(11-25-2024, 06:44 PM)flgatorsandjags Wrote:

(11-25-2024, 04:26 AM)JagFan81 Wrote: I don't think it's as simple as we've picked bad players. If your picking top 5 it's pretty hard not to find a good player. Don't get me wrong, we've managed to do that but unless they have a devastating injury there's more reasons. 

I don't think we've drafted players that necessarily suit our system or style (hell we've struggled to have a system or style), players have become unhappy or wanted out after rookie deals. We've not had veteran players for these rookies to learn from. 

I look at top teams and there is a standard that rookies have to reach to get to be a starter and then maintain that level with competition. We've not had that competitive roster that demands high levels of performance and that allows players to stop pushing themselves and taking those steps.

I'm sure we have our thoughts on why we've failed on so many picks but I think it's more than bad choices and it's a long standing issue the franchise hasn't solved.

I never said we picked bad players.  You cant compete and bey good just not picking bad players, thats not good enough. To compete with the best and win a championship you have to pick the best players available and pick great players.  We havent dont that.  You can look at almost every pick on every draft and we passed on great players all around us in the early rounds.  Then in the mid to late rounds we have very few hits compared to all the good teams in the league. 

 What mid to late round picks has Baalke hit on?  Dave Caldwell had 2 I can think of in Linder and Tevin Smith.   You cant win like that.  How many All Pros have we drafted in the last 15 years?  1.  Some teams have more than that in 1 draft.  The biggest problem has been our drafts,  talent evaluations, and the guys making the picks.

I completely agree with you here. Hindsight can be 20/20 with 1st round picks and plenty of 'can't miss' prospects have failed. 

The later round picks is completely right. Getting quality depth or starters in the 3rd/4th is a real key and you see the top teams find players that can do that. We've struggled badly and have mostly wasted those picks and it's even more frustrating when we keep loading up on 5th/6th/7th round picks that are basically a waste.

Completely agree with the biggest problems you state. We need that GM and HC to have the same ideas and styles and draft to fit that style. I think we'd all happily give them time if they were building towards something.

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