Sam Bradford Might Actually Want to Consider Draftnik's Advice

Mel Kiper moved him down to five on his draft board, and suddenly everything changes overnight about Sam Bradford’s status in the draft. Kiper’s power knows few bounds, but what it cannot compete with are a few incontrovertible truths of draft history...which surprisingly back up a downgrade in Bradford's status, injury or not.

1. Oklahoma QBs under Bob Stoops don’t start in the NFL. Or at least not yet, since Josh Heupel, Paul Thompson, Jason White, and Rhett Bomar have all enjoyed the polite camp invitation before being shuffled off to football purgatory without tasting NFL success. It’s not much of a trend, but it’s a trend nonetheless, and if there’s one thing NFL draftniks not named “Al Davis” love, it’s a trend of any sort whatsoever.

2. Bradford is not a senior and has not graduated. Thus, he does not pass rules 1 and 2 of the Bill Parcells’ rules of drafting quarterbacks. Given the reverence paid Bill Parcells by the bulk of the NFL intelligentsia, it is notable that Bradford only fell to fifth in Kiper’s draft, and not into the second round.

I was happy to bid him adieu in the name of preserving breakable parts for future financial gain, but there’s a fair case to be made to the contrary, as well: if Bradford wants to be successful, there’s also considerable potential gain to be made by returning for his senior season, too. You've one this one, Kiper. /shakesfistangrily