Teams building through the draft

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This time of year general managers and team executives all sound as if they’ve graduated from the Captain Obvious school of team management. Through the many interviews given to the press assembled for the combine, they invariably drag out the same old, tired cliches to describe their approach to the offseason.

Of all the sound bytes, though, the worst is probably the most egregiously overused phrase: “We plan to build through the draft“. Every time we hear that line tossed out there like it was some new concept it makes us want to scream.

The draft mechanism is, has been and likely always will be the most important way for teams to replenish the talent on their rosters. Previous trades and compensatory picks aside, most teams enter the draft with at least one pick per round from which they can either fill positions of need or add depth.

If our analysis of draft batting averages and undrafted player percentage has taught us anything it is that on average 72.7% of all NFL rosters are comprised of players that have been selected in the draft. The real issue, in our opinion, comes down to draft efficiency, as on average only 44.7% of players on team rosters can be considered ‘homegrown’ talent.

Obviously no one expects these otherwise secretive organizations to disclose a detailed war room plan, but even the casual observer of the game understands that the draft represents a great equalizer for the distribution of talent.

The underwhelming revelation that is ‘building through the draft’ was most recently broached by new Cleveland Browns grand pubah Mike Holmgren, which elicited many groans here at the Nugget. However, considering Cleveland’s recent draft history we are willing to overlook The Big Show’s captain obvious moment.

Based on the Brown’s 2009 active roster the team has only managed to retain 14 players that they have drafted, which is equivalent to 26.4% of the roster and well below the NFL average of 24 players. Additionally, Cleveland was tied for second with 20 undrafted players on their roster, or roughly 37.7% of its roster and well above the NFL average of 27.9%.

The Browns recent struggles aside, the draft should always be the means by which teams look to build their roster. Sure teams will always find a few gems among the undrafted players available, especially in light of the fact that there are only 224 picks in the draft, but that is the exception, not the rule.

Lastly, teams will always look to supplement their draft plans with the free agent market, but that too is a crap shoot (see Kearse, Javon; Walker, Javon; and Archuleta, Adam).

Tagged as: Cleveland Browns, Football, General manager, Mike Holmgren, National Football League, NFL, NFL Draft, Sport