How Much Should Notre Dame Fans Care About The NFL Draft?

Full disclosure: the NFL Scouting Combine is on my television right now. I'm not sure what that says about me, but maybe it just says that I really enjoy the analytical breakdowns of offensive linemen running the 40 yard dash. (You already know that's not true). It does, however, make me wonder why all of this NFL Draft stuff is so important to fans of college football - and more importantly here, fans of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

VALIDATION

Fans have spent at least 3 years either defending or shaking their heads at the players entering the NFL Draft. Regardless of results on the field in terms of wins and losses, I think it's safe to say that fans:

1. Want to be able to be braggadocious. They want to be able to compare Fighting Irish players against the best in the country. It feels good when they become high draft picks.
2. Want to be able to judge the health of the program. While it's certainly not the end-all in judging how good a college football program is, having a lot of players drafted (and drafted in the early rounds) says that the program is still getting good talent and developing that talent.
3. Want to be able to start predicting next season. When you say "Notre Dame had two offensive linemen drafted in the first round," it really brings you down to earth on the possibilities next season. Can a school lose that much talent at one position group and still perform at or around the same level the next season?

YOU ARE A FAN OF THE NFL

This category is one that I have only a small toe in the water. I am a fan of the Green Bay Packers, but unlike my mother, I am entirely sane about it - unlike my sanity with Notre Dame football. Many of you, however, are hardcore fans of a particular NFL team.

Many of you are fans of the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and others. Besides many wanting their favorite Irish players to be drafted by their NFL team, they also want as much talent from across the country as they can get (duh). For example, we may hate the USC Trojans, but how many would give a nice little fist pump if running back Ronald Jones was drafted by your team?

BUT DO YOU CARE?

If I'm being completely honest with all of you, the NFL Draft is losing more and interest on my end. I'm not a fan of the new way the draft works with it starting on Thursday night being JUST for Round 1, and then so on. I liked it so much more with just the Saturday and Sunday nerd fest.

I have also found myself watching less and less NFL action over the last decade. This is probably due to the fact that I have been blogging about Notre Dame football for the last 12 years, and there is something called "family-time" that is important to my wife and kids.

It's also a little hard to really dive in when Sunday is a big writing day, and Thursday is a night that should only be for college football.

But that's ME. What about you?

How much should you care? That's entirely up to you.