Pete Prisco's Team Grades for 2017 Draft

[vince]

In a way I think it makes more sense to rank a draft now for purposes of GM accountability. Or in a few months maybe. For purposes of coach accountability 4 years should do.

I think its a bad assumption that some players are destined for greatness independent of the circumstances of the team that drafts them. In an alternate reality Rodgers may have been a 49er and never developed into the MVP-level talent he is now. There are probably players that never hit with the Packers who could have been pro bowlers elsewhere. And I'm not just talking about schematic fit but the whole infinite collection of variances that are set in motion once drafted by a team in the NFL. So I see the temptation of thinking "what if we took Ngata over Hawk?" but there is no guarantee that Ngata the prospect would have been Ngata the star without Ray Lewis barking orders behind him. It could well have taken his coaches, trainers, friendships, teammates, family, fans, and a million other things in that exact situation to make him. Maybe he comes to GB and our trainers destroy his back in the weight room and he becomes nothing but a curse word Bretsky uses in traffic.

For this reason the Brian Brohms and Khyri Thorntons are the worst draft picks to hang on Ted. They were piles of shit so immediately that its hard to imagine what it would take to cultivate whatever talent they had.

Killer post 31. Though I think it's fair to hold the GM responsible for drafting/adding players that can/will thrive within the circumstances of the team as constructed.

As you say it's more complex than simply assessing talent in a vacuum. I think your post says a lot about Ted's approach to player acquisition beyond the draft as well.

[bobblehead]

Killer post 31. Though I think it's fair to hold the GM responsible for drafting/adding players that can/will thrive within the circumstances of the team as constructed.

As you say it's more complex than simply assessing talent in a vacuum. I think your post says a lot about Ted's approach to player acquisition beyond the draft as well.

That being said, Josh Jones was the perfect pick. He fills Hydes role this year, and Burnett is on the last year of his contract. Jones is a bigger body for the new hybrid ILB/S position we have been using. A good fit for this team right now.

[vince]

That being said, Josh Jones was the perfect pick. He fills Hydes role this year, and Burnett is on the last year of his contract. Jones is a bigger body for the new hybrid ILB/S position we have been using. A good fit for this team right now.

Agree. Jones fills both an immediate and potential long-term need.

If anything appears different this year it's been the transparency of moves that so clearly address "need." I think it's clear that's always been a big part of the value equation but with the important losses of this year's departures in specific areas and how close the team continues to be year after year, the "needs" jump out a lot more than in the past when there's been less "starting role veteran" roster turnover.