Donnie Fletcher, Other Eagles Go Undrafted in 2012

Last year, it was Mark Herzlich. In 2012, Donnie Fletcher is the latest Boston College Eagle regarded as having had a chance at being one of 253 but falling short.

Fletcher, the senior cornerback, was typically favored by the mock drafts as being a 5th to 6th-round pick in this year’s draft, but as the third and final day carried on, it became more obvious that Fletcher was not rising up the boards fast enough. Boston College only got one player, Luke Kuechly, taken, making it the second-straight year where BC had a first-rounder selected and nobody else.

This is why it is important for all fans, especially BC fans who have seen this happen before, not to put too much stock into mock drafts. They may be fun to follow and keep for somewhat of a point of reference, but at the end of the day, the analysts and football writers only know about as much as we do when it comes to the decision-making processes of the 32 NFL teams. It’s one thing to say that a random team will take a random player in the 7th round, but the bottom line is that they don’t actually know. When you’re looking at the first round with a player like Luke Kuechly, it’s easier to pinpoint destinations for players, but by the end of the draft, you’re sinking deeper into obscurity and it may be somewhat like throwing darts at the wall.

Is all lost for Fletcher, Max Holloway, and the other Eagles who did not get drafted? Of course not. Just like Herzlich, who was seen by many as a late pick in 2011, they all have a chance at sticking with a team as an undrafted free agent. Expect to hear soon that one or more of them will get a shot in training camp this summer.