How the Cowboys are wasting late-round draft picks

"Since 2010, only 23.1% of the prospects drafted in rounds 5-7 of the draft have become starters. That's slightly less than a quarter of all players taken in rounds 5-7 of the draft that turn into starters for at least one season."

"The Cowboys have drafted 66 players in rounds 5-7 of the draft. 12 of those picks (18.2%) eventually turned into starters which ranks them 26th in the league and is quite a significant -2.04 standard deviation."

"You could always argue that you get your starters in the first three or four rounds, and that the later rounds are where you get your bottom-of-the roster guys, your backups, and your special teams regulars."

Since 2010, the Dallas Cowboys have drafted 66 players in rounds 5-7, with only 12 (18.2%) becoming starters, ranking 26th in the NFL. In contrast, 71.6% of their first four-round picks developed into starters, ranking sixth overall. The overall starter rate for rounds 5-7 across the league is 23.1%. The Cowboys' recent late-round picks have a low chance of emerging as starters, suggesting that successful teams typically find starters in the first three or four rounds, while late-round picks often serve as backups or special teams players.

Read at Blogging The Boys