Quote:Let's look at the top 5 or 6 bottom feeders in the last 5 years:


2008


DET (0-16)........Matt Stafford......QB

STL (2-14)........Jason Smith.......OT

KC (2-14)..........Tyson Jackson...DE

SEA (4-12)........Aaron Curry........OLB

CLE (4-12)........Trade Back


2009


STL (1-15).........Sam Bradford........QB

DET (2-14).........Suh.......................DT

TAM (3-13).........Gerald McCoy.......DT

WASH (4-12)......Trent Williams.......OT

KC (4-12)...........Eric Berry..............SS

SEA (5-11).........Russell Okung.......OT


2010


CAR (2-14)..........Cam Newton........QB

DEN (4-12)..........Von Miller.............OLB

BUF (4-12)..........Marcell Dareus....DE

CIN (4-12)...........AJ Green.............WR

ARI (5-11)............Patrick Peterson...CB

CLE (5-11)...........Trade Back


2011


IND (2-14)..............Andrew Luck.......QB

STL (2-14)....,,,,,,,,,,Trade Back

MIN (3-13)..............Trade Back One Spot

CLE (4-12)..............Trade Up One Spot

TAM (4-12)..............Trade Back


2012


KC (2-14)................Eric Fisher........OT

JAX (2-14)...............Luke Joeckel....OT

OAK (4-12)..............Trade Back

PHI (4-12)................Lane Johnson....OT

DET (4-12)...............Ziggy Ansah.......DE


So, in the last 5 years, there were 2 franchise quarterbacks taken. Cam is still a question. But other than that, I begin to question how important a high top draft pick really is and how much it helps a team. In the last 5 years, some teams have kinda dwelled there. DET, STL, KC, and CLE have been in the bottom 5......3 times. TAM & SEA twice. So where are those teams now halfway thru the season? DET is 6-3. STL is 4-6. KC is 9-0. CLE is 4-5. TAM is 1-8. SEA is 9-1. The results tell me that maybe it doesn't matter as much as I thought. The draft is a crapshoot. It's important to have good scouts and a GM. Of course, thanks to Gene and Shack, we kinda already know this. The question this year for us is.......Is Teddy really THE GUY? Will he be a Stafford or Luck? Is there another quarterback better that will fall? Does it really matter where we pick if Caldwell is a drafting genius. Clearly some teams have an edge in that dept.

The draft isn't a crapshoot. The draft is your chance to make your team better. To do that you must scout honestly and grade honestly and be willing to select the best player available regardless of position each and every pick.

 

Sort your own team out by position and throw the new minnows in each tank accordingly.

 

What else can you possibly do in the draft other than that? When you pick the best player available there is no higher intellect to deal with. Picks are precious. Use them wisely to accumulate assets.

 

Positions become deep to over-flowing and free agency becomes less contentious.

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