kelly Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 It's a fact of life in the NFL: There will be draft busts. Even the best organizations pick an occasional lemon. ESPN's NFL Nation identifies the biggest bust for each team, from Ryan Leaf to Tony Mandarich. Because the New York Jets' draft history reads like a tragicomedy, it was hard to select just one player, so here's an expanded list of my top-10 busts : 1. Vernon Gholston, OLB, first round (2008): The scouts didn't consider him worthy of a top-10 pick, so they were miffed when general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Eric Mangini picked him anyway at No. 6. How bad was Gholston? In three years, I compiled as many sacks as he did -- zero. 2. Blair Thomas, RB, first round (1990): I was sitting next to GM Dick Steinberg at the Senior Bowl (back in the day when GMs weren't paranoid about talking to reporters) and he told me, "My grandmother could tell you [Thomas] is the best player on the field." Steinberg should've given grandma a chance to scout Junior Seau or Emmitt Smith, two players the Jets bypassed to take Thomas at No. 2 overall. 3. Johnny (Lam) Jones, WR, first round (1980): The Jets fell in love with his world-class speed -- he was an Olympic sprinter -- and traded two first-round picks to move up in the draft. They took him at No. 2 overall, but his production never matched his speed. 4. Ron Faurot, OLB, first round (1984): He was released in the middle of his second season, almost unheard of for a first-round pick. The Jets tried to convert Faurot, a defensive end in college, into a linebacker -- and it was a spectacular failure. 5. Dee Milliner, CB, first round (2013): This was a big swing and a miss. Milliner, drafted No. 9 overall, spent more time in the trainers' room than on the field and he was released after three years. He sat out last season and still doesn't have a job. 6. Dewayne Robertson, DT, first round (2003): He was billed as the next Warren Sapp, but the only sap was the Jets. Robertson had a bone-on-bone condition in one knee, and yet they drafted him anyway -- fourth overall! Wait, it gets worse: They actually traded two first-round picks to move up for him. 7. Mike Haight, G, first round (1986): He was graded by the scouts as a fifth-rounder, but on the morning of the draft, coach Joe Walton and personnel director Mike Hickey moved him up on the board without informing the scouts. Bad idea. It took Haight three years to crack the starting lineup -- and he didn't last long there. 8. Roger Vick, FB, first round (1987): Yes, they picked a fullback with the 21st pick. Career rushing average: 3.9 yards per carry. Career: Four years and done. 9. Browning Nagle, QB, second round (1991): The Jets thought they had worked out a trade for Brett Favre, but it fell apart and they settled for Nagle, who was promptly nicknamed "Nuke LaLoosh." If you don't understand the reference, check out "Bull Durham." 10. Johnny Mitchell, TE, first round (1992): The freakishly athletic pass catcher actually had two decent years, but he couldn't keep it together and was finished by the age of 25. He made comeback attempts, including one with the Jets, but he couldn't stick. > http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/68112/vernon-gholston-heads-list-of-jets-all-time-draft-busts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7. Mike Haight, G, first round (1986): He was graded by the scouts as a fifth-rounder, but on the morning of the draft, coach Joe Walton and personnel director Mike Hickey moved him up on the board without informing the scouts. Bad idea. It took Haight three years to crack the starting lineup -- and he didn't last long there.
j4jets Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 Where's Trubisky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurnleyJet Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 1 hour ago, j4jets said: Where's Trubisky? On the Brown's Draft blunders thread, in 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warfish Posted April 13, 2017 Share Posted April 13, 2017 I don't see Nagle as being much worse a bust than Kellen Clemens, Geno Smith, or (soon) Hackenberg. Nagle is only more prominent because he was the consolation prize when we missed Favre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyLV Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 3 hours ago, Warfish said: I don't see Nagle as being much worse a bust than Kellen Clemens, Geno Smith, or (soon) Hackenberg. Nagle is only more prominent because he was the consolation prize when we missed Favre. I still believe Hackenburg has a chance. People are discarding him without seeing him even play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas2No99 Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Considering it was a COMPLETE reactionary reach due to Doug Brien's ineffective 2004 post season, I'd have to nominate the 2005 selection of place kicker Mike Nugent in the 2nd round as a MONUMENTAL bust. The Jets actually traded OUT of the first round #26 for a kicker and a throw-in TE Doug Jolley . . . . when TE Heath Miller was there and taken by Pitt at @ #30. That's WAAAY more egregious than hoping to hit on a franchise QB (Nagle) in the 2nd round. a FRIGGIN KICKER!?!?!?!? DISGUSTING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycdan Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 If you're going to include 2nd rounders, you have to put Mike Nugent ahead of Nagle. Nugent wasn't horrible, but in the 2nd round, he would have to have been at least Mort Anderson to not be an epic bust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost420 Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 2 hours ago, johnnysd said: I still believe Hackenburg has a chance. People are discarding him without seeing him even play Not easy to fix how inaccurate he is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Jets fan Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 54 minutes ago, Gas2No99 said: Considering it was a COMPLETE reactionary reach due to Doug Brien's ineffective 2004 post season, I'd have to nominate the 2005 selection of place kicker Mike Nugent in the 2nd round as a MONUMENTAL bust. The Jets actually traded OUT of the first round #26 for a kicker and a throw-in TE Doug Jolley . . . . when TE Heath Miller was there and taken by Pitt at @ #30. That's WAAAY more egregious than hoping to hit on a franchise QB (Nagle) in the 2nd round. a FRIGGIN KICKER!?!?!?!? DISGUSTING! Could you even picture what would happen today if the Jets traded a first round pick for a sh*tty TE? Omg it would burn down the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsons Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Only 10??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Blocker Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Thomas and Jones at least played some. In fact I don't think Thomas was going to be a complete bust until that fumble after which he never got his head together. Jones was injured, as was Faurot. Hard to know what to make of someone who didn't pan out because of injury. Having said that Milliner belongs because he had a history of injury before he was drafted, which is different. I would have put Sanchez on that list given where he was drafted and the huge hurt he put on the Jets' future when he didn't pan out. We're still paying for his pick. And yes Nagle really doesn't belong there. Only second round pick on the list, Nagle was more about not living up to the hype than he was about lack of value in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 18 hours ago, j4jets said: Where's Trubisky? hopefully he'll never be on any of our " lists " cheers ~ ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HessStation Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 The ranking is fine but a total revisionist history on gholston and complete bullsh*t and fabrication that he wasn't considered a top 10 pick leading up. There was no need to sensationalize the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH1962 Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 13 hours ago, johnnysd said: I still believe Hackenburg has a chance. People are discarding him without seeing him even play This.. Been saying this since the 6 INT fiasco in KC. I still ask, could he (Hack) have done much worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PepPep Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 16 hours ago, johnnysd said: I still believe Hackenburg has a chance. People are discarding him without seeing him even play Yes. This really annoys me. Quintessential Jet fan pessimism. At least give the kid a legit shot before labeling him a bust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroadwayRay Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 Call me crazy, but I think Blair Thomas could have been a decent rb if he had been given more of a chance. The guy fumbled a few times his first year, including a pretty bad one against Chicago on a Monday night if I recall. After that, Bruce Coslet put him in the doghouse and never let him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thadude Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 16 hours ago, Gas2No99 said: Considering it was a COMPLETE reactionary reach due to Doug Brien's ineffective 2004 post season, I'd have to nominate the 2005 selection of place kicker Mike Nugent in the 2nd round as a MONUMENTAL bust. The Jets actually traded OUT of the first round #26 for a kicker and a throw-in TE Doug Jolley . . . . when TE Heath Miller was there and taken by Pitt at @ #30. That's WAAAY more egregious than hoping to hit on a franchise QB (Nagle) in the 2nd round. a FRIGGIN KICKER!?!?!?!? DISGUSTING! Not only did we draft Nuge, a lousy kicker in the second, we actually traded for the worst TE ever Doug Jolley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thadude Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 16 hours ago, johnnysd said: I still believe Hackenburg has a chance. People are discarding him without seeing him even play Wah! Can't wait until he's cut after next season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thadude Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 2 hours ago, ASH1962 said: This.. Been saying this since the 6 INT fiasco in KC. I still ask, could he (Hack) have done much worse? Hack would do that every game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurnleyJet Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 14 hours ago, thadude said: Not only did we draft Nuge, a lousy kicker in the second, we actually traded for the worst TE ever Doug Jolley We also drafted Justin Miller in the 2nd round, and won us a meaningless game with a kick return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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