PatsChamp88

I have a question, does anyone know or has a breakdown of the current percentage/number players on NFL team(s) rosters that were actually drafted by that team. I'm just curious as to which NFL teams contain the most players they actually drafted rather than acquiring players through free agency and trades. Just asking because of a friend of mine was saying how many players for the Steelers were actually drafted by the Steelers and weren't "busts".

jmt57

Before I look for a site that has that information, your friend's logic is invalid. Obviously he is trying to say that building through the draft, and not picking up players via trade or free agenncy is a superior method. Be aware he is probably going to bring up the Pats 2007 draft as "all busts", discounting the additions of Welker and Moss, as proof that Pittsburgh's FO is smart and New England's FO is dumb. Simply counter that with the 2007 picks, the Patriots added Moss, Welker and Mayo to the team.

For one thing, a team could have nothing but drafted players on their roster and finish 0-16. For another thing, a team could be 16-0 with nothing but their own draft picks - but all the starters are from the 3rd round or later, and all the day one picks were cut; yet by his standards that team had no draft busts.

He's trying to bait you in to a debate with the deck stacked in his favor, to "prove" the Steelers are "better" than the Patriots. He already knows the Steelers historically use free agents far less than the Pats do.

The method of using trades and free agency to accomplish the goal of building a winning roster in the NFL is irrelevant though, because of the salary cap. There is no comparison to major league baseball, where teams with a lot of money like the Yankees (and yes, Red Sox) gain a competitive advantage by outbidding everyone else for free agents and trading with teams that are about to lose a player to free agency. I suggest that you bait him by saying something like 'NFL teams that build teams with trades and free agents are just like the Yankees' and when he gleefully agrees, point out the salary cap.

Then ask him why the talent evaluators in Pittsburgh let Mike Vrabel become an unrestricted free agent eight years ago.

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PatsChamp88

Hah yeah, you made some good points. I just thought it was funny what he said so I figure I would post it here.

jmt57

The only site I found that included how players were acquired was Pro Football Reference, but it is not complete. The blank spaces under "Drafted (tm/rd/yr)" indicate the player was not drafted, but it does not say which team first signed the player, and the 2008 draft appears to be incomplete (e.g., Limas Sweed and Dennis Dixon were drafted by the Steelers last year.) Though it does give a good indication, you have to count the players on each team individually, and there's no distinction between a UDFA that spent his entire career with that team and an undrafted player who was just signed by a team after several years on another team.

Here's a look at the two teams based on their 2008 rosters.

Steelers:
26 players drafted by team (corrections made for Dixon and Sweed)
12 players drafted by other teams
15 players undrafted

Patriots:
20 players drafted by team
15 players drafted by other teams
18 players undrafted

Not as big a difference as I would have expected, given the perception from other fans and the media.

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jmt57

Now I'm curious, so here are all the teams with the number of players that they drafted themselves on their roster.

23 - Arizona
19 - Atlanta
24 - Baltimore
20 - Buffalo
24 - Carolina
26 - Chicago
18 - Cincinnati
15 - Cleveland
26 - Dallas
17 - Denver
20 - Detroit
28 - Green Bay
17 - Houston
27 - Indianapolis
26 - Jacksonville
19 - Kansas City
12 - Miami
17 - Minnesota
20 - New England
15 - New Orleans
19 - New York Giants
17 - New York Jets
22 - Oakland
24 - Philadelphia
26 - Pittsburgh
23 - San Diego
27 - San Francisco
22 - Seattle
19 - St. Louis
22 - Tampa Bay
23 - Tennessee
17 - Washington


I see no correlation between the number of players that a team drafted on their roster, and how good that team is. Some of the highest numbers include both good teams (Colts, Steelers) and bad teams (49ers, Packers, Jaguars), and some of the lowest numbers also include both playoff teams (Dolphins, Vikings, Giants) and double-digit losers (Bengals, Browns.)

The thing is, just because a player is still on the team that drafted him, that doesn't mean he's not a 'bust.' Just look some of the players that Oakland drafted that are still on their roster: Robert Gallery, Michael Huff, Marques Tuiasosopo and Anrew Walter were all drafted in the first three rounds.

Bottom line is that just because the Patriots acquire a few more players through trades and free agency than the Steelers do, that doesn't mean the Pats are not as good at evaluating talent.

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PatsChamp88

Hah thanks man really appreciate it

ICSB

Awesome. I love seeing the Colts so high up there.

jmt57

As a Pats fan I obviously don't like the Colts, but hey, I do respect the job that Polian has done bringing in draftees and UDFA's.

I still reserve the right to hate him for a multitude of other offenses.

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ICSB

Thats cool. Yeah he is good at what he does but he can rub many the wrong way and I completely understand that.

WhiZa

I think the better stat would be how many players drafted are current starters. I know San Diego has to be high on that list along with Pittsburgh

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