Five Years of NFL Draft Stats!!! How Has Your Team Performed?

Below is an article written by the Carolina Panthers lead blogger, John White. With his permission, I have reposted his entire article for St. Louis Rams fans to read. Check out John’s other work at www.catcrave.com part of the great Fansided Blogs and Forums.

NFL teams now have just over two weeks to finish final preparations for the 2008 NFL Draft.  Draft boards are, in all likeliehood, completed.  Teams already have a short list compiled of players they will target with each pick.

This event has spawned more cliche’s than any other non-game NFL event.  I’m sure we’ve all heard them by now – “Meat market,” “Crap shoot,” “The building blocks of success,” and, of course, many others.

Draft facts get spewed a million times leading up to this event and about a ga-zillion mock drafts pop up on the net and on TV, including our own.  Mel Kiper gets to spend a lot of time on TV talking about who each team should take, which players’ stock is rising and falling, sleepers, 40 times, bench press reps, and the NFL Scouting Combine.

But all of this pontificating and chest thumping still doesn’t eliminate one fact – the NFL Draft is a great way to build a winner and a great way for a coach or general manager to ensure their futures.  It’s also a great way to flop and secure a spot in the unemployment line.

Then there are the fans who are always prepared to hang the management of their favorite teams when their favorite players aren’t taken.  The team gets a passing grade or a failing grade on draft day.  No one wants to wait to give the players time to prove what they can or can’t do before handing out a grade.

What I wanted to do was to dig into the last five drafts (2003-2007) and get a closer look in order to help us all attach a grade to each team’s draft record.

The formula was simple – using every player taken in rounds one and two, determine the percentage of players drafted by each team who are: 1) still with the team who drafted them, 2) still with the team who drafted them and starting, 3) with another team, 4) with another team and starting, and 5) out of the league.

Seems pretty simple.  I’m not handing out grades.  I’m simply compiling statistics.

I found some interesting things.  Since 2003, there have been a total of 319 players selected in rounds one and two of the draft.  Here’s a breakdown of where those players are now:

Still With Drafting Team:  249  (78%)

Starting for Drafting Team:  171 (54%)

With Another Team:  51 (16%)

Starting for Another Team:  25 (8%)

Out of the League:  17 (0.6%)

(Two other players, Sean Taylor and Marquise Hill, are deceased and were not counted in the percentages listed above.)

In the chart you will see each team’s statistics.  The percetage in () parentheses represents the percentage of players selected over the last five years who are still with the team.

Again, this covers rounds one and two only of the draft between 2003 and 2007.

Also, note that the records listed for each team represent the period between 2003 and 2007.

Arizona Cardinals (82%)

Record: 28-52, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 6

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 2

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin

Key Draft Busts:  J.J. Arrington 

Atlanta Falcons (78%)

Record: 35-45, One Playoff Appearance,  Playoff Record: 1-1

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Justin Blalock, Michael Jenkins

Key Draft Busts:  Bryan Scott

Baltimore Ravens (100%)

Record: 43-37, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 0-2

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 4

With Another Team: 0    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata

Key Draft Busts:  Kyle Boller

Buffalo Bills (89%)

Record: 34-46, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Marshawn Lynch, Chris Kelsay

Key Draft Busts:  J.P. Losman

Carolina Panthers (73%)

Record: 44-36, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 5-2

One Super Bowl Loss, One NFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 7

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 2

Key Draft Successes: Jordan Gross, Jon Beason

Key Draft Busts:  Bruce Nelson, Eric Shelton

Chicago Bears (82%)

Record: 43-37, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 2-2

One Super Bowl Loss

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Tommie Harris, Devin Hester

Key Draft Busts:  Rex Grossman, Tank Johnson

Cincinnati Bengals (73%)

Record: 42-38, One Playoff Appearance, Playoff Record: 0-1

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 2

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Carson Palmer, David Pollack

Key Draft Busts:  None

Cleveland Browns (82%)

Record: 29-51, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 8

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 2

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Braylon Edwards, Eric Wright

Key Draft Busts:  Brady Quinn?

Dallas Cowboys (70%)

Record: 47-33, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 0-3

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 3

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 3

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Terence Newman, DeMarcus Ware

Key Draft Busts:  Bobby Carpenter

Denver Broncos (70%)

Record: 49-31, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 1-3

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 2

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Jay Cutler, D.J. Williams

Key Draft Busts:  Darius Watts 

Detroit Lions (69%)

Record: 36-44, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 13

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 2

Key Draft Successes: Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams

Key Draft Busts:  Charles Rogers, Mike Williams

Green Bay Packers (80%)

Record: 45-35, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 2-3

One NFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 4

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Greg Jennings, A.J. Hawk

Key Draft Busts:  Terrence Murphy

Houston Texans (63%)

Record: 28-52, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 8

Still With Team: 5   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans,

Andre Johnson

Key Draft Busts:  Bennie Joppru

Indianapolis Colts (89%)

Record: 63-17, Five Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 7-4

One Super Bowl Win, One AFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 6

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Bob Sanders, Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark

Key Draft Busts:  Tim Jennings?

Jacksonville Jaguars (91%)

Record: 45-35, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 1-2

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 10   Starting for Team: 6

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Maurice Jones-Drew, Reggie Nelson

Key Draft Busts:  Byron Leftwich

Kansas City Chiefs (67%)

Record: 43-37, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 0-2

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 6   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Larry Johnson, Dwayne Bowe

Key Draft Busts:  Kris Wilson

Miami Dolphins (88%)

Record: 30-50, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 8

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 6

With Another Team: 0    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Vernon Carey, Ronnie Brown

Key Draft Busts:  Eddie Moore

Minnesota Vikings (85%)

Record: 40-40, One Playoff Appearance, Playoff Record: 1-1

Total Draft Picks: 13

Still With Team: 11   Starting for Team: 9

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway

Key Draft Busts:  Tarvaris Jackson?

New England Patriots (70%)

Record: 66-14, Five Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 11-3

Two Super Bowl Wins, One Super Bowl Loss,

One AFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 1

Deceased:  1

Key Draft Successes: Vince Wilfork, Laurence Maroney

Key Draft Busts:  Bethel Johnson

New Orleans Saints (80%)

Record: 36-44, One Playoff Appearance, Playoff Record: 1-1

One NFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 6

With Another Team: 0    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 2

Key Draft Successes: Reggie Bush, Jonathan Stinchcomb

Key Draft Busts:  Courtney Watson, Jonathan Sullivan 

New York Giants (100%)

Record: 39-41, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 4-2

One Super Bowl Win

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 0    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Osi Umenyiora, Eli Manning (Trade)

Key Draft Busts:  None

New York Jets (80%)

Record: 34-46, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 0-2

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 7

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 2

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold

Key Draft Busts:  Justin Miller?

Oakland Raiders (82%)

Record: 19-61, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 7

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Nnamdi Asomugha, Thomas Howard

Key Draft Busts:  Tyler Brayton

Philadelphia Eagles (80%)

Record: 49-31, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 4-3

One Super Bowl Loss, One NFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 10

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Shawn Andrews, Reggie Brown

Key Draft Busts:  Jerome McDougle

Pittsburgh Steelers (78%)

Record: 50-30, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 5-2

One Super Bowl Win, One AFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 4

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger

Key Draft Busts:  Alonzo Jackson

San Diego Chargers (75%)

Record: 50-30, 3 Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 2-3

One AFC Championship Game Loss

Total Draft Picks: 12

Still With Team: 9   Starting for Team: 8

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Shawne Merriman, Philip Rivers (Trade)

Key Draft Busts:  Terrence Kiel

San Francisco 49ers (64%)

Record: 25-55, No Playoff Appearances

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 2

Out of League: 1

Key Draft Successes: Joe Staley, Patrick Willis

Key Draft Busts:  Rashaun WoodsSeattle Seahawks (78%)Record: 51-29, Five Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 4-5One Super Bowl Loss

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 7   Starting for Team: 5

With Another Team: 2    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Marcus Trufant, Lofa Tatupu

Key Draft Busts:  Michael Boulware?

St. Louis Rams (89%)

Record: 37-43, One Playoff Appearance, Playoff Record: 0-1

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 8   Starting for Team: 4

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Steven Jackson, Adam Carriker

Key Draft Busts:  Jimmy Kennedy?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (89%)

Record: 36-44, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 0-2

Total Draft Picks: 9

Still With Team: 8  Starting for Team: 6

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 1

Out of League: 0

Key Draft Successes: Gaines Adams, Cadillac Williams

Key Draft Busts:  Dewayne White?

Tennessee Titans (45%)

Record: 39-41, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 1-2

Total Draft Picks: 11

Still With Team: 5   Starting for Team: 4

With Another Team: 3    Starting w/Another Team: 2

Out of League: 3

Key Draft Successes: Vince Young, Michael Griffin

Key Draft Busts:  Tyrone Calico

Washington Redskins (67%)

Record: 35-45, Two Playoff Appearances, Playoff Record: 1-2

Total Draft Picks: 6

Still With Team: 4  Starting for Team: 4

With Another Team: 1    Starting w/Another Team: 0

Out of League: 0

Deceased:  1

Key Draft Successes: Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry

Key Draft Busts:  Taylor Jacobs?