Top Drafting Teams in the NFL

[JGMcD2]

Sorry for starting another thread today, I don’t often start threads and don’t plan on doing so regularly, but I’d like some feedback on this topic to better form my own opinion. 

 

A lot of posters on here declare that Brandon Beane is an average drafter, which is fine, I think he’s slightly above average. I’m not really here to debate Beane. 
 

I’d like to get an understanding of what GMs people believe are elite drafters (Top 5ish), who’s above average (Top 10ish) and then who else is average?

 

How do you measure the success of the draft? How many drafts does a GM need to run to be able to judge them? Do ESPN/3rd party sources rankings factor into your definition of a good draft? 
 

Examples are helpful. 
 

EDIT: I will follow up here with some of my current opinion. I don’t think anyone in the NFL is particularly an elite drafter. Pittsburgh would be the only organization that comes straight to my head. 
 

My point there is if there’s only 1 elite drafting GM/organization and the rest are “average” it doesn’t really work that way. Mathematically average is taking everyone’s performance into account.. everyone can’t be average... they’re compared to each other... 

 

Do folks see where I am going? 

Edited November 23, 2020 by JGMcD2

[H2o]

Ozzie Newsome was excellent with the draft for years in Baltimore. Defensive talent, offensive talent, he built a two time SB Champion and a perennial contender. 

[ghostwriter]

The Packers have always been ridiculously good at drafting QBs over the years.. Starr, Favre and Rodgers.. Steelers always seem to do well too.. Ravens obviously with Ozzie Newsome who was fantastic.. 

[Simon]

Just now, Victory Formation said:

The Packers have always been ridiculously good at drafting QBs over the years.. Starr, Favre and Rodgers.. Steelers always seem to do well too.. Ravens obviously with Ozzie Newsome who was fantastic.. 

Favre was acquired in a trade

[ghostwriter]

2 minutes ago, Simon said:

Favre was acquired in a trade

Oops! 

[Simon]

1 minute ago, Victory Formation said:

Oops! 

Heck, that's nothing.

Can you imagine being the sumbitch that traded away Brett Favre?! 

Now that's an Oops. 

[Teddy KGB]

Steelers when it comes to defense and wideouts.  

[jkeerie]

4 minutes ago, Teddy KGB said:

Steelers when it comes to defense and wideouts.  

Except defensive backs with the notable exceptions of Rod Woodson and Troy Polumalu.  They used to neglect that position in the draft which was the complaint of many Steeler fans I knew when I lived in PA.

[JGMcD2]

These are all great. 
 

I agree PIT, BAL, GB... so Colbert, Newsome/DeCosta, Thompson/Gutekunst. 

 

But who else? You need roughly 7-12 more GMs that are better than Beane at drafting for him to be considered average or below average...

Edited November 24, 2020 by JGMcD2

[Rc2catch]

Pittsburgh wide receivers are always a hit it seems (sorry Limas Sweed) 

Baltimore is quite good. 
Carolina is sneaky good. They’ve been pretty competitive and seem to have a knack for drafting and developing offensive linemen. 
San Fran seems to do well in recent years. 

Indy has been decent at their drafts although getting manning and then luck was a blessing. 
Drafting is just one part to it though, we love the Carolina connection round here but they’re terrible at contract negotiations despite the decent drafting. Remember D’Angelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart making pretty decent money at the same time on extensions? 

[BADOLBILZ]

46 minutes ago, Simon said:

Heck, that's nothing.

Can you imagine being the sumbitch that traded away Brett Favre?! 

Now that's an Oops. 

 

 

That guy appropriately coined the term "the NFL stands for Not For Long".

[OZBILLS]

Just be like KC. Draft the once in a generation QB and then pick up troubled first rounders for pennies on the dollar through being awesome

[buffalobillswin]

I don't know who the best is but I'd just like to point out how bad Bill Belichick has been and how awful the trade out of the first for picks in the 2nd and 3rd strategy is.

[Billl]

Colts, Ravens, Steelers, and Chiefs top the list in no particular order.

[Paulus]

Chargers draft well-eesh. 

 

Texans have always been solid. 

 

Newsome and the Ravens. 

 

BB and the Brady pats.

 

Buffalo has usually had solid drafts. 

[Rc2catch]

1 hour ago, buffalobillswin said:

I don't know who the best is but I'd just like to point out how bad Bill Belichick has been and how awful the trade out of the first for picks in the 2nd and 3rd strategy is.

To be fair he’s pretty fantastic at the lower rounds. 

[NoSaint]

If you accept that they trade away picks, I think Jeff Ireland’s has a pretty decent impact since joining the saints front office 

 

go back a few years and look at Every top 3-4 round pick

2019- Eric McCoy, Chauncey Gardner 

 

2018- Marcus Davenport, trequan smith 

 

2017- lattimore, ramcyzk, kamara, Hendrickson Marcus Williams and anzalone

 

2016- Sheldon rankins, Michael Thomas, vonn bell and onyemata 

 

not a terrible batch. Davenports the big question mark with health issues but has been explosive when healthy. Trequan isn’t great but as a third rounder you aren’t nailing them all. 2016 is great. 

Edited November 24, 2020 by NoSaint

[NoSaint]

4 minutes ago, High Football IQ said:

 

Speaking of top drafting teams, I saw this on twitter earlier about the Saints 2017 class...might be one of the best single drafts of any team ever.

 

ha- yup. Ireland joined in the 2015 offseason, so I just listed top 3-4 rounds since the 2016 draft... that class was a haul but even 16 was excellent. 
 

hell, 19 having Gardner Johnson as a 4th as his second pick behind McCoy as their starting center in round 2 is pretty solid for just having a 2 and 4.

[Big Turk]

5 hours ago, Victory Formation said:

The Packers have always been ridiculously good at drafting QBs over the years.. Starr, Favre and Rodgers.. Steelers always seem to do well too.. Ravens obviously with Ozzie Newsome who was fantastic.. 

 

Steelers have been great at drafting WRs...they don't hit on all of them, but the ones that stick on the team seemingly always produce, even when they aren't first rounders.

2 hours ago, Rc2catch said:

To be fair he’s pretty fantastic at the lower rounds. 

 

Is he? Then why hasn't he drafted a single pro bowl player since Jamie Collins in 2013?

4 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

That guy appropriately coined the term "the NFL stands for Not For Long".

 

The funny part is he was telling that to a ref during the game once...the entire quote was...

 

"This is the NFL...that stands for Not For Long when you make those f**king calls!"

[Big Turk]

7 hours ago, JGMcD2 said:

Sorry for starting another thread today, I don’t often start threads and don’t plan on doing so regularly, but I’d like some feedback on this topic to better form my own opinion. 

 

A lot of posters on here declare that Brandon Beane is an average drafter, which is fine, I think he’s slightly above average. I’m not really here to debate Beane. 
 

I’d like to get an understanding of what GMs people believe are elite drafters (Top 5ish), who’s above average (Top 10ish) and then who else is average?

 

How do you measure the success of the draft? How many drafts does a GM need to run to be able to judge them? Do ESPN/3rd party sources rankings factor into your definition of a good draft? 
 

Examples are helpful. 
 

EDIT: I will follow up here with some of my current opinion. I don’t think anyone in the NFL is particularly an elite drafter. Pittsburgh would be the only organization that comes straight to my head. 
 

My point there is if there’s only 1 elite drafting GM/organization and the rest are “average” it doesn’t really work that way. Mathematically average is taking everyone’s performance into account.. everyone can’t be average... they’re compared to each other... 

 

Do folks see where I am going? 

 

Honestly I think if every GM was given 25 years they would probably all be pretty close to the same with hits and misses when it was all said and done. Some do very well in the beginning and get more time and others don't.