Is Drafting The, "Best Player Avaiable," The Right Thing To Do?

[BillsImpossible]

Drafting based on positions of need, or drafting based on who's the best overall player on the board?

I was all for drafting the best player, and then a friend asked me, "What if that's a running back or wide receiver?"

Oh no.

Percy Harvin is on a 1 year deal, but that in no way justifies the Bills taking a wide receiver at 50 with the talent they already have in Woods and Watkins. Hogan and Goodwin will battle it out for the 3rd WR position. The chances of a rookie WR starting over any of those guys on opening day are slim to none, right?

The Bills could have plans to move Woods to the slot, and draft a guy in the 2nd round by the name of Dorial Green-Beckham to compete with Harvin. One giant head case vs. the other.

Watkins, Harvin, Green-Beckham, Woods in a spread offense?

What about running back?

The best quarterbacks, cornerbacks, offensive and defensive linemen will be off the board come pick 50.

A potentially great running back will fall to the 2nd round.

Rex Ryan loves running backs. If Todd Gurley is on the board at 50, will he be the BPA at pick 50?

Gurley tore his ACL last year, didn't perform in any pre-draft actitities do to his injury, and his backup, Nick Chubb stepped in and matched Gurley's production for Georgia.

Position of need, or best player available?

[Meathead]

i heard a nfl personnel guy once say that bpa is essential in the early rounds and that need is a tiebreaker. by the time you get past the first round theres almost always somebody on your need list that is as good a bet as somebody else you might consider bpa so youre gonna usually go with the need player at that point

makes perfect sense

[X-Era]

Drafting based on positions of need, or drafting based on who's the best overall player on the board?

I was all for drafting the best player, and then a friend asked me, "What if that's a running back or wide receiver?"

Oh no.

Percy Harvin is on a 1 year deal, but that in no way justifies the Bills taking a wide receiver at 50 with the talent they already have in Woods and Watkins. Hogan and Goodwin will battle it out for the 3rd WR position. The chances of a rookie WR starting over any of those guys on opening day are slim to none, right?

The Bills could have plans to move Woods to the slot, and draft a guy in the 2nd round by the name of Dorial Green-Beckham to compete with Harvin. One giant head case vs. the other.

Watkins, Harvin, Green-Beckham, Woods in a spread offense?

What about running back?

The best quarterbacks, cornerbacks, offensive and defensive linemen will be off the board come pick 50.

A potentially great running back will fall to the 2nd round.

Rex Ryan loves running backs. If Todd Gurley is on the board at 50, will he be the BPA at pick 50?

Gurley tore his ACL last year, didn't perform in any pre-draft actitities do to his injury, and his backup, Nick Chubb stepped in and matched Gurley's production for Georgia.

Position of need, or best player available?The answer is coupled with how strong your team already is. The roster is strong overall. We don't have holes. There are plenty of spots that can use backups but we don't really have gaping holes.

A franchise QB is a giant need but we all know how difficult it is to get that.

Whaley made the point... If you start listing what you need and then insist on drafting it in each round you run a higher risk of overdrafting and missing on players.

The team has several routes to get better. The draft is just one. If they need a G next off-season they can sign one or trade for one... I think it's still possible that they sign or trade for one this year.

With a solid roster and few gaping holes, if you can land a 1st rounder in the 2nd round you may need to look hard at that. It's a team sport and injuries happen. What happens if McCoy goes out for the year for example?

[OpIv37]

It has to be a balance. Obviously our biggest need is OL. But if our first pick comes up and BPA is a WR. And we have the best OL still available graded 15-20 slots down, it would be stupid to reach for need. Maybe trade down a few slots and try to get an extra pick, or see if there is a S or 3-4 MLB within 4-5 slots.

If you go pure need, it's too easy to overdraft guys (John McCargo, anyone?).
If you go pure BPA and neglect need, you end up being Detroit and using a top 5 pick on a WR 4 years in a row.

[BidsJr]

It has to be a balance. Obviously our biggest need is OL. But if our first pick comes up and BPA is a WR. And we have the best OL still available graded 15-20 slots down, it would be stupid to reach for need. Maybe trade down a few slots and try to get an extra pick, or see if there is a S or 3-4 MLB within 4-5 slots.

If you go pure need, it's too easy to overdraft guys (John McCargo, anyone?).
If you go pure BPA and neglect need, you end up being Detroit and using a top 5 pick on a WR 4 years in a row.


No

[SpikedLemonade]

No

Yes

[djjimkelly]

id say the first round should always be based on BPA

come rounds 2-7 need has to factor in but id understand the 2nd as BPA also

[OpIv37]

No

If you disagree with me, fine, but at least have the balls to state your own opinion or say why you think I am wrong.

[feldspar]

If you disagree with me, fine, but at least have the balls to state your own opinion or say why you think I am wrong.

Do you really think that such a thing takes balls?

I think that the Bills most obvious need is QB, but perhaps I don't have the balls to explain why...

[OpIv37]

Do you really think that such a thing takes balls?

I think that the Bills most obvious need is QB, but perhaps I don't have the balls to explain why...

We aren't getting a starting QB at 50 so it's irrelevant

[Jan Reimers]

Since I don't feel the O-line is as bad as many of you think - with the addition of Incognito, the presumed further development of Henderson, and the real possibility that Richardson or Kuandijo will get better under Kromer - I would take BPA in every round. We have enough talent and depth to go for the best value in each round, regardless of position. And we just might nail a good guard, LB or safety anyway, with this approach.

[feldspar]

We aren't getting a starting QB at 50 so it's irrelevant

You don't have the balls to tell me why not?

[OpIv37]

You don't have the balls to tell me why not?

Because it's a weak qb draft class. Because QB's drafted in the 2nd round or later rarely become quality NFL starters despite the current collective hard-on for Russell Wilson. Because we already spent one of our few draft picks on QB when we traded for Cassell and have other positions to address.

[stuckincincy]

id say the first round should always be based on BPA

come rounds 2-7 need has to factor in but id understand the 2nd as BPA also

With the Bills' first selection being at the 50 spot, I'd like them to try to fill a need. Save the qb spot, they seem to have built a decent roster, but like most all clubs they have holes to address. I'm not sure they would be best served by a BPA that might pay future dividends. If they were picking near the top of the 2nd round, my opinion could change.

[feldspar]

Because it's a weak qb draft class. Because QB's drafted in the 2nd round or later rarely become quality NFL starters despite the current collective hard-on for Russell Wilson. Because we already spent one of our few draft picks on QB when we traded for Cassell and have other positions to address.

Wow, look at the balls on Opie.

[X-Era]

Because it's a weak qb draft class. Because QB's drafted in the 2nd round or later rarely become quality NFL starters despite the current collective hard-on for Russell Wilson. Because we already spent one of our few draft picks on QB when we traded for Cassell and have other positions to address.Can't disagree. Unless they think the BPA at 50 or in the 3rd is a QB...

[Meathead]

a qb in the 2nd is still a reasonable bet. idk what the historical pcent is but the position is so important its feasible to take a one in ten shot and do your best to bump their odds over time. youre gonna need a backup anyway, if your 2nd rounder can do that for three or so years you get some value and a chance to hit the jackpot

this is going to be ej or cassel the whole season but a qb3 roster spot used on a 2nd/3rd round qb could bump our only gay off the team

[sukie]

This thread smells like balls.

[better days]

Whaley said yesterday that they will pick the best player available, but if two players are close in value they would draft the player at the position of greater need.

But if a player with first rnd talent is on the board at #50 & no other player is rated that high, the Bills would draft that first rnd rated player regardless of his position.

[Strongman]

I think they should really consider a G/C in round 2. It's a need and we'd be getting one of the top prospects with our pick at that position.

[feldspar]

This thread smells like balls.

How do you know what balls smell like?

[Mr. Pink]

You should always draft BPA.

The draft isn't a fix for one season, it's a vehicle for building for the future.

Prior regimes drafted based on need, and we got guys like Whitner, McCargo, Losman, POS, KneeJ, Gilmore.

[OpIv37]

You should always draft BPA.

The draft isn't a fix for one season, it's a vehicle for building for the future.

Prior regimes drafted based on need, and we got guys like Whitner, McCargo, Losman, POS, KneeJ, Gilmore.
Well prior regimes didn't do **** in FA because of cheap-ass Ralph, so the draft was the only option they had for addressing need.

I see your point but I think you are oversimplifying a bit. What if 50 comes around and the best pick is a WR, and we have a MLB graded at 52 and an OT graded at 54? Is the difference between 50 and 52 or 54 worth not filling a hole? I don't think it is.

[better days]

Well prior regimes didn't do **** in FA because of cheap-ass Ralph, so the draft was the only option they had for addressing need.

I see your point but I think you are oversimplifying a bit. What if 50 comes around and the best pick is a WR, and we have a MLB graded at 52 and an OT graded at 54? Is the difference between 50 and 52 or 54 worth not filling a hole? I don't think it is.

And Whaley agrees with you.

Whaley said if two players are close, he will draft the player at the greatest position of need.

But if a WR is there at #50 & the Bills have a first rnd grade on him & no players at any other position have a first rnd grade, the Bills will draft that WR.

[Mr. Pink]

If that WR has a first round grade according to the team as is sitting there at 50 and they have a LB with say a mid 2nd round grade, they better take that WR.

Robert Woods is overrated by the fanbase, Harvin is only here one year and is a headcase/injury risk anyway and besides Watkins the rest of the receivers are outright junk.

You're never drafting to just make your team better for the upcoming season, you're drafting to better your franchise for years to come, pigeon holing yourself into thinking well we need G, T, LB and anything else drafted is a waste is things that hurt this franchise for years.

Buddy Nix set the franchise back for a few seasons with his "I'm leaving with putting a 'franchise' QB on this roster" talent level be damned, wasted pick be damned.

[better days]

If that WR has a first round grade according to the team as is sitting there at 50 and they have a LB with say a mid 2nd round grade, they better take that WR.

Robert Woods is overrated by the fanbase, Harvin is only here one year and is a headcase/injury risk anyway and besides Watkins the rest of the receivers are outright junk.

You're never drafting to just make your team better for the upcoming season, you're drafting to better your franchise for years to come, pigeon holing yourself into thinking well we need G, T, LB and anything else drafted is a waste is things that hurt this franchise for years.

Buddy Nix set the franchise back for a few seasons with his "I'm leaving with putting a 'franchise' QB on this roster" talent level be damned, wasted pick be damned.

I pretty much agree with you, & while I have defended Nix in the past, he really did screw up not drafting Wilson when he had the chance.

But I think Woods is much better than you give him credit for. Not a #1 WR, but a solid #2.