Drafting Best Player Available vs. Getting a Player We Need

We hear most people say "get the best player available" in the draft when you pick. But think about that.

In the first few rounds of the draft, say 1st, 2nd & our 4th round picks, if the best player available is at a position where we're not needing help, do we go with our needs (like oline or MLB) or do we just grab the best player available? We could end up with a guy who we really don't need.

Think this one through. What if it's a RB or WR, and we end up NOT getting a stud guy we need? Keep in mind that the free agents are not heavily stocked with great talent at some positions this year, so it may not be an option to backfill through FA.

Kind of like "if you snooze you lose" & we may be screwed until next year.

Always best player at a reasonable position. The only exceptions are drafting a QB in the 1st, and you have a young non-injury prone franchise QB, or you already have 2 good players at that position (the only exception is to draft a nickleback like the Jets did a few years ago).

I can't help but think about BPA as the superior way to address the draft, especially as a long term drafting strategy. Now that I've said that, I also believe there is no way that we draft a QB or RB or WR in the first round, nor would I, so I may as well admit that I'm not a BPA purist.

I think you have to look at tiers of players at your need positions, then take the BPA within those tiers but don't reach too much for them. If a needs position player isn't available within reasonable reach, go BPA regardless of position.

Why do I feel like I just described my FFL drafting strategy? I'm probably better off as just a fan, lol.

Well if you go about the draft in a smart way and know your competitions needs then you would trade your spot if that BPA is not what you need. But if there wasn't a trade to be had, then IMO you would have to reach and pick-up the guy that is needed, rather than spend a pick on depth.

If you are confident that your coaches can develop guys, then reaching a few spots shouldn't matter too much.

In this draft I don't think there's even a slim chance that a very good player at a position we need will not still be one the boards in the first two rounds. I'm not much of a draftnik so I don't really look at much beyond the first three rounds since those are guys you expect to make the team and contribute in their first year. This year the job is a little easier since unless that changes we have no third.

Round One; I have a hard time believing both Warmack and Cooper will be taken before #20. We need a LG badly so there's a great choice right at #20. If both are gone then next up comes OC Jones who's rated lower than this but it's a thin FA crop and draft for OCs so they may go higher than rated. Maybe we can drop back and take him or if we're concerned about his injury maybe or we default to taking a TE or a guy like Fluker who may be able to play OG or OT. I wouldn't take any of those guys at #20 though.

Round Two; If we get our LG in one then we have some choices in round two depending on how round one falls. Jones may still be on the board and maybe Fluker but a guy I like here is Justin Pugh who may also be an OG/OT type if he can play above his college weight. There's also Warford, Frederick and several LBs come into play here as well including Minter and Brown.

Once we get down to rounds four through seven this is where the scouting dept. earns their stars. LBs, TEs, and a QB along with a speed WR or DB with return skills all meet needs and this is where I look for undiscovered gems to develop.

Jones is not a 1st rounder.

Read that Björn Werner falls a bit so far. I'd take him at #20 over our needs.

So, now my first post xD:

I voted for Best Player we need in the first round, because we need help on the O-Line, at the Tight End or at the Linebacker position. The same goes for Round 2. But from Round 4 further on we should draft BPA - we need a little depth at every position besides RB.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GermansbombedPH

Read that Björn Werner falls a bit so far. I'd take him at #20 over our needs.

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First of all: You're from Bavaria? Is this true? I'm, too. :D Because of that I would really hope Werner ends up as a Bear, but sadly we drafted a DE last year ... And I don't think that he will fall so far.

BPA based on need positions first. This year that's LT/C/MLB/LG/TE(in that order in my opion, until FA happens). But I would also point out that C/LG/TE are much easier found in the mid-late rounds then LT/MLB. So those would be who I center on first.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 96Kai

So, now my first post xD:

I voted for Best Player we need in the first round, because we need help on the O-Line, at the Tight End or at the Linebacker position. The same goes for Round 2. But from Round 4 further on we should draft BPA - we need a little depth at every position besides RB.



First of all: You're from Bavaria? Is this true? I'm, too. :D Because of that I would really hope Werner ends up as a Bear, but sadly we drafted a DE last year ... And I don't think that he will fall so far.

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Great another German....

Jk, welcome to the best Bears board on the internet. Nice with another European fan!

OT: I think we should draft the BPA on the postion we need. When you have a team where you can say ok we don't need to panic about this and that postion then I think you should do it. But right now for the Bears we really need an Oline otherwise we might not improve our record the next season. If we fix the Oline this FA and draft, next years first round we take a MLB then I'd say go BPA rest of the 2014 draft but not sooner.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 96Kai

First of all: You're from Bavaria? Is this true? I'm, too. :D Because of that I would really hope Werner ends up as a Bear, but sadly we drafted a DE last year ... And I don't think that he will fall so far.

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yes, it's true. Why else should I write it here ;)


If he falls that far, we have to take Werner and laugh at about 15 other teams for letting him slip to us - need or not