First-round batting averages, 2000-06

Discussion in 'NFL Draft' started by NewsGrabber, Mar 17, 2009.

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  1. NewsGrabber

    NewsGrabber Guest

    <em>Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky </em> <p>When the Jaguars parted ways with receiver <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=8436" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=8436" target="_new">Matt Jones</a> Monday, it sent me fishing through the recent draft histories of the four teams of the AFC South.</p> <p>The Jaguars' poor record with first-round picks in recent years -- think R. Jay Soward, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=5534" target="_new">Reggie Williams</a> and now Jones -- is a big part of why they are rebuilding. The Colts' strong record with first-round picks -- think <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2578" target="_new">Reggie Wayne</a>, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3539" target="_new">Dwight Freeney</a> and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=4482" target="_new">Dallas Clark</a> -- is a big part of why they are always in the playoffs.</p> <p>It's pretty much a given that players drafted in the first round in the last two drafts are still going to be around -- Houston's got tackle <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11260" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11260" target="_new">Duane Brown</a> and defensive tackle <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10454" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10454" target="_new">Amobi Okoye</a>; Indianapolis has receiver <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10476" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10476" target="_new">Anthony Gonzalez</a> and traded out of the first in 2008; Jacksonville has safety <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1894" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1894" target="_new">Reggie Nelson</a> and defensive end <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11241" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11241" target="_new">Derrick Harvey</a>; Tennessee has safety <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10463" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10463" target="_new">Michael Griffin</a> and running back <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11258" target="_new"></a><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11258" target="_new">Chris Johnson</a>.</p> <p>What about from 2000-2006?</p> <p>Forget about picks traded away on or before draft day. First-rounders from that span should be established core guys in their primes, players their teams wanted to resign and make a part of things for the long term.</p> <p>This is unscientific, of course, but here's the scorecard:</p> <p> <table border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="350" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"> <tr> <td colspan="4" bgcolor="#005b00"><font face="Verdana" size="1" color="#ffffff"><strong>AFC South in the first round, 2000-2006</strong> </font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Team</strong></font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>First rounders left</strong></font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>First round picks</strong></font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Batting average</strong></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">Indianapolis</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">5</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">6</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">.837</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">Houston*</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">4</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">6</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">.667</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">Tennessee</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">2</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">5</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">.400</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">Jacksonville</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">2</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">7</font></td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><font face="Verdana" size="1">.286</font></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </p> <p>And how about outright first-round busts in the same span?</p> <p>In my subjective opinion, that scorecard is:</p> <p>Colts -- 0</p> <p>Texans -- 2 (<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3529" target="_new">David Carr</a>, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=5552" target="_new">Jason Babin</a>)</p> <p>Titans -- 2 (<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=4486" target="_new">Andre Woolfolk</a>, Pacman Jones)</p> <p>Jaguars -- 3 (Soward, Reggie Williams, Jones)</p>

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  2. Soxcat

    Soxcat Pro Bowler

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    Unfortunately Vince Young can probably added to the bust list. Although he did more than traditional busts having some success I'm not sure he will do much the rest of his career and it looks like if he does blossum it will be with a team other than the Titans.
     
  3. MJTitans

    MJTitans Chris Whitley look him up

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    I'd be interested to see numbers on the entire draft. We've had some bad misses in the 1st and 2nd rounds, and yet we have Scaife, Amano and Finnegan who were all from the 6th and 7th round. In fact, from 2000 - 2006 we have 1 1st round pick who is currently starting for us (Bulluck, 2000) and 2 2nd round picks (Lendale and Roos). So we have the same number of starting 1st & 2nd round picks as we do 6th & 7th round picks.

    The good news is that MR has hit very well so far in the 1st and 2nd rounds - Jason Jones, Chris Johnson and Michael Griffin. Chris Henry is the only dud. If he has a good draft again this year we should be able to finally be recovered from the cap purge and draft misses of the last Reese years.
     
  4. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    hmm Pacman is an interesting case. Is he a bust? His 2nd year he was considered top 5 Cornerback, then he was suspended and traded.
     
  5. Alex1939

    Alex1939 Space Invaders Champion

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    overhyped as a top 5 cornerback mainly by posters here... I don't remember too many "talking heads" regarding him as a top 5 cb.
     
  6. onetontitan

    onetontitan Marioto

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    Pacman Jones was NOT a bust in football, just in life. He was extremely talented and I would kill to see Finny and Pac (in his prime) as a CB duo. Plus, Pac was an AMAZING punt/KO returner. He would have been extremely valubable (and was) to our organization but like I said, he sucks at life, and that is why he is no longer in the NFL.
     
    • High Five High Five x 2
  7. KTOWN TITAN

    KTOWN TITAN Orca Fighter

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    true. He was great at football..... Yet our front office should have seen it coming. They epic fail for picking the troubled young man.
     
  8. MJTitans

    MJTitans Chris Whitley look him up

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    Pac wasn't really a bust... he was a very good corner and an explosive return man. Yea, he had red-flag character issues, but at the time we drafted him those types of things weren't as big of a deal... Then Goodell changed the rules, and we were stuck holding the hot potato. IMO the FO did their job in talent evaluation, which is what the draft really boils down to. But Woolfolk is another story.
     
  9. wplatham

    wplatham U of M Class of 2012

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    On top of that, he had only one run-in with the law before he was drafted. There wasn't a whole lot that pointed to what was to come from him. He didn't have any real issues until he signed the contract. He really went crazy once he got the money.
     
  10. Gunny

    Gunny Shoutbox Fuhrer

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    I'd guess 40% of draft picks have 'character' issues or had an incident. You can't predict Pacman's demise.
     
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