In the second of a three-part series, The Canon Review takes a look at the worst draft pick for each year in the 1990s. While teams always hope they have the next superstar coming out of the draft, that's not always going to be the case. For every Kobe Bryant or Dirk Nowitzki, there's a Todd Fuller or a Michael Olawakandi on the draft board, providing nothing but disappointment and grief to their team's fanbase. So, without further aideu, here are the worst NBA draft picks of the 1990s.
1990: Felton Spencer, Center, Minnesota Timberwolves, 6th Pick
Spencer was a teammate of 1989's worst pick, Pervis Ellison, at the University of Louisville. Because of Ellison's presence, Spencer only started one year at Louisville. But the Timberwolves needed a better center than Randy Breuer, so they picked the 7'0" Spencer with their pick. Spencer proved quite early that he wasn't going to be an offensive force, but he did average 7.9 rebounds in his rookie year. However, the Timberwolves weren't satisfied, so they picked Luc Longley the next year. Spencer spent the next two years primarily on the bench for Minnesota, then was traded to the Utah Jazz for Mike Brown.
1991: Doug Smith, Forward, Dallas Mavericks, 6th Pick
Some people might have Billy Owens in this slot, but he did have a few good years in Golden State and Miami, so I'll give him a pass. Instead Smith, a 6'10" inch forward out of Missouri, gets the nod here. Smith held out and didn't sign until just before the 1991 season started, and when he showed up, he was out of shape and struggled most of his rookie year. Smith averaged a career high 10.4 points in 1992-93 for the 12-70 Mavericks, but lost playing time the next year. After the 1995 season, Smith was selected by the Toronto Raptors in the expansion draft, but was released soon after. Smith then signed with the Celtics and played 17 games in 1995-96 before getting released, ending his NBA career.
1992: Todd Day, Guard-Forward, Milwaukee Bucks, 8th Pick
1992 was a rather strong draft, but the Bucks didn't get exactly what they wanted when they picked Day with the 8th pick in the draft. Day, who finished his collegiate career as Arkansas' all time leading scorer, Day got a lot of playing time with the Bucks during his first three seasons and averaged 14.0 points a game, but was an inconsistent shooter, shooting .just over 41 percent from the field during his stay in Milwaukee. So off he went to the Celtics, where Day once held the franchise record for points scored in a quarter. However, he also shot .387 from the field in his two seasons in Boston. Day spent the next few years as a backup for three different NBA teams and then finished his basketball career playing in various locales, including the new ABA and a stint on the Harlem Globetrotters.
1993: Shawn Bradley, Center, Philadelphia 76ers, 2nd Pick
Yes, Bradley played over 800 games and made nearly 70 million dollars during his career (if only I were 7'6"), but his career as a whole came up short. The 76ers decided to make the big man from BYU the centerpiece of their franchise, and picked him over Anfernee Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn. Bradley proved to be an excellent shot blocker, and his 2.5 blocks per game rank ninth in NBA history. However, offensively he was limited at best, and his rebounding was rather lackluster for a man that stands 7'6". In his two plus years in Philly, Bradley averaged 9.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and the Philadelphia fans and press turned on him. Traded to New Jersey, Bradley showed signs of competency, averaging 12.3 points and 8 rebounds a game. That's not great, but the Mavericks were impressed, and sent Jim Jackson, Sam Cassell, and others for a package centered around Bradley. Bradley would spend nine seasons in Dallas, but only averaged double figures in points for the first two seasons, gradually losing playing time and becoming little more than a better version of Jim McLlvaine. Bradley retired in 2005, finishing his career averaging 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds a game, and also leaving behind a legacy of getting dunked on.
1994: Sharone Wright, Forward, Philadelphia 76ers, 6th Pick
Over the years, Clemson has produced some quality power forwards, like Larry Nance and Horace Grant, and Wright was supposed to be the next link in the chain. In his first year in the league, Wright was solid, averaging 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds a game and was named to the All NBA Rookie 2nd Team. The next year, his play seemed to slip, and when Philadelphia decided to start all over, Wright was traded to the Toronto Raptors. Wright finished the 1995-96 season strongly for the Raptors, averaging 16.5 points in 11 games. The next year, Wright spent most of the season as a backup, averaging only 16.8 minutes and 6.5 points per game. During the 1997 offseason, Wright was seriously injured in a car wreck, and was never the same player. After playing seven games with the Raptors in 1998, Wright continued his career in Europe, and is currently a coach for a Dutch team in Amsterdam.
1995: Bryant Reeves, Center, Vancouver Grizzlies, 6th Pick
Reeves, nicknamed Big Country, was the first ever pick of the Vancouver Grizzlies, and the 7'1, 275 lb was positioned to be the franchise player of the expansion Grizzlies. In his first three years, Reeves wasn't great, but he wasn't terrible either, averaging 15.2 points per game. The Grizzlies were encouraged by Reeves' play, so they signed him to a six year, 65 million dollar contract extension. It is contracts like these that is the cause of the upcoming lockout. The only thing that improved after the contract signing was Reeves' waist size, as he got overweight and the Grizzlies saw his ppg average go from 16.3 to 10.8 to 8.9. In 2001, Reeves averaged 8.3 points a game, and chronic back pain forced him to retire in 2002. Meanwhile, Reeves continued to reap the benefits of his contract until 2005, so good for him.
1996: Lorenzen Wright, Center, Los Angeles Clippers, 7th Pick
Wright was a journeyman center who wasn't an awful player, but when you're the seventh player in the draft and picked ahead of Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, you're expected to be a little more than a big man that can provide 15-20 minutes off the bench each night. Coming out of Memphis, Wright was chosen by a Clippers team that needed help at the center position. But Wright wasn't the answer for the Clippers' problems, averaging 7.7. points and 7.4 rebounds during his three years in L.A. The Hawks saw some potential in Wright, so after the 1999 season, they traded two future first round picks for Wright and signed him to a six year, 42 million dollar contract. So imagine my frustration as a Hawks fan when Wright proceeds to average 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds a game next year. Wright improved in 2001 (12.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg), so it was time for the Hawks to make another stupid trade and send Wright along with the pick that would become Pau Gasol for Shareef-Abdur Rahim. Wright spent five seasons playing for his hometown Grizzlies, averaging 9.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in 336 games. After the 2006 season, Wright signed again with the Hawks as a backup center, and was eventually part of the deal that sent Mike Bibby to Atlanta. After 18 games in 2008-09 with the Cavaliers, Wright retired. Sadly, Wright was found dead in July 2010, and the investigation into his murder is still pending.
1997: Antonio Daniels, Guard, Vancouver Grizzlies, 4th Pick
The 1997 Draft was not very good at all, as you had Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Chauncey Billups, and a whole bunch of guys that were either decent or something less than that. Daniels was the fourth pick in this draft out of Bowling Green, and unlike Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury, Daniels actually wanted to play in Vancouver. But after struggling in his rookie season (7.1 ppg, 4.5 apg, .416 field goal percentage), the Grizzlies drafted Mike Bibby the next year and sent Daniels to San Antonio for Carl Herrera and Felipe Lopez. In San Antonio, Daniels developed into a decent role player, but not the star he was projected to become. After three years in San Antonio, Daniels has been a backup in Portland, Seattle, Washington, and New Oreleans, and just this past season, Daniels played four games for the Philadelphia 76ers. While Daniels is a consummate pro, the fact is that he's only had one season where he averaged double figures in points (11.2 with the 2004-05 Supersonics) and his career averages of 7.6 points and 3.4 assists per game are not the marks one hopes for out of a number four pick, hence, his appearance on this list.
1998: Michael Olowokandi, Center, Los Angeles Clippers, 1st Pick
The Clippers could have chosen Mike Bibby, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, or Paul Pierce with the pick. But in true Clippers fashion, they chose Olowokandi, a seven footer from Pacific who didn't start playing organized basketball until he was 17. To say that Olowokandi was raw would be an understatement, but in his first season, he wasn't terrible (8.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.2 bpg). But Olowokandi didn't improve much after his rookie season, and his range was limited (.433 field goal percentage as a Clipper). After a 2002-03 season in which Olowokandi set a career high in ppg (12.3), and rpg (9.1, albeit in 36 games), the Timberwolves signed him as a free agent in the hopes that Olowokandi and Kevin Garnett would make an imposing front line. While Garnett lived up to his end of the bargain, Olowokandi struggled with injury and in his three years in Minnesota, he averaged a mere 6.1 points and 5.8 rebounds a game. After a trade to the Celtics in 2006, Olowokandi would last only one more season before finding himself out of the NBA after the 2006-07 season.
1999: Jonathan Bender, Forward, Toronto Raptors, 5th Pick
The Raptors chose Bender straight out of high school in 1999, but didn't hold on to him long, as they traded him to the Pacers for Antonio Davis on Draft Night. That would prove to be a good decision for the Raptors. The Pacers, a team full of veterans, figured that they could wait a couple of years and allow Bender to develop and adjust to life in the NBA. At the time, it probably seemed like a good idea. But time makes fools of us all and Bender wasn't able to translate his athletic talent into a decent NBA career. He struggled shooting (career .417 field goal percentage) and while he was 6'11", he was too slim to bang with the power forwards of the league. Knee problems started to rob Bender of his elite athleticism, and the Pacers had to call it a day and release Bender at the end of the 2006 season. Remarkably, Bender came back and played for the Knicks in the 2009-10, but wasn't brought back after averaging 4.7 points in 25 games. For his career, Bender finished with averages of 5.5 points and 2.2 rebounds. However, he's only 30, so a comeback is theoretically possible.
Well, thanks for reading The Canon Review's Worst NBA Draft Picks of the 1990s. If you have any thoughts or disagreements about this list, then feel free to share those by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at kthec2001@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label busts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label busts. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, April 19, 2010
Worst NFL Draft Picks: 1990-1999
With the NFL Draft only a few days away, I decided to take a look at the worst pick in each NFL Draft during the 1990s. In each NFL Draft, there always seems to be at least one high draft pick that just doesn't work out, either due to injuries, attitude, legal problems, or some team just simply overrated the talent of their pick. So, without further adieu, here are the worst NFL Draft Picks in the 1990s.
1990: Blair Thomas, New York Jets, RB, 2nd Pick in the Draft
Just like the 1980s, our list starts with a New York Jets draft pick. Thomas was an All-American from Penn State University, rushing for over 1,400 yards his senior season. While Thomas's rookie year went well, averaging 5.0 yards a carry, a combination of fumbles and injuries contributed to Thomas's quick downfall, and he never became the lead running back the Jets expected him to be. After four seasons in New York, Thomas finished his career playing as a backup with the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and Carolina Panthers over the next two years. Now, Thomas and The Canon Review's worst pick for 1984 Kenny Jackson co-own a few sports bars in Pennsylvania.
1991: Bruce Pickens, Atlanta Falcons, CB, 3rd Pick
Bruce Pickens was such a bad pick that nobody seems to remember just how bad of a pick he was. The Falcons expected Pickens to team with Deion Sanders to form an excellent cornerback tandem. Instead, Pickens first engaged in a lengthy holdout, during which he threatened to sue both the Falcons and the NFL. After finally signing, Pickens shows up out of shape, to the point where after the first day of practice, he winds up puking on the sidelines. In three seasons with the Falcons, Pickens winds up only starting eight games and finishes his career with only two interceptions. After being released by the Falcons, Pickens plays a year with the Raiders in 1995 before calling it a career. Just two picks after the Falcons selection, the Rams take cornerback Todd Lyght, who has a solid 11-year career in the NFL.
1992: Steve Emtman, Indianapolis Colts, DT, 1st Pick
The Colts had the first two picks in the 1992 NFL Draft. As it turned out, it was probably the wrong year to hold the first two picks, as this was one of the weakest draft classes of all-time. The Colts picked Emtman with the first pick and LB Quinten Coryatt with the second pick. While Coryatt had a modicum of success, Emtman wasn't on the field enough to be successful. Entman was college football's most dominant player in 1991, winning both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award for College Football's best lineman. He also finished 4th in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, a rarity for a defensive tackle. When Entman was on the field, he played very well. However, he suffered major injuries to both of his knees and his back over the first three years, and was never able to stay healthy throughout his career until he retired in 1997. Too bad, as it would have been very interesting to see what would of happened had Emtman avoided the injury bug.
1993: Rick Mirer, Seattle Seahawks, QB, 2nd Pick
In 1993, there were two quarterbacks at the top of draft, Mirer, from Notre Dame, and Drew Bledsoe from Washington State. The Patriots picked Bledsoe first, leaving the Seahawks with what many experts thought was the next Joe Montana in Rick Mirer. After the 1993 season, it looked as if Mirer was going to be the better player. Unfortunately, Mirer never really got any better, and Bledsoe went on to lead his team to the Super Bowl in 1996, which happened to be Mirer's last year in Seattle. Mirer would play for seven teams over this 12 year career, but he never came close to becoming the next Joe Montana, or even the next Joe Kapp.
1994: Heath Shuler, Washington Redskins, QB, 3rd Pick
The 1994 Redskins had a rookie quarterback that would go on to play 15 years in the NFL. That man was seventh round pick Gus Frerotte, who eventually became the starting quarterback for the Redskins over Shuler. Coming from the University of Tennessee, Shuler finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1993 and looked like the next great quarterback to come to the NFL. Instead, Shuler never spent one full season as a starting quarterback, and finished his career with 33 interceptions and 15 touchdown passes. He spent his final season with the New Orleans Saints in 1997, where he thew a shocking two touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 10 games that year. However, Shuler enjoyed his time in Washington D.C. so much that he decided to pursue his next career there, as a congressman from North Carolina.
1995: Ki-jana Carter, Cincinnati Bengals, RB, 1st Pick
The Bengals traded up from the fifth selection in order to nab Carter, an All-American running back at Penn State who ran for nearly eight yards a carry in his final year in Happy Valley. In his first preseason game, Carter tore his ACL, and missed the 1995 season. After that, Carter was never the same explosive runner he was at Penn State, and spent the majority of his career as a backup. Like Emtman, Carter never really got the chance to prove whether or not he was worth the hype, but sometimes that's how it goes.
1996: Lawrence Phillips, St. Louis Rams, RB, 6th Pick
Normally during this list, I go for the highest pick to never make an impact, and while Cedric Jones was selected a pick ahead of Phillips and is widely considered a bust, I made an exception and went with Mr. Phillips in this case. Lawrence Phillips is one of the worst human beings to ever play professional sports. I suppose he's not worse than OJ or Rae Carruth or Chris Benoit, but other than murderers, Phillips is among the most despicable athletes in the history of sports. Despite character issues, which is another way of saying that he push his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and seems to have a homicidal temper, the Rams selected Phillips with the sixth pick in the draft. To make room for Phillips, the Rams traded a man named Jerome Bettis to the Steelers, who will one day be in the Hall of Fame. While everybody said that Phillips was the most talented player in his draft class, he never translated that talent into NFL success, averaging only 3.4 yards a carry over a three year NFL career. To make matters worse, Phillips could not seem to stay out of trouble. Today, Phillips is serving a 31 year prison sentence for, among other things, choking his girlfriend into unconsciousness and running down three teenagers with a car after a pickup football game.
1997: Tom Knight, Arizona Cardinals, CB, 9th Pick
As bad as Michael Booker was for the Falcons, I must go with Knight because he was selected two picks higher. As I recall, Knight was considered a reach by the Cardinals at the time, but the Cardinals needed a cornerback across Aeneas Wiliiams, so they chose Knight ahead of future Pro Bowlers RB Warrick Dunn and TE Tony Gonzalez. Knight didn't make much of an impact, as he had only three interceptions in a career which lasted six years, five with the Cardinals and one with the Baltimore Ravens. He wasn't as bad as Heath Shuler or Blair Thomas, but Knight failed to deliver what the Cardinals expected from the number nine pick in the draft.
1998: Ryan Leaf, San Diego Chargers, QB, 2nd Pick
There were two quarterbacks at the top of the 1998 Draft. One was Peyton Manning, whose name has become synonymous with excellence. The other was Leaf, whose name has become synonymous with the word bust. Leaf couldn't play, didn't work hard, and generally was a jerk to everyone who came across his way. Needless to say, he wasn't a popular player with his teammates. In three years with the Chargers and Cowboys, Leaf threw for 36 interceptions against 14 touchdowns. His teams would go 4-17 in games he started. Quite frankly, Leaf nearly killed the Chargers franchise, and these days it seems hard to believe that some people thought he was a better pro prospect than Peyton Manning. Today, Leaf is serving 10 years of probation, after being picked up on drug charges.
1999: Akili Smith, Cincinatti Bengals, QB, 3rd Pick
I suppose I should of picked Tim Couch here, as he was the first pick in the draft. However, at least Couch led his team to the playoffs once, and he was more of a victim of other people's stupidity than anything else. Smith, however, did absolutely nothing to justify his high draft selection. Smith had a big arm, but wasn't very accurate and seemed to have trouble reading defenses. Smith completed 46 percent of his career passes, and lasted four season with the Bengals before they decided they would rather have Jon Kitna. Smith bounced around the NFL and CFL before his career ended in 2007.
Well, thanks for reading. Tomorrow I hope to have the worst draft picks for the past ten years. If you have any ideas for future posts, than give them to me, either by leaving a comment or by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com
1990: Blair Thomas, New York Jets, RB, 2nd Pick in the Draft
Just like the 1980s, our list starts with a New York Jets draft pick. Thomas was an All-American from Penn State University, rushing for over 1,400 yards his senior season. While Thomas's rookie year went well, averaging 5.0 yards a carry, a combination of fumbles and injuries contributed to Thomas's quick downfall, and he never became the lead running back the Jets expected him to be. After four seasons in New York, Thomas finished his career playing as a backup with the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and Carolina Panthers over the next two years. Now, Thomas and The Canon Review's worst pick for 1984 Kenny Jackson co-own a few sports bars in Pennsylvania.
1991: Bruce Pickens, Atlanta Falcons, CB, 3rd Pick
Bruce Pickens was such a bad pick that nobody seems to remember just how bad of a pick he was. The Falcons expected Pickens to team with Deion Sanders to form an excellent cornerback tandem. Instead, Pickens first engaged in a lengthy holdout, during which he threatened to sue both the Falcons and the NFL. After finally signing, Pickens shows up out of shape, to the point where after the first day of practice, he winds up puking on the sidelines. In three seasons with the Falcons, Pickens winds up only starting eight games and finishes his career with only two interceptions. After being released by the Falcons, Pickens plays a year with the Raiders in 1995 before calling it a career. Just two picks after the Falcons selection, the Rams take cornerback Todd Lyght, who has a solid 11-year career in the NFL.
1992: Steve Emtman, Indianapolis Colts, DT, 1st Pick
The Colts had the first two picks in the 1992 NFL Draft. As it turned out, it was probably the wrong year to hold the first two picks, as this was one of the weakest draft classes of all-time. The Colts picked Emtman with the first pick and LB Quinten Coryatt with the second pick. While Coryatt had a modicum of success, Emtman wasn't on the field enough to be successful. Entman was college football's most dominant player in 1991, winning both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award for College Football's best lineman. He also finished 4th in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, a rarity for a defensive tackle. When Entman was on the field, he played very well. However, he suffered major injuries to both of his knees and his back over the first three years, and was never able to stay healthy throughout his career until he retired in 1997. Too bad, as it would have been very interesting to see what would of happened had Emtman avoided the injury bug.
1993: Rick Mirer, Seattle Seahawks, QB, 2nd Pick
In 1993, there were two quarterbacks at the top of draft, Mirer, from Notre Dame, and Drew Bledsoe from Washington State. The Patriots picked Bledsoe first, leaving the Seahawks with what many experts thought was the next Joe Montana in Rick Mirer. After the 1993 season, it looked as if Mirer was going to be the better player. Unfortunately, Mirer never really got any better, and Bledsoe went on to lead his team to the Super Bowl in 1996, which happened to be Mirer's last year in Seattle. Mirer would play for seven teams over this 12 year career, but he never came close to becoming the next Joe Montana, or even the next Joe Kapp.
1994: Heath Shuler, Washington Redskins, QB, 3rd Pick
The 1994 Redskins had a rookie quarterback that would go on to play 15 years in the NFL. That man was seventh round pick Gus Frerotte, who eventually became the starting quarterback for the Redskins over Shuler. Coming from the University of Tennessee, Shuler finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1993 and looked like the next great quarterback to come to the NFL. Instead, Shuler never spent one full season as a starting quarterback, and finished his career with 33 interceptions and 15 touchdown passes. He spent his final season with the New Orleans Saints in 1997, where he thew a shocking two touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 10 games that year. However, Shuler enjoyed his time in Washington D.C. so much that he decided to pursue his next career there, as a congressman from North Carolina.
1995: Ki-jana Carter, Cincinnati Bengals, RB, 1st Pick
The Bengals traded up from the fifth selection in order to nab Carter, an All-American running back at Penn State who ran for nearly eight yards a carry in his final year in Happy Valley. In his first preseason game, Carter tore his ACL, and missed the 1995 season. After that, Carter was never the same explosive runner he was at Penn State, and spent the majority of his career as a backup. Like Emtman, Carter never really got the chance to prove whether or not he was worth the hype, but sometimes that's how it goes.
1996: Lawrence Phillips, St. Louis Rams, RB, 6th Pick
Normally during this list, I go for the highest pick to never make an impact, and while Cedric Jones was selected a pick ahead of Phillips and is widely considered a bust, I made an exception and went with Mr. Phillips in this case. Lawrence Phillips is one of the worst human beings to ever play professional sports. I suppose he's not worse than OJ or Rae Carruth or Chris Benoit, but other than murderers, Phillips is among the most despicable athletes in the history of sports. Despite character issues, which is another way of saying that he push his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and seems to have a homicidal temper, the Rams selected Phillips with the sixth pick in the draft. To make room for Phillips, the Rams traded a man named Jerome Bettis to the Steelers, who will one day be in the Hall of Fame. While everybody said that Phillips was the most talented player in his draft class, he never translated that talent into NFL success, averaging only 3.4 yards a carry over a three year NFL career. To make matters worse, Phillips could not seem to stay out of trouble. Today, Phillips is serving a 31 year prison sentence for, among other things, choking his girlfriend into unconsciousness and running down three teenagers with a car after a pickup football game.
1997: Tom Knight, Arizona Cardinals, CB, 9th Pick
As bad as Michael Booker was for the Falcons, I must go with Knight because he was selected two picks higher. As I recall, Knight was considered a reach by the Cardinals at the time, but the Cardinals needed a cornerback across Aeneas Wiliiams, so they chose Knight ahead of future Pro Bowlers RB Warrick Dunn and TE Tony Gonzalez. Knight didn't make much of an impact, as he had only three interceptions in a career which lasted six years, five with the Cardinals and one with the Baltimore Ravens. He wasn't as bad as Heath Shuler or Blair Thomas, but Knight failed to deliver what the Cardinals expected from the number nine pick in the draft.
1998: Ryan Leaf, San Diego Chargers, QB, 2nd Pick
There were two quarterbacks at the top of the 1998 Draft. One was Peyton Manning, whose name has become synonymous with excellence. The other was Leaf, whose name has become synonymous with the word bust. Leaf couldn't play, didn't work hard, and generally was a jerk to everyone who came across his way. Needless to say, he wasn't a popular player with his teammates. In three years with the Chargers and Cowboys, Leaf threw for 36 interceptions against 14 touchdowns. His teams would go 4-17 in games he started. Quite frankly, Leaf nearly killed the Chargers franchise, and these days it seems hard to believe that some people thought he was a better pro prospect than Peyton Manning. Today, Leaf is serving 10 years of probation, after being picked up on drug charges.
1999: Akili Smith, Cincinatti Bengals, QB, 3rd Pick
I suppose I should of picked Tim Couch here, as he was the first pick in the draft. However, at least Couch led his team to the playoffs once, and he was more of a victim of other people's stupidity than anything else. Smith, however, did absolutely nothing to justify his high draft selection. Smith had a big arm, but wasn't very accurate and seemed to have trouble reading defenses. Smith completed 46 percent of his career passes, and lasted four season with the Bengals before they decided they would rather have Jon Kitna. Smith bounced around the NFL and CFL before his career ended in 2007.
Well, thanks for reading. Tomorrow I hope to have the worst draft picks for the past ten years. If you have any ideas for future posts, than give them to me, either by leaving a comment or by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com
Monday, April 12, 2010
Worst NFL Draft Picks: 1980-1989
The NFL Draft is only two weeks away. Each year, millions of NFL fans watch the draft, hoping their team can either pick the player that will finally turn their team around, or pick up the missing piece they need to win the Super Bowl. But the draft is a high-risk game of chance, as for every superstar like Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders, and Adrian Peterson, there's also going to be players like Ryan Leaf and Tony Mandarich that fail to meet expectations. Sometimes it's due to injury, other times it's due to a lack of commitment on the player's part, but mostly it's based on a team's management greatly overrating a player's ability to step up and adapt to the NFL. Whatever the reason, there is always going to be NFL Draft Busts, and here is The Canon Review's biggest draft busts for each year in the 1980s.
1980 - Johnny "Lam" Jones, WR, NY Jets, 2nd pick in the Draft
The Jets were looking for a game-changing player in the 1980 Draft, and thought they landed one in Jones, an All-American at Texas who also won the Olympic Gold Medal as part of the 1976 U.S. 4x100 relay team. While Jones was definitely one of the fastest players in the NFL, he didn't have any other skills beside speed. He couldn't catch the ball very well, which is only the most important skill for a wide receiver, and his route running was questionable at best. Basically, the only thing the Jets could do with him was run him down the sideline on a deep route and hope he catches the ball. After five frustrating years, the Jets finally let go of Jones before the 1985 season. To make matters worse, with the next pick in the draft, the Cincinnati Bengals picked OT Anthony Munoz, who went on to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is considered one of the best offensive lineman ever.
1981 - Rich Campbell, QB, Green Bay Packers, 6th Pick
Campbell is a man that is largely forgotten, and for good reason. An All-American at the University of California, the Packers chose Campbell to be the quarterback of the future and lead them back into the playoffs. However, in four years with the Packers, Campbell never even started a game for the team, as he couldn't beat Lynn Dickey for the starting role. Campbell only threw 68 career passes before the Packers let him go. Just two picks later, the 49ers picked a defensive back by the name of Ronnie Lott, only one of the best defensive players to play football. I'm almost positive that the woebegone Packers of the 1980s could have used Ronnie Lott.
1982 - Kenneth Sims, DE, New England Patriots, 1st Pick
1982 was not the NFL's strongest draft, as there were a lot of candidates for worst pick to choose pick. However, I decided to start with the top pick and went with Kenneth Sims, a University of Texas product who, while he lasted eight years with the Patriots, never met expectations and was really an average player at best. Sims was plagued by injury, playing only a full season once, and was often criticized for his poor conditioning and practice habits. After being arrested for possession of cocaine in June of 1990, the Patriots released Sims, and he never played another down of NFL football.
1983 - Todd Blackledge, QB, Kansas City Chiefs, 7th Pick
Blackledge had just come off leading his Penn State Nittany Lions to the national title, and in 1982, won the Davey O'Brien Award for being the best quarterback in the nation, over future legends like John Elway, Dan Marino, and Steve Young. Needless to say, the Chiefs felt they had a star in the making when they picked Blackledge seventh overall, ahead of both Marino and Jim Kelly, who both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Blackledge, meanwhile, is not. In seven seasons with the Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, Blackledge threw for more interceptions than touchdowns and completed less than 50 percent of his passes. Today, Blackledge is a college football analyst for ESPN, where he is a lot better than he was as an NFL Quarterback.
1984 - Kenny Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 4th Pick
This was probably the worst first round of the 1980s, as due to the USFL signing up a lot of the top rookies, the talent pool in the NFL Draft was a lot shallower than usual. Jackson, interestingly enough, was Blackledge's top target at Penn State, and was a two time All-American during his collegiate career. The Eagles, looking for another deep threat for Ron Jaworski, took the local kid Jackson. Like Johnny Lam Jones, Jackson had good speed, but that was about it, as he never caught more than 40 balls in a season and was released a few years later. He spent the next few years with Houston and back in Philadelphia, but mainly as a special teams gunner. Jackson now is a broadcaster and a restaurant owner, so at least he's had some success after college.
1985 - Kevin Allen, OT, Philadelphia Eagles, 9th Pick
The Eagles make their second straight appearance on this list, and nearly made a third because their 1983 first rounder, RB Michael Haddix, wasn't very good either. Allen was selected to help protect QB Ron Jaworski from pass rushers like Lawrence Taylor. Allen was described by coach Buddy Ryan as "a good football player ... if you want someone to stand around and kill the grass". Not only did he suck at football, Allen tested positive for cocaine in 1986, and then was charged and convicted of sexual assault, serving three years in prison. For the record, Kevin Allen only played one season, and wasn't very good either, which is exactly the opposite of what you expect from your first round selection. To make matters worse, future All-Pro tackle Jim Lachey was taken only three picks, and seven picks later, a guy by the name of Jerry Rice was selected.
1986 - Anthony Bell, LB, St. Louis (now Arizona) Cardinals, 5th Pick
The Cardinals were in need of a spark on the defensive side of the ball, and thought they found one in Bell. Why they felt that way is a mystery to most people, as Bell didn't even make his All-Conference team his senior year. Bell spent five years with the Cardinals, and although he started for four of them, he hardly ever made a big play and never started another NFL game after leaving the Cardinals in 1990. If the Cardinals really wanted an impact player, they should have taken Leslie O'neal, who had 12.5 sacks as a rookie and 132.5 career quarterback sacks.
1987 - Alonzo Highsmith, RB, Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) 3rd Pick
1987 offered a lot of possible choices for this spot, but ultimately I went with the highest pick in Highsmith. Highsmith was the main ballcarrier for the Miami Hurricanes back when they were dominating college football. A large power back with some speed, Highsmith looked as if he could become one of the best running backs in the NFL, and he very well could have, except for the fact that he hurt his knee. After his knee injury, Highsmith was not the same player he once was, and retired after the 1993 season. He later became a professional boxer, compiling a career record of 27-1-2. Today Highsmith scouts potential draft picks for the Green Bay Packers.
1988 - Aundray Bruce, LB-DE, Atlanta Falcons, 1st Pick
It was only a matter of time before the Falcons made this list. In 1988, the Falcons picked Bruce over future All-Pros like wide receivers Michael Irvin, Sterling Sharpe and Tim Brown, defensive end Neil Smith, and safety Bennie Blades, believing that Bruce would become the next Lawrence Taylor. Instead, Bruce often played like James Taylor. Bruce was blessed with exceptional speed and a 6'5" 245 lb pound frame, and was a heck of an athlete. Unfortunately, he became more known for his partying exploits off the field than anything he did on the field, and would oftentimes make a dumb play due to his lack of preperation and understanding of the team's defensive scheme. The Falcons did not do any favors to Bruce, as they kept changing his role, the defensive formation, and even tried to make him a tight end. Finally, after the 1991 season, the Falcons released Bruce, and he signed with the Raiders, where he became a solid backup at defensive end for a number of years, but never came close to meeting the expectations of being the next LT.
1989 - Tony Mandarich, OT, Green Bay Packers, 2nd Pick
The first five selections in the 1989 Draft were Troy Aikman, Mandarich, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders. Three of those men are in the Hall of Fame, and Deion will be once he becomes eligible, the fifth man is Mandarich. Mandarich was deemed the best offensive line prospect of all-time by Sports Illustrated, and was thought of as a can't-miss prospect. Mandarich ended up missing, all right. While Mandarich was as strong as an ox and built like Brock Lesnar, he also had the mobility of a phone booth and therefore, was not able to handle speedy pass rushers. He also used steroids and had a substance abuse problem, so it was small wonder that the Packers released Mandarich after only three seasons. After a brief stint in the Canadian Football League, Mandarich came back to the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent a couple of season as a starting guard for the team, and by most reports, did all right for himself, but never became the super dominant lineman that he and many others thought he would.
Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any ideas for future posts on The Canon Review, than let me know either by leaving a comment or e-mailing me at KtheC2001@gmail.com. Here are a few videos of these men, in case you wanted to watch them.
1980 - Johnny "Lam" Jones, WR, NY Jets, 2nd pick in the Draft
The Jets were looking for a game-changing player in the 1980 Draft, and thought they landed one in Jones, an All-American at Texas who also won the Olympic Gold Medal as part of the 1976 U.S. 4x100 relay team. While Jones was definitely one of the fastest players in the NFL, he didn't have any other skills beside speed. He couldn't catch the ball very well, which is only the most important skill for a wide receiver, and his route running was questionable at best. Basically, the only thing the Jets could do with him was run him down the sideline on a deep route and hope he catches the ball. After five frustrating years, the Jets finally let go of Jones before the 1985 season. To make matters worse, with the next pick in the draft, the Cincinnati Bengals picked OT Anthony Munoz, who went on to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is considered one of the best offensive lineman ever.
1981 - Rich Campbell, QB, Green Bay Packers, 6th Pick
Campbell is a man that is largely forgotten, and for good reason. An All-American at the University of California, the Packers chose Campbell to be the quarterback of the future and lead them back into the playoffs. However, in four years with the Packers, Campbell never even started a game for the team, as he couldn't beat Lynn Dickey for the starting role. Campbell only threw 68 career passes before the Packers let him go. Just two picks later, the 49ers picked a defensive back by the name of Ronnie Lott, only one of the best defensive players to play football. I'm almost positive that the woebegone Packers of the 1980s could have used Ronnie Lott.
1982 - Kenneth Sims, DE, New England Patriots, 1st Pick
1982 was not the NFL's strongest draft, as there were a lot of candidates for worst pick to choose pick. However, I decided to start with the top pick and went with Kenneth Sims, a University of Texas product who, while he lasted eight years with the Patriots, never met expectations and was really an average player at best. Sims was plagued by injury, playing only a full season once, and was often criticized for his poor conditioning and practice habits. After being arrested for possession of cocaine in June of 1990, the Patriots released Sims, and he never played another down of NFL football.
1983 - Todd Blackledge, QB, Kansas City Chiefs, 7th Pick
Blackledge had just come off leading his Penn State Nittany Lions to the national title, and in 1982, won the Davey O'Brien Award for being the best quarterback in the nation, over future legends like John Elway, Dan Marino, and Steve Young. Needless to say, the Chiefs felt they had a star in the making when they picked Blackledge seventh overall, ahead of both Marino and Jim Kelly, who both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Blackledge, meanwhile, is not. In seven seasons with the Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, Blackledge threw for more interceptions than touchdowns and completed less than 50 percent of his passes. Today, Blackledge is a college football analyst for ESPN, where he is a lot better than he was as an NFL Quarterback.
1984 - Kenny Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 4th Pick
This was probably the worst first round of the 1980s, as due to the USFL signing up a lot of the top rookies, the talent pool in the NFL Draft was a lot shallower than usual. Jackson, interestingly enough, was Blackledge's top target at Penn State, and was a two time All-American during his collegiate career. The Eagles, looking for another deep threat for Ron Jaworski, took the local kid Jackson. Like Johnny Lam Jones, Jackson had good speed, but that was about it, as he never caught more than 40 balls in a season and was released a few years later. He spent the next few years with Houston and back in Philadelphia, but mainly as a special teams gunner. Jackson now is a broadcaster and a restaurant owner, so at least he's had some success after college.
1985 - Kevin Allen, OT, Philadelphia Eagles, 9th Pick
The Eagles make their second straight appearance on this list, and nearly made a third because their 1983 first rounder, RB Michael Haddix, wasn't very good either. Allen was selected to help protect QB Ron Jaworski from pass rushers like Lawrence Taylor. Allen was described by coach Buddy Ryan as "a good football player ... if you want someone to stand around and kill the grass". Not only did he suck at football, Allen tested positive for cocaine in 1986, and then was charged and convicted of sexual assault, serving three years in prison. For the record, Kevin Allen only played one season, and wasn't very good either, which is exactly the opposite of what you expect from your first round selection. To make matters worse, future All-Pro tackle Jim Lachey was taken only three picks, and seven picks later, a guy by the name of Jerry Rice was selected.
1986 - Anthony Bell, LB, St. Louis (now Arizona) Cardinals, 5th Pick
The Cardinals were in need of a spark on the defensive side of the ball, and thought they found one in Bell. Why they felt that way is a mystery to most people, as Bell didn't even make his All-Conference team his senior year. Bell spent five years with the Cardinals, and although he started for four of them, he hardly ever made a big play and never started another NFL game after leaving the Cardinals in 1990. If the Cardinals really wanted an impact player, they should have taken Leslie O'neal, who had 12.5 sacks as a rookie and 132.5 career quarterback sacks.
1987 - Alonzo Highsmith, RB, Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) 3rd Pick
1987 offered a lot of possible choices for this spot, but ultimately I went with the highest pick in Highsmith. Highsmith was the main ballcarrier for the Miami Hurricanes back when they were dominating college football. A large power back with some speed, Highsmith looked as if he could become one of the best running backs in the NFL, and he very well could have, except for the fact that he hurt his knee. After his knee injury, Highsmith was not the same player he once was, and retired after the 1993 season. He later became a professional boxer, compiling a career record of 27-1-2. Today Highsmith scouts potential draft picks for the Green Bay Packers.
1988 - Aundray Bruce, LB-DE, Atlanta Falcons, 1st Pick
It was only a matter of time before the Falcons made this list. In 1988, the Falcons picked Bruce over future All-Pros like wide receivers Michael Irvin, Sterling Sharpe and Tim Brown, defensive end Neil Smith, and safety Bennie Blades, believing that Bruce would become the next Lawrence Taylor. Instead, Bruce often played like James Taylor. Bruce was blessed with exceptional speed and a 6'5" 245 lb pound frame, and was a heck of an athlete. Unfortunately, he became more known for his partying exploits off the field than anything he did on the field, and would oftentimes make a dumb play due to his lack of preperation and understanding of the team's defensive scheme. The Falcons did not do any favors to Bruce, as they kept changing his role, the defensive formation, and even tried to make him a tight end. Finally, after the 1991 season, the Falcons released Bruce, and he signed with the Raiders, where he became a solid backup at defensive end for a number of years, but never came close to meeting the expectations of being the next LT.
1989 - Tony Mandarich, OT, Green Bay Packers, 2nd Pick
The first five selections in the 1989 Draft were Troy Aikman, Mandarich, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders. Three of those men are in the Hall of Fame, and Deion will be once he becomes eligible, the fifth man is Mandarich. Mandarich was deemed the best offensive line prospect of all-time by Sports Illustrated, and was thought of as a can't-miss prospect. Mandarich ended up missing, all right. While Mandarich was as strong as an ox and built like Brock Lesnar, he also had the mobility of a phone booth and therefore, was not able to handle speedy pass rushers. He also used steroids and had a substance abuse problem, so it was small wonder that the Packers released Mandarich after only three seasons. After a brief stint in the Canadian Football League, Mandarich came back to the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent a couple of season as a starting guard for the team, and by most reports, did all right for himself, but never became the super dominant lineman that he and many others thought he would.
Well, thanks for reading, and if you have any ideas for future posts on The Canon Review, than let me know either by leaving a comment or e-mailing me at KtheC2001@gmail.com. Here are a few videos of these men, in case you wanted to watch them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)