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Drafting for need or best player available: What is the better strategy?

By Louie DiBiase

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Carson Wentz (North Dakota State) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number one overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Carson Wentz (North Dakota State) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number one overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 18, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts after scoring a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts after scoring a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Drafting For Need

Personally, I am in favor of drafting for need over best player available. The NFL Draft is used to improve rosters with new, young talent right? Preferably at positions where teams are lacking playmakers.

Collin Cowherd of “The Herd” on Fox Sports 1 makes a great analogy when talking about this debate. When someone makes a grocery list consisting of eggs, bread, milk, and cereal, while having plenty bags of chips, cookies, and flower, would it make sense to purchase more chips, cookies, and flower?

The analogy may not work perfectly with the draft but the key point does.

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The draft allows teams to address holes on their roster, without overspending on the likes of Robert Woods and Kenny Stills in free agency.

If two players are close on a team’s board, and one addresses a need while the other plays a position that already has reliable starters, wouldn’t it make sense to draft the prospect that addresses a need?

I am all for not taking a player like Marcus Smith in the first round, who most teams did not have a first round grade on, just based on the need for an edge rusher.

However, it wouldn’t make sense for the Eagles to take a safety this season over a running back just because he is a few spots higher on the board. Especially when you have two really strong starting safeties.

Front offices may say it, but teams don’t view the draft as black and white as it seems. The top player on the board isn’t always taken. Teams draft for need far more than popular belief tells us and all four conference championship teams prove it.

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