Bears Drafting: How Do They Stack Up?

by ChiFan13 on Apr 24, 2009 1:55 PM CDT

We've all tried to figure out how the Bears draft compared to their NFL counterparts. People have tried grading prospects immediately after a draft, which is worse than useless (yes, I'm looking at you, Mel Kiper). Others have based it strictly on statistics, which doesn't necessarily tell the whole story.

Michael Fry, a operations-management professor at Cornell, came up with a new (and more quantifiable) metric for players drafted from 1997 to 2004: how many snaps each player was on the field during their first five seasons.

Some of the league's winningest teams, like the Colts, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, ranked near the top -- a signal that good drafts are an integral part of their approach to team-building. But for many others, including recent Super Bowl winners like the Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished near the bottom, show that for some teams, a mediocre draft is no impediment to greatness.

Want to know how the Bears did?

- Dead last in 1st round selections (41.40%)

- 17th in 1st through 3rd round selections (45.16%)

- 8th in 1st through 7th round selections (29.16%)

Are these numbers surprising to you?

Helmet tip: Momma ChiFan13

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Comments

Looks about par for the course

I think most of us knew that we draft better in the later rounds

by Fridge72 on Apr 24, 2009 1:58 PM CDT reply actions

"Are these numbers surprising to you?"

No.

facepalm

Insert clever and witty remark slash pun here!

UMD 8/04 - 5/08: Go Terps!

by ES46NE10 on Apr 24, 2009 2:44 PM CDT reply actions

No wonder Tampa Bay

Fired their coach and GM, when looking at rounds 1-7 they are dead last and 2 percentage behind the second worst team.

by Sam Householder on Apr 24, 2009 2:45 PM CDT reply actions

a piece of advice

trade our 1st pick every year for 2nd and 4th

If you live in Chicago you are a bears fan, if you move from chicago you stay a bears fan, if you move to chicago you will be a bears fan.

by chi-town on Apr 24, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions

I like it

In almost every situation, that gives us a lot more value

by Fridge72 on Apr 24, 2009 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Surprising sort of, Good News though

Its great to see that the Bears are one of the more successful teams in the NFL as the rounds go lower, but i didn’t think they were that bad in rounds 1 and 2. Well now that Cutler trade makes even more sense, even though it was a decent deal to begin with. If you think of some of our younger players now making an impact, Kevin Payne, Corey Graham, Marcus Harrison, Matt Forte, Devin Hester, Greg Olson, none of these are first rounders. Our first rounders have been a bust. Good study showing the numbers of the reality. Go Bears!!!

The Ghost of Ron Rivera haunts the Windy City...

by Oso Monstar of Midway on Apr 24, 2009 3:14 PM CDT reply actions