NCAAF player you were most surprised was a NFL bust/Most surprised of NFL success?
- Thread starter KingOfBBN
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Surprising Bust: Trent Richardson
Thought he would be an absolute animal in the NFL. Come to find out, he was as blind as Ray Charles.
Most Surprised Success: Terrelle Pryor
Knew he wouldn't make it in the league as a passer. Was TERRIBLE, even at OSU. But finding some success as a receiver and even eclipsing 1,000 yards for the 2016 (1-15 Browns) season was shocking to me.
Thought he would be an absolute animal in the NFL. Come to find out, he was as blind as Ray Charles.
Most Surprised Success: Terrelle Pryor
Knew he wouldn't make it in the league as a passer. Was TERRIBLE, even at OSU. But finding some success as a receiver and even eclipsing 1,000 yards for the 2016 (1-15 Browns) season was shocking to me.
Biggest bust: Ryan Leaf. Selected second in the 1998 draft behind Peyton Manning, played 4 years for four different teams and did next to nothing. To be fair, his problems were more mental than physical. Biggest surprise: Tom Brady. Selected 199th in the 2000 draft and went on to become the NFL GOAT.
Most Surprised Success: Frank Minnifield
Went to HS with him and I remember him as just being a good HS football player. But then he improved a lot at Louisville, and became a pro bowler with the Browns. When I graduated HS, would never have believed he would some day be a star in the NFL.
Most Surprising Bust: Tim Couch
Hate to admit it but thought he and Peyton Manning were comparable talents coming out of college. I was wrong.
Went to HS with him and I remember him as just being a good HS football player. But then he improved a lot at Louisville, and became a pro bowler with the Browns. When I graduated HS, would never have believed he would some day be a star in the NFL.
Most Surprising Bust: Tim Couch
Hate to admit it but thought he and Peyton Manning were comparable talents coming out of college. I was wrong.
^ I think Couch was done in by Browns' terrible OL & his resulting injuries. Hard for me to call him a bust with that.
I would not say Couch was a bust either. Since the Browns were reinstated in 1999 they have had 3 winning seasons and 2 playoff appearances. In Couches 4th year they went 9-7 but he got hurt in the season finale, Kelly Holcomb started in he wildcard game against the Steelers and threw for 469 yards in a loss. The Browns decided to role with Holcomb in 2003 due to this performance. Holcomb sucked in 2003 and the Brons didn't make the playoffs again until 2020.
Couch had numerous teams bring him in to compete for a spot but in every place he went he could not pass the required physical. His shoulder was destroyed playing behind the expansion Browns OL. He took 56 sacks his rookie year. Only played in 7 games his 2nd year due to injury. Took 51 sacks his 3rd year and then his 4th year took the Browns to the playoffs, only taking 30 sacks. Injuries and playing for the Browns destroyed his career. He had the terrible luck of being the best QB in the 1999 draft.
Couch had numerous teams bring him in to compete for a spot but in every place he went he could not pass the required physical. His shoulder was destroyed playing behind the expansion Browns OL. He took 56 sacks his rookie year. Only played in 7 games his 2nd year due to injury. Took 51 sacks his 3rd year and then his 4th year took the Browns to the playoffs, only taking 30 sacks. Injuries and playing for the Browns destroyed his career. He had the terrible luck of being the best QB in the 1999 draft.
Yep, Brady for me as well. He wasn't great in college then everything just clicked.
Hindsight here but turning pro just because you can doesn’t always work out in the long run. Manning stayed at UT 4 years, couch left after his JR. Season. He also could have pulled an Eli and refused to sign. He was an outstanding QB and I do feel could have had a great NFL career had he gotten in with the right organization. The expansion browns was obviously not it. I would hope he was advised of the risk of signing with an expansion team, maybe he was and chose to take on the challenge.
Kind of the catch 22 with these Alpha Dog players. To get to the top of their field these guys have to have supreme confidence in their abilities and if he didn't have that mentality and avoided it then you probably wouldn't want him as your QB.
The Eli Manning thing was a unique situation that was surely orchestrated by his Dad. Not sure anyone without the pedigree of being Archie's son and Peyton's brother could have pulled that off.
I think bust should be reserved for just bad players, not good enough, especially where they were drafted. To have a career derailed by injury or drugs is another category, almost a "what could have been, we'll never know".
I'll throw John Ross as a bust. He'll keep getting chances because of his speed, but he's not getting another multi year contract.
I'll throw John Ross as a bust. He'll keep getting chances because of his speed, but he's not getting another multi year contract.
Couch got screwed. No way around it. And it shows, no quarterback can win in Cleveland. Baker did for a second and now look back to trash
There was a some made of his inability to run regular offense and read defense…which he didn’t really have to do much in the brand new spread in college.
Good call on Frankie. I went to school with you guys too, couple years behind Frankie. He suprised a lot of folks by not just being better thant the thought, but becoming almost the symbol of a pro-bowl lock down corner.
Very different definitions of what a bust is. There's a big difference between not having a Hall of Fame career and being a bust. Couch was a starting QB for what 7 years. Even took a 3rd rate team to the playoffs. A bust is someone like Ryan Leaf, who was a bad pick from day 1 and never got better.
Everyone is going to throw Brady out there as the surprise success. To be different I'll throw out the name of Drew Brees. At no point did I believe he would stick in the NFL and he ended up having a Hall of Fame career. As for surprise bust I'll go with Brian Bosworth. Really expected him to be good. In retrospect we know why he was a bust though.
Todd Blackledge - picked ahead of Dan Marino in the first round, played a few years at KC and Pitt as a backup.
However he is an outstanding football color commentator IMO.
Marty Moore - was "Mr. Irrelevant" the last guy picked in the 8 round draft who almost always fails to make a team. Played 7 years in the NFL mostly at New England.
However he is an outstanding football color commentator IMO.
Marty Moore - was "Mr. Irrelevant" the last guy picked in the 8 round draft who almost always fails to make a team. Played 7 years in the NFL mostly at New England.
I almost feel like Tom Brady doesn't fit in the suprised category. For him to surprise you he would have to have been on your radar. The fact he got drafted where he did and I have zero recollection of him from his college days. So how could he be a surprise if you didn't even know who he was.
I'll say Russell Wilson surprised me. I was sure that he was just too small to be a quality NFL QB. Him and Brees are the reminder that there are exceptions to the rules about player measurables.
I'll say Russell Wilson surprised me. I was sure that he was just too small to be a quality NFL QB. Him and Brees are the reminder that there are exceptions to the rules about player measurables.
I believe Tony Mandarich is largely considered one of the largest busts in NFL history. Came in with huge expectations but flopped.
And Brady has to be the greatest surprise…no one else is close.
And Brady has to be the greatest surprise…no one else is close.
Reggie Bush. Probably the most electric college player I've ever seen. Then was just kinda meh in the league.
Yeah, I'm not going to say Brady as I don't even remember him from Michigan. I remembered Drew Henson more than I remembered him.
I'll throw one out there that I was painfully wrong on and was on here saying would be a bust- Matt Ryan. I thought he would be crap. He turned out to be an MVP. I never thought Russell Wilson would go to two Super Bowls either but he was a second round pick.
Guy I thought was going to be awesome but was considered a bust in the NFL? FSU's Peter Warrick. This guy was your Heisman winner until the Dillards incident still won a national title and went top 10 in the draft. He was amazing in college. Had 163 yds and 2 TDs in the national championship his last year.
I'll throw one out there that I was painfully wrong on and was on here saying would be a bust- Matt Ryan. I thought he would be crap. He turned out to be an MVP. I never thought Russell Wilson would go to two Super Bowls either but he was a second round pick.
Guy I thought was going to be awesome but was considered a bust in the NFL? FSU's Peter Warrick. This guy was your Heisman winner until the Dillards incident still won a national title and went top 10 in the draft. He was amazing in college. Had 163 yds and 2 TDs in the national championship his last year.
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Bust- I would say JaMarcus Russell, he was a beast in college and couldn't handle the NFL. The other bust I'd put is Lawrence Phillips from Nebraska. He was a top running back in college and in the draft, but career fizzled
Surprise- Initially I was going to say Marty Moore as well, but since I was beat to the punch I'll go with Randy Moss. Not that Moss wasn't a stud in college and a first round, but I thought for sure he was going to fall off the rails in the NFL with either legal or drug problems shortening his career.
Surprise- Initially I was going to say Marty Moore as well, but since I was beat to the punch I'll go with Randy Moss. Not that Moss wasn't a stud in college and a first round, but I thought for sure he was going to fall off the rails in the NFL with either legal or drug problems shortening his career.
Oh, man. That's a great choice. That 2006 class was loaded but had a lot of disappointments at the top of it i.e. Leinart (anyone who said they thought he'd be a bust is a liar).
Reggie Bush never became anything special. He only ended up with a 1,000 yard season twice and that took him til 2011 and 2013. Looking at his numbers, his best seasons seem to be his rookie year with 565 rushing yards, 742 receiving yards, 9 total TDs (including a punt return). In 2013 with Detroit, 1,006 rushing yards, 506 receiving yards, 7 total TDs.
Everyone could not believe the Texans passed up Bush, Leinart, and Young to take Mario Williams yet Williams ended up being a 4x Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro one year.
Yeah, I forgot Young was that same class. Lotta talent at that top end never came to fruition.
That was going to be my 1A. My 1B. is Ricky Williams, loved the Ganja when the Ganja wasn't cool.
One of the bigger surprises for me recently is The Honey Badger, I thought he would de-rail his career with his antics.
Ricky had a very solid pro career, could have been better, but nowhere near a bust.
Solid but not like anyone thought. He himself wasn’t even sure if he was going to come back. I don’t disagree with him or what he did but he gave away some of his early days.
I thought the even bigger surprise was that Woodyard was not even drafted, IIRC, WW was a hell of a player in the SEC and I remember LMAO while looking at some of the clowns drafted at his position that year. He had a long and successful NFL career.
Agree with Burton, thought he was a great WR at UK, and just did not have much luck in the NFL.
My biggest bust was Williams, man what potential but he had other priorities.
Biggest bust was Couch, even though he didn’t have much of a chance with his line. After being drafted, he was taught how to hold the football when throwing…
Biggest surprise, at least at the time, Woodward! Sure fun to watch!
Biggest bust was Couch, even though he didn’t have much of a chance with his line. After being drafted, he was taught how to hold the football when throwing…
Biggest surprise, at least at the time, Woodward! Sure fun to watch!
Tom BRady got to be atop the list for most surprising success.
Started out at Michigan 7th on the depth chart. Split time at QB during his senior season with Drew Henson. Only managed to earn honorable mention all-conference. Ended up only being picked 199th
Now he is the GOAT QB
Started out at Michigan 7th on the depth chart. Split time at QB during his senior season with Drew Henson. Only managed to earn honorable mention all-conference. Ended up only being picked 199th
Now he is the GOAT QB
for me personally (Bengals fan) Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson was the biggest bust
i agree Brady has to be the biggest surprise
Couch took a putrid expansion browns team to the playoffs in about his 3rd or 4th year in what was far and away the toughest division in football. It was an incredible accomplishment he never really got credit for until it took them several years to finally return.
His career was cut short. Imagine if he and McNabb flipped draft slots.
His career was cut short. Imagine if he and McNabb flipped draft slots.
Is Ross a bust? If he doesn't run that 40 we're does he get drafted? To me he was a mid round at best wr talent. I think that was just a bad draft pick
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