Mamula Retrospective

To coincide with the NFL draft combine, Profootballtalk takes a look back at workout wonder Mike Mamula and tries to dispel some myths about his reputation, college career, and Eagles tenure. 

It's a fair analysis. But it fails to mention the frustration Eagles fans had with Mamula's "just not good enough" play. Sure, his stats looked fine - even pretty good at times viewed at a certain angel. But that distracts from his actual play on the field where Mamula became more known for "almost getting to the QB" and not actually knocking down or God forbid sacking the quarterback. It was so endemic that the nickname "Almost Mamula" organically sprouted up.

But the big takeaway from the view that Mamula was a bust is because the Eagles traded up to get him. Yes, they could have stayed at 12 and gotten Warren Sapp. They also could have stayed at 12 to get Mamula. From a fan's perspective, it's not just your overall draft position that sets the expectations for your play but how you were picked. In Mamula's case, he's held to a higher standard because the Eagles were so aggressive (mistakenly so) in trying to draft him.

So it's not about "gaming" the combine but the draft day dynamics that should be the big lesson in the disappointment over Almost Mamula's career.