(04-15-2019, 09:51 PM)Jagsfan4life9/28/82 Wrote:

(04-15-2019, 09:16 PM)Bullseye Wrote: I still shake my head over that Blackmon pick.

Yeah, but that's retrospectively, though right? Granted, he had trouble with DUIs in college, but at least he was talented. He absolutely belonged on an NFL field, talent wise. What I really shake my head at more are the picks that are completely terrible talent wise. Like leaving a JJ Watt to pick a Gabbert. 

That Blackmon pick can be forgiven, to a degree, because they probably thought they could get him through his alcohol troubles and they at least picked a good player. And that pick always makes me chuckle in a way when I think of ole Gene. I remember he used to get blasted for picking character guys over good players with troubled pasts. He finally capitulated only to have it bite him in his rear. Cruel fate he suffered there, though few could argue that he didn't deserve it.

Agreed completely.

From a talent perspective, Gene absolutely got the pick right.

But either they got deceived as to the extent of his alcohol problem, or they overestimated their ability to cope with it, or Gene was just that desperate for a hit, he didn't care.

Hopefully for Blackmon, he is happy and has conquered his substance dependence problem.  But from my selfish bastard Jaguars fan perspective, Blackmon represents the biggest waste of a draft pick in team history.  It's one thing to miss on his talent.  It's another to correctly evaluate a guy as a top five talent and still miss on the pick.

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