Best examples of failed 1st rounders who revived their careers?

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBill said:

 

2nd rounder

 

True, but since he was pick #32 of the 2001 draft some have argued that's effectively 1st round.

 

7 minutes ago, Udubalum07 said:

What comments did Elam make after the season?

 

I would also like to know this.

[dave mcbride]

Jimmy Smith was an early second round pick (36th) for Dallas and did zilch for them. He then went to Jax and put up a HOF-caliber career.

 

Tony Casillas (#1 overall pick for Atlanta) was a very good player for Dallas in the Jimmy Johnson era.

[nuklz2594]

jim plunkett

[Fr. Jerk]

EJ Manuel.

 

[prissythecat]

Just now, Fr. Jerk said:

EJ Manuel.

 

 

Working as a mediocre college football analyst?

[Joe Mama]

46 minutes ago, Sweats said:

You wait and see, big things are coming for Elam.......big things indeed.

 

It won't be long before Elam's picture replaces JA's on the Wegmans grocery bags.

 

I called it here first.

Or maybe their milk cartons?

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

43 minutes ago, Udubalum07 said:

What comments did Elam make after the season?

 

It was more a lack of a comment:

 

Butler and Bills 2022 first-round draft pick Kaiir Elam never seemed to get on the same page since the former Florida product entered the league. At locker cleanout back in January after the Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs, Elam expressed his frustration with a disappointing second season.

Elam said he had a great offseason but ultimately lost the competition for the starting number-two cornerback spot and only played in three regular season games (two starts).

When asked about how much he leaned on now former DBs coach Butler, Elam responded with: “No comment.”

[Utah John]

OJ Simpson.  Not on a new team of course but he was considered a near-bust until Lou Saban came back.

Edited April 17 by Utah John

[Thurman#1]

James Farrior possibly. He did have the one good year with the Jets, but not so good they kept him.

 

Steussie? Good first year but then Belichick buried him on the bench and he was elsewhere his third year.

Kyle Brady, maybe. Had a couple of pretty good years after leaving the Jets.

 

Gaston Green, arguably. Ironhead Heyward? Used mostly as an FB till he moved to the Falcons.

 

Testaverde? He was actually pretty decent, but nobody knew it till well into his career.

 

 

[Dukestreetking]

Depends on how loosely we define "revived career"...but suggest a good example might be Tony Mandarich.

 

We all know the story of mayhem and self-destruction. And, yet, 4(?) years after his Packer release, he came back for 3 decent seasons w the Colts.

 

I mention simply b/c I didn't see his name up-thread.

[DrDawkinstein]

So 4 pages in, I think it's safe to say... "Not many"

 

Our best examples have been 2nd rounders and a Supplemental Draft Pick (who had previously lit up the USFL with success).

 

Jerry Hughes still stands as the best example, imo.

 

[Joe Mama]

25 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

So 4 pages in, I think it's safe to say... "Not many"

 

Our best examples have been 2nd rounders and a Supplemental Draft Pick (who had previously lit up the USFL with success).

 

Jerry Hughes still stands as the best example, imo.

 

Lenny Dawson was a total bust in Pittsburgh, became Hall of Famer in KC, Jerry Hughes good but not even close to that.

[dave mcbride]

Thomas Jones might win this competition. 7th overall pick, total bust for Arizona (3.5 ypc over three seasons), and yet rushes for over 10,000 yards lifetime and 71 total TDs: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JoneTh00.htm. 

Edited April 17 by dave mcbride

[RyanC883]

Baker Mayfield 

[Johnny Bravo]

Eric Moulds

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

It was more a lack of a comment:

 

Butler and Bills 2022 first-round draft pick Kaiir Elam never seemed to get on the same page since the former Florida product entered the league. At locker cleanout back in January after the Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs, Elam expressed his frustration with a disappointing second season.

Elam said he had a great offseason but ultimately lost the competition for the starting number-two cornerback spot and only played in three regular season games (two starts).

When asked about how much he leaned on now former DBs coach Butler, Elam responded with: “No comment.”

 

OK, point made

 

Ooooh, not good - Sorry Elam, but you were making technical mistakes during pre-season. 

New DB coach got to put the oven mitts on ya.

 

 

Edited April 17 by Beck Water

[SoTier]

14 hours ago, Special K said:

How about Marshawn Lynch??

 

Of course, his failures in Buffalo were more off the field....but I think that counts.

 

Actually I think that Marshawn's failures in Buffalo were due to Dick Jauron's play to not lose by too much philosophy.  

[Rubes]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

So 4 pages in, I think it's safe to say... "Not many"

 

Our best examples have been 2nd rounders and a Supplemental Draft Pick (who had previously lit up the USFL with success).

 

Jerry Hughes still stands as the best example, imo.

 

 

That's my takeaway as well. I think some first rounders who failed to live up to expectations can resurrect their careers elsewhere, but their ceiling is probably more "very good player" than "difference maker/franchise player," as expected of many first-rounders. I don't think that team situation/system/coaching figures in as much as we'd like to think.

 

[Buffalo716]

17 hours ago, Billy Claude said:

Steve Young obviously.

 

Not a new team but a new coach, Alex Smith was a bust until Jim Harbaugh.

 

Geno Smith?

 

Geno didn't go round 1

[MikePJ76]

Kerry Collins.  He was part of the Giants Super Bowl Team that lost to the ravens.

 

For all the wr obsessed people, he helped beat the Randy Moss/Chris Carter/Culpepper/smith Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Championship game.