The first round pick…for some, it’s the start of something beautiful. For others, it’s the beginning of the end. That first round pick sets the tone for the season and if you fuck it up, you, like a long actress hoping to land a part in Bob’s movie, could be fucked. The reality is, when selection your first player, you really need to be hoping to land an All-Robio player. That is a top-three quarterback, a top-six running back or wide receiver and if you’re using a pick that high to snag a tight end, you better be getting the best of the best.
To date, between the current owners and a fictional team Molly/Marc, there have been 199 first round picks in this league. 66 of those 199 (on 33%) ended up earning an All-Robio award. 17 finished 1st overall, 31 in total earned a first-team All-Robio award. 92 first-round picks did mange to crack the top-10. That’s less than half.
FUN FACTS
123 of the 199 players taken in round one (62%) were running backs. 48 wide receivers have gone first, 15 quarterbacks and three tight ends.
Of the 15 quarterbacks taken in Round One, eleven of them have been either Aaron Rodgers (4), Peyton Manning (4) or Drew Brees (3). The others are Jeff Garcia, Philip Rivers, Michael Vick and Andrew Luck.
Of the three times a tight end was taken or kept in the first-round, Gronkowski accounted for two of them, while Jimmy Graham was the other.
Tomlinson is the king of the first-round. Seven times he was taken or kept in round one. He did earn an All-Robio five times, but all five times pretty much came in his prime with Burrier.
Steven Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Maurice Jones-Drew are the only other backs to be drafted or kept six times in round one.
Aaron Rodgers is the top quarterback, going in round one four total times; three of those times were three straight years with Molly (2011-2013). He finished top-five in three of those four years, earning one 1st-team All-Robio (Molly in 2011) and one 3rd-team (Bob in 2014).
Shockingly, Dez Bryant leads all receivers, getting taken in round one a total of six times. He went in round one six straight straight years (2012-2017). Yet, he never once earned an All-Robio award. His results starting in 2012: Bob #8, Bob #12, Robio #6, Rich C #75, Rob M #29 and Robio #26).
Antonio Brown and Tomlinson are the only players to earn three straight All-Robio awards as a first rounder with the same team (LT for Burrier, Brown for Eric).
Two first-round picks never played a down for the team that drafted or kept them that year. Domanick Davis for Don in 2006 and Le’Veon Bell for Matt last year. Both were keepers. Oddly enough, both Don and Matt won the championship that year.
Don and Matt are the only two people to have a first-team All-Robio player in round one and miss the playoffs. Don missed the postseason in 2013, despite having the league’s best receiver (Calvin Johnson). Matt has done this twice. Despite having Terrell Owens, the best pair of hands in football in 2004, he failed to qualify for the playoffs. Then in 2016, he finished dead last, despite having Julio Jones, #1 WR, that year.
Griff doesn’t always miss the playoffs when he drafts poorly in round one, but when he has drafted or kept poorly in four of the five seasons he’s missed the playoffs. They were 2007 (Cedric Benson #28), 2008 (Steven Jackson #19), 2016 (Adrian Peterson #102) and last year (Devonta Freeman #83).
Of the 68 times current teams (and Molly/Marc) have missed the playoffs, 45 of those teams failed to draft a top-10 player in round one.
Of the 131 teams that made the playoffs, 66 of them drafted a running back.
13 of the 15 people who used a first-round pick on a quarterback made it to the playoffs. But only Bob with Aaron Rodgers in 2014 won it all.
Below are a list of first round picks by league champions. As you will see, if you want to win this baby, you better make your first pick a good one. A quarter of league champions drafted the top player at their position in round one. Nine of 20 drafted a 1st team All-Robio player. 11 were either first, second or third team All-Robio. All but five landed in the top-10 at their respective positions.
10 of the first 11 champions in this league drafted a running back first. Since 2010, it’s been three running backs, four wide receivers and one quarterback.
LIST OF FIRST-ROUND PICK BY CHAMPIONS:
1999 Robio – Randy Moss (#5) 2000 Robio – Edgerrin James (#2) 2001 Jason – Marshall Faulk (#1) 2002 Robio – Priest Holmes (#1) 2003 Rich B – Lad. Tomlinson (#2) 2004 Bob – Corey Dillon* (#7) 2005 Griff – Shaun Alexander* (#1) 2006 Don – Domanick Davis (IR) 2007 Matt – Brian Westbrook (#1) – Matt traded him away for LT 2008 Don – Maurice Jones-Drew (#13) 2009 Matt – Frank Gore (#1o) 2010 Bob.- Andre Johnson (#8) 2011 Bob – Andre Johnson* (#52) 2012 Robio – Roddy White (#9) 2013 Rich C – LeSean McCoy (#1) 2014 Bob – Aaron Rodgers (#3) 2015 Griff – Adrian Peterson (#2) 2016 Rich C – A.J. Green (#8) 2017 Matt – Le’Veon Bell (#2) 2018 Matt – Le’Veon Bell (N/A)
THE LIST YearRobioGriffDonEricRob MRich B 1999Randy Moss#5 2000Edgerrin James#2 2001Lamar Smith#18Jeff Garcia#3Fred Taylor#105Eddie George#29 2002Priest Holmes#1Terrelll Owens#1Kurt Warner#40Marshall Faulk#11Curtis Martin#20Eddie George#18 2003Travis Henry#9Shaun Alexander#7Marshall Faulk#105Ricky Williams#13Priest Holmes#1Lad. Tomlinson#2 2004Fred Taylor#11Shaun Alexander*#3Marshall Faulk#11Rudi Johnson#12Priest Holmes*#9Lad. Tomlinson*#5 2005Peyton Manning#2Shaun Alexander*#1Randy Moss#19Julius Jones#29Priest Holmes*#24Lad. Tomlinson*#2 2006Rudi Johnson*#12Shaun Alexander*#40Domanck Davis*IRLaMont Jordan#45Steven Jackson#3Lad. Tomlinson*#1 2007Chad Johnson#5Cedric Benson#28Clinton Portis#7Shaun Alexander#41Marvin Harrison#85Lad. Tomlinson*#2 2008Brian Westbrook*#15Steven Jackson#19Maurice Jones-Drew#13Larry Fitzgerald#1Randy Moss#14Frank Gore#9 2009Marion Barber#25Steven Jackson#5Maurice Jones-Drew*#2Brian Westbrook#58Lad. Tomlinson#32Brandon Jacobs#19 2010Adrian Peterson#2Steven Jackson*#15Maurice Jones-Drew*#6Randy Moss#59Reggie Wayne#7Drew Brees#5 2011Adrian Peterson*#7Philip Rivers#9Michael Turner#9Chris Johnson#13Roddy White#13Drew Brees*#2 2012Roddy White#9Jimmy Graham#3Trent Richardson#7Ray Rice#4Chris Johnson*#12Larry Fitzgerald#39 2013Demaryius Thomas#4Maurice Jones-Drew#20Calvin Johnson#1Ray Rice*#35Drew Brees#2Steven Jackson#11 2014Dez Bryant#8A.J. Green#29Gio Bernard#17Calvin Johnson#24Marshawn Lynch#4Matt Forte#3 2015Demaryius Thomas#12Adrian Peterson#2DeMarco Murray#17Antonio Brown#1Marshawn Lynch*#50Matt Forte*#12 2016Jamaal Charles#101Adrian Peterson*#102Ezekiel Elliot#2Antonio Brown*#2Dez Bryant#29Rob Gronkowski#10 2017Dez Bryant#26Mike Evans#21Ezekiel Elliot*#9Antonio Brown*#1A.J. Green#7Chris McCaffrey#15 2018Saquon Barkley#2Devonta Freeman#93David Johnson#10Julio Jones#4Chris McCaffrey#3Leo Fournette#46 YearRich CBobMattColbyJeffMolly/Marc 1999 2000 2001 2002Peyton Manning#5 2003Ahman Green#3Marvin Harrison#5Terrell Owens#9Tiki Barber#12Deuce McAllister#6 2004Ahman Green*#13Corey Dillon*#7Terrell Owens*#1Marvin Harrison#9Deuce McAllister*#26 2005Terrell Owens#16Kevin Jones#31Corey Dillon#28Rudi Johnson#11Deuce McAllister*#44 2006Larry Fitzgerald#35Reggie Bush#20Edgerrin James*#29Peyton Manning#1Warrick Dunn#17 2007Rudi Johnson#50Reggie Bush*#15Brian Westbrook#1Thomas Jones#19Edgerrin James#29 2008Larry Johnson#34Willie Parker#43Chad Johnson#46Lad. Tomlinson#12Clinton Portis#7 2009Larry Fitzgerald#34Andre Johnson#4Frank Gore#10Reggie Wayne#2Randy Moss#1Clinton Portis*#4 2010Roddy White#2Andre Johnson*#8Ryan Grant#121Frank Gore#8Ryan Mathews#47Shonn Greene#69 2011Michael Vick#15Andre Johnson*#52Maurice Jones-Drew#4Frank Gore*#15Larry Fitzgerald#9Aaron Rodgers#1 2012LeSean McCoy#14Dez Bryant#8Steven Jackson#19Jamaal Charles#9Maurice Jones-Drew#40Aaron Rodgers*#5 2013LeSean McCoy*#1Dez Bryant#12Matt Forte#4Arian Foster#24Jamaal Charles#2Aaron Rodgers#19 2014LeSean McCoy*#10Aaron Rodgers#3Demaryius Thomas#2DeMarco Murray#1Jamaal Charles*#8Julio Jones#7 2015Dez Bryant#75Rob Gronkowski#1Julio Jones#2Andrew Luck#28Jamaal Charles*#30LeSean McCoy#7 2016A.J. Green#8Keenan Allen#141Julio Jones*#1Brandon Marshall#11LeSean McCoy#5Eddie Lacy#53 2017Doug Baldwin#15Julio Jones*#4Le'Veon Bell#2LeSean McCoy#7Amari Cooper#40Odell Beckham Jr#71 2018Joe Mixon#12Ezekiel Elliot*#4Le'Veon Bell*N/AAntonio Brown#5Odell Beckham Jr.#6Todd Gurley#1
BY TEAM
ROBIO I’ve taken 12 running backs, seven wide receivers and one quarterback (Peyton Manning in 2005). I have drafted seven All-Robio players in 20 seasons, including four 1st-team running backs, led by Priest Holmes, who in 2002, was the top back in football. My worst first rounder was Jamaal Charles in 2016. I picked him second overall and he tore his ACL in week one. At least, I did manage to get his handcuff, which is how I made the playoffs that year.
GRIFF I don’t know Griff’s picks in 1999 and 2000, so we begin in 2001. He hit homers early when he landed 3rd-team All-Robio Jeff Garcia in 2001, 1st-team Terrell Owens the following season and then three straight seasons of Shaun Alexander, who finished 7th in 2003 and third and first the next two seasons. However, since Alexander’s wheels fell off in 2006, Griff has struggled to deliver studs at the top. He has just three All-Robio first-round picks since 2006; Steve Jackson in 2008 (3rd team), Jimmy Graham in 2012 (3rd team) and Adrian Peterson in 2015 (1st team), who he got by trading up for the first overall pick that season. That decision helped him win his second career title. However, Peterson proved to be Coomer’s worst ever first rounder, when he was kept the next season and got hurt three games into the season.
Overall, Griff has kept 12 backs, four wide receivers and two quarterbacks. He’s kept a player in round one a total of five times (third most) and twice has had the same player in round one three years in a row or more (Alexander, 2003-06 & Steven Jackson, 2008-10).
DON His first eight seasons drafting in round one proved to be a clusterfuck of what the fuck. He twice had a player finish outside to the top-100 and he had just one player crack the top-10 (Clinton Portis finished #7 in 2007). The worst of the worst was Domanick Davis, who got hurt in the final preseason game and never played a snap in 2006.
Maurice Jones-Drew was the first to get going. He was a three-year keeper, finishing 13th, 2nd and 6th between 2008-10), starting for Don’s 2008 title run. Of his 18 first-round picks, Don has taken 15 running backs, two wideouts and one quarterback (Kurt Warner, #40) in 2002. He has just four All-Robio players, led by Calvin Johnson in 2013 (who finished #1) and Ezekiel Elliot, who earned a 1st-team award as a rookie and the first overall pick in 2016.
ERIC Through his first ten drafts, no one was worse at this concept of the first round. Of those ten, Eric drafted eight running backs and none of them cracked the top-10. In fact, five of them didn’t even crack the top-29. Only Larry Fitzgerald broke the mold in 2008; he finished as the league’s top wideout.
In 2012, Ray Rice became the only running back out of the 11 that Eric has drafted in round one to crack the top-10, finished 2nd-team All-Robio. However, he dipped back down to #35 the following year. This probably explains why Eric has taken (or kept) a wide receiver for five straight seasons. Between 2015-2017, he drafted and kept Antonio Brown, who became the first player to produce three straight All-Robio awards for one team. With Julio finishing second-team last year, Eric has produced a ARP four straight seasons at wideout. He and Neatock are the only two people to have produced a All-Robio player in round one for four straight years. Oddly enough, only one of those players was a back (Bell for Matt in 2017).
ROB M Masterson has taken 10 running backs, six receivers and one quarterback (Drew Brees finished #2 in 2013). Overall, he’s produced seven top-10 players and five All-Robio players, led by Priest Holmes, who finished #1 in 2003. He’s had four players finished 29th or worse, led by Marvin Harrison, who finished #85 in 2007, after getting hurt in week one. Drafting wide receivers for him in round one has never led to greatness. Of the six, two did finish 7th, but none earned an All-Robio award.
RICH B After starting off poorly in his rookie campaign, by drafting Eddie George, who finished 18th, Burrier jumped on the Tomlinson train and rode it longer than any other team had rode a player. He would have Tomlinson as a first round pick five straight seasons (he traded him away in 2007). During those five years, Tomlinson produced four 1st-team All-Robio awards and one 3rd-team award.
However, since 2008, Rich has struggled to find greatness. He has produced just two All-Robio players in the first-round since. He kept Drew Brees in 2011 and he finished second, while Matt Forte was the first overall pick in 2014 and he finished as a second-team back. Also in that time, Rich has produced just four top-10 players, however, two of those were a quarterback (Brees in 2010) and a tight end, Gronkowski who finished 10th in 2016 and being the 10th best tight end is not a good thing. Of all of Burrier’s pick, the first eight were running backs, but only five of his last nine have been runners. He’s taken two quarterbacks, one receiver and one tight end.
RICH C For a guy with a lot of success in this league, round one has not been Rich’s friend. In 16 seasons, he has produced just three All-Robio players; Ahman Green (2003), Roddy White (1st team in 2013) and LeSean McCoy (first overall in 2013). He’s only had four players crack the top-10, although he did win the championship in two of those years.
Only half his picks have been running backs and three of those were LeSean McCoy (2011-13). He has gone wideout seven times, including three straight seasons between 2015-2017. The only time he took a quarterback was in 2011, when he snagged Michael Vick, who finished just 15th among all quarterbacks.
BOB Bob’s first-round pattern is pretty easy to solve. Like everyone else, he loved his backs early. After drafting Marvin Harrison first during his rookie season, he went running back five straight years. However, he struggled to find success. Corey Dillon in 2004 was the best of the bunch, finished as the 7th best back. However, no one else cracked the top-10. The biggest surprise and bust had to be when he took rookie, Reggie Bush first overall in 2006. He finished just 20th. The following year he was kept and finished 15th. After Willie Parker finished #43 in 2008, Bob swore of running backs in round one.
Starting in 2009, when he drafted and kept Andre Johnson for three seasons, Bob went nine straight years without taking a back in round one. He took or kept seven receivers, Aaron Rodgers in 2014 and Rob Gronkowski in 2015. Six times in his career, he has kept a player in round one, including two straight seasons heading into this year.
Of course, you can’t blame Bob or ignoring backs, as he has had good success with that strategy. Since 2009, he has drafted or kept seven top-10 players, including five All-Robio caliber stars. In fact, four of his last five have earn an All-Robio. The exception was Keenan Allen in 2016, who got knocked out for the season in week one of that year.
MATT Neatock likes to claim himself “King of the Late Round Picks,” but what about the first-round picks? Overall, he has some nice numbers. His three #1 overall players (Owens in 2004, Westbrook in 2007 and Julio in 2016) are tied with Eric for most. He has ten top-10 players from round one, including eight All-Robio players. In fact, last year when Le’Veon Bell refused to show, that ended a five-year first-round All-Robio run.
Overall, Matt favors running backs, taken 10 over the 16 seasons. The worst was Ryan Grant in 2010. The last pick in the first round tore his ACL in week one. With Barkley being kept this season, it will be the third time in four seasons that Matt has kept a player in round one.
COLBY Mr Hall has gone through 15 drafts (five with Jeff as a teammate) and overall has taken nine backs, four wide receivers and two quarterbacks. He has produced eight total top-10 players; half of which earn an All-Robio award. He has two number one’s; Peyton Manning in 2006 and DeMarco Murray in 2014. In total, he has kept a player in round one just once in his career (Frank Gore in 2011). That’s the lowest amount of all the teams.
JEFF Seven of Jeff’s 11 first-round picks have been backs, with mix results. The best of that group was Jamaal Charles, who he drafted and kept for three years (between 2013-15). Charles earned a first-team award that first season, finished 8th the following season, before getting hurt and landing at 30th in that final year. Three of his four wide receivers he’s taken in round one have cracked the top-10, led by Randy Mom in 2009 finishing first overall.
MOLLY/MARC Just four All-Robio players in total, led by Todd Gurley (the first overall pick) last year for Mark. Molly never produced a 1st-team back in round one. Hey best was Aaron Rodgers, who was the top arm in 2011.
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