With Geno And Dunlap Signed, Will We Go For O-Line FAs?

[Au165]

(08-31-2018, 03:36 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: 1. I think you need more than a couple drafts to prove such a point. People used to say the same thing about RB's dying off, and now we have a trend of RB's going early again.

2. You originally said "o-line play", so why focus only on tackles? 

2018: 3 Tackles, 1 Guard, 2 Centers were taken in round 1 
2017: 2 Tackles 
2016: 5 Tackles, 1 Guard, 1 Center
2015: 5 Tackles, 1 Center, 1 Guard
2014: 4 Tackles, 1 Guard
2013: 5 Tackles, 3 Guards, 1 Center
2012: 2 Tackles, 2 Guards
2011: 6 Tackles, 1 Guard, 1 Center
2010: 4 Tackles, 1 Center, 1 Guard

Now lets compare that to the 90's:

1999: 5 Tackles, 1 Center
1998: 4 Tackles, 1 Guard
1997: 4 Tackles, 1 Guard
1996: 7 Tackles, 1 Guard
1995: 5 Tackles, 1 Guard
1994: 4 Tackles
1993: 3 Tackles, 2 Guards, 1 Center
1992: 5 Tackles
1991: 4 Tackles
1990: 1 Tackle, 1 Center

On average, 5.7 Linemen (4.0 Tackles) have been taken in the first round of the last 9 drafts.
In the 90's, 5.1 Linemen (4.2 Tackles) were taken in the first round.

In short, not much has changed there, although it looks like modern teams are valuing interior linemen more than they used to. 

If you look at where these linemen are/were being taken, not much has changed there, either. If you want, I can give you the average draft 

I focused on tackles because it tends to be the barometer of offensive line quality coming out of college. If you read much on the draft they tend to use the tackle class to grade overall O line quality. As to the quality of linemen coming in check the bust rate on the last 5 years, it has exceeded historical numbers. If you do a quick google search you will see it's a commonly agreed upon that offensive line quality has degraded substantially over the last 4 or 5 years.

I will say this coming class could be one of the best in 4 or 5 years though as far as Tackles go. Back to the topic, no I still do not believe there will be offensive linemen floating around that will be better than what we have. I understand history, I am telling you what the reality today is. I'd love to be wrong, but we will see this weekend I guess.