Point 1
This would be valid I would say if overall team optimization was the ideal, but genuinely my experience is that the DSFL level will still help make sure a player is optimized enough to be able to contribute. If not that is something that needs to be fixed at the DSFL level, or ideally with build changes to make any archetype valuable. Perhaps at least a guide detailing meta would suffice. My experience with being asked to change at the NSFL level is usually a complete position swap to better fit people onto a roster.
Point 2
Activity being rewarded is always a good thing, but outside of a few positions if you are highly active you are likely to be called up quickly at this point. That said the DSFL goal is to encourage activity and my meetings with the general managers at that level suggest they are pretty good about that.
Point 3
This is where I think the big issue I have with the idea is if I am honest. You consider it a season of purgatory and I consider it a season to show your talents for the big draft. Making it so the DSFL links to the NSFL puts us in the same situation as the PBE where recreates will always be taken at the top of the draft because you know you can trust them.
The draft at the DSFL is a huge gamble as you can see by how much some players jumped between the two drafts. Using S22 as an example the DSFL level had five of the first rounders as recreates including all of the top four selections because of the need for security. Meanwhile at the NSFL level iStegosauruz jumped from 147 to 1, and the first recreate did not come off the board until the sixth selection. All because those players made such an impact during their DSFL season.
Point 4 (Counterpoint 1)
Right now we are not entirely sure we have enough of a consistent recruiting player base to support eight DSFL teams. There is saturation as there are some DSFL teams with multiple quarterbacks for example and spreading that out could be worthwhile. However that means the overall activity level of the DSFL drops considerably and as someone who really enjoyed their experience in the DSFL I do not think that would be a good thing. It could be helpful to connect rookies to veterans faster, however I believe Woelker already has a change in place that should help with that.
Point 5 (Counterpoint 2)
I strongly disagree with this point as the blending of DSFL players at the NSFL level can be seen by the S22 draft. There is a fact of general managers drafting who they know, but you can get to know a lot of new people during the scouting process. Meanwhile having a linked team means you interact with approximately 1/12th of the league comfortably and increases the risk of us vs them mentality cropping up. Something that should especially be avoided at the DSFL level as it should be used as an audition more than anything else in my opinion.
Point 6 (Counterpoint 3)
Speaking as someone with no experience as a general manager I do not feel confident commenting on this argument.
Comments
I strongly agree BigKicks that poor drafts become much more devastating and good drafts become much more rewarding. My honest stance here is that if anything more should be done to make free agency more appealing to players rather than making the draft even more important for teams.
Also partially agree with J0EB in that I was more hyped for the NSFL draft, but I jumped in enough by the time of the DSFL draft that I was also super hyped for that. Although the point of feeling more assigned than selected is a real one. With a new player the team might only have a couple of weeks to scout how good a fit they will be for potentially ten plus seasons compared to now where they get at least a season of data to work with for the big leagues.
Overall I find the idea interesting if nothing else. Will be the first to admit I am sad to no longer be teammates with some of my friends from the DSFL level, but I will also readily admit that I am thrilled to be making new friends with some players from other DSFL teams who are now my teammates. Also have worked to maintain those friendships with my old teammates so more friends the merrier with the current system is my stance. (Although I am also friends with people who were never my teammate so I may not be the best example there. I love a lot of people.)
This would be valid I would say if overall team optimization was the ideal, but genuinely my experience is that the DSFL level will still help make sure a player is optimized enough to be able to contribute. If not that is something that needs to be fixed at the DSFL level, or ideally with build changes to make any archetype valuable. Perhaps at least a guide detailing meta would suffice. My experience with being asked to change at the NSFL level is usually a complete position swap to better fit people onto a roster.
Point 2
Activity being rewarded is always a good thing, but outside of a few positions if you are highly active you are likely to be called up quickly at this point. That said the DSFL goal is to encourage activity and my meetings with the general managers at that level suggest they are pretty good about that.
Point 3
This is where I think the big issue I have with the idea is if I am honest. You consider it a season of purgatory and I consider it a season to show your talents for the big draft. Making it so the DSFL links to the NSFL puts us in the same situation as the PBE where recreates will always be taken at the top of the draft because you know you can trust them.
The draft at the DSFL is a huge gamble as you can see by how much some players jumped between the two drafts. Using S22 as an example the DSFL level had five of the first rounders as recreates including all of the top four selections because of the need for security. Meanwhile at the NSFL level iStegosauruz jumped from 147 to 1, and the first recreate did not come off the board until the sixth selection. All because those players made such an impact during their DSFL season.
Point 4 (Counterpoint 1)
Right now we are not entirely sure we have enough of a consistent recruiting player base to support eight DSFL teams. There is saturation as there are some DSFL teams with multiple quarterbacks for example and spreading that out could be worthwhile. However that means the overall activity level of the DSFL drops considerably and as someone who really enjoyed their experience in the DSFL I do not think that would be a good thing. It could be helpful to connect rookies to veterans faster, however I believe Woelker already has a change in place that should help with that.
Point 5 (Counterpoint 2)
I strongly disagree with this point as the blending of DSFL players at the NSFL level can be seen by the S22 draft. There is a fact of general managers drafting who they know, but you can get to know a lot of new people during the scouting process. Meanwhile having a linked team means you interact with approximately 1/12th of the league comfortably and increases the risk of us vs them mentality cropping up. Something that should especially be avoided at the DSFL level as it should be used as an audition more than anything else in my opinion.
Point 6 (Counterpoint 3)
Speaking as someone with no experience as a general manager I do not feel confident commenting on this argument.
Comments
I strongly agree BigKicks that poor drafts become much more devastating and good drafts become much more rewarding. My honest stance here is that if anything more should be done to make free agency more appealing to players rather than making the draft even more important for teams.
Also partially agree with J0EB in that I was more hyped for the NSFL draft, but I jumped in enough by the time of the DSFL draft that I was also super hyped for that. Although the point of feeling more assigned than selected is a real one. With a new player the team might only have a couple of weeks to scout how good a fit they will be for potentially ten plus seasons compared to now where they get at least a season of data to work with for the big leagues.
Overall I find the idea interesting if nothing else. Will be the first to admit I am sad to no longer be teammates with some of my friends from the DSFL level, but I will also readily admit that I am thrilled to be making new friends with some players from other DSFL teams who are now my teammates. Also have worked to maintain those friendships with my old teammates so more friends the merrier with the current system is my stance. (Although I am also friends with people who were never my teammate so I may not be the best example there. I love a lot of people.)
