When it comes to drafting, it all starts in the trenches!

[vinnys025]

If you want to understand how the most successful franchises use the draft to build their teams, a good place to start is to analyze the starting units of the Super Bowl contestants. Both the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers have starting lineups whose trenches are more often manned by high draft picks than are the so called skill positions. In short, winning football is played by real men, not by tippy-toed, small, finesse players.

The Seattle Seahawks will likely start seven first round draft choices in the Super Bowl (four on offense and three on defense) while the Pittsburgh Steelers will send eight first round starters onto the field (5 on offense and 3 on defense). But you may be surprised at the positions those high draft choices play. Not one is a wide receiver. Only two of the eight defensive backfield starters are first rounders, cornerback Marcus Trufant of the Seahawks and hard-hitting safety Troy Polamulu of the Steelers, who plays almost like an additional linebacker. The Seahawks and Steelers each have only one skill position player on offensive drafted in round one, running back Shaun Alexander for Seattle and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for Pittsburgh.

Both the Steelers and the Seahawks have focused on building strong lines through the draft. On offense, Pittsburgh will start three linemen drafted in the first round (guards Alan Faneca and Kendall Simmons and center Jeff Hartings, who was actually drafted by the Lions). Toss in tight end Heath Miller and four of the six front-line blockers are first round picks. Then note that left tackle Marvel Smith was taken with the seventh pick in round two and you'll truly realize where the draft focus of the Steelers has been the past decade. Seattle also expended top picks to build the left side of the line to protect Matt Hasselbeck's backside and to clear half the field for the running of Shaun Alexander. Perennial all-pro left tackle Walter Jones, perhaps the best in the business, was taken with the sixth pick of the 1997 draft. His sidekick, left guard Steve Hutchinson was taken with the 17th pick of the first round in 2001. Toss in tight end Jerramy Stevens and three of the six members of the offensive line are first rounders.

Amazingly, there have only been 10 guards taken in the first round of the draft since 1996, about one per year, two of whom have been switched to center and one to tackle. More amazingly, four of the 10 will be playing in the Super Bowl this year (Hutchinson for the Seahawks and Faneca, Simmons and Hartings, who will be playing center, for the Steelers). Even yet more amazingly, two of the remaining six (Jermane Mayberry of the Eagles and Ross Verba who was drafted by the Packers and later played tackle for the Browns) also played in the Super Bowl.

The only guards drafted in the first round in the past decade who have not gone to the Super Bowl are Chris Naeole, Pete Kendall, Vernon Carey and Logan Mankins. Naeole was picked by the Saints in 1997 and is now playing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team with reasonable Super Bowl aspirations. Kendall was drafted by the Seahawks in 1996 and now plays center for the Jets. Vernon Carey was drafted by the Dolphins in 2004, another team that can easily be envisioned as a Super Bowl participant in the next few years if they can improve at quarterback. Mankins was drafted with the last pick of round one in 2005 and contributed to the Patriots' second-half surge that led to the playoffs after the team was decimated earlier in the season by injuries.

The focus of this year's Super Bowl contestants on amassing high draft picks to man the offensive line is in sharp contrast to the fact that in recent years there have been more defensive backs and wide receivers taken in the first round than any other position. During the past five drafts the first round picks have included: 29 defensive backs, 25 wide receivers, 21 defensive ends, 20 defensive tackles, 15 quarterbacks, 14 tackles, 13 running backs, eight tight ends, eight linebackers, four guards and two centers. In each of those years, either defensive back or wide receiver was the position with the most players selected in round one. (Defensive end tied defensive backs with six picks each in 2003).

On defensive, there are also a few surprises. Both the Steelers and the Seahwaks have formidable defenses. In the AFC, only the Indianapolis Colts allowed fewer points than the Steelers. In the NFC, only the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers allowed fewer points than the Seahawks. Yet both the Steelers and the Seahawks have fewer first round starters on defense than on offense.

The Seahawks will play a 4-3 defense with first round draft picks Marcuss Tubbs and Grant Wistrom on the line and Marcus Trufant in the defensive backfield. The Steelers will counter with a 3-4 defense with one first rounders Casey Hampton at nose tackle, James Farrior at inside linebacker (originally drafted by the Jets) and Troy Polamalu at safety.

Now don't get the impression that the Steelers and the Seahawks are infallible in their draft selections or that they have a consistent strategy that sets them apart from all other teams. We know that isn't true because they have both made first round selections that just haven't worked out for the team and that have been inconsistent with the idea that they have focused entirely on using high picks to build their lines. The Steelers, for instance, expended first round picks on wide receivers Troy Edwards (1999) and Plexico Burress (2000) and defensive back Chad Scott (1997). Those picks never paid big dividends for Pittsburgh. The Seahawks missed badly when they selected wide receiver Koren Robinson with the ninth pick in 2001 and never made it very far with defensive back Shawn Springs, the third pick in 1997, who is an all-pro player who eventually became too expensive for the Seahawks to keep. The Seahawks also didn't receive any benefit from drafting tackle Chris McIntosh with the 22nd pick in 2000.

Nevertheless, it would be wise for teams with Super Bowl aspirations to note that this year's Super Bowl teams are built around high draft picks on the offensive lines and that the defensive line has not been overlooked either.

[ThunderbirdJet]

Yes, so many first rounders.... how many taken in the top ten, though? ZERO.

Top ten picks IMO should be used for playmakers....

The thing that is ignored here is that both Seattle and Pittsburgh are two teams that have not had top ten picks. Taking linemen, on either side of the ball is always a great strategy when you are out of the playmakers. One, the team is pretty good already. The playmakers are gone after the top ten, for the most part every year. How many teams that have taken linemen in the top ten since 2000 have been in the super bowl? Zero.

This is a biased article to some degree, if it's meant to justify taking Ferguson at 4. None of the guys mentioned here were top ten picks. They were mid to late first round picks, drafted by winning teams that didn't have a ridiculous amount of holes in their rosters. That is where value for linemen is.... mid to late first round, but not in the top ten.

[vinnys025]

then trade down and get an o-lineman later in the round.

[The Troll]

Yes, so many first rounders.... how many taken in the top ten, though? ZERO.

Top ten picks IMO should be used for playmakers....

Walter Jones was drafted sixth overall in 1997.

So, in your eyes, Seattle should have taken the guy that went right after Walter Jones: Ike Hilliard.

That would have worked out GREAT for them.

[Dunta_23]

In my opinion....if you are selecting in the top 10 then you need all the help you can get...therefor any player you select will help make your team better...To say only skill positions only in the top 10 is a little out of line too...LT's and DE's are more valuable to most teams than a RB or a WR...

[PatsFanTX]

if you are selecting in the top 10 then you need all the help you can get...therefor any player you select will help make your team better

The Jets selected DFat with the overall #4 pick.

How has this fat load "made the Jets better"?

[DeathMetalJetsFan]

The Jets selected DFat with the overall #4 pick.

How has this fat load "made the Jets better"?

Well regardless of the success the Pats have had w/ D-linemen, D rob has been our best DT since the moment we drafted him. In fact he deserved to make the pro bowl in his 2nd year when he was near dominant.

He had a down year last year as he suffered w/ acouple injuries and didnt have much help from the NT position, but regardless he is still our best DT and when he wants to, he can be dominant.

Was he worth the 4th overall pick? No DT ever will be.

Does he make the jets better on Sunday? Absolutely.

[Preston Howley III]

Vinny025, did you write that? That was excellent.

[PatsFanTX]

Well regardless of the success the Pats have had w/ D-linemen, D rob has been our best DT since the moment we drafted him. In fact he deserved to make the pro bowl in his 2nd year when he was near dominant.

He had a down year last year as he suffered w/ acouple injuries and didnt have much help from the NT position, but regardless he is still our best DT and when he wants to, he can be dominant.

Was he worth the 4th overall pick? No DT ever will be.

Does he make the jets better on Sunday? Absolutely.

Dude,

DFat had a piss poor year as a rookie in 2003.

He had a "decent" year in 2004.

He regressed tremendously in 2005.

How does this fat load loser make the Jets better after 3 years?

[DeathMetalJetsFan]

Dude,

DFat had a piss poor year as a rookie in 2003.

He had a "decent" year in 2004.

He regressed tremendously in 2005.

How does this fat load loser make the Jets better after 3 years?

I wouldnt call starting every game as a rookie a "Piss poor" year. In fact his rookie year he finished in the top 10 for tackles at the DT position. Granted there is much more to the position, but it doesnt hurt to have stats like that.

In 2004 Bill Cowher referred to him as the best DT the steelers D played all year, and Marty Schottenheimer(whose team played him twice) said he was dominant. He had a very good year and he shouldve made the pro bowl.

He didnt have a great 2005. He did indeed regress, but he STILL was our best DT and made a few good plays.

He's given us more stability at DT than we've had in years. Obviously we still have questions on the interior of the D...but it's nowhere near as bad as it once was.

[PatsFanTX]

I wouldnt call starting every game as a rookie a "Piss poor" year. In fact his rookie year he finished in the top 10 for tackles at the DT position. Granted there is much more to the position, but it doesnt hurt to have stats like that.

In 2004 Bill Cowher referred to him as the best DT the steelers D played all year, and Marty Schottenheimer(whose team played him twice) said he was dominant. He had a very good year and he shouldve made the pro bowl.

He didnt have a great 2005. He did indeed regress, but he STILL was our best DT and made a few good plays.

He's given us more stability at DT than we've had in years. Obviously we still have questions on the interior of the D...but it's nowhere near as bad as it once was.

I pretty much agree with everything you said.

However, the Jets gave up two 1st's and a 4th for this fat load.

My point is, he hasn't come anywhere near what the Jets gave up to get him.

You should expect more then "stability" when you give up a King's ransom for one player.

[DeathMetalJetsFan]

I pretty much agree with everything you said.

However, the Jets gave up two 1st's and a 4th for this fat load.

My point is, he hasn't come anywhere near what the Jets gave up to get him.

You should expect more then "stability" when you give up a King's ransom for one player.

I agree. But lets keep in mind that no DT will EVER be worth the price Bradway paid for D rob. He's pretty much set up for failure w/ that fact about his acquisition into the league.

W/ that said, he's only 24 years old and has displayed the ability to do some special things. This coming year will be very telling. It's time for him to be dominant on every play regardless of who is next to him at NT.If he has a year similar to this past one, he will be released.

[PatsFanTX]

I agree. But lets keep in mind that no DT will EVER be worth the price Bradway paid for D rob. He's pretty much set up for failure w/ that fact about his acquisition into the league.

W/ that said, he's only 24 years old and has displayed the ability to do some special things. This coming year will be very telling. It's time for him to be dominant on every play regardless of who is next to him at NT.If he has a year similar to this past one, he will be released.

Again, I agree with you.

But you are missing one key point.

DFat is going into his 4th year with a degenerative knee condition that will only get worse over time.

So being "only 24-years old" really has nothing to do with it.

[DeathMetalJetsFan]

Again, I agree with you.

But you are missing one key point.

DFat is going into his 4th year with a degenerative knee condition that will only get worse over time.

So being "only 24-years old" really has nothing to do with it.

Oh i'm well aware of this. I clumped this notion in w/ my comment of him performing "regardless" of who is next to him at NT. He has a whole offseason to rest those knees and find a sufficient formula that gets him on the field for 40 plays a game. If he doesnt perform, regardless of knees, NT, scheme, etc...he's a goner.

[ThunderbirdJet]

Walter Jones was drafted sixth overall in 1997.

So, in your eyes, Seattle should have taken the guy that went right after Walter Jones: Ike Hilliard.

That would have worked out GREAT for them.

Yeah, oversight on my part.... one out of the 15 linemen mentioned was indeed, taken in the top ten.