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Then GM Bill Polian used his first pick in the 1998 draft to take Peyton Manning. While Polian has had a few good picks since, it has been mostly downhill from there.
I think it is too soon to take a look at the 2010 and 2011 drafts so I will start our analysis with the 2009 draft.
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Bill Polian has long been regarded as one of the NFL’s premier team architects, and rightfully so.
The Indianapolis Colts President’s accomplishments with his current franchise alone are remarkable, but not to be forgotten from Polian’s illustrious career are overseeing a Buffalo Bills team that went to four consecutive Super Bowls and building the Carolina Panthers into a NFC finalist in the organization’s second year of existence.
At this point, it’s pretty clear that Polian is arguably the best NFL executive of his generation and a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, recent history within the Colts’ division, the AFC South, shows that Polian might very well have a challenger in the near future or perhaps the present, whether the rest of the sports world realizes it or not.
His name is Gene Smith, the first general manager in Jacksonville Jaguars history. His first-place team will be on display Sunday when the Jaguars attempt to clinch their first division title since 1999 in a huge matchup with the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
By Drew Allen
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