Bills' Worst Draft Ever...Try and Top this one

[BringBackFergy]

I was going to say the 1972 Walt Patulski draft but we got Reggie McKenzie in the second and a few other key contributers.

 

Player Position College 1 Buffalo Bills Walt Patulski Defensive end Notre Dame 2 Cincinnati Bengals Sherman White Defensive end California 3 Chicago Bears ^{(From New York Giants)}Lionel Antoine Offensive tackle Southern Illinois 4 St. Louis Cardinals Bobby Moore Wide receiver Oregon 5 Denver Broncos Riley Odoms Tight end Houston 6 Houston Oilers Greg Sampson Defensive end Stanford 7 Green Bay Packers Willie Buchanon Defensive back San Diego State 8 New Orleans Saints Royce Smith Guard Georgia 9 New York Jets Jerome Barkum Wide receiver Jackson State 10 Minnesota Vikings ^{(From New England Patriots)}Jeff Siemon Linebacker Stanford 11 Green Bay Packers ^{(From San Diego Chargers)}Jerry Tagge Quarterback Nebraska 12 Chicago Bears Craig Clemons Defensive back Iowa 13 Pittsburgh Steelers Franco Harris Running back Penn State 14 Philadelphia Eagles John Reaves Quarterback Florida 15 Atlanta Falcons Clarence Ellis Defensive back Notre Dame 16 Detroit Lions Herb Orvis Defensive end Colorado 17 New York Giants ^{(From Los Angeles Rams via New England Patriots)}Eldridge Small Defensive back Texas A&I 18 Cleveland Browns Thom Darden Defensive back Michigan 19 San Francisco 49ers Terry Beasley Wide receiver Auburn 20 New York Jets ^{(From Washington Redskins)}Mike Taylor Linebacker Michigan 21 Oakland Raiders Mike Siani Wide receiver Villanova 22 Baltimore Colts Tom Drougas Offensive tackle Oregon 23 Kansas City Chiefs Jeff Kinney Running back Nebraska 24 New York Giants ^{(From Minnesota Vikings)}Larry Jacobson Defensive end Nebraska 25 Miami Dolphins Mike Kadish Defensive tackle Notre Dame 26 Dallas Cowboys Bill Thomas Running back Boston College

[edit]What strikes me at the first round is how many became Bills. Mike Kadish, Sherman White, Bobby Moore

 

Sherman White was a stud as a Buffalo Bill...always liked him. Kadish was solid. Of interest, I see Franco was drafted 13 that year...and other teams whiffed on 1st round QB's who turned Bust like the Packers taking Jerry Tagge at 11 from Nebraska.

[brenty]

1995!!!

1995 1 14(14) Bills Ruben Brown OG Pittsburgh Distinctions All Pro Second Team: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002; Super Bowl Losses: XLI 1995 2 13(45) Bills Todd Collins QB Michigan 1995 3 12(76) Bills Marlon Kerner DB Ohio State 1995 3 32(96) Bills Damien Covington LB North Carolina State 1995 4 11(109) Bills Ken Irvin DB Memphis 1995 4 15(113) Bills Justin Armour WR Stanford Pick Note from Arizona 1995 4 33(131) Bills Tony Cline TE Stanford 1995 5 10(144) Bills John Holecek LB Illinois 1995 6 14(185) Bills Shannon Clavelle DT Colorado 1995 7 13(221) Bills Tom Nutten C Western Michigan Distinctions Super Bowl Wins: XXXIV; Super Bowl Losses: XXXVI 1995 7 36(244) Bills Darick Holmes RB Portland State

 

 

 

 

besides ruben brown

Edited January 29, 2013 by brenty

[Pete]

1995!!!

1995 1 14(14) Bills Ruben Brown OG Pittsburgh Distinctions All Pro Second Team: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002; Super Bowl Losses: XLI 1995 2 13(45) Bills Todd Collins QB Michigan 1995 3 12(76) Bills Marlon Kerner DB Ohio State 1995 3 32(96) Bills Damien Covington LB North Carolina State 1995 4 11(109) Bills Ken Irvin DB Memphis 1995 4 15(113) Bills Justin Armour WR Stanford Pick Note from Arizona 1995 4 33(131) Bills Tony Cline TE Stanford 1995 5 10(144) Bills John Holecek LB Illinois 1995 6 14(185) Bills Shannon Clavelle DT Colorado 1995 7 13(221) Bills Tom Nutten C Western Michigan Distinctions Super Bowl Wins: XXXIV; Super Bowl Losses: XXXVI 1995 7 36(244) Bills Darick Holmes RB Portland State

 

 

 

 

besides ruben brown

Kerner and Covington were studs who had their careers cut short by injury. Holmes had some beast runs and was great value in the 7th. Irvin was decent, and Nutten played a long NFL career I think

[BringBackFergy]

1995!!!

1995 1 14(14) Bills Ruben Brown OG Pittsburgh Distinctions All Pro Second Team: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002; Super Bowl Losses: XLI 1995 2 13(45) Bills Todd Collins QB Michigan 1995 3 12(76) Bills Marlon Kerner DB Ohio State 1995 3 32(96) Bills Damien Covington LB North Carolina State 1995 4 11(109) Bills Ken Irvin DB Memphis 1995 4 15(113) Bills Justin Armour WR Stanford Pick Note from Arizona 1995 4 33(131) Bills Tony Cline TE Stanford 1995 5 10(144) Bills John Holecek LB Illinois 1995 6 14(185) Bills Shannon Clavelle DT Colorado 1995 7 13(221) Bills Tom Nutten C Western Michigan Distinctions Super Bowl Wins: XXXIV; Super Bowl Losses: XXXVI 1995 7 36(244) Bills Darick Holmes RB Portland State

 

 

 

 

besides ruben brown

Darick Holmes was a productive player...had a chip on his shoulder, ran with intensity...wore #44 as I recall

[Pete]

Holecek was pretty decent too

[Stealth]

The Bills have had a lot of awful drafts especially in the 2000's

 

starting with 2002-

 

2002

1 - Mike Williams T Texas

2 - Josh Reed WR Louisiana State

2 - Ryan Denney DE Brigham Young

3 - Coy Wire DB Stanford

5 - Justin Bannan DT Colorado

6 - Kevin Thomas DB UNLV

7 - Mike Pucillo G Auburn

7 - Rodney Wright WR Fresno State

7 - Jarrett Ferguson RB Virginia Tech

7 - Dominique Stevenson LB Tennessee

 

How about 2004

 

2004

1 - Lee Evans WR Wisconsin

1 - J.P. Losman QB Tulane

3 - Tim Anderson DT Ohio State

4 - Tim Euhus TE Oregon State

7 - Dylan McFarland T Montana

7 - Jonathan Smith RB Georgia Tech

 

It gets worse the next year 2005

2 - Roscoe Parrish WR Miami (FL)

3 - Kevin Everett TE Miami (FL)

4 - Duke Preston C Illinois

5 - Eric King DB Wake Forest

6 - Justin Geisinger G Vanderbilt

7 - Lionel Gates RB Louisville

 

and is progressively worse year after year. Sure we got a few players here and there, but for anyone wondering why this team can't ever put it together too many of our good players are coming from later rounds. This whole decade has been awful draft after awful draft

[Trader]

On the plus side look at 61-64. Whoever was in charge of the Bills drafts during those years really knew what they were doing.

[BringBackFergy]

The Bills have had a lot of awful drafts especially in the 2000's

 

starting with 2002-

 

2002

1 - Mike Williams T Texas

2 - Josh Reed WR Louisiana State

2 - Ryan Denney DE Brigham Young

3 - Coy Wire DB Stanford

5 - Justin Bannan DT Colorado

6 - Kevin Thomas DB UNLV

7 - Mike Pucillo G Auburn

7 - Rodney Wright WR Fresno State

7 - Jarrett Ferguson RB Virginia Tech

7 - Dominique Stevenson LB Tennessee

 

How about 2004

 

2004

1 - Lee Evans WR Wisconsin

1 - J.P. Losman QB Tulane

3 - Tim Anderson DT Ohio State

4 - Tim Euhus TE Oregon State

7 - Dylan McFarland T Montana

7 - Jonathan Smith RB Georgia Tech

 

It gets worse the next year 2005

2 - Roscoe Parrish WR Miami (FL)

3 - Kevin Everett TE Miami (FL)

4 - Duke Preston C Illinois

5 - Eric King DB Wake Forest

6 - Justin Geisinger G Vanderbilt

7 - Lionel Gates RB Louisville

 

and is progressively worse year after year. Sure we got a few players here and there, but for anyone wondering why this team can't ever put it together too many of our good players are coming from later rounds. This whole decade has been awful draft after awful draft

 

Of those 22 players in those years, we hit (I use that term loosely to mean "a player who actually contributed in some fashion consistently") on Josh Reed, Ryan Denney, Coy Wire, Lee Evans, JP Losman, Roscoe Parrish....that's 6 out of 22 players (27%) and that isn't even consistently good play...just consistent mediocre play.

 

I didn't think I could feel worse after the OP, but this might just take the cake.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

At the time, this draft looked great. Go figure.

 

As a matter of fact though, 2007 WAS a pretty good draft in terms of what the Bills got vs. what was available.

 

Yes. The 2007 draft was pretty good.

 

In addition to Lynch and Poz both of whom we miss, Trent was the best QB of that draft as you pointed out and Wendling will be entering his 7th season in the NFL as one of the league's top special teams players.

 

It was only bad from the standpoint that the players who made a mark in the NFL are no longer with the Bills.

 

I'm not sure most people would recognize a good draft (myself included) as it seems that generally we expect a higher success rate than what is usually the case.

Edited January 29, 2013 by San Jose Bills Fan

[metzelaars_lives]

The 2007 draft also belongs in this discussion.

 

1 12 Marshawn Lynch, RB

2 34 Paul Posluszny, LB

3 92 Trent Edwards, QB

4 111 Dwayne Wright, RB

6 184 John Wendling, DB

7 222 Derek Schouman, FB

7 239 C.J. Ah You, DE

 

One would expect a team to achieve more in the draft when it has the 12th overall pick--as the Bills did in 2007--than if it has the 26th overall pick.

 

The best player from the 2000 draft was Sammy Morris; a RB who had a 12 year career, and averaged 4.1 yards per carry. The best player from the 2007 draft was Marshawn Lynch; who currently has a career average of 4.2 yards per carry. Morris was the better receiving threat. But Lynch has been given more playing time than Morris.

 

As bad as the 2007 draft was, the 2006 draft was even worse. Or would be, if it wasn't for Kyle Williams.

 

No it doesn't.

 

1995!!!

1995 1 14(14) Bills Ruben Brown OG Pittsburgh Distinctions All Pro Second Team: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002; Super Bowl Losses: XLI 1995 2 13(45) Bills Todd Collins QB Michigan 1995 3 12(76) Bills Marlon Kerner DB Ohio State 1995 3 32(96) Bills Damien Covington LB North Carolina State 1995 4 11(109) Bills Ken Irvin DB Memphis 1995 4 15(113) Bills Justin Armour WR Stanford Pick Note from Arizona 1995 4 33(131) Bills Tony Cline TE Stanford 1995 5 10(144) Bills John Holecek LB Illinois 1995 6 14(185) Bills Shannon Clavelle DT Colorado 1995 7 13(221) Bills Tom Nutten C Western Michigan Distinctions Super Bowl Wins: XXXIV; Super Bowl Losses: XXXVI 1995 7 36(244) Bills Darick Holmes RB Portland State

 

 

 

 

besides ruben brown

 

Wow. Way off. First off, you can't exclude a guy. Second of all, Damien Covington was a complete stud until he DIED. John Holecek was good too and I believe he even started on that defense that was ranked #1 in (I believe it was) '99? Darrick Holmes was a a steal that late in the draft, are you kidding me? This thread has really exposed those who have unrealistic expectations for draft classes and think that other teams must hit on all of their picks or something. The OP was right about the 2000 draft, but this is overkill.

Edited January 29, 2013 by metzelaars_lives

[bobobonators]

Not really no. Some you can tell right away are a mess.

 

Bills fans were dancing in the aisles about getting Lynch and Poz and Edwards and A's all around from the pundits.

 

As a matter of fact though, 2007 WAS a pretty good draft in terms of what the Bills got vs. what was available.

 

Yup.

 

Example: No one was happy when we traded up for McCargo; people really questioned taking Hardy so high; and everyone was left scratching their heads when we selected Graham in the 3rd round when 1. no one knew who he was and 2. many "experts" had him going in the 7th/undrafted.

 

Plenty of other examples.

 

But when we took Lynch, Poz, and Edwards at the time I thought that was the best draft we'd had in years.

Edited January 29, 2013 by bobobonators

[jcbillsfan]

Godawful for sure. But 2000 is the weakest NFL draft I can recall. Look at this load of **** in the first round(and the subsequent rounds were not much better)Round 1

1 (1) Cleveland Browns - Courtney Brown, DE Penn State

2 (2) Washington Redskins - LaVar Arrington, LB Penn State

3 (3) Washington Redskins - Chris Samuels, T Alabama

4 (4) Cincinnati Bengals - Peter Warrick, WR Florida State

5 (5) Baltimore Ravens - Jamal Lewis, RB Tennessee

6 (6) Philadelphia Eagles - Corey Simon, DT Florida State

7 (7) Arizona Cardinals - Thomas Jones, RB Virginia

8 (8) Pittsburgh Steelers - Plaxico Burress, WR Michigan State

9 (9) Chicago Bears - Brian Urlacher, LB New Mexico

10 (10) Baltimore Ravens - Travis Taylor, WR Florida

11 (11) New York Giants - Ron Dayne, RB Wisconsin

12 (12) New York Jets - Shaun Ellis, DE Tennessee

13 (13) New York Jets - John Abraham, LB South Carolina

14 (14) Green Bay Packers - Bubba Franks, TE Miami (FL)

15 (15) Denver Broncos - Deltha O'Neal, DB California

16 (16) San Francisco 49ers - Julian Peterson, LB Michigan State

17 (17) Oakland Raiders - Sebastian Janikowski, K Florida State

18 (18) New York Jets - Chad Pennington, QB Marshall

19 (19) Seattle Seahawks - Shaun Alexander, RB Alabama

20 (20) Detroit Lions - Stockar McDougle, T Oklahoma

21 (21) Kansas City Chiefs - Sylvester Morris, WR Jackson State

22 (22) Seattle Seahawks - Chris McIntosh, T Wisconsin

23 (23) Carolina Panthers - Rashard Anderson, DB Jackson State

24 (24) San Francisco 49ers - Ahmed Plummer, DB Ohio State

25 (25) Minnesota Vikings - Chris Hovan, DT Boston College

26 (26) Buffalo Bills - Erik Flowers, DE Arizona State

27 (27) New York Jets - Anthony Becht, TE West Virginia

28 (28) Indianapolis Colts - Rob Morris, LB Brigham Young

29 (29) Jacksonille Jaguars - R. Jay Soward, WR USC

30 (30) Tennessee Titans - Keith Bulluck, LB Syracuse

31 (31) St. Louis Rams - Trung Canidate, RB Arizona

 

I think you hit on the key point. You have evaluate the draft against the rest of the draft class. The spiller thing always amused me. Everyone use to complain About the pick The thing is the next 4 or 5 plays to get picked didn't exactly set the world on fire

 

 

Bill parcells had a nice draft however

 

The Bills have had a lot of awful drafts especially in the 2000's

 

starting with 2002-

 

 

 

 

 

 

2002

1 - Mike Williams T Texas

2 - Josh Reed WR Louisiana State

2 - Ryan Denney DE Brigham Young

3 - Coy Wire DB Stanford

5 - Justin Bannan DT Colorado

6 - Kevin Thomas DB UNLV

7 - Mike Pucillo G Auburn

7 - Rodney Wright WR Fresno State

7 - Jarrett Ferguson RB Virginia Tech

7 - Dominique Stevenson LB Tennessee

 

How about 2004

 

2004

1 - Lee Evans WR Wisconsin

1 - J.P. Losman QB Tulane

3 - Tim Anderson DT Ohio State

4 - Tim Euhus TE Oregon State

7 - Dylan McFarland T Montana

7 - Jonathan Smith RB Georgia Tech

 

It gets worse the next year 2005

2 - Roscoe Parrish WR Miami (FL)

3 - Kevin Everett TE Miami (FL)

4 - Duke Preston C Illinois

5 - Eric King DB Wake Forest

6 - Justin Geisinger G Vanderbilt

7 - Lionel Gates RB Louisville

 

and is progressively worse year after year. Sure we got a few players here and there, but for anyone wondering why this team can't ever put it together too many of our good players are coming from later rounds. This whole decade has been awful draft after awful draft

 

 

There was very little talent on board when buddy took over. These drafts were horrendous

Edited January 29, 2013 by jcbillsfan

[Ramius]

The 2007 draft also belongs in this discussion.

 

1 12 Marshawn Lynch, RB

2 34 Paul Posluszny, LB

3 92 Trent Edwards, QB

4 111 Dwayne Wright, RB

6 184 John Wendling, DB

7 222 Derek Schouman, FB

7 239 C.J. Ah You, DE

 

One would expect a team to achieve more in the draft when it has the 12th overall pick--as the Bills did in 2007--than if it has the 26th overall pick.

 

The best player from the 2000 draft was Sammy Morris; a RB who had a 12 year career, and averaged 4.1 yards per carry. The best player from the 2007 draft was Marshawn Lynch; who currently has a career average of 4.2 yards per carry. Morris was the better receiving threat. But Lynch has been given more playing time than Morris.

 

As bad as the 2007 draft was, the 2006 draft was even worse. Or would be, if it wasn't for Kyle Williams.

 

2007 and 2006 were nowhere near the disasters that 2000 or 2005 were. In 2007, we got a pro-bowl, top 5 RB in Lynch, and an above average quality MLB in Poz. Lynch has gotten more playing time than Morris because he was a better back. Morris was nothing more than a nice situational back.

 

In 2006 we got an above average (and pro bowl) SS, and a dominating DT. Just because Whitner never lived up to his draft spot doesn't mean he isn't a good SS.

 

Neither draft was a home run, but looking back they were both probably close to an "average" draft.

 

Out of your average draft of all teams, i'd bet most team get 2 (maybe 3) players that play in the league for 6-7 years or more. I think people have astronomical expectations out fo what constitutes a "good" draft. For example, most late round picks are out of the NFL after a season or 2, so i don't know why there's so much teeth gnashing over teams and the Bills cutting 6th and 7th round picks.

[dave mcbride]

It was John Butler's last draft...i have always argued he intentionally threw the draft because he knew he was leaving...if you look at this draft compared to all his other ones there is no way he could have missed that badly on every pick unless it was intentional

 

That's not true. The Bills had hoped to draft Ahmad Plummer that year, but SF took him two picks before at #26. They also were extremely high on Mike Brown and wanted him in the second, but the Bears took him in the 30s. They would have then taken Deon Grant, but he was drafted right before the Bills took Tillman. The reason they took Tillman is because they were desperate for a safety and at the time it appeared that no one any good was after him.

 

Mike Brown was a very good player but ended up injured a lot. Deon Grant had a solid career ( http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GranDe21.htm ) and ended up playing his final game in the Super Bowl for the Giants against NE. Plummer looked really good early on but had back trouble and faded quickly. If not for injury, I suspect he would have been a very good player for a number of years.

Edited January 29, 2013 by dave mcbride

[GG]

Memories are shorter these days.

 

1984 has to be in the running for all time worst.

[Sisyphean Bills]

How about 1970? Threw away the #1 pick on OJ's best friend.

[The Senator]

http://www.nfl.com/d...=0610&type=team

 

'60, '65, and '67 were bad also.

 

1975. Period.

 

Hic finis est.

[Mark Vader]

The Bills have had a lot of awful drafts especially in the 2000's

 

starting with 2002-

 

2002

1 - Mike Williams T Texas

2 - Josh Reed WR Louisiana State

2 - Ryan Denney DE Brigham Young

3 - Coy Wire DB Stanford

5 - Justin Bannan DT Colorado

6 - Kevin Thomas DB UNLV

7 - Mike Pucillo G Auburn

7 - Rodney Wright WR Fresno State

7 - Jarrett Ferguson RB Virginia Tech

7 - Dominique Stevenson LB Tennessee

 

How about 2004

 

2004

1 - Lee Evans WR Wisconsin

1 - J.P. Losman QB Tulane

3 - Tim Anderson DT Ohio State

4 - Tim Euhus TE Oregon State

7 - Dylan McFarland T Montana

7 - Jonathan Smith RB Georgia Tech

 

It gets worse the next year 2005

2 - Roscoe Parrish WR Miami (FL)

3 - Kevin Everett TE Miami (FL)

4 - Duke Preston C Illinois

5 - Eric King DB Wake Forest

6 - Justin Geisinger G Vanderbilt

7 - Lionel Gates RB Louisville

 

and is progressively worse year after year. Sure we got a few players here and there, but for anyone wondering why this team can't ever put it together too many of our good players are coming from later rounds. This whole decade has been awful draft after awful draft

After looking at that list I have two names for you: Tom Donahoe.

[Mark Vader]

Wow. Way off. First off, you can't exclude a guy. Second of all, Damien Covington was a complete stud until he DIED. John Holecek was good too and I believe he even started on that defense that was ranked #1 in (I believe it was) '99? Darrick Holmes was a a steal that late in the draft, are you kidding me? This thread has really exposed those who have unrealistic expectations for draft classes and think that other teams must hit on all of their picks or something. The OP was right about the 2000 draft, but this is overkill.

I agree, that 1995 draft was very good.

 

Marlon Kerner & Ken Irvin were very good DB's

 

Damien Covington was a fiery ILB. Sadly we will never know how good he could have been.

 

Justin Armour & Tony Cline were decent players at their positions.

 

John Holocek was a steal in the 5th round.

 

Darick Holmes was another fiery player and another steal.

 

I think the Bills gave up too early on Todd Colins, but that's how it goes.

 

I have very few complaints with the majority of this draft.

[Nanker]

BTW, that was a John Butler draft.

His last in fact, for The Bills.