Originally posted by thl408:
Originally posted by scooterhd:
I think there are plenty of reasons to keep secrets.
You have to consider that there are a ton of connections to the Jets. If your hypothetical board looks like Lawrence, Fields, Lance, Wilson and you start hyping up Fields as the pick and making things public, you may be tempting the Jets to reconsider their selection. They want to run the same offense and if big brother is thinking a certain way they are going to reexplore that as well. Tipping your hand could also let Atlanta and the Jets work a deal to swap picks, allowing the Jets to draft Wilson at 4 (and collecting more picks), and the Falcons to take Fields at 2. Or could be a 3 team trade with someone else coming in to move to 2. Thing back to the 2017 draft where we knew Chicago's play and could threaten to move the pick unless we were compensated. You dont want to give up any leverage to other teams. They will exploit you.
You also dont want teams to behind you to be given time to pre plan moves and trades. Right now the draft really starts with SF and you want to keep it that way. Making your pick public lessens the chaos. Then we know what QBs are available at 4. Teams have more authority to really start working on deals with Atlanta, Cinci, Miami, Carolina, etc. You dont want to empower anybody. Keep the draft chaotic and make them do all their homework and prepare for all possible avenues.
Yup. Instead of asking, "why do they have to hide anything?", ask, "why should they reveal anything?"
NC's post was more about the 49ers being really bad at keeping the #3 pick a secret. First of all I think there is an NFL rule saying an NFL team can't reveal their picks till draft day. (or so I think - I could be wrong) So they can't really overtly reveal their pick.
Now, I don't think they actively revealed their pick, they just didn't publicly announce it. NC's post was basically stating the 49ers really were bad at keeping a secret. My point was that - they didn't need to be good at keeping that #3 pick a secret it because there was little risk of anything bad happening to the 49ers if they accidently revealed something due to their actions.
So what if Jets trade with Atlanta and Atlanta picks Fields - you get Zach. So what if there is a three team trade to #2, 49ers are guaranteed to get a top 3 QB at the #3 pick. Who cares what other teams do behind you, you pick a QB at #3 and you are on to round two. Whether or not 49ers actually or wanted to reveal their pick at #3 or not, the point was that the 49ers didn't have to really be concerned about keeping their #3 pick a total secret. The risk is little to none, at #3 because they either get Lawrence (unlikely) Zack (unlikely) or (Lance/Field/Mac - likely).
