Some bust, some get injured, and some do so well, that they leave via free agency....but mostly, they just get OLD, and have to be replaced. An NFL roster will suit-up 52 players on game day, but only about 10% will be made up of their former first round picks.
Of coarse,"steals" can be found at nearly every position: Tom Brady in the 6th round, Marques Colston in the 7th, LT Jason Peters went undrafted. (I could go on all day).
Knowing this, what SEVEN (we will assume you CSR readers will make better selections than most NFL team) positions would you want your team to have spent a first round pick on.
Sure, most teams , like the Panthers, go with the best available athlete, but I am talking about ideally, and if you were starting from scratch (don't say no to a QB just because we have Cam).
Looking around the league, good NFL teams have been built very differently:
Last years's Super Bowl winners, the New England had only five of their first rounders still with the team. Known for their pass-first, ball-controll offense, they had only one first rounder on offensive, their LT Nate Solder.
Similarly, the Baltimore Ravens have only five former first round picks still on the team, with all but quarterback Joe Flacco playing on defense.
Between 1998 and 2007, the Dallas Cowboys spent eight straight first round picks on defense, while spending three first rounders in the last four drafts on the offensive line.
The Indianapolis Colts spent nine of twelve on offense between 1996 and 2009, while trying surround Peyton Manning with as many weapons as possible.
The Saint Louis Rams are starting four former first round picks on their defensive line, all of which they drafted.
The Detroit Lions will always be remembered for using three-straight (03,04,05) first round picks on WR, skipping a year, and then drafting another (finally getting it right) in 2007.
You can never have too many cover corners....a QBs best friend is the tight end...defense wins championships....its a passing league...the NFL is deemphasizing the running back...a QBs' best friend is a strong running game.
First round picks are only a part of building a team, but an important part, and normally the foundation for an NFL team.
Lets pretend you could pick the Panther's next seven first round picks.
What positions would you want the FOUNDATION to be?