As many of you have noticed, I’ve taken a couple of weeks off following the draft. This is a post that is not going to be one that you have been accustomed to seeing here on Draft Headquarters. Since the draft, I’ve received many emails, messages, or any other version of text message that has ripped, hated, or claimed that I cheated on draft day by supposedly changing my picks.
As you can see by my Final Mock Draft, I recorded 13 of the 32 picks correctly. This is the best in the nation by any major media outlet covering the draft, no questions asked. I challenge anyone to find a more accurate mock draft, because you won’t.
It’s very unfortunate that media outlets covering the scoring of mock drafts have scored mine incorrectly, as you can see on The Big Lead and Yahoo Sports. For such media outlets that pride themselves on being accurate, it’s a shame that they didn’t look further enough on the site to find my final mock draft. I question why they would take themselves seriously by scoring a mock draft that I did five days before the draft without looking to my blog for my final mock.
How people can honestly think that I cheated by editing my mock draft DURING the draft is absurd. I got the fourth pick in the draft wrong! I’m willing to admit that. If I edited my mock draft while the draft was going on, don’t you think that I’d want to get the fourth pick right?
Many have also sent me emails and messages regarding this article. If you’ve followed this site since I founded it in 2007, you’d know that I’ve been one of the most accurate sources for draft information on the web. I’ve been a confident writer, but at no point did I ever become cocky with my work. As the article states, when you’re 19-years old you’ve beaten everyone in your business that you need to beat and you’ve published three 100-page Draft Previews, it’s hard to wonder what else you need to do to get a chance.
My 2009 Draft Preview was 160 pages and featured 226 player profiles and people still question if I know how to scout football players.
I’ve made mistakes in the past, but who hasn’t? That’s a part of learning and becoming better at what you do. You learn who to trust when gathering information and you trust who you can share information with. That’s more than evident this year with my mock draft being the most accurate in the nation.
People can question how accurate I am, and that’s fine, they have a right to do that. However, please do not question my work ethic and the amount of work and research that I’ve put into this site and into my mock drafts. I’ve built this site from the ground up as some of you remember from three years ago. Coming from a black and white site to what this is now, it’s come a long way.
I’m asking for someone to take a chance. I’m waiting to take this business to the national level and continue to gain exposure for my work.
I’ve beaten everyone that I need to beat three years in a row. I’ve written three 100-page books or Draft Previews. It’s time that I get a chance to prove myself at the national stage or at the next level. I’ve put in far too much work for this to end here. Thanks to everyone for your support.
Shawn