Earlier this week, we went through the top half of the first round of the 2005 draft and declared whether each player was a bust or not a bust. The full list, including the back half, appears below.
1. Alex Smith, quarterback, 49ers: When the first overall pick is competing three years later with Shaun Hill and J.T. O’Sullivan for the starting job, that’s by definition a BUST.
2. Ronnie Brown, running back, Dolphins: After a so-so first year, Brown has been solid. A torn ACL derailed his opportunity to have a strong third year. Though he hasn’t lived up to the billing of the No. 2 overall pick, we’re not yet ready to call him a bust. (But we could be after 2008.)
3. Braylon Edwards, receiver, Browns: Edward is becoming one of the best receivers in the league. Clearly, not a bust.
4. Cedric Benson, running back, Bears: He’s been a disappointment on the field, and his arrest conjures memories of past incidents in college. Without question, he’s a BUST.
5. Cadillac Williams, running back, Buccaneers: Williams made a huge splash as a rookie, but can’t stay healthy. After rupturing a patellar tendon in 2007, he might not play again. If he does, he might never be the same. Based on his top-five selection, he’s a BUST.
6. Pacman Jones, cornerback, Titans: Do we even have to type the word?
7. Troy Williamson, receiver, Vikings: We once tried to throw Williamson a compliment, but he dropped that, too. BUST.
8. Antrel Rolle, cornerback, Cardinals: When a cornerback might be shifted to safety at only age 25, it’s not because he’s a great cornerback. BUST.
9. Carlos Rogers, cornerback, Redskins: He’s on the path to being declared a bust. We’ll give him one more year.
10. Mike Williams, receiver, Lions: Maybe he wouldn’t have been a BUST if the Lions had made him an offensive lineman.
11. DeMarcus Ware, linebacker, Cowboys: A 2006 Pro Bowl + a 2007 Pro Bowl = not a bust.
12. Shawne Merriman, linebacker, Chargers: He could still be a bust if he gets suspended again for steroids (or blown up on a regular basis by a pint-sized running back); for now, though, Merriman is clearly not a bust.
13. Jammal Brown, tackle, Saints: The Pro Bowler in 2006 slipped a bit last year, and the Saints were rumored to be shopping him. Still, he’s not a bust.
14. Thomas Davis, safety/linebacker, Panthers: He’s not spectacular, but he started 16 games in 2007. Not a bust.
15. Derrick Johnson, linebacker, Chiefs: Johnson made a splash as a rookie and hasn’t taken it quite to the next level in two years since, but he’s not a bust.
16. Travis Johnson, defensive tackle, Texans: When the biggest hit of your career is one that you unknowingly put on a quarterback’s head with your knee, you might be a redneck. And a BUST.
17. David Pollack, linebacker, Bengals: Though he was on his way to becoming a great player, a neck injury ended his career early in his second season. Unfortunately, he must be declared a BUST.
18. Erasmus James, defensive end, Vikings: Knee problems have slowed his development, but barring injury to Jared Allen and Ray Edwards (and maybe Brian Robison), James won’t be a starter in his fourth season. BUST.
19. Alex Barron, offensive tackle, Rams: The Rams wouldn’t have been dreaming of Jake Long sliding to No. 2 if they thought that Barron was the long-term solution on the left side, or the right. BUST.
20. Marcus Spears, defensive end, Cowboys: Yeah, he has been a three-year starter. But he was rumored to be on the trading block earlier this year, and his impact hasn’t reflected his stature as one of the top 20 players in the draft. BUST.
21. Matt Jones, receiver, Jaguars: This much-hyped quarterback-turned-receiver isn’t very good, and doesn’t seem to care. The Jags would have been wise to let him play quarterback — for another team. BUST.
22. Mark Clayton, receiver, Ravens: The thinking in NFL circles is that a player destined to be a high-end receiver performs like one by his third NFL season. For his third season, Clayton had 49 catches for 531 yards, and no touchdowns. BUST.
23. Fabian Washington, cornerback, Raiders: Being traded for a fourth-round pick after only three seasons automatically qualifies him for BUST status.
24. Aaron Rodgers, quarterback, Packers: He has looked good when he’s gotten a chance to play, but the jury is out on whether he’s a bust. Get back to us in a year.
25. Jason Campbell, quarterback, Redskins: Campbell is on his way to becoming a solid starter, and could evolve into one of the better signal-callers in the conference. Not a bust.
26. Chris Spencer, center, Seahawks: If he’d been taken higher, Spencer might qualify for strong consideration as a bust. But he started every game in 2007, and the Seahawks have gotten decent value out of him. Close, but not a bust.
27. Roddy White, receiver, Falcons: White was on his way to being a bust after his first two years. He broke out in 2007, which coincidentally was his first season without catching one-hoppers from Mike Vick. Not a bust.
28. Luis Castillo, defensive tackle, Chargers: Solid defensive linemen despite some injuries. Not a bust.
29. Marlin Jackson, defensive back, Colts: Steady but unspectacular Tampa Two corner. He might be another Jason David in a defense that requires him to cover wideouts down the field. But his performance allowed the Colts let guys like David walk away. Not a bust.
30. Heath Miller, tight end, Virginia: The Steelers arguably reached on a guy who wasn’t healthy in the months leading up to the draft. They ended up with a solid tight end. Not a bust.
31. Mike Patterson, defensive tackle, Eagles: The Philly chapter of PFT Planet will revolt if we were to call Patterson a bust. Not a bust.
32. Logan Mankins, offensive lineman, Patriots: Solid contributor on the offensive line. Besides, we can’t call anyone who paid $7,500 for the privilege of punching a guy in the crotch a bust.
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May 8th, 2008 at 12:15 am
I don’t think Fabian Washington is truly a bust…Oakland is where talent goes to die. And with an inconsistent pass rush and Nnamdi Asomugha on the other side of the field, you’re going to be picked on.
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May 8th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Alex Smith is not a bust, f–k Florio
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May 8th, 2008 at 2:01 am
By my count, that’s 9 busts. Benson, Cadillac, Adam Jones, Williamson, Mike Williams, David Pollack, Erasmus James, Matt Jones, and Fabian Washington, By busts, meaning guys that are not starting material or are out of the league for whatever reason. Your standards are way too harsh. Solid starters are not busts. Non-starter major contributors are not busts outside the top 10-15. Although Rolle has not lived up to expectations, if he’s still starting (at safety or whatever) this year, he’s NOT a bust.
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May 8th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Mike…
This whole ‘Mike Patterson’ thing really needs to stop.
As a Philly fan, we’re probably the most brutal in the country. We expect nothing short of perfection. Indeed, we hold our athletes to the highest scrutiny possible. With Patterson, I can’t believe WE LIKE HIM and you don’t. Patterson passes our test.
He’s a dominant force at DT and we’re very happy. Why you keep saying he’s a “bust”, by implication or otherwise, is weird. He’s far from a “bust.”
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May 8th, 2008 at 2:06 am
Cadillac is definitely a bust as of now. He still has a chance to redeem himself though.
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May 8th, 2008 at 2:31 am
I dont know whether I should cry at how bad that draft seemed to be for the Vikings, or laugh my @ss off at how funny the Williamson remark was……..
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May 8th, 2008 at 2:55 am
you call david pollack a bust because of a neck injury,,you put it mildly like a strain or something,,dude broke his neck man ain’t like a knee injury or a hammy ,,it was a broken neck man half inch from being paralyzed ,,yea i think i’d retire too,,not one dr would go on record as to say he would be ok to return to football,,,but you lawyers would be lineing up f one of them did and he was seriusly hurt again,
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May 8th, 2008 at 3:04 am
Florio,
Again I know it must be hard for you to give ANY respect to the Eagles like EVERYONE else in the country, but you need to stop with the jabs at Patterson. First hes a “bust” which hours later YOU admitted that was wrong, NOW your saying hes not a bust due to how the “Philly Chapter” would respond. First make up your mind. Second your a lawyer, your supposed to be half decently smart, and no matter how much youd love more negative things to say about Philly, AGAIN calling PATTERSON who has started since his roookie season and is one of the best young DT’s in the league and on the verge of a Pro Bowl, is just completely RIDICULOUS…and your “Huge Philly Chapter” is shrinking by the ARTICLE becuase your ruining any credibility you had with us, for the CONSTANT jabs at Philly. I mean this is just getting ridiculous dude, get over it.
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May 8th, 2008 at 3:07 am
oh yea i almost forgot david pollack spent about 8 months with a halo screwed into his head were he could not even lay down to sleep had to sleep in a chair,,,so i call objection to you lawyers,,and you should rethink your bust category,,when the cut man on 1530 homer heres what you guys said,,oh baby you better be able to defend yourselves under his cross examination,,,,,who dey
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May 8th, 2008 at 5:34 am
but Patterson was BUSTED!
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May 8th, 2008 at 6:15 am
It’s interesting that the end of the first round had a much higher rate of non-busts (almost all of them) than the beginning. If this is trend is more than just an anomaly in 2005, it should change the draft value of the later picks by increasing the odds that the high priced top ten pick is going to be an expensive piece of crap.
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May 8th, 2008 at 6:25 am
hmmm…seems all early picks were busts…
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May 8th, 2008 at 6:44 am
I hate the Bengals, but I don’t agree with calling David Pollack a bust. Just because his career was cut short by injury doesn’t make him a draft bust. Maybe it’s just my definition, but I see a bust as someone who actually plays on the field and isn’t good enough to justify a high draft pick (whether it’s his fault or not is another debate). If you’re grading Pass and Fail after 3 years, he’s just stuck with an Incomplete.
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May 8th, 2008 at 6:53 am
I think Marcus Spears shouldn’t be considered a bust. He is in a 3-4 scheme and the DE’s aren’t really glorified in that defensive scheme very often. He is pretty solid against the run.
I think if Dallas ran a defensive scheme where it had Spears out on the edge with 4 down-linemen then he would probably be a bit better suited for that.
Mark Clayton for the Ravens is definitely teetering on the brink of being a bust, however I don’t think you can truly consider him a bust just yet considering how anemic the Raven’s offense was last year. Demetrius Williams, Todd Heap, McNair…they all had terrible seasons last year. The only reason Mason didn’t have a terrible season was because he is a master at the 8-10 yard route.
Clayton isn’t a burner and is more of a route-running WR, so I think with Cam’s tutelage and offensive system Clayton can become a much more solid producer.
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May 8th, 2008 at 7:21 am
You’re such a D Florio. I guess the only resason Patterson is not a bust is because you would piss off your fans by calling him one. All you did was suggest the possibility of bust status and you got blasted post after post, page after page.
Actually, he is not a bust because he is a solid starter that has played every game since his rookie year. Last year his numbers were on par with the probowl DTs
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May 8th, 2008 at 7:49 am
MIBucs1982,
Which NFL analysts were saying Carnell “I don’t deserve a flashy nickname” Williams was having a great year? He got benched last season BEFORE he got hurt. He was averaging 3.8 yards per carry while all the other backs were averaging well over 4.0 at the time. He caught 3 passes out of the 6 that hit him in the hands, he fumbled… how many times? And that was in his first 3 games, thankfully the Bucs had Earnest Graham ready to show Carnell how a real RB is supposed to run.
Carnell Williams won his rookie of the year award based on the first 3 games of his career, those were great games, his shoes were sent to the Hall-of-Fame. Too bad that wasn’t the only thing sent to Canton because it seems that along with the shoes, Carnell apparently sent his heart and his hands because for the past 3 seasons (minus the first 3 games of 2005) he has been a HUGE bust.
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May 8th, 2008 at 8:50 am
COMMENT SUMMARY for the lazy.
Florio your a genius. The assessment of my favorite team’s draft pick was spot on. Thanks.
Florio your an idiot. The assessment of my favorite team’s draft pick was totally wrong. Thanks for nothing.
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May 8th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I’m a Bucs fan…and Caddillac is a bust for a number 5 overall pick…The injuries didn’t help, but if he was 100% healthy, he’d still be Earnest Graham’s backup. If you aren’t starting three years down the road, that would qualify you as a bust.
Somebody said Logan Mankins was the best LG in the game last year? Have you ever heard of a guy named Steve Hutchinson? Mankins couldn’t hold his jock.
Jason Campbell has shown much more promise to become a top quarterback than Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers…so how somebody thinks he is between the two is beyond me. Rodgers has never started a game.
The only “BUST” I would have an argument with is Mark Clayton…he could use a half decent quarterback throwing him the ball…If Flacco can play in the NFL, Clayton could become a great receiver similar to Santana Moss in my opinion.
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May 8th, 2008 at 9:10 am
“Who Dey”…if you’re not starting 3 years after you’re a first round draft pick…then you’re a bust…What happened to Pollack is unfortunate, but it qualifies him as a bust. Nobody said he was a bad player, but looking at it now, a waste of a first round pick. Besides…don’t you have bigger problems to worry about…you’re user name is “who dey”.
And the Philly fans…stop bashing Florio…he isn’t reading any of your damn posts so whats the point, communicate with the other posters, not the writer. Besides, it’s just his opinion, you decide whether you use you’re time to read it.
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May 8th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Thank you for reminding me that the Vikings had 2 top 15 picks that year and neither of them are worth a used condom and a pack of newports.
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May 8th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Brian,
Check Alex Smith’s stats from 2006, the last year he started all 16 games.
Notice that his numbers in almost every category are neck and neck with Campbell’s? And that’s with less talent surrounding him, across the board.
49’s don’t have a: Chris Cooley, Randle El, Santana Moss, Sean Taylor, Shawn Springs, or a Laron Landry (good defensive players get your offense back on the field while they are still playing in a rhythm).
You can’t have it both ways with each player having a season of almost indentical numbers. Either they both suck, they are both great, or they are both mediocre. Based on the numbers they have shown, I’d put them both in the mediocre or unproven column. There’s no way you can seriously conject that either one is on their way to becoming as good as
(in no particular order) McNabb, Garcia, Romo, Hasselback, or Bulger based upon what they’ve shown this far.
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May 8th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Whoa… Mike Patterson even maybe being a bust is crazy. In my mind he is a steal late in the first round. By the time he is done he will be an All-Pro type player
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May 8th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Bottom line is… there are not 32 future Pro-Bowlers in every draft, much less the first round.
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May 8th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
The skins made it to the playoffs last season because Jason Campbell was injured. When he was healthy in time for the playoffs the team opted to stay with Todd Collins. Now you feel he will become one of the best QB’s in the NFC? Just another case of Mike Florio being a homer.
Wow 12 touchdowns last season what a stud!
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May 8th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
How can a guy who suffered a severe injury (something out of his control) be considered a bust?
I completely agree with captainwoj. A bust is someone who has shown that he is not as good, on the field, as his draft position would suggest. Though, I would add to that a turd, who’s conduct off the field renders meaningless, an ability on it (e.g. Pacman), since off field conuct is under the player’s control.
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