Generally, I get a running back with my first pick (if one of the elites is still on the board), or a defensive stud. Then, I try to fill in a few other key holes on offense -- including QB, where I generally try to get someone who's young and not completely erratic, or I just take a shot at a Leinart or something -- after that, I move on to my secondary. Gotta have solid pass defense. I'll take my chances on the ground until I can make a few moves to fill in the defense, if need be, but I really don't like to get burned by a QB/WR combo.
Yeah, I like to stick to pounding the ball downfield with either a running back, or the short routes to any of my receivers. Hell, I LOVED Reggie Bush in the older Madden games just because that guy was a bonafide star if you used him right. Get him to the edge and he'll get you a serious chunk of yardage. He could catch the ball too, which was always great as a second option when my original go-to route went to shit.
Oh, my weak point in drafting was always my o-line. I would try to get a few solid blockers at Tight End and Full Back to cancel it out, but I couldn't bring myself to waste a high pick on anybody playing o-line. I can usually get some mid-to-lower level starters, with maybe one pro bowl-potential anchor at Center, and then just patch it together over the course of the next few seasons. Sometimes you luck out and have something a team is looking for on the trading block and can get the one piece you need, but it generally comes down to solid drafting and free agency. Then again, you can rip the computer off really badly with trades, but where's the fun in that?
EDIT: I just wrote three paragraphs on Madden. I don't even.
