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Line of Scrimmage: 15 First-Round Busts of the Past

Mon 31st, March 2008

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich, Andre Ware - haven't the names of draft busts that all of us NFL observers reach for around this time every year become a bit played out? One look at Leaf's terrible Chargers Starter hat or Mandarich's mullet in the old draft footage should tell you that comparisons of today's players to the selection meeting dogs of yesteryear don't hold much relevance.

We at The Sports Network prefer to pick out, and pick on, players of more recent vintage who have worn the dreaded scarlet letter denoting unmet expectations.

Below is our list of the top 15 (Why 15? Because there were more than 10 worthy candidates.) first-round busts of the past five drafts (2003-2007). An excerpt from each player's original Sports Network draft profile is included, mostly for verification that there was a lot of evidence suggesting these were good picks at the time.

15. Chris Perry (RB, Michigan), Cincinnati Bengals, 2004

Pick: 26th

Who the Bengals could have picked: Bob Sanders (44th pick, Colts)

TSN Draft profile said: Carried the ball more than 20 times in all but one game last season...Most comfortable pounding the ball between the tackles...Tremendous college player who is not rated as highly as some backs in this draft class, but still a solid choice in the first day of the draft and could become a workhorse type back for the team that picks him.

NFL career to date: What makes Perry's checkered NFL career-to-date so hard to swallow for Bengals fans is that Cincinnati didn't even need a running back in 2004, as Rudi Johnson was the starter then and remains the starter now. Perry has been a pretty good third-down back in the rare instances when he hasn't been battling leg, knee and ankle problems, but you don't spend first-round picks on third-down backs. Perry has played in 22 of a possible 64 games, with his best season coming in 2005, when he gained 279 yards on the ground and caught 51 passes. Perry will attempt to play with the Bengals in 2008.

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14. Marcus Tubbs (DT, Texas), Seattle Seahawks, 2004

Pick: 23rd

Who the Seahawks could have picked: Igor Olshansky (35th pick, Chargers)

TSN Draft profile said: Huge powerful man with long arms that he uses to his advantage...Considered a natural at his position...Has the ability to stop the run and disrupt the pass...Good tackler who has an excellent attitude...Needs to get off blocks quicker and work on some of his technique.

NFL career to date: Tubbs has played in just 29 of a possible 64 games over the first four years of his career, with 13 of those coming in what was close to a breakout season during the Seahawks' NFC title run of 2005. Tubbs had five-and-a-half sacks and was a disruptive force in '05, but has played in just five games since due to a knee injury that required microfracture surgery, followed by a torn ACL suffered in the 2007 preseason. Tubbs is under contract with Seattle for 2008.

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13. Sammy Davis (CB, Texas A&M), San Diego Chargers, 2003

Pick: 30th

Who the Chargers could have picked: Nnamdi Asomugha (31st pick, Raiders)

TSN Draft profile said: Physically gifted and puts himself in good position to break up passes or pick them off...One of the better tacklers/hitters at the corner position in the draft and has excellent football intangibles...Doesn't have overwhelming speed, but his athletic play allows him to recover well...Injuries have never been an issue as he is very durable and reliable.

NFL career to date: Give credit to Davis for managing to hang around in the league for five years (he was recently re-signed by the Buccaneers), but don't do so before remembering just how poorly he played in three years with San Diego. Davis had (and has) suspect cover and playmaking ability, managing just three interceptions in 44 games played as a Bolt before finding a natural home as a reserve corner for three teams (the Bolts and Bucs as well as the 49ers) that were in absolute desperate need for secondary help. Don't count on him making the Tampa Bay roster in 2008.

12. David Pollack (DE, Georgia), Cincinnati Bengals, 2005

Pick: 17th

Who the Bengals could have picked: Marcus Spears (20th pick, Cowboys)

TSN Draft profile said: One of the best all-around defensive players in this year's class despite lacking top speed and height for a player at his position...Reliable and durable, Pollack is an absolutely dominating force and a difference maker on the defensive side of the ball.

NFL career to date: After his rookie year of 2005 was partially grounded by a training camp holdout that limited him to five starts and four sacks, Pollack suffered a broken vertebrae while attempting to make a tackle on the Browns' Reuben Droughns in Week 2 of the 2006 season. He's reportedly been cleared to play in 2008, but hasn't decided whether or not to risk his health by returning.

11. Andre Woolfolk (CB, Oklahoma), Tennessee Titans, 2003

Pick: 28th

Who the Titans could have picked: Nnamdi Asomugha (31st pick, Raiders)

TSN Draft profile said: Clearly one of the best all-around athletes in the draft...Can out-jump just about any receiver and closes on the ball with striking quickness...Backpedals well and does not mind being left alone with his assignment...Still a raw product who needs to get stronger...Should get much better with experience.

NFL career to date: Woolfolk never came close to living up to his promise in four years with the Titans (2003-2006), starting a grand total of 11 games, intercepting three passes, and never contributing on special teams as it was suggested the former college receiver might. Injuries were a factor in his downfall, including the hamstring ailment that forced him onto IR prior to last season. After being waived/injured by Tennessee, Woolfolk was signed by the Jets earlier this month.

10. Jimmy Kennedy (DT, Penn State), St. Louis Rams, 2003

Pick: 12th

Who the Rams could have picked: Ty Warren (13th pick, Patriots)

TSN Draft profile said: Becomes a tough player to block as long as he stays on his feet and is able to keep his weight managed...Great size, he is able to engulf would-be blockers and really dominate at the line of scrimmage...The top interior lineman in this draft.

NFL career to date: Kennedy has collected a paycheck from four different teams (Rams, Broncos, Bears, and now the Jaguars) over the past nine months, a testament to how completely he has failed to live up to expectations since being drafted by St. Louis. A broken foot shortened his season in 2004, but otherwise Kennedy's main problems have been his weight (too high) and work ethic (highly questionable). He has 67 tackles and four sacks in 56 career outings.

9. Robert Meachem (WR, Tennessee), New Orleans Saints, 2007

Pick: 27th

Who the Saints could have picked: Anthony Gonzalez (32nd pick, Colts)

TSN Draft profile said: Certainly Meachem has the size and speed to compete at the pro level, but he also has to have the right mindset to go along with those attributes.

NFL career to date: Perhaps it's a little too early to pass judgment on Meachem, and yes, receivers do take a little longer to adjust to the league than those in other positions, but spending your first 16 games as a healthy inactive does not generally portend a Hall of Fame career. Meachem apologists will point to ankle and knee injuries that hampered his progress and dropped him down the depth chart early-on, while detractors will turn that argument around and cite a lack of toughness.

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8. Jerome McDougle (DE, Miami-Florida), Philadelphia Eagles, 2003

Pick: 15th

Who the Eagles could have picked: Troy Polamalu (16th pick, Steelers)

TSN Draft profile said: Took the long road to get to one of the top football programs in the country, a result of his tremendous athletic ability and mechanics...Still could use some improvement with his technique and has to get better against the run to become an every down end in the pros.

NFL career to date: The Eagles probably wouldn't have traded up to pick McDougle had they been aware he was made of glass. The ex-Hurricane has played in 33 of a possible 80 games during his first five seasons in the league (with zero starts), as ankle, knee, and rib ailments, an irregular heartbeat, a gunshot suffered in a robbery attempt, and a torn triceps have mostly kept him a spectator. Despite his three career sacks, he's under contract to the Eagles for 2008.

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7. Troy Williamson (WR, South Carolina), Minnesota Vikings, 2005

Pick: 7th

Who the Vikings could have picked: Shawne Merriman (12th pick, Chargers)

KFFL Draft profile said: Williamson has the size and speed to play on Sunday - without question...Williamson's greatest asset is his speed...Williamson will not be mistaken for a possession receiver...Intermediate and short routes lack precision and he does not like to block. At times, he does not catch with his hands and allows the ball to get into his body.

NFL career to date: Williamson's first problem in Minnesota was that he was expected to replace Randy Moss, who was traded to Oakland the month before Williamson was picked. His second problem was that he couldn't catch a football. Williamson ended up with 79 catches for 1,067 yards and three touchdowns (which would be sub par single-season totals for Moss) in three seasons with the Vikings, drawing the ire of Purple faithful everywhere. Mercifully for all parties (except perhaps Jacksonville), Williamson was traded to the Jaguars, in exchange for a sixth-round pick, last month.

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6. Michael Haynes (DE, Penn State), Chicago Bears, 2003

Pick: 14th

Who the Bears could have picked: Osi Umenyiora (56th pick, Giants)

TSN Draft profile said: Excellent size, he shows tremendous quickness and movement upfield towards the quarterback, but has to improve his initial blows at the point of attack in order to make the most of his strength...Needs better footwork and decision making about how to adjust and attack at times, but his overall production, makes him one of the top defensive ends in the draft.

NFL career to date: Haynes lasted three disappointing seasons in Chicago (2003-2005), ending his Bears career with a total of five sacks and four starts among 42 games played. The ex-Nittany Lion was never a fit in Lovie Smith's scheme or, as it turns out, in anyone else's. Haynes has since failed to make rosters with the Saints and Jets, and is out of football.

5. Johnathan Sullivan (DT, Georgia), New Orleans Saints, 2003

Pick: 6th

Who the Saints could have picked: Kevin Williams (9th pick, Vikings)

TSN Draft profile said: Tremendous quickness and lateral movement for a big man...Rare ability to recognize offensive formations and movements quickly and react correctly... Sullivan has proven to be an effective interior pass rusher and routinely invades the opposition's backfield...Tremendous motor, playing to the whistle on every play...One of his few weaknesses is below average footwork as he has trouble making stops in space.

NFL career to date: Sullivan showed some promise at various stages of a three- year career with the Saints (2003-2005), but his failure to become a staple of the New Orleans lineup came down to one word: weight. Sullivan simply couldn't keep his down, and made just four starts over his final two seasons with the team. After being traded to New England, where he was inactive for a handful of games after again battling weight issues (and a marijuana charge), Sullivan was cut by the Patriots in October of 2006. He has not been picked up by any other team since.

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4. Mike Williams (WR, USC), Detroit Lions, 2005

Pick: 10th

Who the Lions could have picked: Shawne Merriman (12th pick, Chargers)

TSN Draft profile said: Has exceptional size and great strength...Has tremendous catching ability and always seems to get to the ball...Natural at his position and has been known to make highlight reel catches...Not afraid to go over the middle and bring down the tough catches...Still young and undeveloped fully.

NFL career to date: Williams tested the NFL's early entrance guidelines in 2004 and lost, surrendering (mainly because he hired an agent) what could have been a productive junior season with USC in the process. No one is quite sure what Williams did during his year-long convalescence, but a healthy diet was apparently not part of his regiment. The Lions drafted him anyway, but his career with the team consisted of 22 games (with six starts), 37 receptions, and just two touchdowns. Williams was traded to Oakland on Draft day 2007, but didn't last the season there and ended up as mostly a 270-plus-pound spectator on the Tennessee roster.

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3. Rashaun Woods (WR, Oklahoma State), San Francisco 49ers, 2004

Pick: 31st

Who the 49ers could have picked: Bob Sanders (44th pick, Colts)

TSN Draft profile said: Explodes off the line and may be the best route runner in the draft...Has tremendous hands that enable him to snatch even poorly thrown balls...Wants the ball on every play and will get involved as a blocker when a teammate has the ball...Completely unafraid to take a hit when going over the middle...Is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball.

NFL career to date: Stunning that a guy who once scored an NCAA-record seven touchdowns in a game (against SMU in 2003) had exactly the same number of catches in an NFL career that consisted of 14 games with the God-awful 2004 Niners. Woods missed all of 2005 with torn ligaments in his thumb, was traded to San Diego in April of 2006 for Sammy Davis (No. 13 on this list) before being cut, then failed a physical with Denver due to a hamstring injury in August of that year. Woods played briefly with the CFL Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats last season, but totaled just three catches on the year.

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2. Ahmad Carroll (CB, Arkansas), Green Bay Packers, 2004

Pick: 25th

Who the Packers could have picked: Bob Sanders (44th pick, Colts)

TSN Draft profile said: Has all the physical skills, including speed, hands and ability to make quick adjustments...Makes smart reads, but often gambles trying to make a big play...Not very good against the run and needs to improve his tackling skills...Still a little raw and will require patience by any team that calls his name on draft day.

NFL career to date: A dutiful Green Bay Packers fan posted the following on Carroll's wikipedia page: "34 games played with the Green Bay Packers...28 games in which Carroll started...33 total penalty flags thrown against Carroll...26 penalties called for coverage violations such as pass interference, illegal contact, and holding...256 penalty yards enforced as a result of 24 infractions that were not declined or offset by another penalty...11 touchdowns Carroll allowed in coverage...3 interceptions by Carroll." Carroll, who had previously engaged in a much-publicized fistfight with fellow Packers cornerback Joey Thomas, was finally cut after being burned for two touchdowns by the immortal Greg Lewis in a game against the Eagles in October of 2006. He played in one game as a member of the Jaguars after being released but was subsequently cut by the team after being arrested on weapon and drug charges in May of 2007.

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1. Charles Rogers (WR, Michigan State), Detroit Lions, 2003

Pick: 2nd

Who the Lions could have picked: Andre Johnson (3rd pick, Texans)

TSN Draft profile said: Has soft hands and can out-jump any corner in the NFL...Has a flair for the spectacular as he regularly makes one-handed or acrobatic grabs...Can break away from defensive backs with deceptive speed...Clearly one of the top picks in the draft and has the skill, attitude and dedication to become one of the very best at his position.

NFL career to date: Forget Ryan Leaf, who was a bust with a capital B but at least managed to make 21 NFL starts. Rogers, another much-ballyhooed No. 2 pick, had a pro career that amounted to 15 games played, with nine starts, before he was shown the door by Rod Marinelli during the final round of cuts in 2006. Rogers actually showed promise (22 catches and three touchdowns in five games) with the Lions as a rookie, before the first of two season-ending broken collarbones derailed his career. Later, Rogers was exposed as a three- time violator of the league substance abuse policy, drawing a four-game suspension in 2005, and was visibly out of condition during the end of his time in Detroit. Rogers has had workouts with four NFL teams since being cut loose by the Lions, but has not been signed.

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