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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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

[Guest]

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

No

Yes

[djjimkelly]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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]

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

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.