Bad draft picks that weren't so bad after all

[Slyfox696]

Everyone knows the story of taking Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan, Kwame Brown over..umm, the rest of the draft pool, etc., picks that make people scratch their head in wonderment. But, what about the picks that were criticized and turned out to be right? Where are those examples? Allow me to present a few.

Example #1: The Minnesota Twins select catcher Joe Mauer with the number one overall pick in the 2001 MLB draft. People continuously spoke of how great pitcher Mark Prior would be, and how while Mauer was a solid pick, Prior was going to be the next great thing in baseball and the Twins would regret not taking him.

Oh, how wrong those people were. Joe Mauer, Minnesota boy, is a 3 time All-Star, a two time batting champion, a Gold Glove award winner, and is regarded as arguably the best catcher in the Major Leagues. Mark Prior...he isn't even on a baseball payroll. After having a couple promising years, Prior has become a nobody. Perhaps injuries aren't his fault...but you can't deny that while Joe Mauer is blossoming into a Hall of Fame catcher, Mark Prior can't even cut it on a minor league roster.


Example #2: With the first pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select Mario Williams...leading NFL Draft experts around the world wondering what the hell they were thinking. For example, here is an article discussing the Texans "puzzling" move. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2427182

And yet, look where we are now. In 2008-2009, Mario Williams was tied for 7th in the NFL in sacks with 12, and had 44 solo tackles, a very solid number for a defensive end. He holds the Texans all-time record for sacks in a season, and earned his first Pro Bowl trip in 2008, fast becoming a force on the Texans defensive line. And Reggie Bush? He's no where to be found on the Top 40 list for rushing yards, and was 71st in Total Yards. Of course, people will say "Yes, Slyfox, it's hard to amass yards when you are hurt"...which leads me to my next point. Bush looks to be injury prone. He's ended his season each of the last two years with an injury, and has shown ZERO ability to be the Hall of Fame player he was projected to be.

Finally, I wish to submit this article on ESPN for more reading on Bush:

It's 2,053 miles from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

But on Jan. 4, 2006 it looked like Vince Young, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart would make the journey look like a hop, skip and a jump.

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In what many consider the greatest college football game ever played, Young led Texas to a 41-38 victory over USC, completing 30 of 40 passes for 267 yards and rushing for 200 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner on fourth down with 19 seconds left.

Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, completed 29 of 40 passes for 365 yards, an average of 9.1 yards per attempt, in only his second loss as USC's quarterback (37-2).

Bush, the 2005 Heisman winner, gained 82 yards on 13 carries (6.3 yards per carry) and 95 yards on six receptions (15.9 yards per catch), averaging 9.3 yards per touch from scrimmage.

Their football futures were so bright, their potential so limitless, it would have been hard to imagine that the three college superstars had just peaked. Bush, Young and Leinart were taken Nos. 2, 3 and 10, respectively, in the 2006 NFL draft. But in the three years since, Canton has faded beyond the horizon as expectations have been adjusted downward for the once-dazzling trio.

As it stands, the less-heralded USC running back LenDale White — taken with the 45th pick in the 2006 draft — has been a much better pro than Young, Leinart or Bush. White ran for 1,110 yards in 2007 and scored 15 touchdowns last year.

Arriving in the NFL, Bush seemed the surest bet to dominate. With Houston taking Mario Williams No. 1 overall — and all the misguided derision that went with that pick — Bush landed in New Orleans in the lab of offensive genius Sean Payton.

Bush appeared to be a lock to be the latest in the incredible tradition of USC tailbacks who continued their dominance in the NFL. He was Barry Sanders, only with more breakaway speed. But it became apparent right from the start that the only time Bush was even a threat to break away was as a receiver when he could be isolated in space against a slower defender.

As a runner, he was almost no threat at all. On 155 carries as a rookie, his longest run was 18 yards and he averaged a measly 3.6 yards per carry.

That, it turns out, was no aberration.

Reggie Bush went from superstar to second-string in New Orleans. (Chris Graythen / Getty Images)

In his three seasons with the Saints, Bush has carried 418 times for 1,550 yards, an anemic 3.7 yards per carry average. Compare that pathetic average, befitting a short-yardage fullback, to the NFL yards per carry averages of Selvin Young and Jamaal Charles, both of whom suited up for Texas in that Rose Bowl. Young has averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 201 attempts for the Broncos while Charles averaged 5.3 yards per carry on 67 rushes as a rookie for the Chiefs.

In other words, the supposedly explosive Bush has the fourth-highest NFL yards per carry average of the running backs on the field in that Rose Bowl.

To make matters worse, in Bush's three seasons with the Saints he has fumbled 12 times, losing seven, including coughing it up last year in a two-point loss to the Broncos and a three-point loss to the Vikings that crippled the Saints' playoff chances.

It's no wonder Bush lost the starter's job to Pierre Thomas, an undrafted free agent out of Illinois who averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2008, a full yard per carry more than Bush.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9899800/Why-Young,-Bush-and-Leinart-went-bust



So, what are some examples of "bad" draft picks that were smart after all?

 

[jmt225]

And Reggie Bush? He's no where to be found on the Top 40 list for rushing yards, and was 71st in Total Yards.

Just to make a point here... that's all changing this year. Bush is now not only healthy, but also dropped 140 pounds of fat ass off his plate and seems to be more determined than ever. I guarantee this year is his year, and the Texans still won't make the playoffs.

Anyway, let's see...

While I'm not a fan in the least bit, but Donovan McNabb is the first name that comes to mind. I mean, Philly chose this guy over arguably the greatest running back in college history, and it's really, really worked out for them. While they have yet to win a Super Bowl with him (and they never will, but that's beside the point), he's still led them to a Super Bowl and five NFC Championship Games. That's pretty damn impressive. And well, while Ricky Williams is my personal favorite running back of all time, we still saw how his career ended up in the pros.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Damnit, I was going to use Mario Williams. Well just to add to the point, it wasn't just Bush who was a mind boggling failure. What has Young or Leinart done since then? They have all taken on the role of benchwarmer, while Williams has solidified himself as the anchor of the Texan's defense. And yeah JMT, the Texans will likely miss the playoffs again, but New Orleans wont get a whiff either. For some reason, I'm having trouble coming up with anything original. I'll come back when I do.

 

[Big Sexy]

2004 NBA Draft- A lot of people thought Orlando should take the more experienced Emeka Okafor with the #1 pick instead of Dwight Howard who was coming straight out of high school. Okafor had the slightly better rookie season but he really hasn't improved much since then. Dwight Howard on the other hand has improved every year he's been in the league and he is now one of the best players in the NBA.

2001 NFL Draft- The San Diego Chargers had the #1 pick and most people thought they should take Mike Vick. Instead they traded the pick to Atlanta for the 5th pick in the first round and the first pick in the second round. The Chargers ended up getting LaDainian Tomlinson in the first round and Drew Brees in the second. Tomlinson is a future hall of famer, Brees is a pro bowl quarterback (even though he's now in New Orleans) and we all know what has happened to Michael Vick.

 

[Cowboyfromhell]

Anyway, let's see...

While I'm not a fan in the least bit, but Donovan McNabb is the first name that comes to mind. I mean, Philly chose this guy over arguably the greatest running back in college history, and it's really, really worked out for them. While they have yet to win a Super Bowl with him (and they never will, but that's beside the point), he's still led them to a Super Bowl and five NFC Championship Games. That's pretty damn impressive. And well, while Ricky Williams is my personal favorite running back of all time, we still saw how his career ended up in the pros.

You stole my answer. I am a Philly fan since it's only an hour and a half away and I am one of the morons who wanted Ricky Williams. I loved that kid in college, plus at the time he was playing minor league baseball with the Phillies, I thought it would have been a perfect fit. This is one of the many reasons I work where I do and not in the front office of a sports team.

 

[LamaNamaneumi]

Ryan Leaf was a bust, him and Payton Manning were the top QBs in their draft. I remember people sayin Leaf was the better of the two.

Tim Couch need I say more.

 

[Baller]

Brian Westbrook of the Eagles. Yes I know he was a 3rd rounder but everybody said he was too small, and could never get it done in the NFL, looks like they were all wrong.