A seismic shift in leadership thinking has been happening the NFL for quite some time now but it was on full display during the first round of the 2022 Draft. It has implications for all leaders and we can learn much from it. Let’s take a look at just some of the lessons from Thursday night’s events.
Smart Leaders Value Proven Production Over Potential
NFL executives have long known there was an approximate 50% success rate for first rounds picks. Meaning, half of all 1st round picks don’t pan out. Several disruptive general managers decided it was time to trade the potentially valuable asset of a 1st round pick for a proven asset of an established NFL star.
The following are the teams who valued proven production in this year’s Draft over potential by trading their 1st round picks and other assets for it:
- The Los Angeles Rams traded for Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, and Von Miller. Each played a critical component in their Super Bowl victory.
- The Denver Broncos traded for quarterback Russell Wilson.
- The Seattle Seahawks previously traded for safety Jamal Adams.
- The Cleveland Browns traded for quarterback Deshawn Watson.
- The Las Vegas Raiders traded for wide receiver Davante Adams.
- The Miami Dolphins traded for wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
- And on Draft day, the Philadelphia Eagles traded for wide receiver A.J. Brown and the Arizona Cardinals traded for wide receiver Hollywood Brown.
Whether you lead a church, business, non-profit, or athletic organization, we have long been taught to value the next generation when hiring, and rightfully so. But we must also realize that approximately 50% of those hires will not pan out. The NFL is teaching leaders to value proven performance over potential.
You will have to pay more for proven talent but the rewards will be much more certain.
It’s All About Making The Leader Successful
The quarterback is the team’s leader. The 1st round of the NFL Draft consisted of 32 picks. 9 picks (28%) were for offensive linemen to protect the quarterback. 7 picks (22%) were for defensive lineman to disrupt the quarterback. 6 picks (19%) were for wide receivers for the quarterback to throw to. 7 picks (22%) were for defensive backs to stop the wide receivers quarterbacks are throwing to.
29 of the 32 first round picks (91%) were selected to positively or negatively impact the quarterback’s performance. BTW, one of the three remaining picks was by the Pittsburgh Steelers for a quarterback, Kenny Pickett.
John Maxwell famously said, “Everything rises or falls on leadership.” NFL teams would agree. Everything rises or falls on the success of the quarterback.
Organizations must put everything in place for leaders to be successful. This would include people, systems, training, accountability, support, and financial resources. Your success depends on it.
The Best Player Available + Meets Need = Great Pick
As an organization, what makes a great hire? Should it simply be just getting “the best player available” on your bus and finding the proper seat for them afterwards? Or should you hire for need? The correct answer is BOTH!
NFL teams teach us that talent acquisition happens best when the best player available actually meets a need your organization has. Rarely will this be with the first candidate you speak with. Hiring elite talent requires patience and often several cycles of interviews.
Pay Whatever Price Is Needed To Get A Great Leader
In addition to the trades listed above, several teams traded up to get the players they wanted.
- The New Orleans Saints traded up from #16 to #11 to draft Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave.
- The Detroit Lions traded up from #32 to #12 to draft Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams.
- The Philadelphia Eagles traded up from #15 to #13 to draft Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
- The Kansas City Chiefs traded from #29 to #21 to draft Washington Huskies cornerback Trent McDuffie.
- The New York Jets moved from #35 to#26 and to draft the most productive defensive end in college football, Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson.
Each paid a significant price to do so.
The lesson here is when your organization has the opportunity to acquire a leader who can transform your culture and dramatically improve your organizational performance, you should pay whatever price is necessary to do so.
Look For Great Culture, Not Great Money, When Job Hunting
Speaking of culture, I love the Baltimore Ravens. Their culture, which started with Bill Belichick in Cleveland in the 1990s, matured under general manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh, and is now carried on by general manager Eric DeCosta, is one of the best in all of professional sports. You often hear of their draft picks, “That’s a Ravens player.”
The two players the Ravens selected in the first round this year were once again “Ravens players.” Kyle Hamilton, safety from Notre Dame, was the finest player at his position in college football as was center Tyler Linderbaum of Iowa. Both will likely go onto very successful professional careers.
Hamilton is an interesting case study. Throughout much of the year, he was projected as a top-five pick in this year’s draft. However, after running 4.59 in the 40-yard dash, his stock dropped dramatically. While this is disappointing because of the short-term loss in money, “falling” to the Ravens and their culture will likely prove to be the most fortunate thing to happen in Hamilton’s career.
The 2022 NFL Draft was a University of Georgia Bulldogs Infomercial
Finally, we may have just witnessed the greatest defensive team in college football history. The national champion Georgia Bulldogs set a record by having the following five defensive players selected in the 1st round:
- 1st pick Travon Walker
- 15th pick Jordan Davis
- 22nd pick Quay Walker
- 28th pick Devonte Wyatt
- 32nd pick Lewis Cine
They also had linebackers Nakobe Dean and Channing Tindall selected in the 3rd round. That’s seven defensive players drafted in the first 102 picks! If you are a high school defensive player being recruited by Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, you should strongly consider taking your talents to Athens, GA. Their program clearly prepares you for the next level of competition.
What did you learn from this year’s NFL Draft?
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