FO: Great article analyzing draft strategies

[PersonsFan]

This is a great article -- it has a long analysis breaking down each NFL position by how many starters have been drafted in each round (so, for example, it shows that 50% of starting QBs were round 1 draftees, but the distribution is MUCH flatter for linebackers).

As they say, read the whole thing:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2006/04/24/ramblings/nfl-draft/3828/

[Dirk Diggler]

Nice read. History says we should wait until the 2nd day to draft LBs and Oline depth. I've always believed that #53 is earmarked for a CB.

[dfos81]

Nice read. History says we should wait until the 2nd day to draft LBs and Oline depth. I've always believed that #53 is earmarked for a CB.

Yeah but......Over the past 10 years, 30 linebackers have been selected in Round 1, with seven first-rounder in 2000 setting the high-water mark. Over this 10-year period, only five were selected in the first 10 picks of Round 1 (LaVar Arrington, Chris Claiborne, James Farrior, Kevin Hardy and Brian Urlacher). Another name, Ohio State's A.J. Hawk, most likely will be added to the list in 2006. So linebackers are really starting to get drafted earlier and w/ most defense's using the 3-4 schemes now an athletic lber is a must.
I say we take the best athlete available, I like Rocky and Thomas Howard.