NFL Draft Preview

Actually, this is not a real draft preview, as I have no idea who's going to be picked in what round by what team. This is merely my opportunity to note that I will be watching the draft fates of two players: Michael Oher and Pat White.

Oher is, of course, the subject of Michael Lewis' excellent "The Blindside," a hybrid sports book and socio-economic study. In the book, it is repeatedly expressed that Oher has the potential to be the greatest left tackle of all time. It doesn't appear that it has worked out this way. His college career was quiet, although that was undoubtedly due to his attending the mediocre Ole Miss, rather than LSU or Tennessee. Still, Oher is a good guy with a compelling life story. No matter where he ends up (and one of our local sports scribes has predicted he will end up on the 49'ers), I am sure he will have an interesting few years.

Pat White is the former quarterback for West Virginia, and another appealing guy; a tall skinny player who could be a hybrid quarterback, running back, and receiver. His credentials are pretty much impeccable - his leading WV to victory over Oklahoma in the 2007 Feista Bowl was one of the great moments in sport in this decade - but, his size might doom him as a pro. But, like Oher, White has a ton of character and good will, which might take him farther than his diminutive size might indicate.

And, here's a story about another American original who found himself in football: Mel Kiper, the strangely compelling, old fashioned draft expert who should really be considered the Bill James of modern football: The NFL Draft is the Kiper Family Business