Steelers 2011 Draft - Preface

I have been creating "draft analysis" for the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2006 with the format staying relatively the same year-in, year-out.  Over the next week, I will be posting a grade and commentary for each of the Steelers draft selections.

It is my hope to grade picks after 1-year, 3-years and 5-years as well (these time-frames are subject to change) and will try to catch up with 2006-2010 draft analysis updates and link to them in this blog as well.

In general I assign two grades for each selection.  The first grade is for "Value" which I define as not only how that player was viewed by the general draftnik community prior to the draft but also how that player's skills and rating compare at his position to previous draft classes.  The second grade is for "Potential/Fit/Need".  This is a catch-all grade that tries to grade the upside of the player and how he fits with the Steelers roster needs and scheme.

I weight each grade for each pick based on the "Draft Value Chart" (the trade chart used to trade draft picks created by the Cowboys in the 1960's).  The numerical value of grades is similar to what you had in school:

A+ = 4.5

A = 4.0

A- = 3.67

B+ = 3.33

B = 3.0

B- = 2.67

C+ = 2.33

C = 2.0

C- = 1.67

D+ = 1.33

D = 1.0

D- = .67

F = 0.0

The overall draft grade point average is thus using the following formula:

  

∑ (Draft Value Chart * Grades) / 2 * Total Draft Value Chart of All Picks

Overall, it's pretty straight forward and I think represents a relatively clean method of formulating a draft opinion.  Eventually, I want to grade drafts at the 5-year point based on the value of the players' 2nd contract as I think how a player evolves contractually is actually the most accurate method of knowing the players' worth both to his team and the rest of the league.  Unfortunately, the recent 2010 labor rules and now the 2011 lock-out has thrown a kink into the 2nd contracts of many 2006 and 2007 players.  It will work it self out soon I hope, and we can really analyze both the Steelers draft and the draft class overall in a new way.