Your Top 5 Worst Draft Picks Of The Modrak Era

[MikeSpeed]

Worst 5:

5 Whitner

4 McCargo

3 JP Losman

2 Mike Williams

1 Aaron Maybin

 

Best 5:

5 Jabari Greer - UDFA

4 Steve Johnson - 7th

3 Lee Evans - 1st

2 Jason Peters - UDFA

1 Kyle Williams - 4th

I can't argue with the worst list, but anyone drafted in the 4th round or lower is just a case of the blind squirrel theory. It's just a law of numbers. There are so many players that you can't help but hit once in a while even if you’re not trying.

The first three rounds you should be more in tune with so as to not have as many misses. If you hit in the early rounds then I can see how your work has paid off. The problem is even his hits were fielder's choices.

[LGB]

The Bills have been really bad with first round picks, but have been okay in the later rounds.

 

top first round round disappointments from 2002:

2009 - Aaron Maybin

2006 - John McCargo

2002 - Mike Williams

2004 - J.P. Losman

2003 - Willis McGahee

 

Honorable mentions:

2007 - Marshawn Lynch

2006 - Donte Whitner

 

too early to tell:

2010 - C.J. Spiller

 

biggest 2nd round disappointment:

2008 - James Hardy

[st. pete gogolak]

Rather than focus on individual choices, I look at 2006 as the "Perfect Storm" of draft incompetence. It's the first time Levy, Jauron and Modrak are in the same draft room. If any of the three had bothered watching film of the 2005 season, it was apparent that a big, fat run-stuffing defensive tackle was THE need going into the draft. The 2005 run defense was almost as bad as last season's and it was bad up the middle. Miraculously, the premier player at the position of greatest need falls to us at #8. Inexplicably, we pass on him. OK, so for whatever reason you don't like Ngata or even Bunkley and you are totally in love with Whitner, YOU DO NOT take Whitner at #8! Denver is dying to move up to take Cutler. If you are in love with Whitner, you trade down to #15 and pick up a high second round draft choice in the bargain. If you think Whitner will be gone by #15, then you are too stupid for words. If Whitner is gone, how about picking someone like, I don't know, Nick Mangold, another position of tremendous need and the undisputed premier player at that position.

 

Of course, they do realize that DT is a huge need for the team so they panic and blow a high third round draft pick (on a team that needs all the picks it can get) to move up and reach for McCargo (as one poster has pointed out, the third best DL on his college team).

 

You still have high picks in rounds three and four and you still need all sorts of help on the offensive line. Where do you go in rounds three and four? Defensive back (Youbouty) and defensive back (Simpson). Horrible, just horrible.

 

So instead of walking out of the draft with an anchor for the defensive line in Ngata or an anchor for the offensive line (Mangold) or a legit left tackle (Marcus McNeil), for their five picks in the first four rounds, they wind up with an OK safety, a total bust reach DT, and two bust DB's.

 

So there you have it. Worst performance in a single draft goes to Modrak, Levy and Jauron. Buffalo Bills 2006.

[eball]

+1 Well said. ^^^^

[ChevyVanMiller]

^^^^^

Second that!

[Bill from NYC]

+1 Well said. ^^^^

 

I have been telling you this for 5 years.

[eball]

I have been telling you this for 5 years.

It's not that I disagree; I just always HOPE so passionately the decisions they make will pan out. For the last two years, those hopes seem to be more based in reality.

[Steve0022]

1. Aaron Maybin

2. James Hardy

3. John McCargo

4. Mike Williams

5. Chris Ellis

[dave mcbride]

Again, not to defend Modrak.

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article412832.ece

 

"He's a hard worker," Wilson said. "He knows the game. In the draft, there's no question it's a big disappointment that we haven't had more impact players, players that make a big difference, go to the Pro Bowl. Tom does a good job, but he doesn't make the last call. He puts the [draft] board up. We have a lot of hard-working scouts. But it comes down to making the last decision. That's not Tom."

 

Modrak did not champion Maybin's cause before the 2009 draft. Jauron wanted that pick. Losman's big advocate was Donahoe. Jauron and his coaching staff didn't want Ngata, who they thought did not fit into their scheme. Nevertheless, the NFL is a bottom-line business, and the Bills have had far too many failures the past decade.

[KOKBILLS]

EDIT: To Whitner's credit 60% of his career interceptions came in the last two years.

 

60% makes it sound a lot better than 3 out of 5...

[stony]

1. Maybin (no production)

2. McCargo (minuscule production, tried to trade him)

3. Losman (serious character miscalculation, hamstrung next years draft)For all the people moaning about not taking a QB, this is the perfect example of not taking one just to take one.

4. Williams (can't fault Modrak too much)

5. Hardy (perfect example of a high pick being wasted)

[skibum]

1. Maybin. This pick was stupid the day it happened (Orakpo!!!) and has looked worse and worse as time goes by.

2. McCargo. The fact that we traded up for him makes it especially dubious. Again, this didn't look like a very good pick at first, and turns out it wasn't.

3. McKelvin. Was a reach on draft day and this guy hasn't got the brains to make use of his all-world talent. Lots of key drops, too.

4. Lynch. Don't pick a RB in the first round unless he's Adrian Peterson. Don't pick an obvious thug in the first round, either. At least he was productive and provided some trade (and entertainment) value.

5. Spiller. Supposed to be an impact player, but how did they expect him to run circles around NFL defenders like he did in college?

 

HM: Whitner. At least he has been a starter and team leader for a few years.

 

I can't see putting Mike Williams on this list. Yes, he was a tremendous bust, but anybody would have made that pick in a heartbeat. The guy was an absolute monster in college and it's not Modrak's fault he couldn't follow through on Sundays. I also give a pass for Losman. He looked pretty solid and gave it his all for a good while, but just didn't have the stuff. Hardy was another pick that was too high given the risk involved, but with his size and production in college I can understand why he was taken.

Edited May 5, 2011 by skibum

[Captain Hindsight]

Again, not to defend Modrak.

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article412832.ece

 

"He's a hard worker," Wilson said. "He knows the game. In the draft, there's no question it's a big disappointment that we haven't had more impact players, players that make a big difference, go to the Pro Bowl. Tom does a good job, but he doesn't make the last call. He puts the [draft] board up. We have a lot of hard-working scouts. But it comes down to making the last decision. That's not Tom."

 

Modrak did not champion Maybin's cause before the 2009 draft. Jauron wanted that pick. Losman's big advocate was Donahoe. Jauron and his coaching staff didn't want Ngata, who they thought did not fit into their scheme. Nevertheless, the NFL is a bottom-line business, and the Bills have had far too many failures the past decade.

Not Drafting a talented player because he doesn't fit your scheme was driving me nuts when dickie J was here. Thats why I love Gailey so much. He is willing to adapt his scheme to the players hes got. Is K Williams a prototypical nose tackle? Not a chance, Did he find a way to make him effective? Yup

 

I think he said something along the lines of "I will find a way to get good players on the field, I'll change something."

 

That is what coaching should be about. Not fit a square peg in a round hole, but make the guys you have successful. Thats what Belicheck does. Does anyone think Danny Woodhead is a good player on anyone but the pats*? I don't

[Scraps]

I can't see putting Mike Williams on this list. Yes, he was a tremendous bust, but anybody would have made that pick in a heartbeat. The guy was an absolute monster in college and it's not Modrak's fault he couldn't follow through on Sundays. I also give a pass for Losman. He looked pretty solid and gave it his all for a good while, but just didn't have the stuff. Hardy was another pick that was too high given the risk involved, but with his size and production in college I can understand why he was taken.

 

Bryant McKinnie. He was available, we had a need at left tackle, he played left tackle and was probably the safer pick.

 

Not Drafting a talented player because he doesn't fit your scheme was driving me nuts when dickie J was here. Thats why I love Gailey so much. He is willing to adapt his scheme to the players hes got. Is K Williams a prototypical nose tackle? Not a chance, Did he find a way to make him effective? Yup

 

I think he said something along the lines of "I will find a way to get good players on the field, I'll change something."

 

That is what coaching should be about. Not fit a square peg in a round hole, but make the guys you have successful. Thats what Belicheck does. Does anyone think Danny Woodhead is a good player on anyone but the pats*? I don't

 

Yeah right, so that is why they went to a 3-4 even though the players they had were better suited for the 4-3.

[Philly McButterpants]

For anyone that lists Williams just stop yourself. He was predicted to be a top 5 draft. If Dareus flames out in three years will anyone blame Nix? He was the consensus best DL player. Williams was 1 of 2 supposed elite tackles. Turns out neither of them have been elite. You can't blame the Bills for Williams failure. EVERYONE loved the pick.

 

McCargo and Losman are the most egregious not only because they were god awful but somehow he convinced people to trade up to get these disasters. There is a reason Losman went to Tulane. Just like there is a reason Kopernicus went to Nevada. McCargo was the third best player on his college DL.

 

That is freakin' hilarious . . .

[eball]

Yeah right, so that is why they went to a 3-4 even though the players they had were better suited for the 4-3.

And to their credit, modified the scheme all of last season to try and put players in the best position. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Wanny also a 4-3 guy? Sounds to me they're trying to find the best way to use the personnel and aren't "married" to one particular scheme.

 

p.s. The "players they had" weren't exactly world beaters. It's not as if they came in and asked Bruce Smith to play safety.

Edited May 5, 2011 by eball

[Rob's House]

For anyone that lists Williams just stop yourself. He was predicted to be a top 5 draft. If Dareus flames out in three years will anyone blame Nix? He was the consensus best DL player. Williams was 1 of 2 supposed elite tackles. Turns out neither of them have been elite. You can't blame the Bills for Williams failure. EVERYONE loved the pick.

 

McCargo and Losman are the most egregious not only because they were god awful but somehow he convinced people to trade up to get these disasters. There is a reason Losman went to Tulane. Just like there is a reason Kopernicus went to Nevada. McCargo was the third best player on his college DL.

And if he wasn't followed by the perennial bust brigade that might be worth mentioning, but when you're able to snatch a bust from a talent stacked pool as consistently as the Bills have, the hindsight excuse goes out the window.

[Scraps]

And to their credit, modified the scheme all of last season to try and put players in the best position. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Wanny also a 4-3 guy? Sounds to me they're trying to find the best way to use the personnel and aren't "married" to one particular scheme.

 

p.s. The "players they had" weren't exactly world beaters. It's not as if they came in and asked Bruce Smith to play safety.

 

So now we are supposed to give them credit because after announcing they were going to the 3-4, leading to the retirement of Aaron Schobel, they switched back after a disastrous opening month?? :wallbash:

 

The players we had weren't world beaters but why create more holes when you already have more holes than you can fill? One thing that pisses me off is the one really good player we had, Kyle Williams, is a 4-3 DT. He is not a 3-4 NT. Why take him out of the system that suites him?

[eball]

So now we are supposed to give them credit because after announcing they were going to the 3-4, leading to the retirement of Aaron Schobel, they switched back after a disastrous opening month?? :wallbash:

 

The players we had weren't world beaters but why create more holes when you already have more holes than you can fill? One thing that pisses me off is the one really good player we had, Kyle Williams, is a 4-3 DT. He is not a 3-4 NT. Why take him out of the system that suites him?

Opening month? The Bills' defense stunk all year. And I think KW made the Pro Bowl. What's your point again?

[Scraps]

Opening month? The Bills' defense stunk all year. And I think KW made the Pro Bowl. What's your point again?

 

Didn't make it because of the 3-4 did he? Didn't they mostly switch back to the 4-3?

 

And to reiterate, I am doubting the point that some of you make that this staff is soooo great because they don't choose players simply because they fit a scheme. Looking at the drafts over the last 2 years they do indeed choose players simply because they fit a particular scheme. They then ditch the scheme after if becomes an obvious abject failure. You could make the same statement about QBs and directors of college scouting.