This fails to indicate where we were picking in each of the first and second rounds. Any given year, there can (and has been) a significant talent drop-off after as few as four picks, or as far down as twenty. Some years there just aren't franchise-level players, or you can't draft 'em due to your position.

 

It also does no good to isolate our picks from the rest. There were lots of other players rubbing elbows with our selections.You need those to provide some sense of comparison to other efforts by the rest of the NFL. 

 

Years back somebody pointed out that our drafts began to decay when we lost Ron Hill. His last draft was 1998. It's no coincidence that Gene Smith was named the director of college scouting right at the time the Jaguars suddenly changed their draft formula (which was team captains, solid character, etc.)

 

We've beat former GM Gene Smith's lousy scouting department to death; thrown the right people down the stairs; cut our worst losses, and kept the wrong guys too long.

 

As long as we pick the best player available each and every time we pick, there's nothing more possible.

 

Where we've really failed is deliberately not drafting the best player available due to a stupid fear it will upset the frail egos of what we have and/or avoid spending money necessary to step on the field loaded with depth at all the positions.

---