We're officially in "Weirdo Time," a phrase created by Fernando Ramirez to describe the lies and rumors that swirl during NFL draft season. With the 2024 NFL draft around the corner, the Compas share their likes and dislikes about "Weirdo Time."
By the Compas on the Beat staff
Here are our least favorite and favorite parts about “Weirdo Time." The 2024 NFL draft is a month away and already we're hearing ridiculous rumors, like Justin Herbert getting traded. *Hard eye rolls!*
Gilberto Manzano: You know what’s worse than hearing “Happy New Year” for two weeks in January? NFL beat reporters constantly asking draft prospects “have you visited with (blank) team?” I had to do that when I covered the Chargers between 2018 and 2022. It’s annoying, but fans want to know whether certain prospects have met with their respective favorite team.
Nothing wrong with providing information, but there’s often too much stock placed on these visits. Most top draft prospects meet with a dozen teams, and it doesn’t mean much in terms of where they’ll be picked. So let’s remember this draft season—a.k.a weirdo time—that just because a prospect didn’t meet with a team it doesn’t mean they won’t be drafted to that team.
Fernando Ramirez: What I like about “weirdo time” is attending pro days and learning about the prospects at USC and UCLA. It’s interesting to see which players will be coming out of those schools and which teams will be attending their pro days.
What I don’t like is the bullcrap we get from check marked experts, like the ones trying to link J.J. McCarthy to the Chargers and Jim Harbaugh trading away Justin Herbert. I hate the click bait crap. It’s dumb to me especially because there’s a lot of fake news thrown out there.
Dan in Daygo: Least favorite is the soft a** “hip-drop” tackle rule being enforced. Just gives us more reasons to criticize officials for screwing up. Aren’t they already dealing with a lot of scrutiny? I want some of these NFL higher ups to play defense and have to tackle Travis Kelce. Good luck! But again more rules for guys to benefit like Kelce’s quarterback. Soft.
I don’t like anything during this time. I hate baseball. I hate golf. I hate March Madness. I just watch football. I want the football season to return already!
Victor Corona: This time of year in the NFL things get pretty negative when it comes to the evaluation of draft prospects. Teams invest time and money to make sure the players they’re bringing in fit their culture. History tells us there’s no scientific way of getting it right when it comes to the draft.
Most of the rosters are filled with late-round picks or undrafted players. While the focus is on the top prospects, we forget about players who either don’t participate in the scouting combine or end up getting discovered at a Pro Day.
Players like Tyreek Hill, Julian Edelman, Malcolm Butler, Antonio Gates, Chris Harris Jr., Adam Thielen and Malcolm Smith have gone on to have great careers without getting the hype at the combine or Pro Day.
Remember, while the top prospects will get most of the attention and end up being bust, you can count on many under-the-radar players to end up making 53-man rosters across the NFL this fall.
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Who should the Chargers draft at No. 5?
Malik Nabers
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Joe Alt
Other