BPA
Best player available
Example
The team really needs a cornerback, but they took a wide receiver instead
Yeah, but he was the BPA. You can't pass on that kind of talent just to fill a need

Related Slang
ADP | Average draft position |
Auction draft | A fantasy sports draft where owners bid on players |
Mock draft | Simulated draft |
Serpentine draft | Draft where the last pick in one round is the first in the next |
Snake draft | Draft where the last pick in one round is the first in the next |
Sleeper | A player drafted late but exceeds expectations |
Draft dasher | A fantasy football owner who drafts a team and abandons it |
NFL | National Football League |
NBA | National Basketball Association |
MLB | Major League Baseball |
NHL | National Hockey League |
BPA is an acronym commonly used in sports drafts, especially in the NFL and NBA. It refers to a drafting strategy where teams select the most talented player still on the board, regardless of positional need.
The BPA approach is based on the idea that accumulating top-tier talent is more valuable in the long run than filling immediate gaps. Analysts, scouts, and fans often debate whether teams should follow the BPA strategy or draft based on specific roster needs. Supporters of BPA argue that drafting purely for need can lead to passing on superior talent, while critics note that positional imbalance can create depth issues.
You will see BPA widely used in draft discussions, both in professional sports and fantasy leagues. The concept has been a staple of draft strategy for decades and is often referenced in mock drafts, expert analysis, and team war rooms when making crucial selection decisions.