BPA- Does it really work?

[Dubz41]

You know we've bantered this around a lot lately. How TT claims to have adhered to this philosophy of Best Player Available. Hard to believe it with some of the choices- Nick Perry, Datone Jones or the famous Harrell pick. My question would be- How long do you employ it in the draft? First round only? Rounds 1-3? When do you drop it entirely and draft need for depth?
So I started tinkering on the Fanspeak simulator (they rank the picks according to whichever big board you choose.) I kept to the top five rated players available whenever my pick came up (to avoid drafting 5 WRs or such) and chose from that very limited pool. I opt out of doubling up positions until the 7th round.
1st round I take the player at the top of the list except for QBs. 7th round I drafted for depth or a flyer on a gut feeling.

This was the very first one I did and I was surprised and pleased with the outcome.
Used CBS big board:

16: R1P16
EDGE TIM WILLIAMS ALABAMA
48: R2P16
LB REUBEN FOSTER ALABAMA
80: R3P16
TE JORDAN LEGGETT CLEMSON
119: R4P16
RB NICK CHUBB GEORGIA
158: R5P16
CB RASUL DOUGLAS WEST VIRGINIA
195: R6P16
WR TRAVIN DURAL LSU
211: R6P32
S TONY CONNER OLE MISS
234: R7P16
TE GERALD EVERETT SOUTH ALABAMA
253: R7P35
DE TANOH KPASSAGNON VILLANOVA

Like the wonks say: I let the board come to me.

 

[57packer]

BPA to me is sort of a loose term. Sure, the draft sites and maybe even the teams put together a list of players and number them, BUT, each team's list is different. GMs always claim they stayed true to "their board". Plus, despite all of that, I doubt any team just sits there and takes the guy with the lowest number if that is even something they have. Why have all those people at the draft if the intern could be calling the picks in based on ranking - - - okay, a little hyperbole ch( .

Teams rank players in groups in terms of value. Something like top-10, Rd 1, Rd 2, etc. That's where things get muddy come draft day. You have players with comparable rankings and you have to start making decisions about positions and now need comes into play or how your board is looking. Let's say you are in the middle of Rd 2. You have a number of guys with solid Rd 2 grades. You need a TE and a RB. You have guys available at each position with the Rd 2 grade. How do you decide?

Well, maybe the next TE on your board is rated much lower and according to your board should be there in Rd 4. On the other hand, you still have 4 RBs left on the board with Rd 3 or better grades. You maybe go with the TE in Rd 2 and figure you'll land a RB in Rd 3. All seems good until all 4 RBs are gone by your next pick. Has to drive GMs crazy. I love to do mocks and see other people's mocks, but doing it in real time with a team's board has to be a whole lot more nerve wracking and difficult.