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

[Low Positive]

Alex Smith. I'm cheating a bit because Brandon Perna just posted a Ball Deep on Smith today.

 

[mannc]

Hassan Reddick

[Tuco]

3 hours 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.

 

Not many is very true. Many more instances of just being a bust as opposed to rejuvenating an expected career after changing teams. But why no consideration for my choice of Ahmad Rashad posted earlier? Is it because I didn't elaborate as I was headed for bed? Of course his total numbers don't stack up against the modern-day guys. And he's not in the hall of fame. But it was a different era. Still, doesn't he fit the category? Two teams and a missed season his first 4 years. Then another team before being traded again and eventually going to 4 consecutive Pro Bowls?

 

Drafted #4 overall by St Louis - 59 total receptions in 27 starts over 2 years (14 game seasons).

Traded to Buffalo in 1974 - 36 receptions in 14 starts.

Missed 1975 with a knee injury.

Signed with Seattle in 1976 - traded to Minnesota right before regular season.

Vikings Ring Of Honor

Pro Bowl in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

 

 

[Jimmy Harris 69]

Mike Williams, receiver from usc. Detroit drafted him 10th overall in 2005

 

Charles Rodgers , Mich. State.- 2003, 2nd pick of the first round by ….. 

 

Detroit

 

 

[Rubes]

12 minutes ago, Tuco said:

Not many is very true. Many more instances of just being a bust as opposed to rejuvenating an expected career after changing teams. But why no consideration for my choice of Ahmad Rashad posted earlier? Is it because I didn't elaborate as I was headed for bed? Of course his total numbers don't stack up against the modern-day guys. And he's not in the hall of fame. But it was a different era. Still, doesn't he fit the category? Two teams and a missed season his first 4 years. Then another team before being traded again and eventually going to 4 consecutive Pro Bowls?

 

Drafted #4 overall by St Louis - 59 total receptions in 27 starts over 2 years (14 game seasons).

Traded to Buffalo in 1974 - 36 receptions in 14 starts.

Missed 1975 with a knee injury.

Signed with Seattle in 1976 - traded to Minnesota right before regular season.

Vikings Ring Of Honor

Pro Bowl in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

 

 

Good one. And thanks for reminding me that the Bills didn’t draft Rashad, they only traded a great receiver away.

 

[Charles Romes]

Frank Lewis first rounder never caught on with the Steelers. Ended up playing 13 seasons, nearly 7000 yards in a running era, two one thousand yard seasons with the Bills. 

[Tuco]

1 hour ago, Rubes said:

Good one. And thanks for reminding me that the Bills didn’t draft Rashad, they only traded a great receiver away.

 

Actually, they didn't trade him either. He injured his knee in the 1975 preseason and didn't play all year. He still had residual effects from the injury in 1976 so the Bills released him. Rashad then signed with the expansion Seahawks only to be traded to Minnesota right before the regular season. He worked out with QB Tarkenton who fell in love with him (figuratively not literally) but failed the physical as the doctor's said Rashad still had issues with his knee, so they intended to nullify the trade. According to the story, Tarkenton told the team if they didn't keep Rashad on the team he was going to sit out the first game. The team acquiesced and the rest is history.

[GoBills808]

baker kind of

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, mannc said:

Hassan Reddick

 

That is a good one too. Interesting I think the 3 best examples - Hughes, Floyd and Reddick - are rushers who were miscast in the wrong scheme. I wonder if that makes edge rusher a more likely position for that kind of turnaround?

[MrEpsYtown]

7 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

That is a good one too. Interesting I think the 3 best examples - Hughes, Floyd and Reddick - are rushers who were miscast in the wrong scheme. I wonder if that makes edge rusher a more likely position for that kind of turnaround?

I remember when the Bears drafted an athletic explosive edge player in Floyd so high in the top 10 and turned him into an offball inside LB in a 3-4…it’s no surprise he had success when other teams put him on the edge. Just utter nonsense from the Bears at that time. Sometimes these football people outthink themselves

[GunnerBill]

54 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

I remember when the Bears drafted an athletic explosive edge player in Floyd so high in the top 10 and turned him into an offball inside LB in a 3-4…it’s no surprise he had success when other teams put him on the edge. Just utter nonsense from the Bears at that time. Sometimes these football people outthink themselves.

 

Teams get obsessed with physical profiles and lose sight of skillsets. But equally amazing is there were four DCs on that Bears staff and a defensive Head Coach - John Fox, Fangio, Staley, Desai and Donatell. It is not as though they are a bunch of total amteurs!

[njbuff]

Eric Moulds was a bust his first two seasons before breaking out in his third year. 

 

I know, I know, same time, but it merits discussion here. 😁

Edited April 18 by njbuff

[Billy Claude]

I don't see how the best example is not Steve Young.   

 

He wasn't part of the regular NFL draft because he signed a 10 year contract with the USFL but he was the first pick in the special USFL/CFL supplemental draft by Tampa Bay.  Three of the first four players picked in that draft are in the Hall of Fame, including Reggie White. Young started for two years in Tampa Bay and was absolutely regarded as a bust and then traded for a late second and fourth to the 49ers, which is about what Arizona got for Josh Rosen.

 

 

 

 

[Chaos]

9 minutes ago, Billy Claude said:

I don't see how the best example is not Steve Young.   

 

He wasn't part of the regular NFL draft because he signed a 10 year contract with the USFL but he was the first pick in the special USFL/CFL supplemental draft by Tampa Bay.  Three of the first four players picked in that draft are in the Hall of Fame, including Reggie White. Young started for two years in Tampa Bay and was absolutely regarded as a bust and then traded for a late second and fourth to the 49ers, which is about what Arizona got for Josh Rosen.

 

 

 

 

If he is considered a first round NFL draft pick Steve Young is the correct answer to the question. If he not considered a first round draft pick he is not part of the discussion. 

[Billy Claude]

9 minutes ago, Chaos said:

If he is considered a first round NFL draft pick Steve Young is the correct answer to the question. If he not considered a first round draft pick he is not part of the discussion. 

 

Sure, but there was certainly high first round expectations associated with him when he joined Tampa Bay. 

 

[The Jokeman]

Garrison Hearst comes to mind as he wasn't all that great his first two seasons and improved the years that followed. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

20 hours ago, Charles Romes said:

Frank Lewis first rounder never caught on with the Steelers. Ended up playing 13 seasons, nearly 7000 yards in a running era, two one thousand yard seasons with the Bills. 

Excellent!