2013 NFL Mock Draft: Evaluating Your Own Evaluations

As we approach the 2013 NFL Draft, starting tomorrow(!!!!), we have pretty much exhausted every single bit of conversation. Who will the Houston Texans take? Who will they not take? What position is needed? Who should be the best player available? You get the idea. During the course of said conversation, it is inevitable that people will stand on the soapbox for a player and/or bash a player and rip him to shreds. It's how NFL Draft season goes.

One thing that really doesn't get the publicity is looking back at your own words or work. OptimumScouting.com did this for some of the national mock drafters, and I wanted to bring that same exercise here to allow people to tell us when they were a genius (not wanting Reggie Bush, for example) or an idiot (wanting Stephen Hill, for example).

For me, I think everyone who has read anything from me, especially around playoff time the past two years, knows that Geno Atkins was a draft crush of mine, probably the biggest draft crush I have ever had. I spent a good lot of time talking about him and complaining that Houston took Earl Mitchell over him.

Also from 2010, I wrote this open letter to Rick Smith absolutely trashing Ryan Mathews as a prospect. I did not want him at all, and I don't regret that letter at all. Of course, in the idiot column, I did tout Montario Hardesty as the greatest thing since sliced bread, so I'm not exactly Mr. Talent Evaluator.

I was a big Alterraun Verner fan, but I was also a huge Quintin Carter fan. One of those guys is succeeding in Tennessee while the other has barely seen the field in Denver.

I called J.J. Watt, in 2011, and Whitney Mercilus, in 2012, as Houston Texans first rounders, but I also spent a bit too much time talking up guys like Brett Roy, David Molk, or Sione Fua. Other Texans picks that I had correctly? Brandon Harris, Brooks Reed, and Randy Bullock. Ben Tate shows up in some, too, after I thought Montario Hardesty would go before him (newsflash: He didn't).

Another player I thought wouldn't succeed in the NFL? Von Miller. Oops.

I think, overall, if I were scouting my own scouting that I would say I'm much better at finding reasons why players won't succeed than finding reasons why they will. I've done a better job of turning off the blinders to my draft crushes, but I'm still prone to putting someone on my board higher than they should be and sticking with it. That's probably Zac Stacy this year.

Before I wrap this up, I'd be remiss if I didn't link back to this 2009 response to Houston drafting Brian Cushing. The comments section, as well as this awful J.J. Watt article, also serves as a good reminder to temper your reaction on Thursday since the Interwebs has stood the test of time.

Enough about my winners and losers, now it's your turn, BRBers. Who was one of your guys and who did you whiff on completely? If you can search and find it, even better.