Comparing the 2018 Denver Broncos rookies vs. 2017 New Orleans Saints

Conclusions

Are there any conclusions to be drawn from the success each of these teams has had?

The Broncos took the approach in 2018 of selecting players who were leaders of their respective college teams, team captains with a lot of experience under their belts.

The Saints took some risks on players who didn’t have as much experience but had a ton of talent.

The important thing to note here is that each of these teams drafted for areas of need and took the best player on their board. Did the Broncos need Bradley Chubb? With how well he’s playing compared to how the edge players opposite Von Miller had done in the past two seasons without DeMarcus Ware? It’s pretty clear that was an area the defense was lacking in.

Did the Saints need Alvin Kamara with Mark Ingram playing really well? As dynamic as Kamara is and as much as he’s contributed as a runner, receiver, and returner, obviously they did.

These teams didn’t reach for needs but took some of the best players on their board regardless if there was a pressing need for a starter, and they have put faith in the rookies to perform in big situations.

The Saints trusted this rookie class about as much as we’ve seen a team trust so many young players at once, and has turned into two seasons of borderline dominance.

The Broncos’ trust in their youth has grown over the course of the season, and their record has improved as a result. They were 3-6 to start the year and are now 6-6 with a chance of scratching and clawing their way into the postseason.

The moral of this story is that teams need to make sure they trust their scouts in the draft process, give those players opportunities, and coach them to their strengths.