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

[PatsFanInVa]

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.

I guess I can no longer say about Chad Jackson that "the jury's still out" or "how do you expect him to get on the field with Moss, Welker, and Donte Stallworth..."

Maroney displayed flashes of competence. I was all about the glass being half-full for a while, but it started out half-empty and it was cracked and leaking. In his defense though, I wonder how many backs did get 200 carries in NE...
Oh what the hell.
Statistics

Carries for Top Rusher (by carries) by Year - bold years = Maroney
2017...180
2016...299 and done... guess we got as much as we thought Blount had left
2015...165
2014...96
2013...178
2012...290
2011...181
2010...229
2009...194 (so close)
2008...156 (not Maroney)
2007...185
2006...199 (Dillon, but Maroney in the 170s)
2005...209 (Dillon)

So 4 times since 2005, 200+ carries. What's really interesting is that in both 05 and 06, by the numbers, they seemed to accept that Dillon was the bell-cow, but that he'd have to be spelled. Then 2 out of the remaining 3 years when a back got 200 carries, he was at or over 290. Ridley in 2013 (the year after his 2012 bell-cow year) split the carries. The year after Blount carried 299 times, well, you remember.

So it seems like if you're really filling the bill, no pun intended, you can be a bell cow... but their eyes are always open for your replacement, regardless of the stage of your career. (You'd expected it w/2005-2006 Dillon... other guys were not at the end of their careers.)

 

[The_Riddler]

Not busts, but didn't meet expectations..

Kenneth Sims
Chris Singleton

 

[patsfan13]

Johnny Manziel. He was sort of a combination of Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield, but better than both. Impeccable footwork, great mechanics, big arm, hugely athletic. Only football issue was his height. I would have taken him, as a football player, above anyone in this year's draft and not blinked. A Rockefeller's Doug Flutie.

I thought he was just a college goon a la Mayfield. Sad that he wasted all his talent.

Kenneth Sims.

 

[FortressX]

Chris Singleton

For some reason that name makes me recall

Eugene Chung

 

[SteveKiner]

I'm hoping you HATE this year's draft ;-)

I know what you mean. Sadly, I loved the Isaiah Wynn pick. Along with Rashaan Evans, he was my favorite player in the draft. But in my defense, I also loved the Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower perfecta.

 

[fnordcircle]

Dominique Easley, Calvin Pryor, Breshad Perriman, Dion Jordan, Tavon Austin, Bjorn Werner, Matt Elam, and Trent Richardson just to name a few off the top of my head. I'm sure if I really dug in to every draft that I've studied extensively, I can name many, many more. Those are just ones that stick out from recent drafts.

Tavon Austin yeah man I thought that guy was going to destroy the league. I was so sad watching his highlight youtubes after we didn't draft him.

I honestly thought Michael Bishop was going to be amazing. He had some moments that just left me in awe. Don't think he qualifies as a real bust, though.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I've just learned that it's hit or miss. Whenever you use a high pick on a guy who actually touches the ball you want him to be the next big thing... I mean, really, nobody knows other teams' O or D line. So I want/need Wynn to be great at whichever position, but the Dumb Fan thing makes me want Michel to be the Next Big Thing at runningback. That said, I'd just as soon (for no apparent reason) have this amazing defensive year, so that Michel looks good because we always have the ball and are playing from ahead.

 

[Deus Irae]

I thought Hart Lee Dykes had a chance to be something. His knee decided differently.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

No Shawn Crable peeps?

His legs were too skinny to expect anything from him

 

[Deus Irae]

His legs were too skinny to expect anything from him

I remember:

Crable as pass rush specialist?

 

[GoWhalers]

Non-Patriots and probably only relevant to the west coasters

I used to watch Teyo Johnson play TE for Stanford (as well as basketball!), and thought he was going to light it up in the NFL. As big as Gronk, super-athletic, young.

Then he ends up in Oakland as a 2003 2nd rounder, and was never heard from again...

 

[AQPE]

Jeff George
Ryan Leaf
RGIII

 

[XLIX]

Let's just say I have a surplus of PK Sam rookie cards I am looking to unload....

 

[supafly]

LB Andy Katzenmoyer

First round pick who looked great as a college player until he hurt his neck during his rookie season.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I just wanna be on the record I was so upset when Cunningham was picked over Dunlap. I just knew Dunlap would have a much better career...he was so much better in college. Just on a way higher level. Couldn't believe BB screwed that up. Too bad, cause our draft that year could have looked like mccourty, gronkowski, Dunlap....one of the best drafts of the decade!

To answer this thread....daniel Graham. I had high hopes for him. We traded up for him

Also other names

Aaron Dobson
Dominique Easley
Brian stork
Ras I Dowling

 

[NG Pats Fan]

How about Tyrone Mckenzie

 

[VJCPatriot]

I'm guilty of buying into Chad Jackson. He tore it up at the Combine, plus I watched one video where he caught everything thrown at him in rapid succession by the JUGS machines and I thought he'd be great in the NFL. He was a bust of course. We would have done a lot better by selecting Greg Jennings instead.

 

[Julius]

Anyone remember Mike Ruth NT from Boston College?

He was great at running full bore and hitting nothing on kickoffs and getting schooled by Dolphins Center Dwight Stevenson.

Strong as a bull, but short arms.

 

[State]

Kenneth Sims out of Texas. 6’5”, powerful and fast, with long arms and a storied collegiate career did very little in the pros.

Broke his leg because he kicked it at a ball carrier’s body while he was lying on his back.

Did play decently one year—his contract year.

He came in with massive expectations. He lacked something that is difficult to measure: heart, drive, and grit.

But that draft landed us Andre Tippett in the second andCedric Jones knthe third, two of my favs.

 

[maust]

Anyone remember Mike Ruth NT from Boston College?

He was great at running full bore and hitting nothing on kickoffs and getting schooled by Dolphins Center Dwight Stevenson.

Strong as a bull, but short arms.

He almost made my cut but he was a 2nd rounder and tbh I hoped for good things from him but can't say I expected great ones since he was undersized for the NFL and had those short arms. Certainly his career was a disappointment for an Outland Winner.