First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge that this content can be applied to any major league sport draft. However, I decided to focus on the NFL because it is, seemingly, the most popular.
As far back as I can remember, the draft has always been a big deal. People take time out of their day to make sure to watch it, and it becomes a heavy topic of conversation among many. The draft is something I also love and look forward to watching, so I am, by no means, saying that it should not be as popular as it is.
I am, however, saying it is such an interesting concept that it is almost strange. First off, it is the process of pawning off players to gain others. It is a trade, but with real human beings. In this trade, the players do not have any say in which team they will play for. The only decision they have the power to make is whether or not they will play altogether. This can be compared to a live auction of people.
It's like a flea market; a coach sees a good player they want, and they will go after it. They may try to bargain with another coach, and they will make a trade. The goal in this trade is to enhance their team, but in order to do so, they need to make sacrifices big enough that will make the situation beneficial for the other team as well. It's a strategic barter, one that impacts the entire league.
The teams are different every single year because of this draft. It leads to a question of, are the coaches just trying to find the best and most effective combination of players? Of course, anybody in the NFL could be considered a "good" player, as it is the professional league. Since that is the case, and some teams are not as effective as others, does this mean it's all a big puzzle, waiting to be solved? What happens when the puzzle is solved, and each team becomes ideal? This will probably never happen, but I feel as though the draft would become meaningless.
By no means am I saying the draft should not happen. I enjoy the draft, and think it is a great way for teams to make exponential growth. I also enjoy watching the "newcomers" every season, and seeing how the teams differ with these new players. However, the draft is strange. It is one big human flea market of talent.
