An in-depth analysis of the NFL Draft since the advent of the Rookie wage scale. "The Drafting Stage" examines NFL Draft trades, commonly used Draft Pick Value charts, the surplus value of NFL Draft picks, and how rookie contract players fit into the veteran landscape. Using historical contract data, we let the NFL market dictate values themselves. We then explored how to adjust for positional considerations, where the value lies throughout the draft, and what smart NFL teams can do to maximize the value of their Draft Capital.