So don't draft Saquon Barkley in the 1st round?

nope

I could make an exception here I suppose.

But even with that, I'd probably just hold off and grab one in the 2nd or 3rd.

If i'm a good team and have good coaching, i'll go cheap at RB and manage

That's insane. There are a few RBs that deserve to go in the first round.

Now it is not like the 90s where it should be common place but you got a chance to draft an RB like Saquon in the 1st -- you do it.

Drafting Barkley over Darnold was as stupid as it gets.

That remains to be seen. Darnold hasn't done anything yet.

Regardless, there are a lot of players that went in the 1st round that Barkley is going to have a better career then. To say 'Never draft an RB in the 1st round!' is taking it too far when it comes to the reality of RBs losing their importance in todays pass happy NFL.

The jump from good to great at the RB position is simply not big enough to justify the cost. You'll get a few years of hype and excitement from your RB (especially if you ave bad QB play) and then you'll be hamstrung.

Go ahead and take running backs in the top 3. Good luck on that.

Year after year we see teams take backs in the 3rd round and have success, Hell the rushing champ this year was an UDFA.

Saquon is great. He had a great rookie year. They're drafting in the top 5 again and needed a QB.

5 year deals? You need to explain exactly how you think all this actually works.

I didn't say take an RB in the top 3 I said in the first round...

Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round Montana in the 3rd, Mahomes was the 10th pick. You can find great players in any round. Doesnt mean you pass up on a player like Saquon in the 1st round cause he is an RB. That's nuts.

One of these is not like the others.

Productive starting QB's taken in rounds 2-7 is rare. For RB's it's common.

If your team needs a RB and you're loaded everywhere else, then sure whatever. But now you're stuck having to dump him before his next contract no matter how productive he was. You simply cannot pay him.

I'm actually more scared of Ekeler than Gordon

You should be. He was the more productive back per carry. As a rookie UDFA.

Which position is consistently found, year after year, in the mid to late rounds?

Interior OL and RB's.

Saquon was drafted with the 2nd overall pick, so if you wanted him, theoretically, you're gonna have to take him in the top 3.

Whats the difference in Saquon and say, James Connor as a player? Saquon is an A+ blue chip player, whereas Connor is a B player. The value in the difference isn't enough to spend a first round pick on said player. We have mountains of evidence that shows that running backs can be found year after year, anywhere. Literally, grab a mid tier FA running back for cheap.

I think Saquon is a great, generational type running back. Going to have a great career. I still wouldn't draft him over a potential franchise QB in the first round. I'd take a pass rusher, a LT, a Corner, hell, even a LBer over a RB in the first round.

The generational RB just isn't that much different in terms of value vs a good solid one.

How many teams are actually loaded everywhere though? Truly?

I mean, sure if Saquon had dropped to pick 29, **** I guess go ahead. Run him in the ground for 5 cheapish years and move on.

Taking him 2nd (same with taking Zeke, or Fournette high) is just dumb in that you aren't even getting the monetary value out of having a draft pick RB because the market for RB's just isn't high so they're already the highest paid player at their spot.

Take the Cowboys and Zeke draft. They took him at 4. Jalen Ramsey goes at 5, and the next RB isn't taken until 45.

Maybe this is just me, but Jalen Ramsey and Jaylon Smith sounds better than a RB at 4.