Is there a reason why Ts get picked high?

[Goose]

I find that the computer teams have a habit of picking Ts really high. If there is a good enough player at T he'll often go first overall.

[yabanci]

because tackles are very valuable, both in FOF and in real life. See this article, for instance:

"Since 1995, there have been 15 offensive tackles chosen in the top half of the first round, and all 15 are currently starters in the league. In the last 10 lotteries, a dozen tackles were selected in the top 10, and one could argue that all have carved out notable NFL tenures to this juncture of their respective careers.

Of the eight tackles chosen in the top 10 of the draft 1995-2000, all but Kyle Turley have been to at least one Pro Bowl game. Tony Boselli, whose career was cut short by a series of shoulder injuries, will be a Hall of Fame candidate. Ditto Ogden, Pace and Jones once their careers conclude. Houston Texans tailback Domanick Davis won rookie of the year honors for last season, but most league observers acknowledge the most accomplished first-year player in 2003 was Carolina tackle Jordan Gross, who will switch from the right side to the left side in 2004.

Once an afterthought, the tackle position is now a priority, and left tackle has risen to near-skill position status. All one needs to do is review the upward spiral of contract averages for offensive tackles over the last seven seasons.

"Nothing is ever going to replace (the quarterback position) as the most critical one on the field," allowed St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz at last month's league meetings. "But if you don't have a left tackle, well, you'd better get one, because you're in trouble. It really is one of the biggest building blocks. You can't function without a big-time left tackle."

The importance of the left tackle spot certainly has been reflected in what has transpired, or, more accurately, hasn't transpired, during the current free agency period. Just three left tackles of note -- Todd Steussie (of Carolina), Derrick Deese (San Francisco) and Ephraim Salaam (Denver) -- switched teams this spring. And all three did so only after they were released.

The top young left tackle who was to have been available, Green Bay's Chad Clifton, was re-signed by the Packers before he ever hit the open market. That is in lockstep with the current mindset in the NFL, which strongly suggests that teams do whatever it takes to hold onto quality left tackles. The current 32 starting left tackles in the NFL are under contract, at this point, for an average of more than three more years.

And that, in typically convoluted fashion, brings us full-circle back to Robert Gallery.

The franchise that lands the Iowa star figures to secure his services, and thus ensure some degree of bodily safety for its starting quarterback, for the next six or seven seasons. Little wonder, then, that so many teams covet him and are plotting potential scenarios for trying to get into position to snatch him. Little wonder, too, that the Oakland Raiders are getting a lot of phone calls about the second overall spot in the draft, and what it might take to pry that slot away from them."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1779085

[KGrob]

The "safest" player in this years draft is considered to be Robert Gallery of Iowa. He's projected to be an NFL left tackle and will almost assurredly be selected by the 5th overall pick in the draft.

Compare this to how many QBs get selected first. How many teams have won Super Bowls with those high QB picks that they selected? Not many. In fact, there are very very few historically.

[Eaglesfan27]

There is actually a very good article in this week's Sporting News analyzing why LT is a "safer" pick then QB and arguing that Robert Gallery should be taken very high (perhaps even 1st.)

[Goose]

I'm not an expert on football but in the game you can easily switch the right tackle to left tackles. What qualities should I look for in putting one as left and the other as right?

What about guards? They tend to be drafted pretty high as well.

[yabanci]

you generally want your best pass blocker on the left. In my experience guards are not usually drafted as high as tackles, although sometimes there is a standout. Read the help file article on the amateur draft. It has a lot of good information.

[Subby]

I don't think handedness is identified in FOF, so I assume all QBs are right-handed. If that is the case, your RDE should be your best pass-rusher since he is coming from the QB's blind-side.

That said, I don't know if Jim has taken blind-side into account when determining pass rush success from the defensive end position. In multi-player you would be crzy not to rotate which side your DE comes from - at the very least to keep the opposition guessing during gameplanning.

FWIW, I am having real good success using a Guard at LT...

[Goose]

I have been reading through posts here and came upon posts where you want your best pass rusher such as DE on the right side. So I figured the pattern repeats for every defensive position. I guess that's why I have to reverse this for offensive tackles?