OLB/WR Top 10 Picks Last Decade

[PickSix]

Since these two positions seem to have the most discussion about our likely pick, I though it would be interesting to review these position picks in the top 10 during the last decade.
OLB's taken in top 10:
K. Mack (D ROY)
A. Barr
B. Mingo
A. Smith (1 Pro Bowl)
K. Rivers
AJ Hawk (NFL.com had him at OLB)
E. Sims
That is 7 picks and 1 Pro Bowl.

WR's taken in top 10:
S. Watkins (982 yds as rookie)
M. Evans (1,051 yds as rookie)
T. Austin (71 catches as rookie)
AJ Green (4 Pro Bowls)
J. Jones (2 Pro Bowls)
D. Heyward Bey (Just an OAK wtf)
M. Crabtree
C. Johnson (5 Pro Bowls)
T. Ginn Jr
B. Edwards (1 Pro Bowl)
T. Williamson
M. Williams
That is 12 picks and 12 Pro Bowls by 4 different picks. Likely to grow with last years rookie class.

Flame away. I know it makes everyone happy. Just thought it was interesting data. I went strictly by WR or OLB listing on NFL.com draft results.

 

[FoCo]

Von Miller?

 

[BearDen]

Don't let Mongo see this thread.

 

[PickSix]

Yep. Screwed the pooch on the Miller omit.
8 picks and 4 Pro Bowls for the OLB's.

 

[TheDane]

Von Miller?

And Jadeveon Clowney?

 

[PickSix]

And Jadeveon Clowney?

He was listed as DE.

 

[FoCo]

Tough choice if you are choosing between Julio Jones and Von Miller. Are the recievers this years as good as Calvin, A.J. and Julio? Or are they Crabtree and Edwards. Are the edge rushers Von Miller and Mack or Mingo and Simms.

 

[TheDane]

He was listed as DE.

Does it really matter what he was listed as, if he was drafted to play OLB for the Texans?

 

[Pegger]

He was listed as DE.

They run a 3-4 and he's not a 3-4 DE. Maybe just call him a 'pass rusher'.

 

[TheDane]

Are the edge rushers Von Miller and Mack or Mingo and Simms.

To be fair, Ernie Sims wasn't a pass-rushing OLB. But I get what you're saying.

 

[PickSix]

Does it really matter what he was listed as, if he was drafted to play OLB for the Texans?

Probably does not matter.
9 picks and 4 Pro Bowls for the OLB's.

 

[Tjodalv]

Not too sure why probowls is the primary consideration here either; 33% more wide receivers (8) make the PB every year than OLBs (6). Not to mention there is usually one or two 4-3 OLBs that are voted in anyways, one of them you may remember as a prolific BBQ restauranteur! So that means that between 33% and 100% more WRs are voted in than rush LBs every year.

There is nothing interesting about looking up and posting "data" that is incomplete, not properly weighted, poorly researched, and doesn't have any sort of definitive argument surrounding it. I could post you the number of guards and centers taken in the first round compared to tackles and their relative rate at making the pro bowl and declare it imperative to take an interior lineman in the first; but it would make about as much sense as this OP.

 

[dabearsjjk]

I thought the pro bowl was just a vote for the most popular players not the one with best stats

 

[rawdawg]

Its a little misleading to include non-pass rushing OLBs. First of all, those guys don't typically make a ton of pro bowls. Houston, Miller, Matthews, Barwin, Hali, and Dumervil were the OLBs in the pro bowl last year. And pro bowl is 4-3 base defense. So, you basically gotta be Briggs or Derrick Brooks in their prime to make it as an OLB.

Of course, it would also be misleading to add 4-3 DEs to the group too. Basically my point is, your point is flawed.

 

[PickSix]

Its a little misleading to include non-pass rushing OLBs. First of all, those guys don't typically make a ton of pro bowls. Houston, Miller, Matthews, Barwin, Hali, and Dumervil were the OLBs in the pro bowl last year. And pro bowl is 4-3 base defense. So, you basically gotta be Briggs or Derrick Brooks in their prime to make it as an OLB.

Of course, it would also be misleading to add 4-3 DEs to the group too. Basically my point is, your point is flawed.

Point taken on the Pro Bowl mark. So I went back and looked up All Pro Status where they both get two on first team and two on second team.
If I did it right, the 12 WR's have 8 All Pro selections (1 B. Edwards, 4 C. Johnson, 1 J. Jones, and 2 AJ Green).
The 8 or 9 OLB group has 4 (1 A. Smith and 3 V. Miller).

 

[RisWell]

Ware, Shawm Merriman, etc damn are the past a decade already.

nm he went #11