Draft related- Players you thought would be great, but were busts

[upstater1]

Did any of you watch Ken Sims play at Texas? How in the world he never became a stud in the NFL, it's perplexing. He was an absolute wrecker in college.

He had one pro season where he flashed what he did in college.

For me--forgetting the Eugene Chungs and Chris Cantys of the Patriots drafts--Sims will always be the biggest bust in Patriots history.

Shocking even 30 odd years later.

 

[italian pat patriot]

let's put in this way...in the last 20 years the 10 playiers that were high picks were i expected much more were:

Klemm
Maroney
Chad Jackson
Wheatley
J.Cunningham
Ras I Dowling
A.Dobson
Easley
Rutledge
Canty

the order is simply casual

 

[Mike the Brit]

Did any of you watch Ken Sims play at Texas? How in the world he never became a stud in the NFL, it's perplexing. He was an absolute wrecker in college.

He had one pro season where he flashed what he did in college.

For me--forgetting the Eugene Chungs and Chris Cantys of the Patriots drafts--Sims will always be the biggest bust in Patriots history.

Shocking even 30 odd years later.

No I didn't.

But I do remember that draft, since it was my first one as a Pats fan, and what the expectations were (also, I remember that there was a guy called Allen who won the Heisman and seemed really, really good to me -- I wonder what happened to him? )

So this was a good lesson for me in how teams are at the top of the draft because they're dysfunctional and dysfunctional teams can fail to capitalize even on blue-chip assets ...

Watching the JETE is a pleasurable reminder of that every year.

 

[bresna]

I couldn't believe when Chad Jackson fell to the Patriots in the 2nd round of the 2006 draft. The top-ranked WR and he was a Patriot? And they got him in the second round? Woo hoo. I thought he was going to be the next Jerry Rice. Man, was I wrong.

 

[Joey007]

Dobson. Dobson. Dobson.

Man I had such high hopes for him. I thought Josh Boyce was going to be good too but BOY WAS I WRONG

 

[jah]

Maroney *was* a top player but got injured and never properly came back. That's the risk with first-round running backs. If you remember him in 2006 -- especially as a KR -- he was the most aggressive runner you could imagine. All that stuff about "dancing" was later.

I thought Ryan Mallett was going to be the real deal.

I was trying to discern whether my memories of rookie Maroney ripping off a big play whenever he got the ball were real or exaggerated (after all, I was 11). I'm going to choose to believe that he was good once.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

What was the story with Jermaine Cunningham anyway? What led Belichick to believe that he was going to be a better pro than Dunlap even though Dunlap was much better in college?

If I'm not mistaken, Cunningham was a better scheme fit for the defense we ran at the time.

 

[upstater1]

No I didn't.

But I do remember that draft, since it was my first one as a Pats fan, and what the expectations were (also, I remember that there was a guy called Allen who won the Heisman and seemed really, really good to me -- I wonder what happened to him? )

So this was a good lesson for me in how teams are at the top of the draft because they're dysfunctional and dysfunctional teams can fail to capitalize even on blue-chip assets ...

Watching the JETE is a pleasurable reminder of that every year.

If the Patriots had done anything other than draft Sims, though, the GM would have rightly deserved to be fired. Sims was an absolute lock, like a Reggie White or Bruce Smith. Until he wasn't. There really was no one out there saying the Patriots should do anything other than draft Sims.

Of course, Sims broke his leg 1st or 2nd year, and it seemed to take forever to recover from that.

 

[IcyPatriot]

A few here:

Eugene Chung
Ron Brace
Ray Agnew
Andy Katzenmoyer
Dominique Easley
Chris Canty
Chad Jackson

 

[Sfpat]

If I'm not mistaken, Cunningham was a better scheme fit for the defense we ran at the time.

Or so BB thought

 

[Mike the Brit]

A few here:

Eugene Chung
Ron Brace
Ray Agnew
Andy Katzenmoyer
Dominique Easley
Chris Canty
Chad Jackson

May he rest in peace, but, really, Ron Brace? A lot of us had never heard of him.

 

[doesntmatter1]

Most of the players I have truly been enamored with have had pretty good careers. I'm still convinced that as a coach/gm I wouldn't go 0-16 and win at least one game lol. A few guys come to mind that I was really wrong on though..hmm....guys like Gabe Carimi and Matt Elam. I still don't understand how Matt Elam sucked so bad.

Sadly, I can't say I expected greatness out of many of our players to begin with. I expected a hell lot more than we got from Cunningham. Considering we had no pass rush at times, I expected Bequette to at least see the field.

The reverse of what OP is asking has happened to me more. After watching Solder vs Cal, I wanted any tackle but him. Same with Jaime Collins. Now I seriously want them or clone of them back on our team.

I hope this thread doesn't apply to Sony Michel years later. We never draft exciting guys like him. I've never had this kind of excitement for a pick before. Look at his highlight reel and stats. I'd argue he looks equal to Barkley. Goodell is going to revoke our draft privileges for stealing him lol.

 

[luuked]

Question: Are we considering Hernandez a bust? He technically would have gone on to a very productive NFL career if he didn't get trigger happy.

I don't see how a player who was as productive as he was and got a big second contract can be a draft bust.

What he did in his spare time is a different story.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Maybe Alfonzo Dennard, although he was a 7th-rounder. Dowling, until he got injured, looked like a shutdown RCB.

Your god d*mn right he did.

Waiting breathlessly for someone to say "Jordan Richards".

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I don't see how a player who was as productive as he was and got a big second contract can be a draft bust.

What he did in his spare time is a different story.

Exactly. His three seasons of production make him a hell of a lot more than a bust, especially for a 4th round pick.

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't see how a player who was as productive as he was and got a big second contract can be a draft bust.

What he did in his spare time is a different story.

Just thinking aloud. I wouldn't put him in the bust category either.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Laurence Maroney is the clear #1 choice. I wouldn't say he was a bust but he was pretty close to it. He never had over 200 carries during season and he's best known for his "dancing" skills. He also had awful vision and loved running into piles.

I also thought Chad Jackson would be good and was making an impact while he was healthy (contrary to popular belief) but it's not fair to put him on the list due to his ACL tear ruining his career.

How about this question, what Patriots draftee you didn't think would be good but is? My #1 choice is non other than Tom Brady. When they drafted him after Bledsoe signing his contract, signed John Friez in the off season and already had Michael Bishop at QB, there was no way Brady would make the team. Lol.

 

[Nunchucks]

No Shawn Crable peeps?

 

[TheRainMaker]

No Shawn Crable peeps?

He was more a media hype creation for some reason but everyone was freaked out over his skinny legs.

 

[maineman209]

If I'm not mistaken, Cunningham was a better scheme fit for the defense we ran at the time.

He was. A college DE being groomed as an OLB/DE for the hybrid scheme.

He did okay in a rotational role as a rookie (34 tackles, a sack, a PD, couple forced fumbles) in 2010. The story I've always heard is that he loafed through the off-season and reported to 2011 Camp out of shape and totally unprepared (hadn't studied film, playbook, etc.). He made a bit of a comeback in 2012, but by then the Pats had already moved on to Chandler Jones.