How the Best Teams in the AFC Drafted

All this week we've been discussing the 18to88 Draft Project. Today, we'll look at how the elite teams in the AFC have fared in the draft.  Without question the six best teams in the AFC over the past eight years are the Colts, Patriots, Steelers, Jets, Chargers, and Ravens.  These teams have accounted for 17 of the last 18 AFC Finalists and 21 of the last 24.  These teams have won 7 of the last 11 Super Bowls (losing 3 others).

To review, here are the Colts' draft numbers over that span:

New England Patriots:

Fascinating results for the Patriots. They were dominant drafters early in the decade, posting an incredible draft in 2005. However, from 2006-2007 they were down right awful, producing very few viable players.  In fact, they had the worst draft in the NFL in 2007.  Pats fans will point out that the 2007 roster was stacked and the team went undefeated. However, that doesn't change the fact that the players the Patriots selected were terrible.  Even taking into account value produced by Patriots draftees for other teams, they STILL finish last in the NFL for the 2007.  2008 was little better, though the team seems to have rebounded in 2009. Colts fans who complain about 'bad drafts' by Indy in 2007 or 2008 need to look long and hard at the Patriots draft record to see what a truly bad drafts look like.  It's clear that Belichick's status as a draft genius is vastly overrated.  He has had some incredible Aprils, but also some real stinkers.  The sum total is that the Patriots should be considered a very good drafting team, but not an excellent one, especially not recently.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have also been excellent overall.  They had top five drafts in efficiency in 2002 and 2003, but weak drafts in 2006 and 2008 have greatly supressed their overall numbers.  Only two of the last five drafts were above average in total value.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers' 2004 draft ranks as one of the richest of the decade, but their 2008 draft ranks as one of the worst.  The Chargers total value has been dropping in recent years, but their efficiency has been strong for the most part.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are an excellent team when it comes to the draft, but their decision to take Kyle Boller in 2003 almost destroyed the franchise. They traded up to get him, costing them picks in the 2004 draft which turned into one of the decade's worst. The Ravens show that even a team that is excellent at drafting can turn in some real stinkers from time to time.

New York Jets

The Jets have been an absolutely league average team when it comes to the draft.  They've had some good drafts and some bad ones. Recently, they haven't fared well, and instead have built their team through free agency and trades. This would suggest to me that they might not have the staying power the other teams on this list have demonstrated.

Summary:

Every elite team in the AFC has shad some amazing drafts and some awful ones over the course of the last decade. The Colts have by far been the most consistent from year to year.  The Patriots, Chargers and Ravens all had at least one draft that ranked as the WORST draft in the NFL.  

For more on the methodology of the Draft Project, please read the appendix.

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