miami_fan
12-28-2003, 04:46 AM
http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/2000
I have always been of the opinion that it takes four years to analyze a NFL draft for suprises and busts. The reasoning being that some players are asked to contribute as rookies whle others are asked to sit and watch. By the fourth year, all the players in the draft have gotten the opportunity to show their wares. Now that the NFL regular season is essentially over, I went back and looked at the 2000 draft and chose what I believe were the 5 biggest surprises and biggest busts. All of the busts are from the first round since first rounders are usually the ones that carry the highest expectations
Surprises ( In order of selection)
1. Laveranues Coles, Jets 3rd Rd. When you consider that Travis Taylor, Sylvester Morris and R. Jay Soward were selected in the first round, the Jets got a true steal in the third round. I believe that Coles in the best WR in that tier righ below Harrison, Moss, Owens, Holt etc.
2. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Packers 5th Rd I can only give great credit to Ron Wolf and his staff for finding this guy.
3. Marc Bulger, Saints, Rd 6. Surprising not only for the success that he has had but that only four QBs were taken up to that point
4. Tom Brady, Pats, Rd 6 Do I really have to explain?
5. Mark Tauscher, Packers, Rd 7 Starter on a quality line from a 7th rd pick? Not bad
Busts
1. Courtney Brown, Browns, Rd 1 I know he has been injured for most of his career but you have to get more than 17 sacks from the No. 1 pick in the draft four years
2. Ron Dayne, Giants, Rd 1 5'10 250 and does not even get the ball on 3rd and a inch!
3. Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders Rd 1 Not just because he is a kicker but he is not among the five best kickers in the league.
4. Sylvester Morris, Chiefs Rd 1 Showed initial promise but had his career cut short by injuries
5. R Jay Soward, Jags, Rd 1, Was supposed to be the third WR next to Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCarrdell. Jerry Porter( 2nd Rd), Dez White (3rd Rd) or the aforementioned Laveranues Coles might have been a better selection.
I have always been of the opinion that it takes four years to analyze a NFL draft for suprises and busts. The reasoning being that some players are asked to contribute as rookies whle others are asked to sit and watch. By the fourth year, all the players in the draft have gotten the opportunity to show their wares. Now that the NFL regular season is essentially over, I went back and looked at the 2000 draft and chose what I believe were the 5 biggest surprises and biggest busts. All of the busts are from the first round since first rounders are usually the ones that carry the highest expectations
Surprises ( In order of selection)
1. Laveranues Coles, Jets 3rd Rd. When you consider that Travis Taylor, Sylvester Morris and R. Jay Soward were selected in the first round, the Jets got a true steal in the third round. I believe that Coles in the best WR in that tier righ below Harrison, Moss, Owens, Holt etc.
2. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Packers 5th Rd I can only give great credit to Ron Wolf and his staff for finding this guy.
3. Marc Bulger, Saints, Rd 6. Surprising not only for the success that he has had but that only four QBs were taken up to that point
4. Tom Brady, Pats, Rd 6 Do I really have to explain?
5. Mark Tauscher, Packers, Rd 7 Starter on a quality line from a 7th rd pick? Not bad
Busts
1. Courtney Brown, Browns, Rd 1 I know he has been injured for most of his career but you have to get more than 17 sacks from the No. 1 pick in the draft four years
2. Ron Dayne, Giants, Rd 1 5'10 250 and does not even get the ball on 3rd and a inch!
3. Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders Rd 1 Not just because he is a kicker but he is not among the five best kickers in the league.
4. Sylvester Morris, Chiefs Rd 1 Showed initial promise but had his career cut short by injuries
5. R Jay Soward, Jags, Rd 1, Was supposed to be the third WR next to Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCarrdell. Jerry Porter( 2nd Rd), Dez White (3rd Rd) or the aforementioned Laveranues Coles might have been a better selection.