Thirty years can be considered a lifetime in the world of professional sports. Consider the fact that thirty years ago, in 1989, only two quarterbacks passed for over 4,000 yards. Compare that to last season, which saw twelve signal callers eclipse 4,000, and it’d be safe to say we are talking about two completely different sports. The evolution of football is both undeniable and well-documented – teams pass more than ever, bone-jarring hits have been virtually eliminated due to rule changes in favor of player safety, and the every-down back who gets over 270 touches – ten in 1989 compared to just Ezekiel Elliot in 2018 – is a thing of the past. But what has this change in play done to how teams approach the draft, and specifically, the first two rounds of the draft, which are vital to a team’s growth and success down the road?
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