Doc Walker interviews VC and Jim Z about Draft

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

should be interesting, something to listen to on my daily exodus.

ive been looking for a thread discussing draft strategy of BPA vs need vs balance of BPA within your needs (i.e. if we need OT, LB and DE we take the BPA of those 3 positions).

vinny has been bashed alil for his BPA approach but i was surprised to find alot of intelligent nfl minds also go BPA like ozzie newsome. of course with BPA you need to evaluate talent accurately which is our problem IMO when we have to pick outside the top 15 or so where you really need to do your homework.

look at taylor jacobs, they said they had him graded out as 1st round talent so when he was there in the 2nd they had to take him as the BPA. also i remember vinny saying they had thomas, davis and kelly all graded out as 1st round talent so when you get a chance to add them in the 2nd you do it. which is great if that guy you gave a 1st round grade to is really a 1st round grade player. problem is theres a reason vinny's "1st round talent" is stil availabe in the 2nd . . .no other nfl gm gave them a 1st round grade or they have injury flags (kelly, mcintosh). i also think vinny over-values skilled position players like WRs vs other positions.

thats why i really hope we stay at 13, if we trade down vinnys suspect talent evaluation is even more critical.

sorry for the draft rant, i know everyone is sick of it.

go skins!!!!

I don't know how many times I've pointed out that several other teams with well respected front office executives go for BPA as well. But to your point, BPA within need. I think Newsome said as you get into the later round that's when you focus on need before BPA (not positive on that though)

Good point about the eye for talent. I think one big problem that we overlook is that our coaching turnover the past decade, which have generally been large philosophical differences (Marty to Spurrier to Gibbs to Zorn) don't allow our scouts the opportunity to properly evaluate the talent out there during the college football season. Imagine you're a scout in 2001 and you're combing the country looking for bruising backs and big tough WRs who can get the key yards in traffic to fit Schottenheimer's...then suddenly it's January and Spurrier's the new head coach and now you're tasked with finding scatbacks and speedsters to play in the Fun 'n Gun. And the draft is just three months away. All the work you put in during the season is almost pointless.