Obviously not, but they’re also not filled with blue-chip players, either. I bet the good teams you’re thinking of have 5-8 blue-chip players, and most of them are at premium positions.
Using a high pick maximizes your potential to find a blue-chip player. Bad teams have a bunch of high picks on their roster usually because they miss on those picks.
Here is the players on the 23 pro bowl and the pick they were drafted at, minus special teamers and fullbacks
Buddha Baker | 36 |
Chris Lindstrom | 14 |
Mark Andrews | 86 |
Marlon Humphrey | 16 |
Roquan Smith | 8 |
Dion Dawkins | 63 |
Stephon Diggs | 146 |
Dawson Knox | 96 |
Matt Millano | 163 |
Mitch Morse | 49 |
Jorday Poyer | 218 |
Roger Saffold | 33 |
Brian Burns | 16 |
Ja'marr Chase | 5 |
Trey Hendrickson | 103 |
Joel Bitonio | 35 |
Nick Chubb | 35 |
Myles Garrett | 1 |
Wyatt Teller | 166 |
Tyler Biadsz | 146 |
Trevon Diggs | 56 |
CeeDee Lamb | 17 |
Demarcus Lawrence | 34 |
Zach Martin | 16 |
Micah Parsons | 12 |
Pat Surtain | 9 |
Jared Goff | 1 |
Frank Ragnow | 20 |
Penei Sewell | 7 |
Amon Ra St Brown | 112 |
Jaire Alexander | 18 |
Elgton Jenkins | 44 |
Laremy Tunsil | 13 |
Jamal Agnew | 165 |
Trevor Lawrence | 1 |
Davante Adams | 53 |
Derek Carr | 36 |
Max Crosby | 106 |
Josh Jacobs | 24 |
Derwin James | 17 |
Jalen Ramsey | 5 |
Terron Armstead | 75 |
Bradley Chubb | 5 |
Tyreek Hill | 165 |
Xavien howard | 38 |
Dalvin Cook | 41 |
Kirk Cousins | 102 |
TJ Hockenson | 8 |
Daniel Hunter | 88 |
Justin Jefferson | 22 |
Za'Darious Smith | 122 |
Mathew Judon | 146 |
Demario Davis | 77 |
Cameron Jordan | 24 |
Saquan Barkley | 2 |
Dexter Lawrence | 17 |
Sauce Gardner | 4 |
Justin Hardee | 107 |
CJ Moseley | 17 |
Quinnen Williams | 3 |
Minkah Fitzpatrick | 11 |
Cameron Hayward | 31 |
Talanoa Hufanga | 180 |
George Kittle | 146 |
Christian McCaffery | 8 |
Fred Warner | 70 |
Trent Williams | 4 |
Qundre Diggs | 200 |
Tariq Woolen | 153 |
Geno Smith | 39 |
Tristan Wirfs | 13 |
Derrick Henry | 45 |
Ben Jones | 99 |
Jeffery Simmons | 19 |
Jonathan Allen | 17 |
Terry McLaurin | 76 |
Daron Payne | 13 |
Total players - 77
Average Pick - 57
Top 3 picks - Goff, Lawrence, Saquan, Garrett, Quinnen Williams
Number of Pro Bowlers in top 5 - 9.
Number of Non QB top 5 pro bowlers - 7
Number of Top 10 picks - 15
Number of 10-20 picks - 15
Number of 1st rounders - 34
Number of 2nd rounders - 15
Number of 3rd rounders - 7
Number of 4th rounders - 6
Number of 5th rounders - 10
Number of 6th and 7th - 5
I wanted to look at this as education for myself as much as anyone - but it clearly shows a top 10 pick is far from required to get an impact player. It actually suggests the Picks 10 - 20 are just about equivalent to top 10 picks.
It certainly looks like trading down for additional 1st and 2nd round picks is worth it. However it gets questionable after that.