The 2011 NFL draft is around the corner so the misinformation is flowing at a high rate. By “misinformation”, we mean some teams will intentionally leak harmful information about a prospect in the hopes that a player will drop to them. Or teams will leak that they really like a particular player in order to throw other teams off the scent of which players they like.
How Will DT Phil Taylor’s Foot Injury Affect 2011 NFL Draft Stock?
One of those possible misinformation stories involves Baylor DT Phil Taylor. With 10 days to go until the NFL draft, a report has surfaced that Taylor, who could go as high as No. 21 to the Kansas City Chiefs, has a foot injury that could cause problems. According to the report, Taylor has bones growing together in his foot. The issue isn't correctable through surgery and could cause problems down the line.
So is the story accurate? CBSSports.com reported the original story and cites several teams who say Taylor has this foot issue. Peter King of SI.com reports at least one team has removed Taylor from their draft boards because of it. Aaron Wilson of National Football Post refutes the report citing a source who says teams are leaking misinformation in the hopes that Taylor falls.
However the issue plays out in the public, teams likely know the real story on Taylor. He was at the NFL Combine and went back for a medical re-check (which is where the report originated) and that information is given to all 32 NFL teams.
We’ll see if this affects Taylor’s stock. As we noted, he could go as high as the 21st pick to the Chiefs -- or he could fall as far as the middle of the second round. He’s a prospective nose tackle, which is a hard position to come by, so I tend to think some team will take him in the first round.
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