Devoured and criticized equally by NFL fans, mock drafts completed by the media actually serve a purpose for at least one NFL franchise.
According to assistant general manager Eric DeCosta, the Baltimore Ravens pay serious attention to the various mocks found around the Internet.
“I look at all that stuff a lot because I think, at least, I believe — every team is different — but I like to try and get a sense for league value, how other teams see players,” DeCosta said, via ESPN. “I think mock drafts are sometimes indicative of that. I think that’s something that you should pay attention to.”
Respected draft analysts such as ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein and Mike Mayock have established connections throughout the league. They use the information provided from inside the NFL—while also factoring in their own individual evaluations of the players—to create their widely consumed mock drafts.
Teams such as the Ravens use that information to help understand how rival teams are valuing other players. It’s not a perfect science, and teams often provide misleading information, but it’s one tool to help unlock some of the mystery of the NFL draft.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome admitted it’s impossible to avoid mock drafts, especially on television. However, he also told ESPN that mocks done well before the end of the college season can influence some underclassman into entering the draft before their full evaluation can be completed.
Regardless, the Ravens’ openness about their interest in media mock drafts is refreshing. Twitter will tell you mock drafts are worthless; no one can know what will happen during the draft. But the exercise in entertainment can still have real value, even for one of the most respected NFL franchises.
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