NFL Fun fact: can it be true?
 

"Of the 290 players opening the 2001 season on NFL rosters, 76% of them played on the Offensive Line."

So says my Dolphins fact a day calendar.

I am not sure what 290 they are talking about since there are over 1600 players on rosters during the season.

Of the 290 starting their first season?

Did Wannstedt write that calendar?

I wouldn't expect poor performance like that from a Dolphins calendar this early in the season... maybe in December, but not in early October!

I thought that might be it. It would mean 50+ undrafted rookies made a roster though. Is that high?

Well, it could include players who were on the active roster for the first time as the season started, so it might include guys who were drafted, cut and signed to the practice squad in 2000, and then were on the openning day roster in 2001 in addition to undrafted rookies.

good point.

Let us assume that you are correct. Does 76% seem plausable? 220 OL to 70 everyone else?

I would guess that most undrafted players who stick with a team play either OL, DT, or special teams so its probably reasonable. OL is probably the position that generates the least meaningful statistics so its reasonable that more good players could slip out of the draft and get discovered in training camp than any other position.

Well I think the Eagles have 7 and the Cowboys have 2 I can think of so I would say 50 is about average. Most of those linemen are for special teams play.

Special teams generally have a 40-45% turnover rate in personnel.

Just to note, this "fact" isn't exclusive to the Dolphins calendar. It's also on my Broncos calendar. It's all the fault of whichever company publishes these NFL fact-a-day calendars.

well, that would make about 2 non-OL per team, which doesn't even sound close to being correct.

maybe they meant "of the 290 fat players, 76% were on the OL"?

Don't forget that some DL are turned into OL when they enter the NFL, just like RB and WR turning into CB and S or QB turning into WR.

Still, most teams go into the season with at least 1 rookie WR, a rookie RB a rookie at DB and a rookie for the front7. That adds up to already 130 rookies.

Re: NFL Fun fact: can it be true?
 

Look closely at the Exact wording. It does not say that the players are offensive linemen; merely that they played "on the Offensive line"

To me this Would include both TEs and WRs. Offensive players that line up on the Offensive Line.