Perhaps we can finally settle a long-running argument within these walls. Exactly how good is BB's strategy? Are the Patriots one of the best drafters in the NFL? Worst? Run of the mill?
Well, according to USA Today writer Steven Ruiz, the Patriots are #1 in the NFL by a significant margin.
Methodology:
I'm not familiar with Jimmy Johnson's value chart. I also know many around here are not huge fans of PFF. It sounds to me like the number of draft picks the Pats have had is certainly a big contributor, but it's only fair to include that. The fact that it's only 5 years is fair to other teams but certainly the previous 5 years would not be as kind to BB. Would love to hear people's take on the methodology. I'm just happy someone did a study with data rather than having to read the arguments around here again.
Here's the brief and somewhat disappointing (in content) write-up on the Pats:
Link:
http://q.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/
There's also a best/worst draft picks section. No Patriots made it (assuming Gronk's injury and Hernandez's murderyness ruined it for them) but Sanchez showed his face. I'm sure you can guess where.
Discuss.
Well, according to USA Today writer Steven Ruiz, the Patriots are #1 in the NFL by a significant margin.
Methodology:
The goal of this study is to determine which teams draft the best — not which teams have drafted the best players. So a team, like the Patriots, who routinely pick at the end of rounds, might not bring in the type of marquee rookies that a team like the Lions have; but New England has done a better job of picking given their positions in the draft order.
Each draft pick has been assigned a numerical grade based on the player’s performance, number of games played, positional value and the pick with which they were selected. The average grade was 0.55.
Performance was based on Pro Football Focus grades. Positional value was based on the average salary of each position. And the value of the draft pick was based on Jimmy Johnson’s famed draft pick value chart. Performance and games played accounts for about two-thirds of the grade, while pick and positional value accounts for the remaining third.
The grade is not necessarily a representation of the player’s ability but rather the value of the pick he was selected with. For instance, Andrew Luck is probably a better player than Russell Wilson, but Wilson has a higher grade because he was picked in the third round. The Colts do not get credit for being good drafters for making a pick that even the worst GM would have made.
I'm not familiar with Jimmy Johnson's value chart. I also know many around here are not huge fans of PFF. It sounds to me like the number of draft picks the Pats have had is certainly a big contributor, but it's only fair to include that. The fact that it's only 5 years is fair to other teams but certainly the previous 5 years would not be as kind to BB. Would love to hear people's take on the methodology. I'm just happy someone did a study with data rather than having to read the arguments around here again.
Here's the brief and somewhat disappointing (in content) write-up on the Pats:
The Patriots have a reputation as being the NFL’s model franchise — Spygate and the Aaron Hernandez case aside — and a lot of that derives from how the team constructs its roster. A perennial position at the top of the standings should make it hard for a team to add a lot of talent through the drafts, but New England has found a way. The Patriots haven’t hit a lot of homeruns, but they’ve rarely struckout. Getting TE Rob Gronkowski with the 42nd pick in 2010 and LB Jamie Collins with the 52nd pick in 2013 are just a couple examples of the gems the New England brain trust has uncovered outside of the first round.
Link:
http://q.usatoday.com/2014/05/07/nfl-draft-best-teams-seattle-seahawks-san-francisco-49ers-tennessee-titans-new-england-patriots/
There's also a best/worst draft picks section. No Patriots made it (assuming Gronk's injury and Hernandez's murderyness ruined it for them) but Sanchez showed his face. I'm sure you can guess where.
Discuss.