The Un-Sexy Draft

Every year the NFL Draft seems to be defined by what you might call The Sexy Picks. Or even The Pretty Boys. You know exactly who I am referring to-the offensive skill players. Quarterback. Running Back. Wide Receiver. You can even put tight ends in this group, as they seem to have the diva streak running through them at times, but any coach and quarterback can attest to their value to an offense. But it looks more and more like that the 2010 NFL Draft will be defined by The Big Uglies. The big guys up front on the offensive and defensive lines.

Since 2000, the fewest number of first round picks that were used on quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers was in 2008, when there were 7 picks, as well as 1 tight end. A breakdown of each year, the number of QBs, RBs and WRs, and the number of TEs is as follows:

YEAR QB,RB,WR TE

2009 11 1
2008 7 1
2007 10 1
2006 8 2
2005 12 1
2004 14 2
2003 9 1
2002 8 3
2001 10 1
2000 11 2


My first TMG DraftZone Mock Draft has 6 QB/RB/WR, and 1 TE. Sam Bradford to St. Louis, Jimmy Clausen to Buffalo, Dez Bryant to Denver, C.J. Spiller to Seattle, Ryan Mathews to San Diego, Golden Tate to the New York Jets, and Jermaine Gresham to Cincinnati. The first 4 are pretty much a lock to go in the first round. After that it's pretty much a crap shoot. Many posts have Demaryius Thomas going in the first round, as well as Jahvid Best and Arrelious Benn. But this is the draft for the big guys. And when you think about it, the success or failure of the draft class will be determined by the success or failure of Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen. You got to hand it to The Pretty Boys. They get all the spotlight, even if they are standing in the background.