Do You Draft for Need or Best Player Available?

Washington Redskins Team Needs (updated on 3/10/2010)

2010 Draft Team Needs - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/team-needs/NFC?tag=pageRow;pageContainer)

I have been going back and forth with this and I've been trying to analyze what is actually the correct way to draft. Vinny says that he stays true to his draft board and whoever is there and the highest on the board he drafts them. So that could explain the why we haven't drafted an o-lineman since Samuels in the first round. My question is does the Pats, Steelers, Colts & others successful teams draft like that or do they draft need?

To not draft a LT is ignorant.

Washington Redskins Team Needs (updated on 3/10/2010)

2010 Draft Team Needs - CBSSports.com (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/team-needs/NFC?tag=pageRow;pageContainer)

thats depressing but pretty accurate

It depends on the talent level of the team whether need or BPA carries greater weight. For the Redskins, the need at O-line is so great that need overrides BPA, for the most part. It's embarassing when you're O-line gets dominated by a Giants D-line that WASN'T EVEN PLAYING AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL and was dominated by Carolina's o-linemen, who also had a few depth players starting.

Vinny's an idiot because Olinemen are never BPAs compared to skill position players. His view of BPA is skewed.

Good question RW. There has been so much talk generated on this subject over the years and TBH I prefer either way depending on the circumstances. A lot depends on how great the need for a particular player vs. the player (s) available at the time of selcetion. I would be willing to support either theory.

It depends on the talent level of the team whether need or BPA carries greater weight. For the Redskins, the need at O-line is so great that need overrides BPA, for the most part. It's embarassing when you're O-line gets dominated by a Giants D-line that WASN'T EVEN PLAYING AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL and was dominated by Carolina's o-linemen, who also had a few depth players starting.

Vinny's an idiot because Olinemen are never BPAs compared to skill position players. His view of BPA is skewed.

Exactly. For too long this organization has looked at the O-Line as a position that almost anyone can play, be it tackle, guard, or center. I think the last couple of years has proven that wrong. At least thinking you can play it well.

Lucky for us we have needs at about every position

We´re the redskins. We draft neither need nor best available. We just pick a WR.


Hey, it worked for Detroit!!

I think drafting BPA is a luxury, something that franchises can do when they have a good deal of talent throughout the roster. Right now I think the Saints, Vikings, Jets and Ravens probably have that luxury, and some other teams are debatable. On the other end of the spectrum you've got a team like our Skins that have such a lack of talent at particular positions (such as oline) drafting for need is a must.

Totally agree w/ SirClintonPortis above Vinny never really drafted BPA...he clearly valued "skill" players over and above lineman. I think some of that silliness still lingers in our draft discussions. We got too used to thinking about what if we could draft this one special player at CB, S, WR or whatever instead of solidifying a crumbling line. I expect Shanny/Allen to bring sanity back to us...I think we draft one or two lineman in the 1st and 2nd round.

obviously i think we need to draft a LT, that happens to be our biggest need as well. I do believe given our organization and where it stands as far as being competative, that we need to draft for need. Now, if we are Philly, NE, Indy they have the luxory of drafting the best player available.