We discuss quite a bit about “positional worth” within the NFL and the draft, when it comes to which positions are most coveted on the high of the draft every year and which typically draw the most costly contracts in free company. A crew has 11 gamers on the sector on any given play, however we will inform from draft tendencies and spending traits that are crucial, essentially the most valued, the most costly.
So we went again over the primary rounds of the previous 10 drafts — 318 whole picks, with two forfeited — to get a greater measure of the place NFL groups put their most valued sources as first-round picks. We categorized gamers by the place they settled in as execs, versus what they performed in faculty or the place at which they had been drafted. This sometimes is simply an offensive line problem, however it additionally comes into play with versatile defensive items as nicely.
We charted which positions had essentially the most whole first-round picks, essentially the most within the high 10, essentially the most within the high 5, and may use that to create a positional rating for the previous decade and see what the league values most. The highest positions should not be stunning, however a number of the subsequent ones might need numbers you did not anticipate.
1. QUARTERBACK
Complete picks: 35
High-10 picks: 26
High-five picks: 19
Highest decide: First total (eight instances)
Most/least: Six in 2024, one in 2022
After all this can be a place that dominates the highest of the draft. Quarterbacks account for 70 % of the top-two picks prior to now decade, with 14 out of 20. The fixed seek for a franchise QB makes groups overpay and commerce up although the success charge is hit-or-miss, even within the high 5 picks. There is a boom-or-bust side to the place QBs are drafted — when you get previous the highest 10, there’s lower than one quarterback per 12 months taken in the remainder of the primary spherical. These picks embody Lamar Jackson and Jordan Love, so the success charge holds a bit extra worth later within the first spherical. The eight quarterbacks taken No. 1 total prior to now decade have mixed for simply 12 Professional Bowl appearances, with Jared Goff (4) as the one one with greater than two.
2. EDGE RUSHER
Complete picks: 50
High-10 picks: 16
High-five picks: 12
Highest decide: First total (Myles Garrett in 2017, Travon Walker in 2022)
Most/least: Eight in 2017, two in 2020
The second most vital participant to an NFL quarterback is the man tasked with taking down these quarterbacks. We have seen elite sack artists like Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett reset the market this summer season, with Micah Parsons possible the subsequent to land a jackpot extension. The 50 first-round edge picks are essentially the most of any place — in equity, there are two within the recreation for each one quarterback. As a result of that is one other place valued a lot by NFL groups, it is gotten tougher to search out productive pass-rushers exterior the primary spherical, with Crosby (fourth spherical in 2019) and Trey Hendrickson (third in 2017) as current exceptions.
3. WIDE RECEIVER
Complete picks: 45
High-10 picks: 13
High-five picks: 4
Highest decide: Fourth total (Amari Cooper in 2015, Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024)
Most/least: Seven in 2024, two in 2018/2019
We’re seeing top-tier receivers making $40 million a 12 months now, so this place is true there with edge rushers among the many most coveted by NFL groups. Receivers typically do not crack the very high of the draft, however for quantity take-a-swing first-rounders, the one place with extra first-round picks exterior the highest 10 prior to now decade is edge rushers. This really might be one thing of a down 12 months for first-round receivers, after seven final 12 months. It is a place susceptible to runs — there have been 4 straight receivers taken in 2023, and three in a row in 2016 and 2022.
4. CORNERBACK
Complete picks: 41
High-10 picks: 10
High-five picks: 6
Highest decide: Third total (Jeff Okudah in 2020, Derek Stingley Jr. in 2022)
Most/least: Six in 2020, one in 2019
Final 12 months was one thing of an outlier with no corners within the first 20 picks, and whereas the place is not paid almost in addition to the receivers they line up towards, we’re seeing a gradual rise in nook pay after a decade of little or no development. Corners taken on the very high of the draft can go to each extremes: Jalen Ramsey, Denzel Ward and Sauce Gardner had been strong hits, however Jeff Okudah is now on his fourth crew in 4 years.
5. OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Complete picks: 43
High-10 picks: 14
High-five picks: 2
Highest decide: Fourth total (Andrew Thomas in 2020)
Most/least: Eight in 2024, two in 2017
Very similar to receivers, tackles are hardly ever on the very high of the draft, however no place has extra picks between six and 10 prior to now decade. It is a place the place the easiest are sometimes discovered exterior the highest 10 — Tristan Wirfs, Laremy Tunsil and Rashawn Slater all at No. 13, as an illustration. Final 12 months’s first spherical had eight tackles, which exhibits groups figuring out one other key place the place it helps to search out strong starters inexpensively on rookie contracts.
6. DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Complete picks: 29
High-10 picks: 6
High-five picks: 1
Highest decide: Third total (Quinnen Williams in 2019)
Most/least: Seven in 2019, none in 2021
There’s been an odd reversal at this place: 20 first-round defensive tackles from 2015-19, however simply 9 prior to now 5 years, and just one (Derrick Brown at No. 7 in 2020) greater than 13. Groups sought to search out their very own Aaron Donald and constantly did not, so the inside defensive position has regressed in total draft worth. The 2 highest-drafted defensive tackles prior to now 4 drafts are each by the Eagles (Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter), who confirmed the energy of their inside depth in successful a Tremendous Bowl in February.
7. RUNNING BACK
Complete picks: 14
High-10 picks: 6
High-five picks: 3
Highest decide: Second total (Saquon Barkley in 2018)
Most/least: Three in 2018; none in 2023
Operating backs hit an actual rut from 2019-22, with none drafted greater than 24 over a four-year span. However there’s been a little bit of a rebound with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023, and doubtlessly a excessive decide in Ashton Jeanty coming this 12 months. The times of top-five operating backs like Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Saquon Barkley is likely to be largely prior to now, however even two first-round picks this 12 months would match essentially the most since Barkley’s draft in 2018.
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8. INSIDE LINEBACKER
Complete picks: 19
High-10 picks: 4
High-five picks: 1
Highest decide: Fifth total (Devin White in 2019)
Most/least: 4 in 2018, 2021; one 3 times
They’re the quarterbacks of the protection, however that does not lengthen to linebackers getting paid nicely or drafted with any prominence. There have been no first-round linebackers final 12 months, and the one one drafted greater than sixteenth prior to now 5 years, Isaiah Simmons, is basically a hybrid security now. High-10 picks like Roquan Smith and White weren’t re-signed by the groups that drafted them. With uncommon exception, this can be a place the place the NFL lays low, avoiding excessive picks and massive checks.
9. OFFENSIVE GUARD
Complete picks: 14
High-10 picks: 2
High-five picks: 1
Highest decide: Fifth total (Brandon Scherff in 2015)
Most/least: Three in 2015, 2023; none in 2017
The premium positioned on tackles on the high of the draft would not trickle down inside. Final 12 months, no true guards had been drafted within the first spherical, and the one top-10 decide prior to now 9 drafts is Quenton Nelson. He has been a Professional Bowl choice yearly of his profession however hasn’t essentially elevated the Colts or their offense the way in which different positions may.
10. TIGHT END
Complete picks: 9
High-10 picks: 2
High-five picks: 1
Highest decide: Fourth total (Kyle Pitts in 2021)
Most/least: Three in 2017; none 4 instances
Maybe the success of Brock Bowers final 12 months will assist, together with high prospects like Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland within the upcoming draft, however this can be a place largely ignored on the high of the draft. It is laborious to search out current success tales right here — Dalton Kincaid has 4 touchdowns in two seasons, Kyle Pitts has 10 in his 4 seasons. Others like T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant had been traded earlier than their rookie offers had been up, with solely middling success with second groups.
11. SAFETY
Complete picks: 13
High-10 picks: 1
High-five picks: 0
Highest decide: Sixth total (Jamal Adams in 2017)
Most/least: Three 3 times, none 4 instances
Kyle Hamilton is a robust exception, however first-round safeties have not yielded a lot return for the groups that drafted them within the uncommon cases you will discover one. Hamilton is the one security to go greater than 20 prior to now 5 drafts, and essentially the most outstanding earlier than him — Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jamal Adams — noticed their authentic groups transfer on from them rapidly. There have been no safeties within the first spherical final 12 months, although this 12 months options promising prospects in South Carolina‘s Nick Emmanwori and Georgia‘s Malaki Starks.
12. CENTER
Complete picks: 6
High-10 picks: 0
High-five picks: 0
Highest decide: 18th total (Ryan Kelly in 2016, Garrett Bradbury in 2019)
Most/least: Two in 2018, none 5 instances
There’s much less perceived worth as you progress inside on the offensive line — the place hasn’t had a participant taken within the high half of the primary spherical since … Mike Pouncey went fifteenth in 2011. There are what look to be success tales in current picks like Tyler Linderbaum and Graham Barton, however this can be a place that does not register a price till later within the first spherical, if then.
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade masking the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Instances and The Athletic. You may comply with him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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