Big Cat Country: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:



Billy Beane's Challenge: HOW to Add A Hitter? Bar-right-arrows



Jacksonville Jaguars: 7th best drafters in the league?

340x_medium

The Chicago Tribune and Dan Pompei recently embarked on a study to determine who the "best drafters" in the NFL were.  While their methodology is a little muddled, they find some surprising results.

Like who would have thought the Arizona Cardinals and Rod Graves would be the best overall?

The Tribune bases their rankings on the number of picks taken that become starters.  It's a "batting average", as they put it.

This metric puts the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Jack Del Rio/Gene Smith/James Harris trifecta in seventh place.

They Say:

7. Shack Harris/Jack Del Rio, Jaguars

Average: .386 (17-for-44)

Percentage of Pro Bowlers: 2.2

Their batting average is impressive, but not all of the players who became starters are considered great picks. As a result, college scouting director Gene Smith was recently given more juice in the draft room

38 percent of players drafted become starters, that's not too shabby.  Though were these rankings sorted by percentage of Pro Bowlers, it might be a lot different.  The Jaguars have an uncanny knack for hitting home runs in the second-seventh rounds, but some of their first round picks leave something to be desired.

Then again, Pro Bowl voting is stupid to begin with, and should not mean a thing about the quality of draft picks. 

Anyhow, here's the top 10

  1. Arizona Cardinals: Rod Graves
  2. New York Jets: Mike Tannenbaum/Eric Mangini
  3. Indianapolis Colts: Bill Polian
  4. Buffalo Bills: Marv Levy/Dick Jauron
  5. Baltimore Ravens: Ozzie Newsome
  6. San Diego Chargers: AJ Smith
  7. Jacksonville Jaguars: James Harris/Jack Del Rio/Gene Smith
  8. Seattle Seahawks: Tim Ruskell
  9. San Fransisco 49ers: Mike Nolan/Scot McCloughan
  10. Chicago Bears: Jerry Angelo

Some of these guys are just lucky to be there, especially Jerry Angelo.  Another methodological problem is the amount of time each GM has spent running the show.  Mangini and Tannenbaum are babies compared to Polian, Smith, and Del Rio/Harris/Smith. 

Al Davis/Lane Kiffen are the "worst", though they've only had one full year.  Mike Reinfeldt of the Titans is second to last, but with only one draft

Who do you think is the best "drafter" in the NFL?

 

0 recs | Comment 2 comments

Read Related

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

Display:

seems faulty

just because you drafted someone who was a starter for the team doesn’t mean that he was a good player. if you are a crappy team, you may draft a player who isn’t so great, but he becomes a starter anyway. for example, jason david was drafted by the colts, and started for them, but he isn’t a good corner!

by abeaugh on May 1, 2008 10:51 PM EDT   0 recs

I like the statistic

Sure, all metrics have drawbacks but cracking the starting lineup is still an achievement. Look at the odds, almost one in three people drafted make it as a starter and that is a good performance in drafting. Drafting is about probabilities. You take players that have a high probability of making it, none are a sure thing. This stat says that Jack and Shack makes choices that are high probability selections. It takes a starter to become a star. Perfect indicator? No, decent indicator? Yes.

by Tkopa on May 1, 2008 11:32 PM EDT   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Big Cat Country:: Jacksonville Jaguars news, commentary, speculation and fun, all from a fan's perspective

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

604_small
Jerry Porter's season
Jaguars_camp_tunnels_and_tumbles_017_small
Jaguar babies... The next generation of Jag fans!
604_small
Fantasy sleepers, busts, and best players.
Jaguars_camp_tunnels_and_tumbles_017_small
Will the Jaguars surpass the Colts in the AFC South?
604_small
Porter... Probable or Possible?
604_small
Jacksonville and the Jaguars... To be or not to be?
Bri-sean-roys1-11-07_small
Finally laid to rest...
Img_0162_small
Manning The Beginning Of His End
20080426_derrickharvey_small
Game Review: NCAA Football 2009
20080426_derrickharvey_small
Quick Bytes: "Shocking" Matt Jones News

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini


Editor-in-Chief

Robryan_small River City Rage

ad

Site Meter