sexy" pick, as he won't have the upside of a player like Anthony McCoy or Carlos Dunlap, whose athletic abilities precede their productivity or character. However, at worst, you get a model citizen who instantly increases the credibility of your team, a leader by example with regards to weekly preparation, and a locker room favorite (it's not like he's a stuck-up ivy leaguer, his teammates at FSU fully supported his decision to leave early for the Rhodes even though many didn't even know what it was). I'd rather have a few more of those players on my team than players like Andre Smith, who end up just eating all the ice cream during mini-camp. At a 3-5 million dollar price tag over 4 years, how is drafting Myron a bigger risk than throwing ONE HUNDRED million dollars at a defensive tackle with a propensity for eating everything?
I think this whole situation points to a couple of things. First, the entire institution of the NFL draft is out of whack, where teams are entirely risk averse in the first round, since those picks come with such an exorbitant price tag, but then spend the next 6 rounds swinging for the fences and are happy when they hit on 2 or 3 players in any given draft class. Second, teams still struggle to understand the concept of team chemistry. You absolutely need talent to win championships...but you also need the leadership to allow that talent to become fulfilled. You can't win with a team filled with players of Myron Rolle's talent, but you also aren't winning anything if you have a team of Randy Moss's. Neither is more or less important to long term success, even though only one shows up on Sunday.
Give me your thoughts on this.
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