The message: drafting WRs is a sucker bet?

[patchick]

OK...

Two draft picks have been converted into veteran WRs. Two more young veterans were signed as FAs. The chances of drafting even a day-2 WR at this point have to be about nil, and even next year's roster is likely to be packed.

It's been said and shown many ways: WR is the hardest position to project from college to the NFL. They have the highest first-round bust rate, and the highest star-from-out-of-nowhere rate. After trading up for Jackson last year, the Patriots appear to have thrown in the towel. From now on, we want road-tested wide receivers.

Does anybody think that the Pats were likely to find a better contributer than Welker at #60, or Moss at #110? As long as they can afford it, this seems like a solid strategy to me.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I see Day Two WR 180 out from your view. Low Risk picks who can compete to make the Practice Squad behind those crafty veterans you mentioned would make sense. A player like Syndric Steptoe with his added value return skills is a good example.

 

[upstater1]

Is it the highest bust rate?

I went back 5 years and saw that exactly 50% of them turn out to be busts.

I bet you it's the same with QBs and CBs. DLs bust quite a bit of the time as well.

 

[patchick]

A player like Syndric Steptoe with his added value return skills is a good example.

Best name in the draft. By my research, the world's only Syndric!

Useless factoid: Syndric's mother is named Walteritte, also completely unique.

 

[PatsFan37]

Two draft picks have been converted into veteran WRs.

Good point, though I don't know if it's specifically WRs, because the Pats have traded high picks for RB and CB. They've blown trades at WR (Gabriel) as well. (and at CB for that matter).

But they use draft picks as currency for veterans and they use it aggressively, by trading into the future, generating multiple picks, and using the overage to pick up veterans who haven't reached FA. In more than a couple cases, it's been a good strategy.