Cyber Max

Past NFL Draft Picks - Hit or Miss


As much as the Mel Kipers of the world try to convince us otherwise, the NFL Draft is a highly inexact science. Need proof? Just look at some of the prominent Draft Day hit and misses from the last decade. And these aren’t obscure fourth rounders; each player listed below was selected in the first 10 picks of the first round.

1995 Draft

Hit: 3. Houston Oilers - Steve McNair, QB, Alcorn State
“Air” McNair has been the foundation of the Oilers/Titans franchise and was named co-MVP in 2003. He also led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV, commanding one of the greatest last-second drives in Super Bowl history - only to come up one yard short against the Rams.
Miss: 1.Cincinnati Bengals - Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State
Missed entire rookie year after suffering a knee injury in preseason. Rushed for only 1,144 yards and 20 touchdowns over 57 games with the Bengals, Redskins and Saints.

1996 Draft
Hit: 4. Baltimore Ravens - Jonathan Ogden, LT, UCLA
Under the direction of Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens drafted the team’s two cornerstones in 1996, taking Ogden at No. 4 and then Miami linebacker Ray Lewis at No. 26 overall.
Miss: 6. St. Louis Rams - Lawrence Phillips, RB, Nebraska
In 35 games with the Rams, Dolphins and 49ers, Phillips rushed for 1,453 yards, on 3.4 yards per carry, and 14 touchdowns. Out of the NFL since 1999, Phillips has had successful stints in the CFL and NFL Europe.

1997 Draft
Hit: 1. St. Louis Rams - Orlando Pace, LT, Ohio State
Won Super Bowl XXXIV and was an integral part of three MVP awards (Kurt Warner in ‘99 and ‘01, Marshall Faulk in ‘00).
Miss: 9. Arizona Cardinals - Tommy Knight, CB, Iowa
In 73 games, Knight accumulated only three interceptions and 2.5 sacks with the Cardinals, Ravens and Rams.

1998 Draft
Hit: 1.Indianaplois Colts - Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee
Named MVP in 2004 and co-MVP in 2003, Manning now owns the single-season NFL records for touchdown passes (49) and passer rating (121.1) after a brilliant 2004 season.
Miss: 2.San Diego Chargers - Ryan Leaf, QB, Washington State
Leaf played in 25 games with the Chargers, Cowboys and Seahawks, finishing his career with 3,666 passing yards, 48.8 completion percentage, 14 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and a 50.0 passer rating.

1999 Draft
Hit: 2. Philadelphia Eagle - Donovan McNabb, QB, Syracuse
Was booed on draft day by Philly fans who wanted the Eagles to draft Texas running back Ricky Williams. Has since led the Eagles to four consecutive NFC Championship Games and Super Bowl XXXIX last year.
Miss: 3. Cincinnati Bengals - Akili Smith, QB, Oregon
Drafted ahead of UFC quarterback Daunte Culpepper (No.11). In 22 games, Smith passed for 2,212 yards, five touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He will get another shot in the NFL after signing with Tampa Bay in
February. He spent time this spring playing in NFL Europe.

2000 Draft
Hit: 5. Baltimore Ravens - Jamel Lewis, RB, Tennessee

In 2003, Lewis joined O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders and Terrell Davis as only the fifth running back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season.
Miss: 1. Cleveland Browns - Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State
After drafting Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch with the No.1 overall pick in ‘99, the Browns drafted Brown No.1 overall in ‘00. Did not
live up to his surname )Paul, Jim, ect.) in Cleveland, recording 17 sacks in 47 games over 5 seasons. Is now a member of the Denver Broncos.

2001 Draft
Hit: 5. San Diego Chargers - LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU
The Chargers passed up a chance to draft Viginia
Tech quarterback Michael Vick, trading with Atlanta to acquire Tomlinson, quarterback Drew Brees and kick returner Tim Dwight. In only 4 seasons, L.T. has 5,899 rushing yards, 2,022 receiving yards and 60 total touchdowns.
Miss: 3. Cleveland Browns - Gerard Warren, DT, Florida
Though Warren produced 16.5 sacks in 60 games over four seasons, he was not worth the price tag (or the No.3 overall pick) and followed the rest of the Browns defensive front to Denver this offseason.

2002 Draft
Hit: 2. Carolina Panthers - Julius Peppers, DE, North Carolina
In only 44 games over 3 seasons, Peppers has 30 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, three interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. He also helped lead the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Miss: 6. Kansas City Chiefs - Ryan Sims, DT, North Carolina
Peppers college teammate was the first defensive tackle selected - ahead of Tennessee’s duo of John Henderson (No.9) and Albert Haynesworth (No.15). Has record 5 sacks in 37 games.

2003 Draft
Hit: 10. Baltimore Ravens - Terrell Suggs, LB, Arizona State
A classic case of over-analyzing measurables rather than game tape. Suggs was labeled a ‘tweener and fell to the Ravens, where he has 22.5 sacks and 7 forced fumbles in 32 games over two seasons.
Miss: 6. New Orleans Saints - Johnathan Sullivan, DT, Georgia
In 21 games over two seasons, Sullivan has only 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble for the inconsistent Saints.

2004 Draft
Hit: 10. Houston Texans - Dunta Robinson, CB, South Carolina
A tremendous playmaker, Robinson recorded six interceptions for 146 yard (24.3 yards per return) and three sacks in his rookie season.
Miss: 6. Cleveland Browns - Kellen Winslow II, TE, Miami
Played in two games as a rookie before breaking his leg. Was involved in a motorcycle accident the May, putting his 2005 season - and possibly his career - in jeopardy.

Author of Article

Eric Schumann
Age: 25
Date of Article: September 08, 2005

Visit American Sports Outlet for Sports Information and Sports Merchandise.

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By the time the NFL season rolls around many things can change for teams like cuts, injuries, etc…However I think it is important for you to look at the schedules ahead of time and see where teams may have letdowns…

the best one is the division sandwich…simply put a team will play another team out of division in between two divisional games…for example look at the AFC East

Buffalo plays at home against Miami, and the Jets before traveling all the way to Oakland to play the Raiders and then after that come back to play the Patriots. This is a tough schedule for anyone, but especially a team with a young offense.

The Patriots have a brutal schedule where they start four out of the six on the road and at the end of the season play at Buffalo and then should look right past a live underdog at home in Tampa Bay before ending the season against the Jets and the Dolphins…

The Jets plat at New England, and then host Oakland before playing games to end the season at Miami, and home against the Pats and Buffalo.

Miami plays Buffalo and then has to travel across country to San Diego to play the chargers before coming back to play the Jets. Then they play the titans before ending the season against the Pats giving them back to back divisional sandwiches.

With a division this tough these teams will circle end of the season games against each other. Looking at the schedule and circling these games will allow you to keep them in mind and research them again when they come up.

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Wow, what a clunker the USC Trojans put up against the Oregon Ducks last Saturday in Eugene. The offense didn’t click at all in the first half, the coverage and tackling from the defense was average at best. The buzz on the various sports forums and news feeds I was browsing through at the time was all tense (many who layed the points on USC no doubt) that the mighty Trojans may be falling from grace, and what a putrid effort they were putting up.

Did I fail to mention, USC won the game by 32 POINTS??? (they covered fairly easily, by the way)

USC has now outscored their first three opponents at a 178-47 clip. They boast probably the two best players in college football, quarterback Matt Leinart and running back Reggie Bush. Bush’s backup LenDale White would be starting, and possibly a Heisman candidate, if he played at most of the other teams in the AP Top 25. The defense that head coach Pete Carroll has been so unhappy with all season, only has to play decent for this team to be successful.

If you are an opposing team, as # 15 Arizona State will learn this weekend, you must play a perfect game, must score a time or two on defense or special teams and keep the USC offense on the sidelines to avoid getting blown out. Oregon indeed played above their heads during the first half and led 13-0 at one point, but one the Trojans got a halftime wakeup call from the coaching staff, they ran off 45 straight points.

How did Leinart describe the game, even as they trailed and pundits panicked ? He simply said it was “fun” to finally get a challenge. Goes to show you how “bored” the Trojans have been thus far, as other top 10 teams have been playing life or death football in their quest to be # 2. I still wanna know who those handful of guys are they keep voting the Texas Longhorns # 1 the last two weeks.

I wonder how much “fun” Vince Young and Co. will have in the Rose Bowl right after the New Year, if they are even fortunate enough to get there? With the dynasty that Carroll has built, the BCS is becoming increasingly irrelevant. I don’t imagine #3 or #4 crying this year about not getting a chance the face the Trojans.

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