FanPost

The Steve Keim Draft Challenge

USA TODAY Sports

This challenge is contingent with ROTB having no problems with it.

I personally think Steve Keim hit a home run in this draft, but I still see comments like "he should have drafted ..." or "He should not have passed on ....".

I still believe that there is dysfunction somewhere in the Cardinals management (my guess is Bidwill), but it seems like that dysfunction has been put in check this off season. Steve Keim seems to be the lightning rod for the team's successes or failures, but it truly is an organization that determines a team's success. A year from now if Josh Jones is a stud, we will all say that pick was a no brainier, but if he is a colossal failure we will say there was a reason why he slid to the 3rd round. We always get the benefit of hindsight. This challenge is meant to eliminate that benefit by documenting your drafted players.

Although Keim's (Cardinals organization) draft history is not good, it seems like the Cardinals are building something special.

So let's have a simple contest, no prizes other than bragging rights (maybe a certificate or something.)

List the players who were available when the Cardinals drafted that you would have drafted.

Obviously, no trading up or down. You can draft players that Keim drafted, but not all of the players that he drafted.

I will compile a list of everyone's entries and next year leading up to the draft we can hopefully do a lot less mock drafts and instead have a contest to see who drafted best. Maybe even a NCAA tournament bracket like contest to try to find out who is the best drafter. Hopefully the winner is Steve Keim, because then we all win.

Obviously the system and team the player gets drafted and injuries will be a factor. This is by no means to claim to be a scientific process, but maybe a little fun next year in that post free agency, predraft dead window.

Cardinals Draft Picks

Round Pick # Cardinals Selection

1 8 LB/S Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

3 72 OT Josh Jones, Houston

4 114 DT Leki Fotu, Utah

4 131 DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU

6 202 LB Evan Weaver, Cal

7 222 RB Eno Benjamin, Arizona State

I personally would not change any of Keim's draft picks, and I hereby vow not to criticize Keim in the future if these picks do not work out. I also am not a mock drafter or a wanna be Mel Kiper. I will have little chance to win, but here goes mine.

My Draft Picks:

Round Pick # Selection

1 8 LB/S Isaiah Simmons, Clemson

3 72 OT Josh Jones, Houston

4 114 DT Leki Fotu, Utah

4 131 DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU

6 202 OT Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn

7 222 TE; Steven Sullivan, LSU

I am not really going out on a limb here. Think you are better than Steve Keim, show your list.

Entries will be cut off in 30 days or when we have enough posts to have a decent bracket (hopefully at least a sweet 16).

<em>This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Revenge of the Birds' (ROTB) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of ROTB's editors.</em>