Drafting certain positions first

[Philagape]

So today I saw the following statement:

What's the point of having a good o-line if they never find the guy who plays behind center?

That mirrors other sentiments over the past couple months that go something like,
"Why draft a QB if he has no one to throw it to and/or no LT?"
"Why draft a WR if there's no one to throw him the ball?"

So according to this logic, the Bills shouldn't draft anyone on offense because they can't shore up every position in one year! :brilliant:

Listen, anyone who thinks you have to draft a certain position first is WRONG.

The order is irrelevant. There is no order.

You don't draft just for the upcoming season, to immediately plug holes. You draft for a player's future career, at least for the next three years or so.
And you draft the best player available, excluding only positions you're set at for the foreseeable future (like CB). For the Bills, that's very few spots.
A team with as many holes as the Bills have will take years to rebuild. No matter who you draft, that player will suffer or at best won't help much because of deficiencies at other positions.

So dump this order garbage please.

[YardRat]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

You build a winner from the trenches out. The game is won and lost at the line of scrimmage.

[FlyingDutchman]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

partially i agree..i agree with the idea however im not high on the QBs coming out so it makes sense in my opinion to start building with any position except QB. I think the value will be so much higher at tackle. Id personally like us to go after top LT first or CJ Spiller. If I thought the QBs coming were decent, id totally agree that it shouldnt matter

[BillsFanCupp38]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

I think the bills should take who ever is BEST on the board... Weather it be a running back, QB or linebacker... If you do that year in and year out eventually you will get an all star team. I think teams nowadays are too focused on getting the positions they need instead of the players they need. I just want the best player on the board. I dont care what position he plays.

[Philagape]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

You build a winner from the trenches out. The game is won and lost at the line of scrimmage.

I don't disagree on the importance of the line; this isn't about what positions are more important.
I'm saying the quality of the prospect is more important than the position he plays.

[SABURZFAN]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

You build a winner from the trenches out. The game is won and lost at the line of scrimmage.

no doubt, Yardie.

[T-Long]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

lines are important, but not if a franchise QB is sitting there. This league is a QB driven league, and those that don't see that are blind. If a brass believes a franchise QB is there when they are on the clock, that trumps everything.

[Michael82]

Lines are important, but I'd rather have the 2nd best QB in the draft, best RB, best WR, best NT, best OLB or best DE rather than the 4th or 5th best OT. Look at playoff teams last year and the last few years. Most of those teams draft their OL in the middle rounds or later, not the 1st round.

[jamze132]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

I am not convinced there is a franchise QB in this draft. Bradford may have the best shot and we have no shot at him, so I say **** no to Clausen in RD1.

[Night Train]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

You build a winner from the trenches out. The game is won and lost at the line of scrimmage.

Thank you.

I can still remember Jacksonville when they first came into the NFL in 1995. Their 1st two picks in the draft were the two 1st team AP All-American Tackles. Tony Boselli of USC (Say hello, Canton) and Brian DiMarco of Michigan St. Both started instantly.

I see Bulaga in Philagapes' avatar. LT should indeed be a high pick. That and NT.

If you're not stout in the trenches, the rest of the team suffers. It's science !

[alohabillsfan]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

Tony Boselli will be the first to tell you he is not going to Canton. He was dam good but just to short of a career! I do like listening to him on the radio in the am here in JAX

[X-Era]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

So today I saw the following statement:


That mirrors other sentiments over the past couple months that go something like,
"Why draft a QB if he has no one to throw it to and/or no LT?"
"Why draft a WR if there's no one to throw him the ball?"

So according to this logic, the Bills shouldn't draft anyone on offense because they can't shore up every position in one year! :brilliant:

Listen, anyone who thinks you have to draft a certain position first is WRONG.

The order is irrelevant. There is no order.

You don't draft just for the upcoming season, to immediately plug holes. You draft for a player's future career, at least for the next three years or so.
And you draft the best player available, excluding only positions you're set at for the foreseeable future (like CB). For the Bills, that's very few spots.
A team with as many holes as the Bills have will take years to rebuild. No matter who you draft, that player will suffer or at best won't help much because of deficiencies at other positions.

So dump this order garbage please.

Agree 100%

1) The draft isn't only 1 round long
2) This team is in rebuilding mode and it cant be fixed in one year

[X-Era]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

partially i agree..i agree with the idea however im not high on the QBs coming out so it makes sense in my opinion to start building with any position except QB. I think the value will be so much higher at tackle. Id personally like us to go after top LT first or CJ Spiller. If I thought the QBs coming were decent, id totally agree that it shouldnt matter

I think that actually makes the point in a way. If the Bills feel that Clausen for example is ranked significantly below Bulaga and both are there at 9, and they take Clausen because they had targeted a QB in round one it makes Phil's point.

You should have a list of positions which need to be upgraded and be fluid enough to get the most out of the draft. Take the best player available who also fills a need.

This team has so many needs, we could go in many direction with our first pick.

[Buddo]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

There are fundamental flaws in that theory. For a prime example, see the Lions under Millen.
What is necessary, is to build a team. How you go about doing that, is the debate, more so than should we pick 'X' over 'Y'.
People seem to get somewhat sidetracked (and understandably so), within that debate, over different players being better than each other.
The main thing that is clouding the 'issue' is the fact that we do not have a recognisable, quality (not necessarily 'franchise') QB.
While I think these days it is highly doubtful a team can 'win it all' without a quality QB, teams can certainly win enough to get to the playoffs without one - providing their lines are good, and they have a good running game - see Jets last year.
Even if we picked Bradford, whoi I do believe has the ability to become a 'franchise' QB, without tackles to protect him, the Bills would still be poor this year.
With tackles to protect a QB, and a running game, the Bills might actually have a decent shot at a non-losing season for the first time in ages.
The Bills are undeniably rebuilding. Missing on a first round pick, is not going to do anything at all for that process. 1st round QBs are about 50-50 hit or miss. 1st round OTs are about 80-20 hit or miss. (There's a good article on Walterfootball about this somewhere).
There will be 2 QBs taken in the first round this year, Bradford and clausen. The one I think will succeed, is Bradford. That leaves Clausen as the 'miss'.
We could still get shafted if 4 OTs come off the board before us, but I prefer our chances of getting a player from those, than risking all immediately on a QB.

[ddaryl]

Re: Drafting certain positions first

Lines are important, but I'd rather have the 2nd best QB in the draft, best RB, best WR, best NT, best OLB or best DE rather than the 4th or 5th best OT. Look at playoff teams last year and the last few years. Most of those teams draft their OL in the middle rounds or later, not the 1st round.

That mind set is flawed... If the 4th or 5th best OT is still a better value over the 2nd best QB then you take the OT.

If the 2nd QB in the draft isn't a franchise caliber QB for the BIlls scheme and /or elements then is it worth it...