If MIAA Stars Entered the NFL Draft: 2019 Edition

Everett's Mike Sainristil has all the tools to be the top pick in our mock draft.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

We may have (mostly) shut down operations here at SuiteSports, but dammit, I'm not gonna end this school year without putting out our fun, but mostly pointless blog about where the best players in the MIAA would be selected, were they available in this week's NFL Draft.

If you need to get caught up, you can find our 2017 MIAA/NFL Draft here, and our 2018 edition here.

A reminder of the rules for players being taken in our MIAA/NFL Draft:

1. The player must be a senior. I know college juniors (and redshirt sophomores) can be taken in the real NFL Draft, but that's not how our draft works.

2. The player can be headed to prep school next year. Since we don't include ISL or other Prep School players in our draft, guys who are finishing up their MIAA careers and graduating from an MIAA school get the chance to be drafted.

If MIAA Stars Entered the NFL Draft: 2018 Edition

St. John's (Shrewsbury) quarterback Steven Bucciaglia

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Back by popular demand, it's the weird and mostly pointless blog we did last year about MIAA players getting taken in the NFL Draft.

As I said last year: Yes, the concept of this post is silly, and I don't care. Last year I mostly did this blog because the state of sports journalism, particularly in the Boston market (haha, Boston Market) was so effed, but a year later, there is some cause for optimism.

The Athletic just came to Boston, while Boston Sports Journal seems to be doing well...

Ed. Note: In this space I previously made a remark about The Boston Herald that I think came off the wrong way. I made a comment about the paper's financial state as a legacy journalistic entity in contrast to the new businesses that just came to town. 

Essentially, I was making the point that, even as these start-ups bring promise and optimism, we still have The Herald selling in bankruptcy court, so the present state of local sports journalism is obviously mixed.

That comment was in no way a jab at The Herald's work. I have friends at the paper, share writers with their high school section, and maintain that they've had the best sports coverage in Boston since I've moved here. Heck, the late, great Bruce Lerch even got me my first job in this town.

TL;DR : I made a dumb comment, and have nothing but respect for The Herald. Anyways, onward with the rest of the blog!

A reminder of the rules for MIAA players being taken in our MIAA/NFL Draft:

If MIAA Stars Entered the NFL Draft…

Where does Duxbury quarterback Bobby Maimaron project in our fictional draft?

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Ok, let's get something out of the way: This is silly.

Obviously, these are high school kids, and they're not going to the NFL next year, and only a few of them are even playing Division I college football, blah, blah blah.

The entire concept of this post is silly. I don't care.

With the ESPN layoffs yesterday, the outlook for sports journalism has never been so bleak, so I'm gonna have some fun.

So, without further ado, here is what tonight's NFL Draft First Round would look like, if NFL teams were drafting Massachusetts high school football players.

Also note that, unlike in the NFL, only MIAA seniors were made eligible for our draft. That includes seniors who have reclassified and will play at prep schools next year, since this was their final season in the MIAA.

The Local Sports Lunchbox: NFL Draft Prospect Tyler Catalina & The T&G's Carl Setterlund

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

This week on "The Local Sports Lunchbox" on WPKZ, I had the chance to chat with local NFL Draft prospect Tyler Catalina. Now training at Exceed SPF in Westboro, Catalina just finished up a year of starting at left tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs, after three years of starting for the University of Rhode Island. An alum of Wachusett Regional, Catalina has the chance to give Central Mass another NFL player in the coming months.

In our second and third segments I spoke with Carl Setterlund about all things CMass hoops, including tonight's Clark Tournament semifinals, the finals of the Worcester City Tournament, and teams that could make a surprising run when the state tournament begins next week.

For all that, and more, listen in below.

The Poor Decision NFL Mock Draft

Mistakes will be made on draft night

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Every year at least one team in the NFL Draft makes an epically poor decision. Whether it's the Jets selecting forgettable tight end Kyle Brady over future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp, the Redskins mortgaging the franchise to move up and select Robert Griffin III, the Dolphins trading up to select Dion Jordan, or pretty much everything the Raiders have done since the turn of the millennium.

But what if every team made a mistake during tonight's first round? Well then, you'd get our Poor Decision NFL Mock Draft. These next picks/trades aren't all what I'd call likely, but some of them could happen, and they would probably be bad news for your favorite team if they came to fruition.

What We Learned from the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine

Georgia receiver Chris Conley jumps very high and makes a funny face at the Combine.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, but NFL Draft season is just kicking in.

With 40 times, vertical leaps and bench press numbers for (most of) the biggest prospects, NFL teams, particularly those at the top of the draft board, now have two months to digest all that information and combine it with game film to decide which player is the next big thing.

History, however, has shown that finding a future Hall of Famer on NFL Draft day is more about luck than skill, but that won't stop analysts and bloggers alike from claiming the future greatness of some college standout today.

So, if they can do it, why can't I? Without further ado, here is everything we learned from the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine.

The Late, But Obligatory Huge NFL Draft Wrap

Michael Sam was the story of this year's draft, but what can he actually bring on the field?

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

This past weekend's NFL Draft was one of the most intriguing and eventful in recent memory, so of course I spent my entire Sunday… Sunbathing with my wife on the roof.

Yeah, sorry, it was a long winter here in Boston, and I was grabbing the sun while it was there.

Consequently, this massive NFL Draft recap was pushed back a bit, but have no fear. I'm still here to tell you what to think about your favorite team's draft.

Let's get to it.

Bob Lobel: The Risks of Home Ice in Game 7

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

The shelf life for something written or said on a day off after a dismal sixth game and a much anticipated “all or nothing” game is minimal. 

Like a paper used to be. Read it and then wrap the fish in it. That’s its basic worth by this time tomorrow. Trying to make the most of a short attention span, I can tell you I honestly am not a fan of 7th game home games in the National Hockey League. 

I Hate Being A Patriots Fan On Draft Day

Look at that handsome devil, all ready to ruin the last few years of Tom Brady's career.

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

Being a Patriots fan on Draft Day is a rather interesting experience. In my many years of being a Patriots fan, there have really only been two drafts that I left feeling genuinely fired up about who they ended up with. In 2011, they took Nate Solder in the first round (which meant that Matt Light would quickly be on his way out - this brought me great joy, as I've held a grudge against Light ever since he performed dismally in the 2007 Super Bowl) and picked up Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen in the second and third rounds (nothing against BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but he didn't/doesn't have a very high ceiling). And the next year, they traded up twice to grab both Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower in the first round to shore up a then-abysmal defense (it's only now slightly less abysmal, but at least they're making progress).

Most years, the Patriots have an infuriating draft.

Seven Sports Questions Asked By Attractive Celebrities

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Last week, we brought you first installment in our new series of click bait articles.

That Pulitzer-worthy blog featured adorable animals asking all the burning sports questions of the day. Not gonna lie, it's going to be tough to top that one. But, if there's one thing people love to stare at on the internet other than cute animals (and, uh, other stuff), it's a beautiful famous person.

With that in mind, we bring you everything you need to know about sports this week, asked by a bunch of people far more attractive than you or I.

Catching Up With Bob Lobel: Bruins in Trouble and Patriots Draft Day

Join legendary sportscaster Bob Lobel and host Joe Parello as they discuss the biggest sports stories of the day.

This week, Bob and Joe break down the Bruins' critical game four in Montreal, and the Patriots' potential moves in tonight's first round of the NFL Draft.

All this, and more, on this week's edition of "Catching Up With Bob Lobel."

2014: A Draft Mockery

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

A come on, you know the deal.

Here is my one, and only, mock draft (I don't get 33 rough drafts, Mel Kiper), including each team's projected selection and mocking team needs.

Enjoy!

1. Houston Texans
Team Needs: QB, OT, OLB, Ed Reed, Extension for Matt Schaub

Jadeveon Clowney, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Houston wouldn't mind trading this pick if the right offer comes along, but if they stand pat they certainly wouldn't mind locking up the Apex Predator that is Jadeveon Clowney.

NFL Draft Storylines

Blake Bortles led UCF to a historic season in 2013, but where will he go in the 2014 NFL Draft?

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

The 2014 NFL Draft is being hailed by scouts as the best in a decade, and there will be no shortage of storylines during ESPN's three-day coverage extravaganza.

We've already discussed the incredible storylines that came out of the last highly anticipated draft class, the class of 2004, but here are some things that may happen when the draft begins Thursday night.

To Trade, or Not to Trade

It's always a question for the team at No. 1, and this year's Texans are an odd case. They resemble last season's Chiefs in the sense that they are more talented than their terrible record shows, but they'll need to get healthy and find an impact player to shoot them back toward the playoffs.

Jadeveon Clowney is a once-in-a-decade talent, but there are questions about his motor and technique. Basically, we're manufacturing reasons why this freak athlete might not be good.

Seven Sports Questions Asked By Adorable Animals

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Perhaps you've noticed something different about your favorite obscure sports website lately.

Do we have a new glow about us or something? Maybe the happiness of me going on my honeymoon, then coming back to an exciting lacrosse season and NBA playoffs is shining through in HTML form.

Well, no. We have more ads. See them, they're right up there and over there.

Yes, that's right, we've sold out, and there's no doubt in my mind that Jeremy and I will become wealthy beyond our wildest dreams, one penny per pageview at a time.

So, as the SuiteSports empire grows into the next ESPN, we have to increase eyeballs on our product. That's where adorable animals come in. Well, this week it's adorable animals, but rest assured we will be bringing you new click bait every week.

So, without further ado, here is the newest, most sell out-iest addition to SuiteSports.com

PS, thanks for reading, and check out our advertisers if you're in the market for (insert thing they are selling that you creepily kind of need or want).

Has it Been 10 Years Already? The 2004 NFL Draft Revisited

Yeah, it's definitely been 10 years. Look how skinny Roethlisberger (right) is. Eli (left) looks about the same.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Actually, it's been 10 years and one day since the first round of the 2004 draft, and what a first round it was.

The 2004 edition of the draft is memorable for a few reasons, not the least of which is it being the first draft to feature two quarterbacks that would go on to win multiple Super Bowls as starters.

That's right, not even the legendary quarterback class of 1983, featuring Hall of Famers John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly can match this group. The 2004 draft was also the quickest draft to ever produce two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, only taking four years to do so, and it was the obviously the same two guys.

Winners and Losers from the NFL Combine… So Far

 

Few players have accomplished so much in college, yet come into the Combine as scrutinized as Johnny Manziel. Basically, he's this year's Tim Tebow.

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

The NFL Combine is halfway over, and we've already had a near record-setting run in the 40-yard dash, an openly gay player being welcomed with open arms and a few "RED FLAGS" being tossed out by national pundits. We've still got two days left, but seriously, you've got work to do. You're not gonna watch a bunch of guys run through cones during the week… Are you?

Either way, here are our winners and losers from the first two days of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Winners

Johnny Manziel

There's going to be so much debate about Manziel as the draft gets closer, but the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner did everything in his workout to at least prove that he's physically ready.

The height question really doesn't matter anymore, what with Drew Brees turning into one of the best quarterbacks ever and Russell Wilson leading a Super Bowl winner in Seattle, but Johnny Football was actually a little taller than I anticipated, officially measuring in at just a quarter-inch under 6-foot.

Studs and Duds: A Rough Draft

By Jeremy Conlin and Joe Parello

Studs and Duds is a weekly feature on Suite Sports. Who had a good week? Who had a bad week?

Studs  

Patrick Beverley

The Rockets inserted Beverley into the starting lineup for Wednesday's Game 2 against Oklahoma City. Beverley responded, playing 41 minutes (second-most on the team behind James Harden), and he scored 16 points, pulled down 12 rebounds (five offensive), dished out six assists, and shot 53.8 percent from the field. There's more than a little buzz around the NBA blogosphere that it might be Beverley, not Jeremy Lin, who is Houston's best point guard. Plus, his name is Beverley, so puns aplenty.

He's the real deal.  

-JC

2013: A Draft Mockery

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

I'm not going to lie, as much as I love the NFL Draft, I like mock drafts even more.

Not that the first round of the draft isn't captivating television. In fact, it is probably far too interesting considering that it isn't even an actual sporting event. But still, the draft moves at a snail's pace, and the only thing that can keep your attention is when somebody falls down the board like a rock.

Aaron Rodgers comes to mind, and I guess it's probably even more fun when the guy who falls is going to suck, like Brady Quinn. Either way, unless there's a huge compelling trade that swaps a ton of picks and significant players, there isn't much to do between picks other than talk about who is losing money and stare at Mel Kiper's hair.

Well, sit idly by no more, because I bring you 2013: A Draft Mockery, complete with free falling players, fake dead girlfriends and mocking descriptions of team needs.

Most of them aren't that clever.

What We Learned from the NFL Combine

By Joe Parello

The NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and one thing is becoming more and more apparent in this draft: The difference between pick No.1 and pick No. 21 isn't very large.

There is no "can't miss" quarterback this year, nor is there an explosive running back or receiver that has everybody's attention. This year's draft is, ugh, strong on both the offensive and defensive lines. Still, there were some standout performers this weekend in Nap Town, and some guys that turned in terrible performances that are sure to sink them down draft boards across the league.

So, without further ado, here are my top-6 takeaways from the 2013 Combine. Why top-6? Because I put in that extra effort.

Alex Smith Trade Shows the Direction of Two Franchises

Swapping Alex Smith for a 2nd round pick was a coup for the 49ers.

By Joe Parello

The 49ers have just shipped quarterback Alex Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft, and a conditional mid-round pick in 2014.

The fact that the Niners were able to get a 2nd round pick for a backup that has exactly one year of decent football to his name speaks volumes about the direction they are heading. But, the fact that the Chiefs are investing in a backup-quality player with one decent year of football to his name (Uh, Matt Cassel deja vu?) says even more about how this organization has taken a 10 win team from 2010 and made it one of the league's worst.