Ray, I love ya, but a Center is not more important than a Tackle.
How many centers have been selected #1 in the draft?
How many Centers have 20+ million annual salaries?
If you try to use draft position to determine the importance of a position you are just plain RONG!
Next to the QB, the Center is the most important position on the offense. This is because he is:
1) The first player to handle the ball for the offence.
2) The Center is the player who initiates every play.
a) It is the movement of the ball in the Centers hand that initiates a play according to the NFL. an example of this is that this is the action that dictates if a defense is "offsides" or not.
b) A QB may, or may not, call for the ball to be put into action, but it is the Center who starts the play by moving the ball which is what puts the ball into play!
3) The Center is responsible for making sure the OL is properly set for the play being called.
Now player salary is dependent on variables, such as:
1) Availability
a) The fewer well qualified players available for a position, the more they are likely to be paid more money by the team. Think in terms of rarity.
b) The more desperate a team is for a good player at a given position, the more they are likely to be willing to pay more to get a good player. Think in terms of poor player selections in the past.
Notice that 1a) does not take into account the importance of a position. It only takes account of the number of good players available for that position. Even then it is a "crap shoot". Look at the number of high draft picks that don't "pan out" in the NFL.
Notice that 1b) reflects individual team's desperation for a weak position on their team, not the importance of that position compared to other positions, because they are already "somewhat" satisfied with the players they already have in those positions.
Another example of an important position that gets later draft picks but is more important than many other positions is the Kicker.
These guys often score between 3 to 10 points every game. In close games and low scoring games they are often the ones who produce the final score that wins the game. Look at the number of RB's and Receivers a team has. Then look at the points any of the multiple players a team has in those positions score in each and every game.
Compare their total points scored per player per game to the Kickers scored points per game. OK, now which of those players scores more points for the team each game? Do that for every NFL team.
If you think a Kicker is less important than a receiver or running back, you probably need establish a method of determining a positions importance on something other than your emotions.
That's the Facts, Jack! - LOL
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