On this blog, we’ve tried to highlight an overlooked metric that really correlates with NFL success. That metric is the total number of former draftees still in the league by team, and we’ve totaled up the numbers for three years running now.

This year, we moved our September roster analysis to our Friday Wrap email that chronicles the week in the football business (if you’re interested in receiving it, click here). However, we didn’t take a look at the last three years, so I decided to do that here. I think it gives a good look at which teams are doing things right on draft day, and how they’re being rewarded in the W-L area.

The numbers are below. Here are a few quick observations.

• Most people expected the Vikings to struggle to win more than a handful of games this season after losing first Teddy Bridgewater, then A.P., by mid-September. However, the Vikes have been climbing the ladder when it comes to draftees in the league the last three years, going from No. 15 in 2014 to No. 8 last year and this year. Staying in the top half of the league all three years and in the top ten the last two has to be one reason the team has enjoyed such success.
• The Vikings aren’t the only early-season success story that could have been predicted with the grid below. Check out the Eagles — despite some bumpy years under head coach/GM Chip Kelly the last few years, the team has done pretty well on draft day, and new head coach Doug Pederson has been able to take advantage of that. The consistent play of Carson Wentz so far has given the team just the bounce it needs.
• Of the top ten teams listed below, only one (the Niners) hasn’t made the playoffs at least once in the last three years. Half have been to the playoffs at least twice, and the Packers, Bengals, Seahawks and Patriots have been all three years.
• What’s more, the AFC East (Patriots), AFC North (Steelers and Ravens) and AFC South (Texans) are led by teams on this list, while in the NFC, the East and West divisions are led (Eagles) or tied (Seahawks) by teams on the list.
• I know there’s one huge outlier in these numbers that can’t be avoided: the Niners. How can they be so far out in front despite so little on-field success the last three years? My only response is that there’s got to be a two-tiered approach here. The talent level that comes from these numbers must be coupled with consistent QB play. That’s why the Niners have struggled despite the number of winners the scouting department has picked, while the emergence of Kirk Cousins last year got the ‘Skins into the playoffs despite a lousy talent acquisition mark over the last three years. I believe the 49ers would still be at least a playoff contender had the team not been hit so hard by retirements the last few years.

Rank	Team	2014	2015	2016	Total
1	San Francisco 49ers	59	59	54	172
2	Green Bay Packers	55	52	51	158
3	Pittsburgh Steelers	56	52	47	155
4	Baltimore Ravens	49	50	55	154
5	Cincinnati Bengals	48	50	53	151
6	Philadelphia Eagles	51	50	44	145
7	Seattle Seahawks	49	49	47	145
8	Dallas Cowboys	48	47	49	144
9	New England Patriots	50	46	46	142
10	Houston Texans	51	47	42	140
11	Minnesota Vikings	44	49	47	140
12	Denver Broncos	46	47	46	139
13	Miami Dolphins	48	45	44	137
14	Tennessee Titans	43	47	47	137
15	Oakland Raiders	44	44	47	135
16	Arizona Cardinals	42	47	44	133
17	Kansas City Chiefs	40	48	45	133
18	Buffalo Bills	41	46	43	130
19	St. Louis Rams	41	44	44	129
20	New York Jets	47	44	37	128
21	Cleveland Browns	36	44	45	125
22	Detroit Lions	41	43	40	124
23	Carolina Panthers	42	44	37	123
24	Jacksonville Jaguars	43	38	38	119
25	San Diego Chargers	42	40	37	119
26	Atlanta Falcons	46	39	31	116
27	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	36	37	35	108
28	New Orleans Saints	31	40	37	108
29	Chicago Bears	33	38	34	105
30	Indianapolis Colts	36	35	31	102
31	Washington Redskins	32	33	34	99
32	New York Giants	39	30	28	97