[fullmetal]

All of the above makes sense.

I consider a "successful draft pick" to be one where the player ends up as a legitimate NFL starter for 5 or 6 seasons. So, by using that criteria, placekickers, punters, tight ends, and certainly running backs should be worthy of high first round pick selection.

This is perhaps true to a certain extent, but remember that the draft is about selecting the best, the most special talents and rewarding that talent with commensurate contracts.  Placekickers and punters A) don't fill up very many roster spots, not even compared to RBs, B) play positions that lend themselves to longevity, C) perhaps have lesser impact on the game than other player positions, and D) tend to be easily filled by UDFA or late-round picks with no appreciable dropoff in talent.  So why would you reward placekickers and punters with first-round money when you can get those players for cheaper money much later in the draft?

It's a scarcity and ROI problem as well.  And if 5-6 years is an avg RB career length in the NFL, then half of all RBs don't make it that long.  By that standard, why draft pick an RB if they might only be successful 50% of the time? ;) 

I put the winky emoticon there and then think of Marcus Lattimore, Maurice Clarett, Ricky Williams, Earl Campbell, et al.  There are many reasons why RBs don't live up to their draft pick.  Some are tragic, some are self-inflicted.

Also, from 2010: A list of the most-injured position groups:
http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2010/7/7/14...ups-suffer

ProFootballLogic's analysis using only 2015 data:
http://www.profootballlogic.com/articles...-analysis/

Guess which one dominates?

[fullmetal]

All of the above makes sense.

I consider a "successful draft pick" to be one where the player ends up as a legitimate NFL starter for 5 or 6 seasons. So, by using that criteria, placekickers, punters, tight ends, and certainly running backs should be worthy of high first round pick selection.

This is perhaps true to a certain extent, but remember that the draft is about selecting the best, the most special talents and rewarding that talent with commensurate contracts.  Placekickers and punters A) don't fill up very many roster spots, not even compared to RBs, B) play positions that lend themselves to longevity, C) perhaps have lesser impact on the game than other player positions, and D) tend to be easily filled by UDFA or late-round picks with no appreciable dropoff in talent.  So why would you reward placekickers and punters with first-round money when you can get those players for cheaper money much later in the draft?

It's a scarcity and ROI problem as well.  And if 5-6 years is an avg RB career length in the NFL, then half of all RBs don't make it that long.  By that standard, why draft pick an RB if they might only be successful 50% of the time? ;) 

I put the winky emoticon there and then think of Marcus Lattimore, Maurice Clarett, Ricky Williams, Earl Campbell, et al.  There are many reasons why RBs don't live up to their draft pick.  Some are tragic, some are self-inflicted.

Also, from 2010: A list of the most-injured position groups:
http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2010/7/7/14...ups-suffer

ProFootballLogic's analysis using only 2015 data:
http://www.profootballlogic.com/articles...-analysis/

Guess which one dominates?