Two other high-profile kids who ran afoul of the NCAA last season because of agent-related issues wound up as the third and fourth picks in the draft.
Doesn’t exactly put the fear of God into student-athletes, does it? Not that the NFL gives a rat’s ass about that.
Get The Picture 
If you’re looking for a bit of moral high ground, I suppose the question to ask is.. did the 4 UNC players drop in value and go farther into the draft than originally projected and/or will they not enjoy as big of a paycheck? So yes, they get a chance to get to the big game, but do they in effect get a bit of a penalty.
Arguably, picks 3 & 4 do not see a drop, so in that case, the original point made in the post stands. I’m more curious about what you might consider ‘2nd tier’ draftees.
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It is true that they probably lost some dough, but while a final season could have improved their position, they also could have had terrible final years and fallen further. Character questions certainly didn’t help, but the fact is, if you are good enough, you can take money or benefits and even if you miss a year you will still be drafter. It was proven before and only reinforced here.
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So much for the argument that “character issues” are problematic for the NFL, cammie and fairley go in the top 5. Sure, it might impact a guy on the bubble, but matters not to the NFL draft. I will say the NFL Commish is much more enlightened about behavior and image than Slime or Emmert.
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The total hypocrisy of the WWL and the NFL is exhibited by the smear campaign of Ryan Mallett. Granted he had his problems but to run a player down over something that happened a couple of years ago but draft a known thief and academic cheat 1st with hardly a mention of his “Character Issues’ is total BS.
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Truth.
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Methinks the Panthers will wish they had picked up Mallet than cammie and saved mucho gold nuggets before all is said and done. It isn’t that newton can’t make it but with the known character issues, and the questions on his passing IQ that is a huge risk for a #1 pick. Definitely a project, and that isn’t what picks at that level should be. If I were going to bet the franchise, and basically they have for the next 6-10 years, I would want better odds.
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Yeah, but they’re a bunch of racis…. Mallett’s what now?
Carry on.
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Right on!, 69Dawg.
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I can’t believe the Falcons could’ve had Marvin Austin AND Justin Houston with0ut making a single trade.
I’m as hopeful as any that Julio Jones is ready to be a great NFL #2. But good grief, we couldn’t get off the field last yr.
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They drafted D heavy in 2009 and fairly D heavy in 2010. Unless all those guys end up as busts, the D will be fine this year. And then there is always free agency (though that is a bit murky this year). Dimitroff has done well so far, let’s trust him to keep up the good work.
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Patriots couldn’t exactly get off the field either and yet they picked up players on the offensive side of field. Including a qb.
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Falcons appear to have an ego-maniac owner, I cannot imagine a football man making a trade/draft like that. Patriots owner stays in the box upstairs where he belongs while Jones and Blank will never get enough camera time.
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