A list that shows our most recent 1st round hit being 11 years ago is kind of a free meal for those who are most critical of the team's drafting.
Nope. Not really.
You have to look at WHERE people were picked and the fact we didn't HAVE 1st round picks.
Look at the slots pre-2013: 6, 21, 13, 21, 32, 32, 21, 24, 10, 21, 17, 21, 25.
SINCE THEN: 29, 32, 23, 31, 32.
This makes a HUGE difference. AND, there are only 5 picks total compared to 13 prior. BUT EVEN then, in the latter years, only 1 first rounder was made before the final 4 picks (due to the consecutive years in championship games). Just 1 pick. That's it. Compare it to all those years prior: 11 picks.
That's a huge difference.
11 picks in the first 2/3rds of the first round pre-2013. 1 pick post 2013.
I'd have much less of a problem trading for Jeudy if we were giving up the #32 pick. After all, we once traded that pick for Brandin Cooks.
(I obviously didn't count the last 2 drafts since it remains to be seen whether these players are busts or not).