Okay, I'm going to defend my placement of Brunell, because it seems like he is dead last on several lists. But first . . .I would also like to amend my previous response to move Shannon Sharpe up the list to the top 5, my initial gut reaction was that in a list filled with pretty good performers at various positions, I couldn't have a tight end that high, but then I went back and looked at his career.Now back to Brunell . . .If you are going to base it on pro bowls and all pro selections, you will necessarily overvalue the line positions at the expense of the quarterback. If a quarterback has an off year or an injury that causes some missed games, he is likely not making the pro bowl. An offensive lineman, has he made at least three in the past, no problem. Quarterback is, if not the most important position, the most variable position in terms of performance, and an above average QB is, in my opinion, worth more than an above average performer elsewhere.Here's a thought experiment. You are sitting at the 8th overall pick and go on the clock. Mysteriously, a strange man in a black cloak appears and lets you look into a crystal ball to see the careers of the players you are considering. Player A is a quarterback who will be the next Mark Brunell. Player B is an offensive guard who will be the next Steve Wisniewski, and Player C is a safety who will be the next Leroy Butler. Assuming you don't have enough picks to trade up and take all three as soon as possible, and have to take just one, which one is it?For me, it's pretty much a no brainer, assuming I dont already have Peyton Manning or Tom Brady on my roster (and if I am picking 8th that is likely true). I run the Brunell card up as fast as I can. You get the equivalent a player who sat for two years only because he was behind the guy who would go on to break the all time touchdown record. A guy who at age 25, starting for an expansion team, put up respectable numbers with junk at wide receiver and a makeshift line around rookie Boselli. The next year, when Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell became starters and the line was improved, he had his breakout, and would post a top 10 in Adjusted Yards per Attempt and Passer Rating in 6 of the next 7 seasons, through age 32. And those pass efficiency stats don't include his added ability as a runner, where he had at least 200 yards rushing every season except for one by age 32. I know he "only" made three pro bowls. You give me a quarterback who is going to hit the ground running as a starter, be a top 5 quarterback in terms of combined pass efficiency and running each year until he is in his early 30's, and I will take that every time. The list Doug put out is a good one. Not a bad name on there, so I don't want to denigrate any particular player. I'll just say that I don't see how a quarterback who is that productive and is a key part in several productive, efficient offensive seasons can be ranked at the very bottom.
