NBA Draft vs NFL Draft

dawgatUSM

Redshirt
Apr 6, 2008
3,835
27
48
Why are the two so different? It seems like the NBA Draft is so cut and dry. Rarely, if ever, do teams find superstar sleepers in the latter picks. However, The NFL draft is totally opposite.

Anybody got any analysis on this subject?
 

BlindDawg

Redshirt
Jan 23, 2007
649
0
16
This is really just a shot in the dark, but I would think some of it is sheer quantity. There are only 60 picks in the NBA draft so you don't leave a whole lot of room for guys to pop up out of no where. There are 2nd round picks every year who make it, some that turn out to be stars actually, but in the NFL draft you have hundreds of picks so there is more likelihood that a guy can get overlooked a little bit at a smaller school or can just defy the odds and become a really good player.
 

Seinfeld

All-American
Nov 30, 2006
10,984
6,697
113
1. Sheer numbers - I think there are only 15 spots on an NBA basketball team while there are 80 on an NFL team. Typically, The NBA draft only produces starter quality players in the top 10-15 pick each year. In the NFL draft, it's the first 3 rounds.

2. TV time - You're right that there aren't many sleepers in the NBA draft. I think that's because in college basektball, if you're good, you're on tv. Think about guys like Stephen Curry, Jameer Nelson, and Wally Szerbiak. All played for small schools but were still household names come draft time. In football, not many people have heard of you if you don't play for a big conference school unless you're breaking records. I think that NFL talent scouts are some of the most vital positions in all of sports.