I posted this on reddit, but perhaps this is the more appropriate place given the lack of response on reddit ---
I'm still learning the game (played back in the day and have done a few short runs in 25 to get the hang of it again). This playthrough I'm focusing on the ins and outs of drafting/developing
This is a bit in the weeds, but my question is this: How much variance occurs with the prospects at the top of the first few years of preloaded drafts?
The reason I ask is because I noticed something odd in my current 2025 draft. In my last two playthroughs (using the same outstanding/favor ability scout) Ethan Jackson was highly rated (4+ stars) and went #1 overall. Ethan Petry also went top 3 each time (I just happened to notice all the Ethans). They both developed into their potential.
This playthrough, Jackson and Petry are both rated a paltry 2.5 stars (by my scout and OSA which forecast Jackson to go #15) and yet, teams passed on numerous more highly rated prospects to still draft Jackson #1 overall and Petry at 3.
Are the Ethans actually still highly rated and for whatever reason my scout + OSA are way off this year? Or are the ai managed teams just heavily biased to a preloaded draft order regardless of whatever variance occurs with prospects themselves?
-p.s. scouting budget and other setting remained consistent for each playthrough
P.p.s. I've also noticed similar behavior with Weatherholt who has always been draft #2 in 2024 despite having ratings placing him in the teens