In the lead-up to the 2018 NFL draft, the hullabaloo was all about one position quarterback. With a loaded crop that included five signal-callers who would go on to be first-round .
There is no more impactful exercise in the NFL than the draft. Or speculative one. Teams spend hundreds of hours scouting players. Fly in many for private workouts. But draft picks are educated guesses.
One of the hardest things to account for in any given NFL season is the progression or regression of a player. Development is rarely linear, so it's not as if the previous season ends and everyone is suddenly better on day one of the next season.
A lot goes into making an NFL draft pick, including film study, athletic testing, interviews and analytical research. What teams can't bring to the equation is future sight.
NFL free agency is often a gamble. Teams are willing to dish out valuable cap dollars to land players with proven and sustained production, but they're also willing to bet big on those with untapped potential or upside.