Draft/Troy Brown question...

[notex]

came across this in the Troy Brown article on NBC

Brown, taken in the eighth round of the 1993 draft by the Patriots, went under the knife after New England's AFC Championship loss to the Colts, according to The Boston Herald.

is that a typo or was there really 8 rounds back then??

http://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/1290730/detail.html

 

[SoCal Bong]

Not sure when it changed but yes there used to be 8 rounds.

 

[notex]

hmm interesting...im wondering why they changed it. wouldnt you think there would be more and more capable players comming out each year??

 

[solman]

As recently as 1992 they had 12 rounds.

But many of the players drafted in those late rounds were taken by teams that had no expectation that they could make the roster.

Today, those players become undrafted free agents, and they are free to seek out a team that will actually use them.

 

[Fencer]

I remember when it was at least 14, but there were a lot fewer teams then.

Brown was actually drafted one slot BEFORE Tom Brady, despite being taken two rounds later. Expansion and comp picks made up the difference, evidently, in addition to the fact that Brown went early in the round while Brady went very late.

 

[spacecrime]

came across this in the Troy Brown article on NBC



is that a typo or was there really 8 rounds back then??

http://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/1290730/detail.html

Yeah, but there were only 29 teams back then. Troy Brown was drafted #198 overall, which was in round 8. Next month the Dolphins pick #198, which is in round 6.

Roughly, the number of players drafted is about the same then as it is today. 8 rounds meant that only 232 players were drafted.

7 rounds of draft with 32 teams means 224 players get drafted.

Actually, with 7 rounds and 32 comp picks, there are 256 players drafted today, so the last 24 players drafted this April would have been UDFAs in '93, even though there was one more round back then.

 

[Pats726]

AND if one goes back later there were 20 something rounds .... BUT the point was at some point that they wanted to give the lesser known players a better chance to catch on..thusly UDFAs....It was a lot different then in many ways..

 

[DaBruinz]

I find it interesting that the league has EXPANDED significantly since 1980 yet, the number of players allowed to be drafted has been reduced significantly.

IN 1980, with 28 teams, there were 336 players drafted.

Now, in 2007, there are 32 teams, yet there are only 256 allowed to be drafted.

Does that make any sense to anyone?

 

[DaBruinz]

AND if one goes back later there were 20 something rounds .... BUT the point was at some point that they wanted to give the lesser known players a better chance to catch on..thusly UDFAs....It was a lot different then in many ways..

The very 1st draft in 1936 had 9 rounds. In 1937, it was increased to 10 rounds, in 1938, it was up to 12 rounds. By, 1948, it was up to 32 "rounds" though some rounds only has 2 people picked in them. In 1950, there were 30 rounds and 391 players drafted.

By 1960, it was down to 20 rounds and only 240 players drafted.

By 1970, it was 17 rounds of 26 teams for 442 players drafted.

By 1980, it was 12 rounds with 28 teams and 333 players drafted.

By 1993, it was reduced to 8 rounds and 29 teams for 224 players.

It was in 1995, that it was reduced to 7 rounds with all the comp picks that we see today.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I find it interesting that the league has EXPANDED significantly since 1980 yet, the number of players allowed to be drafted has been reduced significantly.

IN 1980, with 28 teams, there were 336 players drafted.

Now, in 2007, there are 32 teams, yet there are only 256 allowed to be drafted.

Does that make any sense to anyone?

Well, given the current roster size, yes. How likely is it--for the vast majority of teams in any given year--for, say, 13 rookies (i.e., a quarter of the roster) to make the team?

Also, remember what the draft does: it restricts the rights of the drafted player to the drafting team. Even today, the later rounds are seen as something of a crap shoot, so why bother to keep up the draft when teams are just guessing anyways?

 

[PATSNUTme]

This is why you see so many UDFA's make the roster of teams.

 

[spacecrime]

By 1993, it was reduced to 8 rounds and 29 teams for 240 players.

It was in 1995, that it was reduced to 7 rounds with all the comp picks that we see today.

1. 8 rounds with 29 teams doesn't equal 240 players.

2. In 1995, the number wasn't reduced. It went up. Instead of 8 rounds with 29 teams (232 players drafted), there were seven rounds with 30 teams plus 30 comp picks (240 players).

Today there are 7 rounds of 32 teams plus 32 comp picks, or 256 players drafted.

The number of players drafted has been going up, not down, since 1993.

 

[DaBruinz]

1. 8 rounds with 29 teams doesn't equal 240 players.

You're right. I typoed it. I correct it.

1. 8 rounds with 29 teams doesn't equal 240 2. In 1995, the number wasn't reduced. It went up. Instead of 8 rounds with 29 teams (232 players drafted), there were seven rounds with 30 teams plus 30 comp picks (240 players).

You didn't read what I said, even though you quoted me. I said it was reduced to 7 rounds with all the comp picks. And what I said is correct.

Today there are 7 rounds of 32 teams plus 32 comp picks, or 256 players drafted.

The number of players drafted has been going up, not down, since 1993.

First off, the number of players was stabilized at 256. Period, no more. So, while that is more than 1993, I suggest you go back into history and do some research. Hell, I posted the numbers for you. The 256 (maximum) players is still less than the 300-400 players that were being drafted with significantly FEWER teams.

 

[mgteich]

The players are better off with fewer rounds. UDFA's have it much better than 7th round choices. They get a chance to go several teams, trying out with teams that they think they might have a chance with. To put another way, if you were are TE would you ratherr be picked by the patriots in the 7th
round, or would you rather be an UDFA?