Which NFL player did you think was going to be good but turned out to be a bust?

[Magox]

3 hours ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

I swear this board has some kind of fetish for undersized white slot receivers 

Not sure I know what you are talking about but Isabella had speed in the 4.3’s who was highly productive in college.  I thought he was going to be a really good slot WR.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

18 minutes ago, Magox said:

Not sure I know what you are talking about but Isabella had speed in the 4.3’s who was highly productive in college.  I thought he was going to be a really good slot WR.

Whoa. I looked it up. He ran a 4.27. I stand corrected 

[Norcalbillsfan]

For the bills: cj spiller, I guess he's not a "bust" per say but I thought he was going to be the future at RB.

 

For NFL: there's so many but I remember thinking the broncos got an absolute steal with Montee Ball. I told my friends that are broncos fans that that was the steal of the draft. I was wrong.

[4merper4mer]

4 hours ago, NewEra said:

Too many to list

Me too.  I’ll go with one that randomly popped to mind.  Grant Delpit.  Maybe it’s a little early to say bust bur I thought he’d be a big time star.

 

The fact that by page 3 no one has mentioned Andrew Luck shows that groupthink and  denial are powerful forces.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

karlos williams

[John from Riverside]

7 hours ago, Shortchaz said:

Clowney 

I think you misunderstood the question
 

Busts don’t play in the league for as long as Jadeveon Clowney has

[freddyjj]

3 hours ago, Magox said:

Not sure I know what you are talking about but Isabella had speed in the 4.3’s who was highly productive in college.  I thought he was going to be a really good slot WR.

Some things jump out looking back at him at UMass in hindsight.  He had TRex 29" arms and 8.5" hands.  He was used as a kick an punt returner sparingly with mediocre results - poor averages with no TDs.

 

Once drafted by the Cards he played exclusively in the slot despite the fact that he was an outside receiver throughout his collegiate career.  Could not break press coverage vs man and was a body catcher with plenty of drops.  

[Shortchaz]

24 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I think you misunderstood the question
 

Busts don’t play in the league for as long as Jadeveon Clowney has

Oh, I guess I wasn’t aware there was an official definition. 

[John from Riverside]

20 minutes ago, Shortchaz said:

Oh, I guess I wasn’t aware there was an official definition. 

Fair enough
My definition would be somebody out of the league. They suck so bad Aaron maybin

[GunnerBill]

6 minutes ago, Shortchaz said:

Oh, I guess I wasn’t aware there was an official definition. 

 

Jadaveon Clowney is a good football player. He hasn't lived up to 1st overall pick status, that's definitely true but if Clowney had gone back half of round 1 nobody would perceive him as an underachiever, definitely not what I'd consider a bust. But you are right the definition isn't universal. 

 

Jeff Okudah who the Lions just traded to the Falcons is right up there for me. I loved him. Had a super high grade on him, would have had no problem selecting him at #3 overall like Detroit did and if he was in this draft his grade would make him my #1 player overall. But after 3 years where he failed to stay healthy and struggled to cover guys he is traded away for a 5th round pick and Lions even ate some of his money. Maybe he revives his career in Atlanta but for now he is a massive bust and he is a player I loved coming out. 

 

The only other guys I can find since I have been doing this (2014) who I had first round grades on who other than for major injury or off field reasons have been total duds have been Josh Rosen and Vernon Hargreaves (too soon to add Zack Wilson to that list?). There is then a group of Shaq Lawson and Jarran Reed types who were lower first round grades who have only ended up as role players rather than as every down starters, who I'd certainly call disappointing 1st round value but not total busts. 

[Bills!Win!]

Every Detroit Lions receiver drafted in the 1st round since 2000 except Calvin Johnson 

[Rico]

AJ Hawk. 

[NeverOutNick]

Corey Davis was my biggest blunder. I thought he was going to be a stud #1 WR and now he’s struggling to make it on the Jets. Still time but he was a future star in my eyes and I whiffed 

[machine gun kelly]

Karlo Williams until he ate out an all you can eat buffet.

Edited April 23, 2023 by machine gun kelly

[Manther]

43 minutes ago, Bills!Win! said:

Every Detroit Lions receiver drafted in the 1st round since 2000 except Calvin Johnson 

True dat!

7 hours ago, KzooMike said:

Easier to look at Bills, a guy that stands out is James Hardy. I thought he was exactly what we needed at the time and he was out of the league in about 5 seconds. I know a lot of people liked him on here as well.  

I used to follow the draft more.  James Hardy...I would have been fine taking him in the first, then we got him in the 2nd and I thought we won the lottery!  I have his jersey.  Then he opened up gun fire and killed his father, then he died.  Sorry if this sounds superficial, but, he was a bust.

[NastyNateSoldiers]

12 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Of Bills players they drafted… Sammy Watkins I’m the first to admit after watching him beat Ohio State himself I thought The Bills had a true once every 5 years kinda receiver. Didn’t work out that way.

 

The league… there’s been so many but I’d go with Peter Warwick from Florida State for people old enough to remember him. 

You really wasn’t wrong about Sammy he was turning into a superstar until the injuries started . He was zapped of all his speed and burst and never recovered. 

12 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Of Bills players they drafted… Sammy Watkins I’m the first to admit after watching him beat Ohio State himself I thought The Bills had a true once every 5 years kinda receiver. Didn’t work out that way.

 

The league… there’s been so many but I’d go with Peter Warwick from Florida State for people old enough to remember him. 

You really wasn’t wrong about Sammy he was turning into a superstar until the injuries started . He was zapped of all his speed and burst and never recovered. 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Ryan Leaf.

 

I thought he was hands down 100% better prospect than Peyton Manning.

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

I think you misunderstood the question
 

Busts don’t play in the league for as long as Jadeveon Clowney has

The guy has played a long time but stinks.  Blaine Gabbert went like #5 overall and is still playing.  He’s not a bust?

[Big Turk]

12 hours ago, 78thealltimegreat said:

Of Bills players they drafted… Sammy Watkins I’m the first to admit after watching him beat Ohio State himself I thought The Bills had a true once every 5 years kinda receiver. Didn’t work out that way.

 

The league… there’s been so many but I’d go with Peter Warwick from Florida State for people old enough to remember him. 

 

The maddening part is he had the talent to be, just not the mindset...his demons overtook him 

[Mr. WEO]

Tony Mandarich

 

Todd Marinovich

[WhoTom]

J.P. Losman. I still think that with better coaching, he could've been at least a middle-of-the-road QB.

 

On the flip side, I never thought Trent Edwards would amount to anything in the league, so I was right about that.

 

[Bobby Hooks]

Bills: Hardy 

 

NFL: Clowney, not sure if he’s really a bust but thought he’d be a total game wrecker 

 

on the other side, I thought Allen was going to be a total bust. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Bobby Hooks

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 minute ago, WhoTom said:

On the flip side, I never thought Trent Edwards would amount to anything in the league, so I was right about that.

 

Trent 'Go Short' Edwards would have been at odds with Ken 'Go Long' Dorsey. 🤔

[NeverOutNick]

9 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

J.P. Losman. I still think that with better coaching, he could've been at least a middle-of-the-road QB.

 

On the flip side, I never thought Trent Edwards would amount to anything in the league, so I was right about that.

 

I hated the Losman pick and was even more pissed that we lost our 2005 1st round pick that could’ve been Aaron Rodgers and probably would’ve been because of Losman…And to top it off three out of the four QBs chosen in the 2004 class or Hall of Famers

[WhoTom]

6 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

I hated the Losman pick and was even more pissed that we lost our 2005 1st round pick that could’ve been Aaron Rodgers and probably would’ve been because of Losman…And to top it off three out of the four QBs chosen in the 2004 class or Hall of Famers

 

I don't follow college football so I had no opinions on the draft. But based on preseason and regular-season games, I saw potential. 

 

In retrospect, though, Rodgers obviously would have been a better choice. I do wonder whether he'd have been as good with our staff (at the time) as he turned out to be in GB.

[frostbitmic]

Sammy Watkins ... I was ecstatic when they traded up and his name was called, would've felt that way with Mack as well. He was so good in college, so fast off the line. Then he got to the pros and got hurt regularly and started talking about lizard people.

 

BUST

[papazoid]

Tony Mandarich....

 

the best offensive line prospect ever

 

picked #2 overall.... He's the only top five pick in his draft class not inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

https://vault.si.com/vault/1989/04/24/the-big-enchilada-tony-mandarich-a-top-nfl-prospect-is-a-chowhound-who-chews-up-opponents

 

for the bills.....big Mike Williams...OT  2002

Edited April 22, 2023 by papazoid

[BarleyNY]

1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

The guy has played a long time but stinks.  Blaine Gabbert went like #5 overall and is still playing.  He’s not a bust?

Clowney has always started on the teams he plays for. He’s been a second team All Pro and a Pro Bowler 3 times. At 30 he was still a solid, productive DE. How’s Gabbert done in those regards?

[Fan in Chicago]

JP Losman

[MrEpsYtown]

I remember Bills fans being obsessed with Darron Lee. Justin Hunter is another. 
 

I am shocked that Brady Quinn didn’t make it. I thought he was a sure thing. I also thought DeShone Kizer would be good. 
 

I wanted Joey Harrington bad. I still think he could have made it if he went to a better situation. 
 

I loved Jake Locker. 

[BarleyNY]

2 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

 

I loved Jake Locker. 

I thought Locker would be a very good pro too. 

[MJS]

9 hours ago, Billl said:

He couldn’t stay healthy.  When he was on the field, he produced.

He's had an entire career now to judge him by, not just his time with the Bills.

[4merper4mer]

17 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

Clowney has always started on the teams he plays for. He’s been a second team All Pro and a Pro Bowler 3 times. At 30 he was still a solid, productive DE. How’s Gabbert done in those regards?

Re-read my post.  The other guy said “long Carter” = “not bust”.  I used Gabbert as an example.  Although not nearly as disappointing as Gabbert, Clowney hasn’t sniffed the expectation level he was given.  The cherry picked data points you used above are an interesting way of picking nits.  Pro Bowler?  Really?  Tyler Huntley HOF?

[BarleyNY]

5 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Re-read my post.  The other guy said “long Carter” = “not bust”.  I used Gabbert as an example.  Although not nearly as disappointing as Gabbert, Clowney hasn’t sniffed the expectation level he was given.  The cherry picked data points you used above are an interesting way of picking nits.  Pro Bowler?  Really?  Tyler Huntley HOF?

The Pro Bowl selections still meant something when Clowney got them. You should know that. And as mentioned above, Clowney was taken first overall and while he hasn’t lived up to that he’d have been a very worthwhile first round selection. I just think it’s hilarious that people argue he busted when that’s obviously not the case and because Reggie Bush, who was thought of as a lock for that first overall pick and went second, really did bust. Easy money right there, but some people would rather ignore the limitless list of real busts to talk about how bad they think Clowney sucked. 

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

Corey Davis was my biggest blunder. I thought he was going to be a stud #1 WR and now he’s struggling to make it on the Jets. Still time but he was a future star in my eyes and I whiffed 

 

Yea I liked him a lot too. I wouldn't call him a bust either though. He has been a productive #2 receiver. The problem is he was drafted at the point of the draft where you want to be hitting #1s. 

1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

The guy has played a long time but stinks.  Blaine Gabbert went like #5 overall and is still playing.  He’s not a bust?

 

Clowney does not stink. He has been a good player. Just not a superstar like a #1 pick is supposed to be. 

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

Darius was a major disappointment for me.  The guy was a beast at Alabama and did crap in Buffalo and was even worse after he got paid.

[Sestak4ever]

Trent Richardson. Was unstoppable against good competition in the SEC. I think it was more mental than physical for him. Didn’t have the desire and never wanted to work at his craft.

[RichRiderBills]

There are too many to list:

 

Sammy seemed like a sure thing. Not a bust but disappointing. 

 

Hardy for sure. 

 

The TE Shawn Nelson. We were all so happy w him then he never got going. 

 

Trent Edwards. Not a high pick and did not expect much, but after about his first 16 games looked to be a solid NFL QB. 

[4merper4mer]

24 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

 

 

Clowney does not stink. He has been a good player. Just not a superstar like a #1 pick is supposed to be. 

Maybe my definition of “stink” is a little different.  Signing drama EVERY year, skipping from team to team, producing marginally for high $ and then repeating the process “stinks” to me and if I were building a team I’d have zero interest in someone like him.  

[gobills404]

So basically which of my draft crushes have ended up not doing squat in the league?