My NFL Draft philosophy.

[MrPerson]

1. If you don't have one, get a franchise QB. It is very difficult to win a Super Bowl without one. Not impossible. But difficult.

2. Get a shutdown corner, and a good corner. Speed is the most important commodity here.

3. Get TWO Offensive Tackles and a Center. Guards don't have to be that good.

4. Get a pass rushing LB. Two is better.

5. RB's, WR's, TE's, safeties, interior LB's, D linemen not as important. Many can play RB and WR to the level necessary to win. Not everyone can block. Not everyone can cover. Not everyone can pass.

Feel free to disagree with me.

[NJmaverick]

1. So I take it you believe in drafting for need

Either that, or you are simply talking about the value of various positions; Which I assume would then be folded into your drafting stategy. Either way I will be happy to comment on your assertions

1) Agreed

2) I feel the rule changes, that limit defensive secondary contact has made the "shut down corner" an endangered species. Still a pair of solid corners are important elements of a strong defense.

3) I would agree with that assessment when you are talking about the passing game. However in the running game you need stronger guards that can push back, or at least hold their ground with, the defensive line.

4) Passing rushing LBs are important in a 3-4 defense. It's not so important in a 4-3 defense. In a 4-3 (4 d-linemen and 3 lbs) at least on good defensive end and a 3 technique tackle who can consistently get penatration are more important.

5) A true number one WR is a pretty important element in non-West Coast offenses. A real threat at WR can force double coverage and force the defense away from the line of scrimmage, thereby opening up the running game. A good receiving TE will have a similar effect. As for the other positions you mention, they are important in their own right. I would say that the difference is you can consistantly get good ones in the lower rounds.

[MrPerson]

2. The WR has a common skill. Same with the RB.

Getting open is easier than covering.

Catching is a learned and common skill.

Running is not that hard.

Blocking is hard.

Remember, the Steelers won a SB after getting ride of Alan Faneca. So how important is a guard?

[NJmaverick]

3. I have to differ on the impact of a true number one receiver

when I talk about number one receivers I am talking about the likes of Randy Moss, To and Fitzgerald. These are receivers that keep defensive coordinators up at night. They require a defense to double team them, which causes the rest of the defense to be weakened. It means you can't put 8 men in the box, to slow down the other team's running game. It means that you use less blitzers, because you need those players in coverage. Plus the really tall receivers become a great weapon in the red zone. How often have you seen QBs toss the ball high in the air knowing their taller WR will be the one that out jumps/reaches and will come down with the ball (usually for a TD)?
I would also suggest that catching is not a skill that is all that easily learned. I have been following the NFL for a few decades now. I can tell you there are few RBs, WRs or TEs that came into the league with a reputation of bad hands and suddenly learned to catch. Beyond that the WR position is as much about route running and the ability to read defenses (as many routes are altered based on what the defense is doing- for example hot routes when the defense blitzes).

I wouldn't say that running is "not that hard". I would say that there seems to be a good number of players that can do it. In terms of hard, look how quickly RBs burn out. While I don't have the numbers readily available, that position has perhaps the quickest retirement age. RBs are considered ancient by the time they are 30. The thing with running backs is success and failure is seperated by a tenth of a second or less. So slow downs result in rapid reductions in production.

As for the lessens from the Steelers, I think it can be misleading to draw lessens only from the current champs. I think it's better to look at least the 4 that made it to the conference championship games and then look back a number of years. Look at the success teams like the Cowboys (in 07) and the Giants have enjoyed by having a quality pair of guards. Those were high powered offenses that use quality guards.