It's about that time again, and so for the championship round of The Spectrum's Sharpest Point competition, our writers will decide, for the football general managers, who the number one pick should be.
This debate, between Jennie "From the ROC" Gillan and Jackie "Sprinkles" O'Brien is for the Sharpest Point championship.
San Fran Should Select Smith
Jennifer Gillan
Why would any player want to join a team that posted a record of 2-14 in their last season? The number one pick in the NFL Draft this Saturday will get paid millions to join the NFC West's cellar team, the San Francisco 49ers.
Millions are going to do what it takes to get Utah quarterback Alex Smith to walk out and pose with the number one jersey next to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
The 49ers may have a hard time getting Smith's John Hancock on a contract thanks to Smith's agent, Tom Condon. Condon is the same agent that fought tooth and nail to get Eli Manning, last year's first pick, a $45 million deal with up to an additional $9 million in incentives.
If San Fran has to break the bank to get the former Ute, then so be it. Smith led the Utes to a 21-1 record over the past two seasons, compared to the 49ers 9-23 over the same time span. The Heisman trophy finalist was under center for the 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, completing 29 of 37, four of which were touchdowns.
Hopefully head coach Mike Nolan, the first of three first-time head coaches starting the draft, will make the right decision and choose Smith over other options like University of California quarterback Aaron Rodgers. If not, expect to see the 49ers back in the top 10 picks next year.
MAC ATTACK!
Jackie O'Brien
Gillan chose a topic that I don't know much about; more specifically, a topic I don't really care about. OK, a topic I don't care at all about. So consider this more of a hypothetical draft prediction on my part, because in all likelihood this won't happen, but I can't help but think of how cool it would be if my projected numero uno draft choice was also the 49ers' chosen one.
On Saturday the NFL will be shook up in Godzilla-like fashion; an attack by the MAC and all 225-pounds that is Akron quarterback Charlie Frye.
With his consistent arm and solid decision-making skills, Frye is fleet enough on his feet to be able to single-handedly take over a game by utilizing his athletic ability to complete accurate passes on the run when a primary play breaks down.
A modern-day Cal Ripken, never missing a start in his four seasons as a Zip while representing a city known more for its history related to the industry of rubber production (hence the name of Akron's stadium, The Rubber Bowl) and Goodyear Tires, Frye is a tough player who has the ability to succeed in the NFL.
With the prior success that fellow MAC alumni Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger have experienced in the pros, Frye's presence within the San Francisco organization will inevitably bode well for the 49ers in 2005-2006 NFL season.
Also, I'm willing to bet that it might band-aid the 44-21 pounding the Bulls received via the Zips in the fall if it came from a team boasting a number one draft pick.
Isn't it baseball season? Go Yankees.
Judgement
Evan Parker Pierce
In a year when there isn't a single compelling story in the draft - except for how the 49ers are going to screw up - it isn't easy to care about this draft. Though Gillan makes the good point of who the Niners probably will pick, I really like Jackie's points on Frye. The guy is a monster, and playing well in the MAC - with inferior surrounding talent - nearly guarantees NFL success. Look at Roethliscawhatever, Leftwich and even Randy Moss and tell me how it's possible the MAC gets overlooked again.
And, unfortunately, I just don't really care about this draft either. So, sorry Jen, but draft apathy and the fact I'm going to miss Jackie a lot forces me to give the dubya to Jackie O.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
