(10-29-2023, 10:59 PM)Jag149 Wrote:

(10-29-2023, 09:51 PM)NYC4jags Wrote: Every year a few teams with a good run blocking line have a late round or UDFA come in after injury to the starter and play the same or better. 

Lots of good backs available later in the draft - and this is a smart way to build and stock your RB room while reserving early picks for positions of greater value

Tony Pollard 128th overall  
James Connor 105th overall
Brian Robinson 98th 
Davon Achsen - 84th
Raheem Mostert  UDFA
Pacheco - 251st overall
Karen Williams - 164th overall

I am sure there are many ways to successfully build a good team.  None are inferior to the other if they accomplish the task. Personally I would not swap ETN for any of the backs you mentioned above, nor do I believe behind our line they would do as well as ETN. 

Now, "Positions of Greater Value" quite the term. While the term implies a structure and finality, there is no standardized listing written in stone for that.  I believe that is only an opinion and that opinion quite possibly can change year to year based on the players under contract by the team.  Also, another influencing factor would be the actual players in the draft and players projected to come into the draft in the next few years.  Now for the record when we selected ETN I was not a big fan of the selection.  I do have to admit it has worked out well. 

There seems to be a general disconnect between the fans of teams and those that spend their lives studying the players. drafts and free agents when it comes to value.  Whether our guys have just been lucky, it is too soon to tell.  If it was lucky, then I hope they continue to have that luck....

To fans - there may be no standardized accepted chart - but the league and front offices have been nerding out on this stuff for many years and much data has been collected. While limiting the amount of early round picks spent on RBs is a very wise move depending on roster development stage IMO - I realize that the odds of landing an elite level player after the 2nd round decrease of course. (for every position) 

Nonetheless - there is indeed an accepted hierarchy of positional value to NFL front offices. Even if managers may disagree on the finer points from one to the next.  

I like the methodology of getting your team set at QB, in the trenches, at least one upper tier secondary spot, and at at least two other skill positions before moving to spend a 1st or 2nd on a RB. Until such a time I'd spend 3rd rounders or less repeatedly until a capable backfield is filled out. 

Positional value chart:

https://overthecap.com/positional-value-in-the-nfl

Draft value and correlation to positional tiers:

https://unexpectedpoints.substack.com/p/...lue-curves

For every fortunate ETN selection there is an existing possibility of a Leonard Fournette selection that sets your team back years in roster development. I prefer to take such a gamble on positions of an accepted greater positional value BEFORE taking that risk at RB.

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