Top priority for the 2008 draft

[Hijinx]

I think you are oversimplifying the draft. If you pick the "best" player regardless of position you aren't taking into account whether or not the player fits into the team's overall scheme.

For example lets say the best player at the time is a TE is the mold of Shannon Sharpe(a great receiver but average to poor blocker). If you have a run ordinated team that depends on the TE to in block on a DE or MLB. What good is this guy going to be? The best player available is not going to be the same for every team.

Another example if you are solid at CB and safety but weak at D-line are you going to draft a guy who was a shut down corner in college? What are you going to do? Run the nickel the whole game and hope the other team doesn't decide to run the ball against your poor D-line? And even in the nickel if you aren't getting a pass rush someone will get open sooner or later or the QB will take off and get yards. The smarter move is to draft a good D-lineman and stick with your all ready solid DBs. The improved pass rush will help the defense more than a fifth DB.

The truth of drafting well is that you balance both the best player available and drafting for need. If the best person avail isn't what you need you try to move down. If you can't trade down you look to see if the best player available can fit into your system or you can't tweak your system then you draft for need.

The proof that just drafting the best player available doesn't work is the Lions how any team could use 3 first round picks on WR in so few years is inconceivable. It doesn't even fit into their system; they haven't used the run and shoot for some years now.