Vindication:

by Auric on Oct 27, 2011 4:15 PM EDT

It happens every year. Your team drafts a player that you absolutely hate. You follow the team. You know their needs, tendencies, and history, yet it always happens. Someone who just doesn’t fit the bill, and a player you know will fail miserably. Who has been that player for you? Someone that the draft pundits raved about his "potential", "upside", and "work ethic", but you just had a gut feeling would be a bust?

For me, as a Houston Texans fan, that curse was Amobi Okoye. Coming out of college, everyone raved that he was this incredible player at only 19. The upside was limitless. The consensus was that with proper coaching, he could develop into a perennial pro-bowler and alleviate some of the pressure that Mario Williams had on the defensive line. I knew this would never be. First off, playing at Louisville meant it wasn’t top talent that he was facing, even if his rise came as a result of his play at the Senior Bowl, I always place much more emphasis on game tape, especially if there is four years worth of it. I just had a feeling in my gut that he would be completely overmatched every week in the NFL due to his size and lack of strength. The Texans were in need of secondary help, a number 2 wide-out, but most importantly offensive line help. Reports at the time were that the Texans were looking to trade down for Joe Staley, but couldn’t find a partner. Even if you can’t trade down, if there is someone you want that will help your team, you have to pull the trigger regardless of value. Amobi Okoye was a marginal talent, and barely a need for the Teans. Darrelle Revis or Leon Hall would have also been fantastic selections. I was screaming for Darrelle Revis out of Pitt after his rise as the draft approached (I admittedly also love his name, and for some reason that always impacts my draft analysis. Sorry Buster Davis, but you didn’t sound like a winner to me then, and now with hindsight…well…). Okoye lasted 4 years with the Texans winning the rookie of the month in his first month as a starter, and then doing nothing after that while Darrelle Revis has evolved into an All-Galaxy corner who is respected as the best in the game. Well done Houston.

So that is my vindication story, I was right in wanting my team to take Darrelle Revis over an overrated teenager. Any personal stories of your team wisdom turning out to be true?

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As a co-Texans fan, I know it hurts BAD to look back at old drafts

especially since we had early picks in most of them. Tons of talent got away. However, in all honesty it just proves that there is absolutely no such thing as a sure-fire lock in the NFL. There are too many Tom Bradys and Arian Fosters in the league to argue that draft status means anything at all. With that said we still made some atrocious picks.

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by theSpaceCityKid on Oct 27, 2011 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

As a Bengals fan

I could probably come up with a bunch of these… but the one that sticks out in my head is the first round in 2004, when we swapped picks with the Rams only to see them draft Steven Jackson at 24, who I wanted badly for the Bengals, in need of a RB at the time. Our consolation prize: Chris Perry with pick 26.

by Joe27 on Oct 27, 2011 5:02 PM EDT reply actions

Selvish Capers to the Redskins

A lot of the comments over on HH were about what a steal he was & how he would be able to step into the RT spot. After his Senior Bowl beatdown (& lousy combine) it was painfully obvious that he would never make it in the NFL.

by ENsDad27 on Oct 27, 2011 5:09 PM EDT reply actions

Tjax is starting to show vast improvements

Wasn’t a fan of the pick then(most fans were calling for Curry, I was calling for Raji), looking to be a safe bet when no one really knew how Raji could hold up as a 2 gap NT

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by BAMFSpecialOps on Oct 27, 2011 7:05 PM EDT reply actions

Surprising Pick

I remember at the time that was such a controversial pick. Most people thought he wouldn’t even go in the top 10. I think he is pretty good at what he is asked to do though. And with Curry being traded now, he looks good. I never liked Curry at the time either. I couldn’t justify a linebacker with no pass rush experience going top 5.

by Auric on Oct 27, 2011 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah a lot of fans wanted Curry, which looked like another WILB for the Chiefs

Although now it seems Curry is better against the run than anything, still not worthy of #3 pick for an ILB.

Tjax gets a lot of hate because he doesn’t put up huge #s(even from some fans of the Chiefs) however he didn’t miss a tackle his first two years, and now that he has been healthy(and a solid NT in Gregg) he has really started to shine.

I don't start arguments, I provoke thinking. -Me
Alameda Ta’amu NT/DE 2012 Draftee

by BAMFSpecialOps on Oct 27, 2011 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Dex and Arenas surprised me as well, I was hoping to get Cody in the second round

I don't start arguments, I provoke thinking. -Me
Alameda Ta’amu NT/DE 2012 Draftee

by BAMFSpecialOps on Oct 27, 2011 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm a Lions fan

~~Matt Millen~~ DumbAssFatF**k ran my team for 8 years. I don’t have time to type what could’ve been…

Happier than a pig in shit that I was wrong about Matthew Stafford since 2009!
Go Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons!

by JazzyBBP on Oct 27, 2011 7:22 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Haha

& after suffering thru the Vinny Cerrato era in Washington I know exactly how you feel. I once saw the two of them as draft day analysts on ESPN, I couldn’t believe either of them being considered “experts” at anything related to football.

by ENsDad27 on Oct 27, 2011 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions

There are not enough words to describe the ******** picks my Bills have made over the period 1999-2009.

Have to take my blood pressure meds now.

When the job is finished no one remembers how long it took, just how well it was performed.

by Buffalo for Eternity on Oct 27, 2011 9:27 PM EDT reply actions

I had a gut feeling about Jason Pierre Paul being a bustz

oh man was that wrong.

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by Rorschach44 on Oct 27, 2011 9:38 PM EDT reply actions

yea I was way off on that

I thought he was like another Jags DE in the making

by vitzeng on Oct 28, 2011 12:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice

I’m actually doing another article where I talk about where I was completely wrong about a pick. Who is that Mario Williams guy anyway? So dumb.

by Auric on Oct 28, 2011 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah he is a beast

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by Archie Barberio on Nov 2, 2011 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Knowshon Moreno

while I did warm up to him a little and empathize with him for his injuries after the draft, I was so sure that day Orakpo would be the pick once the Bills got Maybin. I was quite sure not only would Moreno be available at 18 but Orakpo was the best 3-4 OLB in that draft. What should’ve been a slam dunk pick became a massive bust. So this is less that I hated the Knowshon pick but more hatred towards what we passed up

Raiders suck
Chargers are whiny douches
Chiefs are meh

by DBroncs1414 on Oct 27, 2011 10:04 PM EDT reply actions

couple years ago

I really wanted Brady Quinn for the jags, I was a kid who believed kipers every word and I thought it was destined. We kept trading back and then we pick reggie nelson…

Can’t say I knew he fail (both are busts to me) but I didn’t like the pick.

We drafted Matt Jones another year, a qb turned WR, had a bad feeling about that. Last draft I wanted amukamura (sp) and randell Cobb, Cobb is doing fine I believe

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by TheTealDeal on Oct 27, 2011 10:17 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Brady

I really liked Brady Quinn and still do. I completely agree with the Browns taking Joe Thomas at 3, but I thought the deal they worked for Brady was brilliant. I think he still has an outside chance to be a success with the uncertainty in Denver. I just wish he had proved it in Cleveland.

by Auric on Oct 28, 2011 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions

It’s a hard position to play in Cleveland. If you dont have a good o line, you’ll be on your back or running for your life. The AFC north is not a division to take lightly. You have to build your lines first before getting the QB talent, and sometimes you get lucky with a pick or two. Brady going to a team with a decent line should have a nice career – it wasn’t Cleveland or Denver.

Dixon & Minnefield - Enough Said!

by J. W. on Nov 1, 2011 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Giants

For me it was Clint Sintim. All the Giants fans were hoping that Laurinaitis would fall (damn Spags). But I was excited when I saw Will Beatty still on the board. And then they pick Sintim. And start explaining how they are going to turn him from a rusher to a SAM. Has not worked yet. But at least we managed to get Beatty later in the round.

Oh yeah, and in the Eli year I wanted Gallery. Idiot. Or I thought we could have traded down twice and still picked Roethisberger.

"Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue."

by ct17 on Oct 28, 2011 12:43 AM EDT reply actions

Colts

Holy crap where do I start… 2008-2010 were all awful. Everyone knew Roger Saffold was the correct pick over Jerry Hughes in 2010. However, I’m not sure anyone projected Hughes to be quite the megabust that he was.

For me, I would have to say Donald Brown. That pick was an obvious disaster from the word go. Hakeem Nicks was the pick. It was obvious. Marvin Harrison had just retired, Nicks had hands like baseball mits, and he was sitting there at the end of the first round. I heard at one point (not sure if it was true) that even Payton Manning thought we were drafting Nicks. No, we take a RB. Not an area of need. Worse still, not even the best RB on the board (Beanie Wells.) This is not a case of hindsight being 20-20; this was a f@#*up at the time and everyone knew it. History has only served to reinforce the initial reaction and rub salt into the wound.

by invisibulman on Oct 28, 2011 12:18 PM EDT reply actions

Done

I can’t stand this myth some Colts fans seem to want throw around about how bad the Colts drafts have been from 2008-2010. They weren’t bad; they were average. Why is that? THAT’S HOW THE NFL DRAFT WAS DESIGNED!!!!! From 2000-2009, only 14 of the 57 players from picks 27-32 have gone to Pro Bowls. The Colts have picked in that range SEVEN times (not including 2010) and got two Pro Bowlers out it (Wayne and Addai), or 29% of the Pro Bowlers from that range. Further, no pick in that range from 07 to 09 have gone to a Pro Bowl AT ALL. Let’s stop pretending there is some kind of all-world talent the Colts passed on in an idiotic effort to crucify one of the best front offices in the NFL.

Rodger Saffold isn’t playing like an All-Pro in St. Louis; he’s playing average at best. Had the Colts taken Saffold, they probably wouldn’t have taken Costanzo this year who looks to be MUCH better. Hughes is not a megabust, he’s a developing player at a difficult position in a defense that is being coached terribly.

Nicks hasn’t been a game-changing WR. Period. He’s not Reggie Wayne and he’s Marvin Harrison. Further, Gonzo had come off of two GREAT years and so wideout wasn’t really a need. However, the running game needed a boost since Dom Rhodes had been let go. Don Brown was drafted because he had the speed to run the stretch play, which the Colts haven’t been able to run because the O-line has been atrocious. Behind a MARGINALLY better O-line this year, Don Brown has looked lightyears better and is playing at least as well as Delone Carter. Why he’s not getting more playing time is beyond me and further evidence of Caldwell’s incompetence.

by TrueBlue87 on Oct 28, 2011 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Those three picks were missed and missed badly. There is no contesting that part of the argument. The reason the front office deserves to be taken to task is that they not only missed, but bypassed the logical (consensus) choice that has subsequently outperformed.

Saffold is not a world beater, but claiming that the Costanzo pick somehow excuses that does not hold together. Costanzo had to be picked because they blew the pick in 2010. OT was the biggest need. Saffold was the best OT available. A first round pick who in his 2nd year barely made the roster is nothing short of a massive bust.

by invisibulman on Oct 28, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

In fact the argument can and is contested and claiming otherwise is nothing short of simple bullheadedness and an unwillingness to consider other valid points-of-view.

Jerry Hughes is developing in one of the most difficult positions in the NFL. It takes time and an unwillingness to give that time is idiotic and poor football strategy. OT was not the biggest need in 2010, it was one of two along with a third pass rusher. One of the principle reasons we lost Super Bowl XLIV was that Brees had all day to throw after Freeney hurt himself. THAT’S why Hughes was drafted. I’ve seen improvement from season 1 to season 2 and I think I’ll continue to see improvement.

Just people people think that the consensus pick is the logical pick doesn’t mean it’s the right pick. Most people thought the Colts were stupid for not drafting Ryan Leaf because he had more “upside.” People thought the Colts were dumb for drafting Edge. People thought the Colts should’ve taken Haynesworth over Freeney. Just because everyone says a pick is the right one doesn’t mean it is.

by TrueBlue87 on Oct 29, 2011 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

OT was not the biggest need in 2010

Now that is just ludicrous. Not only was OT their #1 need, it was their #2 need as well. And I could make the case that they should draft OL with each of the first 3 picks. Ryan Diem and Charlie Johnson were the starting OTs. Ugoh was a total bust, and the Guards were guys coming off the street.

I will agree that Freeney’s absence was the sole reason we lost that Super Bowl. We owned the game in the first half when he was in. I understand why they thought drafting Hughes was a good idea, I just disagreed with it. I disagreed with the Angerer pick for the same reason, even though he turned out to be a stud. A 3# DE and a #2 MLB are not starting positions. You can not burn picks on bench players when you have gaping holes in your starting rotation.

I defended Hughes as long as I could, but the guy can’t even get on the field. The little game action he has seen has been luckluster and everything you hear coming out of camp is negative. The guy is a bust (in our system at least) plain and simple.

by invisibulman on Oct 31, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I was very high on Okoye . he wasn't recruited by the big boys because he entered college at 16 yrs old.

Smart, and hard working, he entered the NFL as the youngest player ever to enter the NFL (if I remember correctly)

I knew he would need time to develop, but thought he was one of the safest picks in the draft, and a perfect under 4-3 DT

by durst on Oct 28, 2011 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

Patrick Willis?

You thought Amobi Okoye was a safer pick than Patrick Willis?

by Auric on Oct 28, 2011 1:00 PM EDT reply actions

Danny Watkins this year when Jimmy Smith was still there… you may not be able to tell if I was right yet… but you’ll see

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by Djax10 on Oct 28, 2011 2:34 PM EDT reply actions

DAMN YOU LIMAS SWEED!

Well, I always thought Limas would be a superstar once he just got some PT. Dipshit couldn’t hold on to the ball.

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by John Stephens on Oct 28, 2011 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

Limas’s problem is of his own making. He was spoon fed at Texas way too much.

Dixon & Minnefield - Enough Said!

by J. W. on Nov 1, 2011 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

For the Pats, I never liked Darius Butler.

We took Pat Chung and Ron Brace with our two previous, and I was praying for a runningback. I wanted Shonn Green pretty bad, and although I was wrong about him being better than LaSean McCoy (the next RB drafted), It still pains me to see him succeed with the Jets.

This year, I didn’t like Mallett or Stevan Ridley. The las thing we needed was a QB, in my opinion, and we had just picked Shane Vereen in the second. I felt like Ridley, if anything, would be a poor-man’s BenJarvus Green-Ellis. So far, however, he has been pretty solid thus far. I also felt like Solder over Castonzo was nuts, but that pick has grown on me.

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by LesterJohn on Oct 29, 2011 12:02 AM EDT reply actions

For the Bucs

Gaines Adams over Adrian Peterson. To be fair De was a bigger need for the Buc’s but Jon Gruden was said to have been drooling over the idea of a “rocket backfield” with AP and Cadillac. If only they would have pulled the trigger.

by Pirate25 on Oct 29, 2011 12:42 AM EDT reply actions

The exact opposite

Bills taking Aaron Maybin in 2009, I liked Brian Orakpo but was worried he was too much of a workout warrior and wouldn’t translate play to the field. Big mistake there.
I figured Maybin’s incredible quickness would make him a future star DE. When it was clear he was too small to be a 4-3 DE, I still defended him as a situational rusher and said that our switch to the 3-4 would make him a productive player.
After a useless year in the 3-4, the Bills finally cut their losses in the 2011 preseason. Only for him to be picked up by the New York Jets. All the Jets fans and writers were ecstatic – picking up a first round draft pick on the waiver wires? What luck! I, however, knew the terrible truth about Maybin and how much like the Jets’ bust Vernon Gholston he was.
Except Maybin has continued to prove me wrong, though not because he has suddenly become a great player.
Rather, that tendency he has to get pushed out of plays is more forgiven in Rex Ryan’s schemes, because Maybin now has time to reach the passer. Maybin has 3 sacks so far this year. One, a forced fumble on a completely oblivious Joe Flacco after Flacco held the ball way too long. One, a forced fumble on a scrambling Matt Moore not protecting the football as he ran. One, on Philip Rivers, beating Ryan Mathews cleanly and picking up a sack.
I’m still not convinced that Maybin is any good. At this point, I hope he never is. My greatest fear is that Rex Ryan’s defense masks Maybin’s weak points and Jets fans spend years taunting Bills over how terrible our coaching staff was.

"Give a monkey a typewriter and infinite time, and he’ll eventually release Maybin." - stetzwebs

by DanRoc on Oct 29, 2011 1:15 AM EDT reply actions

Raiders.

2009 – I wanted Eugene Monroe and was furious when we took DHB, but he’s having a breakout year right now. Even after Campbell got injured he’s looked like our best WR.

2008 – I wasn’t comfortable with McFadden – I wanted to trade down and get a 2nd or 3rd back. Was I wrong with that one.

2007 – I wanted Brady Quinn, Calvin Johnson or Joe Thomas. Even Quinn would have been a better pick than the one who’s name I won’t speak.

2006 – I was all-in on Matt Leinart. Even if Huff isn’t great he’s at least a solid NFL starting safety, better than a backup QB.

"In football, I root for the Oakland Raiders because they hire castoffs, outlaws, malcontents, and f*** -ups, they have lots of penalties, fights, and paybacks, and because Al Davis told the rest of the pig NFL owners to go get f***ed. Someday, the Raiders will be strong again, and they will dip the ball in s*** and shove it down the throats of the wholesome, white, heartland teams that pray together and don't deliver late hits." - George Carlin.

by Screwfish on Oct 29, 2011 6:05 AM EDT reply actions

I never got the LImas Sweed hype honestly

Yeah, sure, I wasn’t irate over it, but he was definitely overhyped.

I was also peeved when we passed over Poz for Lawrence Timmons. And I’m not a fan og Gilbert from this year

Needs moar Dukes
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by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Oct 29, 2011 11:40 AM EDT reply actions

As a dolphins fan..

This is super easy.
Ted Ginn Jr.
Could’ve gotten Patrick Willis, Revis, Beason, or another million players..
Im still mad about that

by PhinPhan910 on Oct 29, 2011 1:33 PM EDT reply actions

lol

awww… I remember that. That pick was awful. Although I think the consensus was Brady Quinn at the time. Ooops.

by invisibulman on Oct 31, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

In 2009, I wanted Kenny Britt over Hakeem Nicks

In 2010, I wanted Derrick Morgan over Jason Pierre-Paul

I’ve somehow, someway come to terms with our last two draft picks….funny that both went to the Titans haha.

Team Greg Jones
Team Jerry Reese

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by BigBlueIntervention on Oct 29, 2011 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

*Tits

Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows

by Rorschach44 on Oct 30, 2011 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I wanted either of those WRs for the Colts...

Donald Brown. fml.

by invisibulman on Oct 31, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Browns

The 3 wasted 2009 2nd round draft picks thrown away. We passed over Clay Matthews III, Phil Loadholt (Joe Thomas’s bookend), and Rey Maualuga. Instead we took Brian Robiskie (just let go), Massaquoi, Mohamed ( a passable 2-3rd WR), and David Veikune (don’t need to say anymore). Thats just 2 rounds, it just pains me what could have been if Randy Lerner had hired Mike Holmgren to run the team prior to the 2009 draft and season.

Dixon & Minnefield - Enough Said!

by J. W. on Nov 1, 2011 6:35 PM EDT reply actions