Over the years, the NFL Draft has been littered with busts.
Most of us have watched college football played amateur GM/Scout, likely have watched a guy and believed strongly in his ability, but he never met our expectations in the NFL.
Who are some of your guys who fell into this category, and what do you think kept them from succeeding? It's not an exercise designed to get you to fess up your draft misses, per se, but more to see what you saw in the players and why you think they disappointed or busted.
My group, in no particular order:
1. Steve Emtman-I think this is easily the top player on my list. He was an absolute animal in college, and prior to his knee injuries, was on his way to NFL success. Not that I want the Colts to succeed at all, but that's one guy I feel badly busted for them.
2. Percy Snow-I really liked him coming out of Michigan State. Traditional MLB/ILB. Had some sort of accident (I can't remember if it was a motorcycle accident or falling down stairs), but He was never the same after that.
3. Byron Leftwich-I know long time readers/posters of this board remember my BL advocacy. To me, injuries, lack of a good pass blocking OL, and lack of receivers doomed him from ever succeeding here, though many others attribute his failures to immobility and a slow release.
4. Leeland McElroy-Speedy RB out of Teas A & M. Have no idea what derailed his career.
5. Harold Green-I don't know if he falls in the bust category, but my gut tells me Mike Shula misused him horribly in Cincinnati. I think he should have had a better career.
6. Andre Rison-doesn't fall into the bust category, either, but by most accounts, he was an immensely talented WR whose attitude got him out the league much sooner than his talent would mandate.
7. Justin Blackmon-see Rison, only substitute substance dependence for attitude.
QB - Jamarcus R. (lazy), Tim T. (poor mechanics/reads), Johnny M. (lack of maturity), Ryan L. (basket case)
RB - Trent R. (injuries)
TE - Aaron H. (gangsta/thug mentality)
WR - Justin B. (stupidity), Matt J. (addiction)
OL - Luke J. (softness)
DL - Derrick H. (lack of desire)
LB - nothing recent comes to mind
DB - Dwayne G. (poor awareness)
...sll I could come up with off the top of my head
Quote:QB - Jamarcus R. (lazy), Tim T. (poor mechanics/reads), Johnny M. (lack of maturity), Ryan L. (basket case)
RB - Trent R. (injuries)
TE - Aaron H. (gangsta/thug mentality)
WR - Justin B. (stupidity), Matt J. (addiction)
OL - Luke J. (softness)
DL - Derrick H. (lack of desire)
LB - nothing recent comes to mind
DB - Dwayne G. (poor awareness)
...sll I could come up with off the top of my head
I absolutely hated Jamarcus Russell, Tim Tebow and Manziel as football prospects. I thought Manning would be better than leaf, but I did not predict leaf would bust so spectacularly at all. in fact I thought he would end up with a good career.
Trent Richardson is another one I missed on. Seems to me he got too big, but based upon what he showed at Alabama, I never dreamed he would fail.
1. Jimmy Clausen - I think he just didn't have an NFL arm. Of course in hindsight had we done this, we would have gotten our Gabbert a year early, and might have ended up with Andrew Luck in 2012. Then Justin Blackmon would have been someone else's problem.
2. Geno Smith - His flashy stats didn't translate into the NFL. Some of his passes in college looked bad, but it was easy to dismiss it because he had some flashy stats. A good lesson to learn that stats don't always translate. I should have learned that with Tebow, but I was never a fan of the Inaccurate Quarterback.
Quote:1. Jimmy Clausen - I think he just didn't have an NFL arm. Of course in hindsight had we done this, we would have gotten our Gabbert a year early, and might have ended up with Andrew Luck in 2012. Then Justin Blackmon would have been someone else's problem.
2. Geno Smith - His flashy stats didn't translate into the NFL. Some of his passes in college looked bad, but it was easy to dismiss it because he had some flashy stats. A good lesson to learn that stats don't always translate. I should have learned that with Tebow, but I was never a fan of the Inaccurate Quarterback.
I thought Clausen would be better too, Its not just the arm though he looked scared often
I don't think Geno is done yet he just needs developing. You don't give up on a guy that goes to GB and has a shootout with Rodgers he should have won if not for nonsense jets timeout.
I'll play!
1 Aaron Curry = mostly injuries derailed him I guess
2 Justin Durant = I always thought he was going to be much better than he was.
3 Percy Harvin = decent but I thought he would be one of those revolutionary players like Marshall Faulk
4 Reggie Bush = Watching him play in college made you think he would run for 15,000 in the NFL
The Lions streak of busts is almost as bad as the Jaguars:
Joey Harrington
Charles Rogers
Roy Williams
Mike Williams
Titus Young
Ryan Broyals
All guys that should've been much better than they were.
Quote:1. Jimmy Clausen - I think he just didn't have an NFL arm. Of course in hindsight had we done this, we would have gotten our Gabbert a year early, and might have ended up with Andrew Luck in 2012. Then Justin Blackmon would have been someone else's problem.
2. Geno Smith - His flashy stats didn't translate into the NFL. Some of his passes in college looked bad, but it was easy to dismiss it because he had some flashy stats. A good lesson to learn that stats don't always translate. I should have learned that with Tebow, but I was never a fan of the Inaccurate Quarterback.
Like Geno Smith better than Clausen.
Not fully sold on Smith, but I figured we were desperate enough at QB to justify taking a chance on him in the 2nd round.
Glad we didn't. While he may yet develop into a decent QB, I wouldn't want him over Bortles at this point.
Quote:I thought Clausen would be better too, Its not just the arm though he looked scared often
I don't think Geno is done yet he just needs developing. You don't give up on a guy that goes to GB and has a shootout with Rodgers he should have won if not for nonsense jets timeout.
I'll play!
1 Aaron Curry = mostly injuries derailed him I guess
2 Justin Durant = I always thought he was going to be much better than he was.
3 Percy Harvin = decent but I thought he would be one of those revolutionary players like Marshall Faulk
4 Reggie Bush = Watching him play in college made you think he would run for 15,000 in the NFL
Durant stuck around the league for a long time and was a decent starter. Somehow I think the Jaguars gave up too soon on him, though I thought given his skills, he should have produced more big plays.
Not totally shocked Bush didn't rush for 15k, but thought he would have been a more electrifying player even as a pass catcher.
Harvin? I thought he could have been an all time great slot receiver, but I had no clue he would be THAT much of a cancer.
I thought Terrence "Mount" Cody the DT that played for Alabama and then the Ravens was going to be a force.
Also loved Tom Savage QB and Dustin Keller TE.
Quote:I thought Terrence "Mount" Cody the DT that played for Alabama and then the Ravens was going to be a force.
Also loved Tom Savage QB and Dustin Keller TE.
I agreed with you on Cody...but it seems he got too big to do anything.
Blackmon
Leftwich
Sergio Kindle from Baltimore
Quote:Blackmon
Leftwich
Sergio Kindle from Baltimore
I liked Kindle, but was not a pound the table advocate for him.
Good topic.
I only have a few to add.
Chicago WR Wendell Davis: I thought he had a chance to be a great receiver but thanks to the old Philadelphia Veteran's Stadium astro turf, he blew out BOTH ACLs on the same play and his career was basically done after that.
Chicago RB Neal Anderson: He probably doesn't qualify as a bust but injuries de-railed a pretty good career. Looked like a great successor to Walter Payton his first couple of seasons before fading.
Chicago RB Rashaan Salaam: Same as Anderson, injuries just ruined him.
Indy/ATL QB Jeff George: All the talent in the world. A million dollar arm with a five cent head. <------------Stole that from 'Bull Durham'
Always thought Trev Alberts would be a great player.
Aaron Curry
Brady Quinn
Quote:Good topic.
I only have a few to add.
Chicago WR Wendell Davis: I thought he had a chance to be a great receiver but thanks to the old Philadelphia Veteran's Stadium astro turf, he blew out BOTH ACLs on the same play and his career was basically done after that.
Chicago RB Neal Anderson: He probably doesn't qualify as a bust but injuries de-railed a pretty good career. Looked like a great successor to Walter Payton his first couple of seasons before fading.
Chicago RB Rashaan Salaam: Same as Anderson, injuries just ruined him.
Indy/ATL QB Jeff George: All the talent in the world. A million dollar arm with a five cent head. <------------Stole that from 'Bull Durham'
Good choice with Wendell Davis. He was a player I liked coming out of LSU. That double ACL tear was devastating.
I wouldn't count Anderson as a bust at all. For that matter, I wouldn't count Salaam as a "bust" though I was never crazy about him as a RB.
You nailed Jeff George. He is like the AntiBortles.
I remember I thought Jamal Anderson was going to light up the NFL. Pretty sure he was just in that stupid FA Combine thing they do now. I also remember thinking how good Luke Joekel was at picking up a blitz at A&M.
Recent ones;
Monte Ball
Morris Clayborn
Nick Fairley (knucklehead)
Prince Amukamara
Quote:I remember I thought Jamal Anderson was going to light up the NFL. Pretty sure he was just in that stupid FA Combine thing they do now. I also remember thinking how good Luke Joekel was at picking up a blitz at A&M.
Recent ones;
Monte Ball
Morris Clayborn
Nick Fairley (knucklehead)
Prince Amukamara
Jamal Anderson? The RB or the DE. I am assuming the DE.
LSU has never really produced many great CBs, so I was skeptical of him. Auburn has produced good DTs before, so I thought Fairley would have a good career, especially next to Suh.
Nebraska does not have a lineage of good to great CBs, but I thought he might break the mold. I think he's been better than most of the Husker CBs ever, but he just hasn't been able to stay healthy.
Quote:Always thought Trev Alberts would be a great player.
Aaron Curry
Brady Quinn
I was with you on Alberts, but oddly enough, agreed with Kiper on the decision to bypass a QB for Alberts. Sadly, Alberts could never stay healthy.
Lots of people were big on Curry. I didn't see too much of him at Wake, so I wasn't that high on him or anti Curry.