Option to start a franchise with the Rookie Draft?

[Iceman87GT]

With the draft being 8 days away I've been thinking how cool it would be to be able to dictate how we want our chosen team's future to go starting with the draft instead of the preseason.

Given the lack of an NCAA title for the foreseeable future starting the franchise with a rookie draft may be the closest we'll get to experiencing a real draft for a long time (hopefully EA steps up their game in terms of draft class generating, to compensate for this void).

Think about it, being able to perform a blockbuster trade to get an actual player instead of the randomly generated ones. Or balking at the direction that the real life team decided to take and focusing on a different aspect.

For instance say I'm controlling the Falcons and Sammy Watkins is available at #6 and Clowney and Mack are off the board, instead of taking a player that could be considered a reach (they don't need a QB, and a great Tackle will still be available for several more picks), or trading back, I draft Watkins and trade Julio Jones for another team's first rounder (I know it seems a little crazy, but it'd be trading size for speed, not that Jones is slow, but he isn't as good of a route runner, his hands are a little more suspect and he's got a nagging foot injury, both are excellent but in different ways). This is a move that Atlanta wouldn't make (nor would I expect any team to make such a move), but I would love to be able to explore this kind of option.

Or say the Texans choose Clowney, and grab a QB later in the draft, but you really wanted Bridgewater/Manziel, you'd be able to re-do the draft and grab them (whether you do it by trading back or using that #1 on them is your choice).

To an extent you can do this by adjusting the rosters before heading into CFM, but I don't think that would affect the storylines that pop up during that mode and if they do they would probably refer to a player for player trade rather than a team that moved up to grab a guy.

I mean we all enjoy playing the role of the GM, but we never really get to use our own real world evaluations when it comes to drafting. All we have is computerized scouting of fake players to look forward to until we get a new College Football game made by EA.

So what do y'all think? Would you use this option if it were available?

[on a somewhat related note: Man I wish EA had decided to press ahead and make a Next Gen version of NCAA football, even if they only got one iteration in before the pulling of licenses made it unfeasible, at least we would have a next-gen version that could export draft classes and that could be played on our next gen consoles]

[mestevo]

I'm sure it'd be fun to tinker with for a very small number of people, but I wouldn't be interested, no.

[Cpre5]

Yes, I loved being able to do that in Head Coach and wished Madden had it for years now.

[Trick13]

Solo franchise only for me - so I put the won't use it very often option.


I would be much more interested in starting just before the preseason and firing Jason Garrett. I don't think he is any good at all. As it stands now, I always pick coach CFM and make up a name - I mean the Cowboys are not moving, ever, and they have a brand new stadium so owner mode has nothing for me.


I just can't see convincing a league to use this feature, at least not a league that wants to play simulation style, so I doubt I would use it for anything other than an amusing solo franchise where I grab Manziel and make Romo watch the team win a SuperBowl as punishment for all the atrocities he has inflicted upon me while imitating his boyhood idol - Brett "the worst big game quarterback in history, not to mention being a huge pain in the ask me if I am going to retire" Favre...

[brza37]

This was one of my favorite options in NFL Head Coach. Sometimes I would start new careers just to mess around with the draft. There are so many fans that are disappointed with the way their team drafted in real life and wish they could change a few things. They should definitely add it to Madden.

[Cre8]

Considering how terrible the commentary is during Franchise Mode anyway, I don't know how much this would hurt it from that perspective. That said - I don't really think I'd ever use it as I typically start every Franchise Mode with my default team and play the season with them as is. The only move(s) I might make would be to pick up draft picks that we should have as well as signing some lower ranked free agents if I see a few I like for pre-season and try to get them on the team.

[Ueauvan]

i voted no, this was possible in hc09 and in the end you knew who was a boom or bust