Chapter 93 92: Calm and Unruffled
Draft Day was undoubtedly tense and exciting, and the entire process was far more complicated than one might imagine. In the first round, each team had ten minutes to make its decision. Within that short window, a thrilling battle of wits unfolded.
Before the draft officially began, every team would have gone through countless discussions. They formulated multiple strategies based on their draft position, their own team needs, and an assessment of their competitors' needs. Would they choose the best player still available on the board? Or the player who could best fill a weakness on their roster? Or would they trade their pick to another team for a bigger return?
One of the most memorable drafts in history took place in 2002.
At the time, the league hadn't yet implemented its reforms, so the time limit for first-round picks was still fifteen minutes. The Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, and Kansas City Chiefs held the sixth, seventh, and eighth picks, respectively. Both the Vikings and the Chiefs were hoping to land Defensive Tackle Ryan Sims.
During the draft, it was the Cowboys' turn to pick.
The Chiefs' general manager called the Cowboys, attempting to trade up to get ahead of the Vikings and select Ryan first. But the two sides couldn't reach an agreement. Fifteen minutes of negotiation yielded no conclusion. As a result, the Cowboys also failed to submit their draft card in time, exceeding the time limit and missing their pick.
According to the rules, the pick was passed to the Vikings. The Vikings would now pick sixth, the Cowboys seventh, and the Chiefs would remain eighth. This was a golden opportunity for the Vikings. All they had to do was submit their card, and they could snatch Ryan from right under the Chiefs' noses.
But then, something astonishing happened. For fifteen minutes—a full fifteen minutes—the Vikings were in total chaos. Communication between the team headquarters in Minnesota and the war room on-site in New York repeatedly broke down. In the end, they somehow failed to submit their pick, miraculously and bizarrely missing their golden chance.
Afterward, the Cowboys and Chiefs completed their trade. The Chiefs seized the opportunity to draft Ryan, leaving the Vikings stunned and commentators and experts everywhere completely floored.
What was even more incredible was that in 2003, the Vikings repeated their mistake. They ran out of time again, missing their first-round pick for the second consecutive year. This dumbfounding blunder has become the stuff of legend in NFL Draft history.
The ten-minute draft clock wasn't just about draft strategy; it was a battle of wits—a battle of wits between all thirty-two teams!
It's no exaggeration to say that starting with the very first pick, every selection could potentially alter the entire rookie market. This ten-minute game required split-second decisions, testing not only a team's ability to calculate and strategize, but also their ability to make trade-offs and act decisively.
All of this made the first day of the draft an absolutely spectacular, can't-miss annual drama. The whole event would last for nearly five hours, a grueling test for every player, every fan, and every team staff member involved.
There was still some time before the draft officially kicked off, but impatient shouts were already echoing from downstairs. "Bambi! Quick, hurry up!" The calls were accompanied by a cacophony of boisterous yells, making for a lively scene.
After a quick shower, Lu Ke changed into a comfortable sweatsuit and hurried downstairs. Austin Newman was the first to jump up, raising his right hand high for a celebratory high-five with Lu Ke. "Woohoo! Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
Austin was Logan's father, and the woman sitting next to him, Tiffany Newman, was Logan's mother. Despite being a doctor, Austin had the personality of a tech employee from Silicon Valley—lively, cheerful, and a passionate sports fan. Logan had inherited much of his personality from his father.
Lu Ke pumped his fist and let out a couple of whoops. "Hoo! Hoo!" He chuckled and nodded to the other two women. "Tiffany, Julia." Then, he took a flying leap onto the sofa, knocking Logan, who had been sitting there, right off. "Move it, move it! This is my spot, don't you know that?"
"Jesus Christ, you're not Sheldon Cooper!" Logan scrambled awkwardly to his feet, grumbling as he started to playfully choke Lu Ke, trying to reclaim his territory.
Sheldon, the main character from the American sitcom "The Big Bang Theory," had all sorts of obsessive-compulsive traits, one of which was being extremely particular about his spot on the couch.
"Boys, boys!" Jiang Youning said, exasperated, watching the two college students act like children who had never grown up. "Settle down, the draft is about to start! It's about to start!"
The live broadcast had already begun on the television screen, and the 2011 NFL Draft was officially in its countdown phase. Lu Ke and Logan finally gave up their roughhousing. They grabbed slices of pizza from the table, stuffed them in their mouths, and settled in to watch the draft while enjoying the bliss of good food. It was truly one of the best ways to spend an evening.
At eight o'clock in the evening, East Coast time, and six o'clock, West Coast time, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell walked onto the stage. The entire venue erupted in thunderous applause. Every camera and every eye was fixed on him, and the tense atmosphere suddenly thickened.
'Even with no expectations, even after calming my nerves, my heart is still starting to pound uncontrollably. My blood is starting to boil, bit by bit. This adrenaline rush is like a Fourth of July fireworks show!' The annual moment of destiny had arrived once more.
Holding the first overall pick was the team with last year's worst record, the Carolina Panthers, who would be the first to make their selection. Before the draft, all sorts of rumors had been swirling, especially after the Rookie Training Camp. News about star players like Cam Newton and Von Miller was flying everywhere. Meanwhile, Brian Gabbert, who had scored a forty-two on the Fonderick test during the camp, had also burst onto the scene. All of this added suspense to the first pick.
'Who would it be?'
With everyone watching in anticipation, the Carolina Panthers made their choice. Roger Goodell opened the card in his hand and announced in a clear voice, "With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select... Cam Newton! Quarterback, Auburn University."
The entire nation was in an uproar. Although it was the expected choice—a result people had been predicting for two months—the moment it became official, an irrepressible wave of excitement and elation swept through the country. This was especially true for Panthers fans; on the TV screen, you could see them celebrating wildly in the streets, as if they had just won the Super Bowl.
All the camera lenses focused on Cam Newton. Dressed in a sharp suit, Cam looked a little uncomfortable, his movements slightly awkward. But the pride and joy on his face were unconcealed and unconcealable. His steps forward were like a walk to the very pinnacle of his life. Under the gaze of countless burning, intense eyes, he walked onto the stage, accepted the No. 1 jersey that was now his, and beamed, flushed with success.
"What a boring pick," Logan said bluntly, rolling his eyes. "So many quarterbacks this year, and they just had to pick a 'running back.' Seriously. I think Gabbert is good, and Locke is great too. Honestly, picking Bambi would have been the right move, okay? They're all blind."
On the television screen, Cam was bathed in camera flashes, reduced to a silhouette, his expression invisible. Lu Ke could taste a faint bitterness on his tongue. 'To say I'm not disappointed, not let down... that would be a lie.' But hearing Logan's indignant defense, Lu Ke couldn't help but laugh. "It's fine. I'll just beat him on the field someday and get my revenge. That kind of victory will be even sweeter."
"Exactly! Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees—none of them were the first overall pick. Who even remembers who the top picks were in their years?" Julia chimed in, laughing.
"I was worried Lu Ke would be scarred by this, but seeing him now, I think he'll be fine," Jiang Youning said, turning to Tiffany and teasing Lu Ke. Her comment made everyone chuckle.
Lu Ke's mood brightened instantly. He picked up another slice of pizza and began to savor his dinner.
The first overall pick went as expected, which also set a rather calm tone for the rest of the draft. Both the rookie selections and the pick trades proceeded without any major waves.
With the second pick, the Denver Broncos selected linebacker Von Miller. With the third pick, the Buffalo Bills selected Defensive Tackle Marcell Dareus. At number four, the Cincinnati Bengals chose Wide Receiver A.J. Green. And at number five, the Arizona Cardinals picked cornerback Patrick Peterson.
The first trade of the draft finally occurred at the sixth pick. The Atlanta Falcons chose to trade up, reaching an agreement with the Cleveland Browns. The Falcons then selected Wide Receiver Julio Jones. He became the second wide receiver taken in the top ten this year, sparking considerable discussion.
At number seven, the San Francisco 49ers selected linebacker Aldon Smith. 'That's the young guy I danced with during my first special mission.' First Julio, now Aldon. Lu Ke had really met quite a few potential superstars at the Rookie Training Camp. The feeling was truly strange.
After that, quarterback Jack Locke was selected eighth by the Tennessee Titans. The Dallas Cowboys chose offensive tackle Tyron Smith at number nine. Quarterback Brian Gabbert was taken tenth by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Houston Texans selected Defensive End JJ Watt at eleven. And the 2009 Heisman winner, running back Mark Ingram, was selected twenty-eighth by the New Orleans Saints.
The entire first round had its share of minor surprises, but they were all within the realm of expectation. Ultimately, it lacked any real shockers. The strongest players were all selected, with no major upsets and no dark horses emerging. After four and a half hours, the first round of the 2011 draft came to a close.
But this was only the first day of the draft.