(07-10-2017, 10:16 AM)HURRICANE!!! Wrote: The Derek Harvey trade up was the beginning of years of terrible draft picks.  At that time, we just came off of a playoff win vs the Steelers and were on the rise (e.g. 1 player away).  They subsequently went on to win 2 super bowls and we accidentally tanked and cumulatively became the worst team in the NFL over the past 5 years.

Another turning point is passing on Suggs to select  Leftwich.  Had we taken Suggs, the following year we may have selected Rothlisberger who was still on the board when we selected Planet Reggie Williams.  As a result, instead of having Big Ben and Terrell Suggs, we ended up with Leftwich and Planet Reggie.

There were years of bad first round drafting before that.

2003, Leftwich
2004, Reggie Williams
2005, Mattloaf
2006, Marcedes
2007, Reggie Nelson
2008, Harvey
2009, Monroe
2010, Alualu
2011, Gabbert
2012, Blackmon
2013, Joke-el
2014, Bortles
2015, Foul-er
2016, Lord Ramsey
2017, Fournette

Out of those 15 selections probably 3-4 of them were actually good enough to be selected first round, not including Fournette since we don't know yet. Nelson, Monroe, and Ramsey are it, and out of those three only Ramsey is an obvious pro bowl level guy.

That's horrifically bad drafting, especially considering the needs that were passed over in many of those years that turned out to be incredible players.

Suggs, Big Ben, Rodgers in just the 2003-2005 drafts all could have been Jaguars.

I still remember listening to Jaguars radio during the 2004 draft when Big Ben fell to the Jaguars and Vic was imploring the team to take him, even if it was just to make the teams behind them take their holding them hostage for picks seriously.

Instead Shack Harris showed he was just a little punk without any guts.

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