Quote:OK, so you've shortened the window we're looking at to only the last 10 years, and you're not including DE, only LB.  Fine.  I see zero conference championship game appearances among the WR group and 3 appearances in the LB group- two for Hawk and one for Miller.  Drafting pass rush in the top 5 has a much stronger correlation with success than drafting WR.

 

Why would I include DE?  A typical DE that would go in the top 5, a pure 4-3 pass rusher, is a rare size/speed combination.  A pass rushing LB simply is not.  That's the difference.   I'm not even going to argue about what position correlates to better success because that information isn't important to me.  There are millions of factors that lead to making the playoffs.   My position has 100% to do with getting the most value out of the draft, and efficiently building a team through the draft. 

 

Quote:Whether or not the guy made the pro bowl is kind of besides the point.  Somebody from each position has to make the pro bowl.  But with some positions, having an elite player has a lower correlation to wins and playoff appearances.  I'm not saying that Watkins won't be a great player, I am saying that he is less likely, if drafted in the top 5, to taste playoff success in his career than Mack will be if drafted in the top 5.

 

I'm not putting any importance on the pro bowl or not.  This was just information that was in wikipedia.  A player could go to the pro bowl once and still be considered a bust.   To me it's more important that when you're in the top 5, you pick players that typically require a top 5 pick.  LB, even pass rushers, simply is not that.  BAP makes it more complicated.  But we should be able to draft a perfect fit at LEO and the LB positions late in the 1st round.   Whereas if we're caught with a late pick in the 1st having needs at a premium position, we're getting second rate/one dimensional players at that position. 

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