Coincidence? I Think Not.

Dan Shanoff points out in his Sporting News column and on his eponymous site, Dan Shanoff.com, "Meanwhile, Pete Carroll is a bit of a d'bag for ripping Mark Sanchez's decision to turn pro. Yeah: Like Carroll is now going to go out and actively recruit the kind of player who doesn't have the ability to turn pro after 3 seasons. Quit whining."

Agreed Dan- Carroll needs to shut it. But what's not mentioned here is the fact that, despite, Carroll's insistence that Sanchez is not NFL-ready (yet), he still has a better chance to go higher in the draft- say, 1st rounder, and easily 1st day- than he would next year when the NFL Draft Class will most assuredly feature Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. Not saying any of these guys is better than Sanchez, but it gives NFL Personnel gurus a lot more to consider for both this season (draft Sanchez and develop him for 2010/11?) and next (or draft a franchise-QB in McCoy or Bradford for immediate impact?*).

*I'm not saying McCoy or Bradford will be a franchise-type QB. But given their pedigrees (big time college programs, on-field collegiate success, Heisman finalists/winners) these guys are as close to locks as any prospect. And throw a year of serious QB-centric training at Tebow (why else stay at UF?) to make him 1st Round material and Sanchez becomes just an also-ran. But this year? The guy locks Top 2 QB status in the Draft.

That is something Pete Carroll should be proud of and not criticizing.