Quote:What irritates me is a lot of people say we must take a defensive lineman in the first round despite the obvious fact that our best position group by far is the defensive line. There is no reason to think we need one but people continue to insist there is no reason not to. These are the same people who say it is stupid to pick a running back in the first round. The reality is unless the player's job is to kick footballs, his job title is irrelevant.

 

Three things matter: team needs, value for the pick, and availability. The first criterion eliminates wide receiver, left tackle, center, right guard, quarterback, cornerback, defensive tackle, and defensive end. So we are limited to right tackle, running back, tight end, free safety, strong safety, middle linebacker, and outside linebacker. Strong safety is eliminated by the second criterion because we would draft one as a backup. MIddle linebacker is not a value pick either because he would be a backup in 2015, then compete for the starting job in 2016. Now our choices are right tackle, running back, tight end, outside linebacker, and free safety. So in my opinion based on what we need and how we will use rookies, the #3 pick should be one of those five positions depending on who we get in free agency unless someone is going to be the next J.J. Watt or Richard Sherman. The only time I favor picking the BAP is when nobody at a position we need is graded close to our pick number. I will never understand why anybody thinks just because a certain job title is more valuable than another, we should pick a defensive lineman or wide receiver on April 30 and wait until May 2 to pick a running back.

 

I would disagree with you when it comes to the case of a very early pick like we have this year.  

 

If you make that pick based on team needs, and throw out talent as a criterion, you are drafting for short term results and ignoring long term value.  You would be drafting for the next 8 games, when the 3rd overall pick should be spent on a player for the next 8 years.   This team has a lack of star players.   This is (we hope) our last chance to draft this high.   If there is a defensive lineman who is a better value than another player who plays a position of need, if we don't take him, then not only do we have less overall talent on our team as a result, but we also wind up in a situation where we have to face a guy like JJ Watt twice a year for the next 8 years.   You've let another team pick a player who is better than the one you picked before them!  

 

Besides, the 3rd overall pick isn't the only shot we have at filling team needs.   We have free agency, and the rest of the draft.  

 

With the 3rd overall pick, you have to pick the very best player.   It's a rare shot at getting a star player.  Even if the guy plays defensive line. 

 

The reason people are saying we will pick defensive line with our first pick is because there are a couple of defensive linemen rated higher than everyone else in the draft. 

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