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All pro OLBs and corners, and when they were drafted

Today, for lack of something better to do, I decided to look at All-Pros at the two positions most people seem to agree we'll address in the first round - pass rushing OLB and corner - and when they were drafted. I had my suspicions going in (and they were confirmed!), but the results were still surprising. I looked at both first and second team All-Pros all the way back to 2005. For OLBs, I discounted guys like Lance Briggs and our very own Brian Cushing, who did not play in a 3-4. That naturally led to more corners. Anyway, here's what I found.

Star-divide

Here are the pass rushing OLBs who made the All-Pro team, and when they were drafted. We're going in reverse chronological order - 2011-2005.

Clay Matthews: First round

Cameron Wake: Undrafted

James Harrison: Undrafted

Elvis Dumerville: Fourth round

Demarcus Ware: First round

Lamarr Woodley: Second round

Joey Porter: Third round

Terrell Suggs: First round

Mike Vrabel: Third round

Shawne Merriman: First round

Adalius Thomas: Sixth round.

That gives us 11 All-Pro OLBs, with four drafted in the first round. The other seven were drafted all over the place, which, to me, indicates that it's not necessarily difficult to find pass rushing talent late in the draft, or even from undrafted free agents.

Over that same period, 16 cornerbacks made the first or second team All-Pro team. Of those 16, 10 were first rounders. Of those 6 non first rounders, only two (Asante Samuel and Ronde Barber) have made the All-Pro team more than once. They were both drafted in the third round. 

So it looks to me like you're much more likely to find a top-flight cornerback in the first round. Obviously, being drafted in the first round is no guarantee for success, as our favorite pro-ready player Kareem Jackson aptly demonstrates. So if it came down to Aldon Smith (or whoever) versus Prince, I'd feel much more comfortable taking Prince.

What do y'all think? I know this methodology isn't without flaws, but I thought it would be a good place to start a discussion if nothing else.

/prays we draft Julio Jones

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спасибо, cubic!

A Texans fan. Really. No, I'm not kidding.
http://www.battleredblog.com
"Blind fandom is all I got left." - LoneSpot

by bigfatdrunk on Apr 28, 2011 1:42 PM CDT reply actions  

This Will Get The Front Page Treatment

Tomorrow, especially if we draft a corner or OLB.

Rec’d.

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Apr 28, 2011 5:41 PM CDT reply actions  

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