Premature draft grades

[Dr. K]

Remember the 2000 Bills draft? Probably the worst in the team's history:

 

 

 

2000

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School

1 26 Erik Flowers DE Arizona State

2 58 Travares Tillman FS Georgia Tech

3 89 Corey Moore OLB Virginia Tech

4 121 Avion Black WR Tennessee State

5 156 Sammy Morris FB Texas Tech

6 194 Leif Larsen DT Texas-El Paso

7 233 Drew Haddad WR Buffalo, N.Y.

7 251 Dashon Polk ILB Arizona

 

 

I seem to recall that the Bills got a high rating by many observers for that draft. They found an unnoticed gem in Erik Flowers and managed to snatch him ahead of the rams, who also wanted him. Guys like Peter King (?) were talking about what a steal Corey Moore was in the third round, the guy who broke Bruce Smith's sack records at Virginia Tech. Sammy Morris was rated as another steal. The only criticism I remember is the suggestion that Tillman was a reach in the second round.

 

In retrospect, we (except for those who still pine for Drew Haddad) see this draft as a disaster, the last draft of John Butler and sealing the end of a decade of winning Bills teams.

 

I cite this just to remind those of us who need it that instant evaluation of a draft is stupid. I guess it gives us something to talk about, but anyone who obsesses about how outside observers rank a draft class is wasting their emotional energy. Make up your own opinion and then wait and see how it works out. That should be part of the fun of being a fan.

 

I was shocked this year at the Bills' picking a safety I had never heard of first, but it seems clear to me now they have a rational plan and followed it quite well. I don't know if it will work out, but i am going to be very interested in seeing how it plays.

[Lori]

Valid point.

 

By the by -- as a Wolfpack guy, what's your take on McCargo?

[Tortured Soul]

I thought Flowers was a reach, and I thought we got low grades all around, but I'll take your word. And I do think Sammy Morris turned out pretty good for a late 5th.

[Dr. K]

Valid point.

 

By the by -- as a Wolfpack guy, what's your take on McCargo?

681743[/snapback]

 

 

McCargo was very well regarded here, and the defense was the strong suit of this NC State team. But I am no expert and can't say whether he will pan out in the pros. He was a smart kid and took his classes seriously, which we professor types like and which can't be said for a lot of scholarship athletes.

 

I did have three football players in my undergraduate fiction writing class last Fall. But they were underclassmen and did not play that much. Miguel Scott was a defensive back who played more as the season went on. He was very handsome.

 

Bobby Washington was brought to NCSU to be a running back, with star expectations. But he did not pan out, and transferred after the season. I was not impressed with his dedication to his writing.

 

DeMario Pressley was a DT. He sat in the back of the room with Bobby but took the class much more seriously. He also laughed at my jokes, which means of course he is NFL material. I could have asked him about McCargo but did not.

 

But by far the best athlete I had as a student last fall was K.D. Whittinton, starting strong forward on the women's basketball team. If she wanted to, she could have snapped my neck like a pencil . She also was a good student, and played basketball with great heart. My 12-year-old daughter and I became big fans of hers.

[/dev/null]

rating the draft 2 days after it occured is just premature evaluation

[The Dean]

I did have three football players in my undergraduate fiction writing class last Fall.  But they were underclassmen and did not play that much.  Miguel Scott was a defensive back who played more as the season went on.  He was very handsome.

 

681753[/snapback]

 

 

Funny stuff, K. That observation speaks volumes.

[buffaloboyinATL]

Peter King gave us a B+. He loved the Corey Moore pick. 5th best in the league.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_ga...4/16/king_mmqb/

 

5. Buffalo. Pick 89 overall, Corey Moore, will be one of those classic Bills picks (they always get a very good player after the first round, every year), the kind of player GMs will regret passing on.

[buffaloboyinATL]

I like what Pat Kirwin said about Peter Warrick at number 4 to the Bengals.

 

He is like Jerry Rice in his on-field performances. In the next few years, he and QB Akili Smith (last year's first-round pick) could team up like Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison have.

 

This is why I disregard what the "experts" say.

[Ramius]

I like what Pat Kirwin said about Peter Warrick at number 4 to the Bengals.

 

He is like Jerry Rice in his on-field performances. In the next few years, he and QB Akili Smith (last year's first-round pick) could team up like Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison have.

 

This is why I disregard what the "experts" say.

681810[/snapback]

 

Someone really out to send that little snippet back top pat kirwin and ask his thoughts now...

[dave mcbride]

Remember the 2000 Bills draft?  Probably the worst in the team's history:

2000

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School

1 26 Erik Flowers DE Arizona State

2 58 Travares Tillman FS Georgia Tech

3 89 Corey Moore OLB Virginia Tech

4 121 Avion Black WR Tennessee State

5 156 Sammy Morris FB Texas Tech

6 194 Leif Larsen DT Texas-El Paso

7 233 Drew Haddad WR Buffalo, N.Y.

7 251 Dashon Polk ILB Arizona

 

 

I seem to recall that the Bills got a high rating by many observers for that draft.  They found an unnoticed gem in Erik Flowers and managed to snatch him ahead of the rams, who also wanted him.  Guys like Peter King (?) were talking about what a steal Corey Moore was in the third round, the guy who broke Bruce Smith's sack records at Virginia Tech.  Sammy Morris was rated as another steal.  The only criticism I remember is the suggestion that Tillman was a reach in the second round.

 

In retrospect, we (except for those who still pine for Drew Haddad) see this draft as a disaster, the last draft of John Butler and sealing the end of a decade of winning Bills teams.

 

I cite this just to remind those of us who need it that instant evaluation of a draft is stupid.  I guess it gives us something to talk about, but anyone who obsesses about how outside observers rank a draft class is wasting their emotional energy.  Make up your own opinion and then wait and see how it works out.  That should be part of the fun of being a fan.

 

I was shocked this year at the Bills' picking a safety I had never heard of first, but it seems clear to me now they have a rational plan and followed it quite well.  I don't know if it will work out, but i am going to be very interested in seeing how it plays.

681736[/snapback]

nice post. i think i like this draft a lot, but i've been wrong a million time before (at least). anyway, since bills football is something i enjoy, i'm happier thinking it was a good draft as opposed to a bad one. moreover, i like levy and think he's at least reasonably intelligent and level-headed.

[Nanker]

Shizoolah! Premature edraftification!!!

Happens every year about this time.

And, IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME!!!

 

 

SPLOOG!

[EC-Bills]

Remember the 2000 Bills draft?  Probably the worst in the team's history:

2000

Rd Sel# Player Pos. School

1 26 Erik Flowers DE Arizona State

2 58 Travares Tillman FS Georgia Tech

3 89 Corey Moore OLB Virginia Tech

4 121 Avion Black WR Tennessee State

5 156 Sammy Morris FB Texas Tech

6 194 Leif Larsen DT Texas-El Paso

7 233 Drew Haddad WR Buffalo, N.Y.

7 251 Dashon Polk ILB Arizona

...

681736[/snapback]

 

Part of me wonders how this draft class would have panned out if Wade was still the coach. These players were for Wade's system and not Greggo's.

[jarthur31]

Butler intentionally tanked that draft. P U!

[bills_fan]

Part of me wonders how this draft class would have panned out if Wade was still the coach. These players were for Wade's system and not Greggo's.

 

Thats an excellent, albeit overlooked, point. However, judging from their performance after leaving the Bills, and presumably going somewhere that their respective skills were a better fit, the 2000 draft class would be marginal at best.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Ah, the irony.

 

A couple weeks ago posters were flocking to buoy up Teflon Tom's pick of Mike "THE BUST" Williams and laying heavy weight at the feet of the "experts" and how they all thought it was a great pick. "It was a good pick; everyone said so; how was Tom to know?"

 

And, now, we have some spraying the legion of "experts" with TEC-9's in drive-by flame fests. "The morons got <Bozo Clown pick> wrong!"

 

And, the saddest part of all, the "experts" are the reporters and draftniks, and they get fed their inside scoops from the brains in the various NFL war rooms.

 

Should make one stop and think about who the idiots truly are.

[EC-Bills]

Butler intentionally tanked that draft.  P U!

682015[/snapback]

 

I have a hard time believing that train of thought. Yes, he having issues with Ralph at that time, but I think he was above that sort of stuff. If that draft class didn't pan out, it didn't pan out. But I don't think it was out of spite. Just my opinion.

[EC-Bills]

Thats an excellent, albeit overlooked, point.  However, judging from their performance after leaving the Bills, and presumably going somewhere that their respective skills were a better fit, the 2000 draft class would be marginal at best.

682344[/snapback]

 

I agree. But it's still fun to sit back and wonder "what if" every so often.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

Shizoolah! Premature edraftification!!! 

Happens every year about this time.

And, IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME!!!

SPLOOG!    

681939[/snapback]

 

 

Sploog?

 

Eeeeeewwwwwwww!!!!!!

[Nostradamus]

Butler intentionally tanked that draft.  P U!

682015[/snapback]

That is ridiculous and it is classless to slander a dead man like that. Butler was an excellent GM who had winning teams in Buffalo. Just as importantly, (being a hardcore fan, I can't say more importantly), Butler was a kindhearted man who was great in the community. He didn't fall prey to the holier than thou attitude of superiority that runs rampant around the NFL ranks. He was humble and, in some cases loyal to a fault with his big contracts handed out to non-impact players. (Rogers, Holecek). Certainly, it is fair to criticize some of his moves, like RJ and that black hole of a draft.

 

Although, in terms of worst draft ever, I would have to say it was Donahoe's 02 draft. There, we were picking in positions of power and still wound up with garbage, and from a salary cap perspective, very expensive garbage. The fact that some of these guys, like Reed and Denney, are still on our roster speaks volumes about the lack of talent on our roster, and is of no credit to Donahoe, who I will always consider one of the darkest figures in Buffalo sports history.

 

But I digress. The point is, if you find it necessary to criticize Butlers moves from 6 years ago, fine. Certainly, some of them are worthy of criticism. But, do not criticize his character. For one, it is unfair and classless, as he is dead. Secondly, anyone who knew the man would know that his character was beyond reproach.

[sidbuff]

The fact is this...... Alot of these young star players in college flunk out when they get into thge NFL. The main problem they tend to describe is the SPEED of the game is alot more elevated then in college. Also the get easily intimidated by others and just fall off... Those that are strong minded (which is what LEVY believes in) tend to stay longer in the NFL.

 

In the end we wont really know until they hit the field.....