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Home > Tide Corner > Football
How much will [Andre Smith]e 's NFL blunder cost him?
Published: Monday, February 23, 2009, 9:04 AM Updated: Monday, February 23, 2009, 12:04 PM
By Dennis Pillion, al.com al.com
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AP photo [Andre Smith]e|/nfl/players/9270 won the Outland Trophy at Alabama, but is costing himself in the upcoming NFL draft. Everybody seems to agree that [Andre Smith]e screwed up big-time at the NFL Combine .
Ray Melick welcomed Andre to the real world in today's The Birmingham News and Mark McCarter says Andre's slip-ups will lighten his wallet .
That got me thinking about how much money this scenario might ultimately cost Alabama's left tackle for the past three years, so I crunched some numbers.
First, I checked a handy list from nfl.com of last year's first round draft picks and their salaries . The results were pretty eye-opening.
Jake Long , drafted first overall by Miami, is the obvious comparison because he plays Smith's position of left tackle. Long's contract: 5 years, $57.5 million ($30M guaranteed). That's a lot of scratch to have guaranteed before you play your first NFL game, but Long was only the third highest-paid player in last year's draft. Falcons QB Matt Ryan got a rookie contract worth $72 million ($34M guaranteed), and former Razorback Darren McFadden landed $60 million ($26M guaranteed).
So it's not unreasonable to think that Smith would land a contract similar to Long's if he were taken among the top three players overall. He was projected to go that high a few weeks ago. Now, not so much.
Now look at players drafted in the 10-20 range at offensive tackle. Ryan Clady was picked 12th overall by the Denver Broncos and signed for $17.5 million ($11.5M guaranteed). The Chicago Bears picked Chris Williams 14th overall and signed him for $16 million ($10M guaranteed). The No. 17 pick Gosder Cherilus got $15 million ($8.9M guaranteed) from the Detriot Lions . Jake Otah earned the 19th pick in last year's draft and the Carolina Panthers rewarded him with a deal for $14.4 million ($8.965M guaranteed).
Mark Almond / The Birmingham News [Andre Smith]e watches Alabama's 36-0 win over Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Nov. 29, 2008.
That's still a sweet deal, but a big step down from $57.5 million.
Not to mention that an NFL player's rookie contract is probably the easiest money he'll ever make. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been very vocal in criticising rookie salaries, and rightly so.
The very informative blog sportsagentblog.com did a comparison last year of the top rookie contract signings and the top free agent signings at various positions.
The study shows it's hard to get a $50-million contract as a veteran player. Flozell Adams , recently signed a 6-year $43.8 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys , and he's a 5-time Pro Bowl player. Compare that to Long's 5-year $57.5 million deal.
The Miami Dolphins' Vernon Carey was a first round draft choice in 2004, has started 59 straight games for the team, and still only netted a 6-year, $42 million deal .
In short, this is [Andre Smith]e's best chance to get a deal that pays $10 million or more per season. Every rookie taken in the first round last year signed for at least five years. Apparently, Smith would have to perform better than Carey did in Miami or Adams has in Dallas to get a contract of that magnitude again.
I'm not saying it's impossible or even unlikely that he will do just that: but it will take a lot of work, success and luck to stay injury-free.
That's why so many people view Smith's cavalier attitude as a problem. It doesn't appear that Smith or his agent, Alvin Keels , is taking this process very seriously. When NFL teams sit down this April to choose a player, incidents like this stick in their mind. The franchises will invest $50 million or so on a top-5 pick and they want to make sure they get their money's worth.
A nagging question about work ethic or maturity could make these decision-makers look a little harder at other offensive tackles in the draft, or listen to the defensive coordinator who's screaming for a new playmaker on that side of the ball. That can drop Smith's draft position from say, No. 2 to No. 14, and the total compensation from $50 million to $15 million.
Coming this afternoon, I'll have a look at some NFL mock drafts and how far Smith's stock has fallen.
Related topics: Alabama Football , [Andre Smith]e , NFL Draft
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69alumni February 23, 2009 at 4:55PM
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Everyone on here keeps saying Alvin Keels is Andre's agent, but when ESPN was reporting about Andre leaving the combine, they said that he said he didn't have an agent and he went to train with his trainer. I know Keels was his agent, but is he still his agent? Or was this another misspoken excuse from Andre? Did he fire Keels? Or maybe ESPN was just making up stuff.
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crimsonflo February 23, 2009 at 5:20PM
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I just think it's amazing how so many so called "Alabama fans" are turning their back on this guy. Whatever happened to support your team, support the players. It's not like he went out and raped somebody or robbed somebody. Yeah he's made some lousy decisions in the past few weeks, but who hasn't? I hope future recruits don't look at this the way I do because if they do they're not gonna give Alabama a second look. This guy gave UA all he had for three years and this is how "the fans" repay him. By smearing his name every opportunity they get on these message boards. Shame and a pity.
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okiguess February 23, 2009 at 5:48PM
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Just the facts please. He quit Alabama after his Junior year, Alabama did not quit him. Saban told him he was not ready for the Pros yet. He turned his back on that advice. He screwed up and did not play in the Sugar Bowl. He did not participate in the Pro Combine. ANDRE did this to himself, not Alabama Fans or the Alabama team. He chose to no longer be a part of the Alabama team. He turned HS back on the fans, not the other way around. The fans are only stating the FACTS.
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tidefanva February 23, 2009 at 8:15PM
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Nobody really knows what's going on in the lives of Andre, or any player. After he gets some sit downs with NFL teams to explain things and a solid pro-day under his belt nobody will care how much money journalists said he'd make 2 months earlier. I say he still goes in the top 10 and get's big bucks. Shame on everyone that jumps on the drama train.
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kengee February 23, 2009 at 10:04PM
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This is in response to WayneG's comments on the 23rd. He stated that [Andre Smith]e didnt owe anyone an explanation for the trouble he got into resulting in his suspension from the Alabama football team and therefore having to sit-out the Sugar Bowl. Well I do believe that he owes the fans an explanation for his actions. These are the same fans that purchased expensive tickets to watch him play football. The same fans that seek his autograph. The same fans that admire his ability to play this sport at such a high level.
If theres anything that I cant stand about these high profile athletes, its that when everything is going well for them they are lapping up all the attention and love and money that they can. Saying how they think that its so great when the young kids aspire to grow up to be just like them. But the very minute they do something stupid and screw up they start whining and crying. Making statements such as " I never claimed to be a role model".
This is to all the elite athletes who think they are above all the rest of us by believing that they dont owe anyone an explanation for anything when they mess up. All of their fans give so much to support them. In fact the fans are the very reason these athletes have attained this phenom status that they enjoy so much. Sure their athletic abilty is amazing but without someone out there to yell and clap for you then whats the point besides just competing with the next guy or just getting some great excersize. Right? I guess what Im really saying is just give a little bit of respect and appreciation to the people that support you in what you do best. We are all just human beings and we all screw up. The best way to smooth things over is with an
'Im Sorry' and a simple explanation why you goofed up. Trust me it will go a long way.
'
'
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tide09 February 23, 2009 at 11:54PM
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CRIMSONFLO.................I love what you had to say about the so called "ALABAMA FANS".........where is the Crimson support .....I think there is more "Barners" posing as Crimson blood than we think!
"BAMA ANTHEM"
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cresmarine February 24, 2009 at 6:37AM
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Maybe he is still getting advice ... directly or through his uncle ... from Melvin Bratton of DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment.
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ellep March 12, 2009 at 3:08PM
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Stupid, childish mistake that may cost him his career. There aren't many "can I do it over" plays in adulthood. Too bad; he had talent, and an opportunity and he has squandered both.
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ellep March 12, 2009 at 3:10PM
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Success is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity. That's why so many people fail in life; they lack preparedness and opportunity is there "all of the time".
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bigsisjenn April 25, 2009 at 6:15PM
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I'm soooo proud of you andre do the damn thang.... by the way I'm Kerry Murphy bigsis Roll Tide...
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