Tuesday, April 21, 2009

NFL Draft Countdown: T- 4 days




With four days to go until the NFL Draft, we decided to focus on things we've got issues with heading into Saturday.

Here at Guys Who Like Sports, we don't understand the sudden drop of Florida receiver Percy Harvin. Well, actually we do understand why he's falling, and it's because of so-called "character issues." As someone who's watched Harvin play for the past three years, I honestly can't see where this is coming from. Let me throw out a number for you: 0. That's the number of times Harvin's been suspended and the amount of times that he's been arrested at UF. It's insulting that NFL teams are acting like he's been a thug his whole time at UF when that's clearly not the case.

Harvin has gotten the dreaded "character issues" label because of a suspected positive marijuana test at the NFL Combine. Apparently, smoking weed will negate three stand-up years of no character issues in college. Is Harvin the first NFL player to smoke marijuana? No. Will he be the last player? No. Frankly, I would be more concerned if he were caught using steroids, as that does impact performance on the field. But, if the NFL draft has taught us anything in recent years, it's that you can be forgiven for using steroids. Don't believe me? Luis Castillo, who admitted to using steroids before the 2005 draft, appeared on the cover of the Spanish version Madden 2008.

If you want to degrade Harvin, then cite injury problems or transition to an NFL offense, because those are legitimate concerns. Harvin's missed at least two games in each of his three seasons at Florida due to injury, and as everyone knows, Gator receivers haven't fared all too well in the NFL.

However, at UF, Harvin's been nothing short of a warrior. If NFL teams should take anything away, it should be the grit and determination he showed when rehabbing from a hairline fracture in his ankle, so he could play in the BCS Title Game against Oklahoma. And how'd he do in that game? How about 171 total yards in a Championship Game win. If I'm an NFL executive, I'll take a guy like that on my team anyday.

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