Creating the Draft Choices

[Reginald Rutledge]

I must be getting old because I remember officiating games where Matthew Stafford, Chase Daniel, and Michael Crabtree played in. As a matter of fact, Michael Crabtree was a better high school quarterback than either one of those kids and played at Carter High School, one of the most respected programs in Texas high school football.

Chase Daniel was just an all-out warrior. He may not get drafted early but this kid has it! He's won on every level. Took a program in Columbia and turned them into a winner. In high school, his team won 72 straight games at South Lake Carrol. I've seen him take some shots that I was stunned he got up from.

Stafford had NFL written all over him in high school. Everybody saw it. One time, a parent who had gotten ostracized by the other Highland Park moms came and sat by me because her son injured Stafford in a fight. Stafford and the older kids hazed the sophomores and this one sophomore did not know Stafford was the star QB. He injured Stafford and he had to miss the first 4 games of the season. We thought he was going to a school in the Big12 but he fooled everybody and went south to Georgia. Georgia never really utitlized his talents. He will be a superstar in the NFL.

Mike Crabtree could have been a college QB but was recruited as a WR at Tech. Crabtree was as good of an all-around athlete in many a years in the DFW area. He ran the option as well as anyone. He could actually throw the ball. Tech was stunned how good of a receiver he was.

That's the one thing that I miss about not officiating is getting to see these guys before they become stars in the NFL.

I am creating the Top 32 draft picks and I hope to be done by the end of the NFL draft.

On the clock:

1. Matthew Stafford