[rplatypus]

I didn't mean to say it's not possible to edit the draft class, I meant that it's not practical for the average user to edit an entire draft class after each season. Editing names, ages, appearance, college, ratings, etc. is pretty time consuming. Especially if you are trying to recreate a specific year. Adjusting contracts also takes forever. You can easily have multiple hours into editing a draft class that is only available in that particular franchise save. If a person is okay with a random class and just wants to keep the ratings in line with a specific roster, it obviously takes much less time.

I checked 3 random draft classes for an idea of the incoming draft class overalls on M17. It looked to me based on this small sample that there are around thirty to forty 75-79 overalls, thirty to forty 70-74 overalls and over a hundred 66-69 players coming into the league on average. If these results are typical for most users then I would set a ratings scale of:

90-99 All Pro/HOF'er
85-89 Pro Bowler
79-84 Above average starter
73-78 Average starter
68-72 Below average starter

That's without editing any player in the draft class and is in line with how the Official ratings are set. I think you may be able to lower overalls 5 points more on a classic roster without the CPU replacing them if a user adjusts the ratings downwards of those 75 overall or higher players. Any overalls for starters lower than that and each team will be drafting 4-5 starters every year without heavy editing to the draft class by the user.

You can also set overalls based on a curve for each position instead for the entire roster. Let's say you make a roster with multiple 90+ rated fullbacks, you can still have your top rated quarterback as an 87 overall. As long as each players overall rating is scaled to their position, then the overall ratings for the roster as a whole don't matter as much.

* I just tried creating an in his prime Christian Okoye at Hb and he had a 78 overall. I thought I even embellished some of his ratings. He would likely be a priority replacement for the CPU if the player isn't adjusting the incoming draft class ratings. I didn't try to move him but I'm sure he would have a 99 rating if I changed him to Fb. I haven't edited much in M17 and that was a bit of an eye opener.