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What is the most important aspect of drafting a player?

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inFINSible

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It's been said many times by Saban himself that the most important aspect of having a successful franchise is to draft well.

What does draft well mean?

I think the most important aspect of drafting a player is finding players that can play from the moment they step foot on the team. Especially in the first round.

Why, because their pay rate dictates that they play immediately.

Nothing could be worse for your salary cap than to have a 3 million dollar player sitting on the bench. It is vitally important that these players get on the field as soon as possible.

Traditionally, one of the easiest positions to transfer to the NFL and start from day one, is a defensive lineman or TE. Think about that for a moment....think around the league at how many TEs have been drafted in the first round and have started immediately.....Think about how many defensive linemen have stepped into a starting role their rookie season.

Now, take a look at New England's first round draft picks since 2000....3 defensive lineman and 1 TE.....coincidence, I don't think so.

Conversely NE has not drafted a QB before the 3rd round in any draft since BB has been in charge. Even when Bledsoe was their QB. Why, because QBs need time to develop and paying one 3+ million dollars a year to do that is bad cap management.

So, in closing, if my theory is correct, Saban would like nothing more than to trade down into Marcus Spears(just throwing that name out there to make the point) territory but, if that's not possible, he'll chose the player most likely to start immediately, with the second pick.

That would have to be one of the RBs.

Do you agree that the most important aspect of drafting, is to find players that can play as soon as possible? That seems pretty cut and dried to me but, I'm curious to know if any of you see it another way.
 
That's a good point Infins. I think it's also important to find players who fit reasonably well into your system. I know a good coach should be able to adapt somewhat to the skills of his players, but if you can bring in guys who are already on the same page it can't hurt. It sure seems to be part of NE's success. They never seem to try and fit a square peg ina round hole.
 
inFINSible said:
It's been said many times by Saban himself that the most important aspect of having a successful franchise is to draft well.

What does draft well mean?

I think the most important aspect of drafting a player is finding players that can play from the moment they step foot on the team. Especially in the first round.

Why, because their pay rate dictates that they play immediately.

Nothing could be worse for your salary cap than to have a 3 million dollar player sitting on the bench. It is vitally important that these players get on the field as soon as possible.

Traditionally, one of the easiest positions to transfer to the NFL and start from day one, is a defensive lineman or TE. Think about that for a moment....think around the league at how many TEs have been drafted in the first round and have started immediately.....Think about how many defensive linemen have stepped into a starting role their rookie season.

Now, take a look at New England's first round draft picks since 2000....3 defensive lineman and 1 TE.....coincidence, I don't think so.

Conversely NE has not drafted a QB before the 3rd round in any draft since BB has been in charge. Even when Bledsoe was their QB. Why, because QBs need time to develop and paying one 3+ million dollars a year to do that is bad cap management.

So, in closing, if my theory is correct, Saban would like nothing more than to trade down into Marcus Spears(just throwing that name out there to make the point) territory but, if that's not possible, he'll chose the player most likely to start immediately, with the second pick.

That would have to be one of the RBs.

Do you agree that the most important aspect of drafting, is to find players that can play as soon as possible? That seems pretty cut and dried to me but, I'm curious to know if any of you see it another way.
Click to expand...

NE didn't draft a QB high b/c they thought they were set with Bledsoe. If they hadn't gotten lucky with Brady they would have had to. Otherwise, NE wouldn't have won anything and BB would probably be working as a DC somewhere.

IMO that's why Saban keeps stressing long term value. He knows he needs a QB. I agree that he would prefer to draft Spears, but he saw what happened
in Cleveland. They had a great D, but w/o a QB everyone still got fired.

So no, immediate impact is not the most important aspect.
 
:up: I agree.
CanadaPhinsFan said:
That's a good point Infins. I think it's also important to find players who fit reasonably well into your system. I know a good coach should be able to adapt somewhat to the skills of his players, but if you can bring in guys who are already on the same page it can't hurt. It sure seems to be part of NE's success. They never seem to try and fit a square peg ina round hole.
Click to expand...
 
rafael said:
NE didn't draft a QB high b/c they thought they were set with Bledsoe. If they hadn't gotten lucky with Brady they would have had to. Otherwise, NE wouldn't have won anything and BB would probably be working as a DC somewhere.

IMO that's why Saban keeps stressing long term value. He knows he needs a QB. I agree that he would prefer to draft Spears, but he saw what happened
in Cleveland. They had a great D, but w/o a QB everyone still got fired.

So no, immediate impact is not the most important aspect.
Click to expand...
IF....they hadn't gotten lucky with Brady they would have kept Bledsoe and continued drafting QBs with late round picks.

Butch Davis's tenure in Cleveland was ruined because he was stuck trying to get the most value out of Tim Couch(by playing him, due to his cap number), when it was probably obvious to everyone within two years that he wasn't going to cut it.
 
to be honest inFins, the draft is a crap shoot.

Brady at #199, if everyone knew what they know now then he would be #1 overall. He is awesome. He doesn't make mistakes, makes no-name WRs look good, manages the game brilliantly. He might lose a playoff game, one day!!

Although it's luck, the Pats obviously know their stuff. They haven't drafted just anyone. Seymour didn't go ultra high, and apart from your big name sack getters - Peppers, JT and Freeney - is one of the top DEs in the league. That was good scouting. Wilfork fell to them last year... that was luck.

They are very shrewd with picks. In '03 when we went to them the day before the draft and offered an '04 2nd for their '03 third they jumped on it. Why? because they are not stupid. They don't give easy picks away. A 2nd for Dillon and a 3rd for Starks is good business. What we gave up for Feeley and Gordon is ridiculous.

You can draft well. Two years ago everyone gave the Ravens a high grade because they picked up Boller and Suggs. Yes, they were good picks. But Suggs should not have got past #6, so the Ravens taking him at #10 was not good drafting IMO because he should not have been there, it was a logical pick. Similarly with Boller, his draft sky rocketed because he could throw a ball 70 yards when standing on his knees. So it looked a good pick... but they desperately needed a QB.

I think drafting well ultimately was summed up by Saban. Best long-term value to your football club.
 
the best long term value, is a QB who develops for two years on a cheap contract...plays his third year and blossoms his fourth year, Then he can be re-signed to a big contract when his performance on the field matches his cap hit.

That is the greatest short term AND longterm value for that position, IMHO.
 
inFINSible said:
the best long term value, is a QB who develops for two years on a cheap contract...plays his third year and blossoms his fourth year, Then he can be re-signed to a big contract when his performance on the field matches his cap hit.

That is the greatest short term AND longterm value for that position, IMHO.
Click to expand...

That would be Jason Cambell From auburn in the 2nd round :)
 
inFINSible said:
IF....they hadn't gotten lucky with Brady they would have kept Bledsoe and continued drafting QBs with late round picks.

Butch Davis's tenure in Cleveland was ruined because he was stuck trying to get the most value out of Tim Couch(by playing him, due to his cap number), when it was probably obvious to everyone within two years that he wasn't going to cut it.
Click to expand...

Bledsoe would never have gotten them anywhere. Same fired result.

I was talking about Cleveland when BB was there.
 
Good points. Kinda makes you wonder what is actually going to happen on draft day. I believe one of the most important aspects is getting a player that will fit your system from day 1.
 
rafael said:
Bledsoe would never have gotten them anywhere. Same fired result.
Click to expand...
Exactly. A lot of people thought that, and yet they still didn't go for a QB until the 6th round.

I was talking about Cleveland when BB was there.
Click to expand...

My bad....I was wondering why you said they had a great D...:lol:
 
larfo2224 said:
Good points. Kinda makes you wonder what is actually going to happen on draft day. I believe one of the most important aspects is getting a player that will fit your system from day 1.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that's about the same thing as what I'm saying...if they fit your system from day one, then they likely will be starting from that point also.
 
yeah i made the point once that in terms of hte salary cap paying a guy huge money to be a bench warmer is ******ed... especially when you potentially have a QB already for your team...

for the money a RB who can come in and start right away is better at number 2 than a QB who will sit or be learning for half of his contract before he performs... especially for a team with not a lot of salary cap space wasting money on a backup isn't the smartest thing to do...
 
You make a very good point....Immediate impact...


I think it depends on Sabans outlook of where the team is....

Does Saban think this team will go somewhere this year or next
If yes, then i think he picks a player that can step in right now
If no, then i think he picks a guy that will blossom when he feels the team will as a whole

Why pick a guy that can impact now if he doesnt strongly believe that we will make a playoff run this year?


Although this does contradict my beliefs, b/c i always think we will always make the playoffs, but realistically, it will be tough this year.....
 
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