jrdrylie
02-07-2011, 09:01 AM
Every single time a defensive minded coach is hired as a head coach, draftniks everywhere start putting the best available defensive player to that team in their mock drafts. Ron Rivera, the new Panthers coach, is defensive minded, so Nick Fairley is the popular first overall pick. But is it true that defensive coaches draft defensive players? Here is a list of the last 14 first-time NFL Head Coaches who were defensive minded and how they drafted:
Pete Carroll- Drafted Russell Okung first. Four picks were offensive, five were defensive picks.
Jim Schwartz- Matt Stafford and Brandon Pettigrew (both offensive guys) were his first round picks. In total, six picks were on offense, and four were on defense.
Rex Ryan- Mark Sanchez was his first draft pick. Because he traded so much to get him, the Jets only had three picks that year. Each one was used on offensive players.
Mike Smith- Matt Ryan was their pick when most thought it would be Glenn Dorsey. Later, they traded back into the first to get Sam Baker, another offensive player. The entire draft, five offensive picks and six defensive picks.
John Harbaugh- Harbaugh was more special teams, but he was also a DB coach, so he fit here. His first pick was also a QB, Joe Flacco. He drated seven offensive guys and only three defensive players.
Steve Spagnuolo- Spags drafted Jason Smith (offensive tackle) with his first pick. Altogether, four offensive and three defensive.
Mike Singletary- Michael Crabtree was Singletary's first pick. He picked four offensive players and three defensive.
Raheem Morris- Josh Freeman (another QB) was the first pick here. The entire draft, three picks were on offense, three were on defense.
Mike Tomlin- The first one to pick a defensive player (Lawrence Timmons) first. He drafted three offensive players and four defensive players.
Rod Marinelli- He also drafted a linebacker first (Ernie Sims). And like Tomlin, he drafted three on offense, and four on defense. Unlike Tomlin, Marinelli won just 10 games in three seasons.
Eric Mangini- Mangini drafted offense first, going with D'Brickashaw Ferguson. He followed that up with Nick Mangold later in the first round. The entire draft, he picked up 6 on offense and four on defense.
Romeo Crennel- What do you know, offense again. This time, it was Braylon Edwards. The entire draft, three on offense, five on defense.
Mike Nolan- Nolan went with Alex Smith first. He spent eight picks on the offensive side and only three on defense.
Nick Saban- The last one, and once again, and offensive pick, going with Ronnie Brown. Saban picked only two on offense and five on defense.
So out of the last 14 defensive-minded first time head coaches, 12 went offense with their first pick. That's 86%. 61 picks were used on offense and 52 were used on defense. While saying that a defensive coach is most likely to pick a defensive player first is a popular cliche, the facts just don't back it up. That's why as soon as Ron Rivera was hired as the Panthers coach, I put AJ Green back in the number one slot. If you want your mocks to be right, maybe you should too.
Pete Carroll- Drafted Russell Okung first. Four picks were offensive, five were defensive picks.
Jim Schwartz- Matt Stafford and Brandon Pettigrew (both offensive guys) were his first round picks. In total, six picks were on offense, and four were on defense.
Rex Ryan- Mark Sanchez was his first draft pick. Because he traded so much to get him, the Jets only had three picks that year. Each one was used on offensive players.
Mike Smith- Matt Ryan was their pick when most thought it would be Glenn Dorsey. Later, they traded back into the first to get Sam Baker, another offensive player. The entire draft, five offensive picks and six defensive picks.
John Harbaugh- Harbaugh was more special teams, but he was also a DB coach, so he fit here. His first pick was also a QB, Joe Flacco. He drated seven offensive guys and only three defensive players.
Steve Spagnuolo- Spags drafted Jason Smith (offensive tackle) with his first pick. Altogether, four offensive and three defensive.
Mike Singletary- Michael Crabtree was Singletary's first pick. He picked four offensive players and three defensive.
Raheem Morris- Josh Freeman (another QB) was the first pick here. The entire draft, three picks were on offense, three were on defense.
Mike Tomlin- The first one to pick a defensive player (Lawrence Timmons) first. He drafted three offensive players and four defensive players.
Rod Marinelli- He also drafted a linebacker first (Ernie Sims). And like Tomlin, he drafted three on offense, and four on defense. Unlike Tomlin, Marinelli won just 10 games in three seasons.
Eric Mangini- Mangini drafted offense first, going with D'Brickashaw Ferguson. He followed that up with Nick Mangold later in the first round. The entire draft, he picked up 6 on offense and four on defense.
Romeo Crennel- What do you know, offense again. This time, it was Braylon Edwards. The entire draft, three on offense, five on defense.
Mike Nolan- Nolan went with Alex Smith first. He spent eight picks on the offensive side and only three on defense.
Nick Saban- The last one, and once again, and offensive pick, going with Ronnie Brown. Saban picked only two on offense and five on defense.
So out of the last 14 defensive-minded first time head coaches, 12 went offense with their first pick. That's 86%. 61 picks were used on offense and 52 were used on defense. While saying that a defensive coach is most likely to pick a defensive player first is a popular cliche, the facts just don't back it up. That's why as soon as Ron Rivera was hired as the Panthers coach, I put AJ Green back in the number one slot. If you want your mocks to be right, maybe you should too.