Jump to content

Mark Sanchez named New York Jets’ worst draft pick since 2006


Recommended Posts

A pair of AFC title game appearances couldn’t save former New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez from a dubious distinction bestowed by PFF.

Pro Football Focus couldn’t wait until spring to conjure up draft day nightmares.

The analytic statistical service filled the doldrums of the NFL offseason with terror after unveiling the draft worst pick over the last 15 years for the New York Jets and their brethren. New York’s nominee, per Michael Renner, is quarterback Mark Sanchez, the fifth overall pick of the 2009 proceedings.

Renner admits that there is “a lot of good content to choose from” when it comes to the Jets’ most dubious draftees. He lists defensive dropouts Dee Milliner and Vernon Gholston as nominees and is tempted to put Sanchez’s eventual successor Sam Darnold in the spot.

However, Renner praises the Jets for earning a sizable haul from trading Darnold and thus removes him from consideration.

Sanchez isn’t so lucky.

“Sanchez, however, took a lot of draft capital to secure via trade,” Renner writes. “(He) quite easily cost one of the best rosters in the NFL a chance at a Super Bowl.”

To Renner’s point, the Jets traded with the Cleveland Browns to select the USC product, moving a dozen spots ahead through the deal. Cleveland obtained the 17th and 52nd overall picks as well as veterans Kenyon Coleman, Brett Ratliff, and Abram Elam.

While it’s more than fair to say that Sanchez had his struggles—ones made all the more painful by future Pro Bowlers B.J. Raji, Brian Orakpo, Malcolm Jenkins, and Brian Cushing going within the next ten picks—calling him the ultimate comedy of the Jets’ draft day errors seems excessive.

Following the circulation of PFF’s selection on social media, many were quick to note that Sanchez helped guide the Jets to the AFC title game in each of his first two seasons at the New York offensive helm. While it’s fair to perhaps label Sanchez a game manager in the postseason affairs, working in conjunction with strong defensive and rushing efforts, he was far from the only reason the Jets failed to advance to the Super Bowl.

The first time around, Sanchez actually helped the Jets built a 17-6 first half lead over Indianapolis (a lead built through two Sanchez touchdown passes) before momentum shifted through an 80-yard Colts drive capped off by a Peyton Manning touchdown pass. It began a 24-point onslaught for the Colts, who put 461 yards of offense in the 30-17 victory.

One year later, Sanchez threw three touchdown passes in the Divisional victory over New England before falling just short of erasing a 24-0 deficit in the next conference title game in Pittsburgh. He had two more scoring passes (both in the second half) as the Jets fell in a 24-19 final.

Sanchez’s 95.5 passer rating over the 2010-11 postseason was second-best amongst playoff quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts, behind only future Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers.

Additionally, it’s not as if the Jets missed out on another franchise man later in the draft. Matthew Stafford was the consensus top pick to Detroit while Tampa Bay ironically took Kansas State’s Josh Freeman with the 17th pick, which was the Jets’ original selection obtained in another deal with the Browns.

The other throwers (Pat White, Stephen McGee, Rhett Bomar among them) made little to no impact on the NFL level. In fact, the last quarterback taken (Julian Edelman out of Kent State) went on to make his mark as a receiver instead.

Sanchez at least has the distinction of throwing NFL passes, something second-round choice Christian Hackenberg (2016) was never able to do.

 

***********************************************************

FYI Jets Fans, I strongly disagree but posted this article as food for thought during these doldrums.  

  • Upvote 4
  • Thumb Down 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Untouchable said:

I’m sorry, but Sanchez wasn’t as bad of a pick as guys like Dee Milliner and Calvin Pryor.

Hell, as much as I loved Darnold, he’s a worse pick than Sanchez in hindsight as well.

How do you ignore a high second rd pick that never got in a game?   To me it’s Hack in a runaway.

  • Upvote 3
  • Sympathy 2
  • Post of the Week 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, JiFapono said:

Are we just including 1st rounders here because Hack never played a single down in the NFL and was a top 50 pick.   If I'm not mistaken, that's literally never happened without the result of a career ending injury.

That was my assumption 

Otherwise, throw Anthony Schlegel in the mix as well.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, freestater said:

Gholston, Milliner, Quinton Coples. All these busts and they choose the guy who actually did his job ok from time to time? Ridiculous. Sanchez might not have been great, but he did enough to help his team get to 2 AFCCGs. If Rex's lauded defenses didn't buckle and deflate like they did, almost on cue in big spots, he would've gone even further. 

Ghoston was the worst, or milliner.  Why all the Sanchez hate.  Btw he’s a very good analyst now.

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

“Sanchez, however, took a lot of draft capital to secure via trade,” Renner writes. “(He) quite easily cost one of the best rosters in the NFL a chance at a Super Bowl.”

To Renner’s point, the Jets traded with the Cleveland Browns to select the USC product, moving a dozen spots ahead through the deal. Cleveland obtained the 17th and 52nd overall picks as well as veterans Kenyon Coleman, Brett Ratliff, and Abram Elam.

umm what? you can hate on the pick...but that was a GREAT trade.

  • Upvote 2
  • Post of the Week 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sánchez was bad, but Gholston and Hackenberg were worse, IMO. 
 
I understand the Jamal Adams votes, too, especially with the QBs on the board at the time, but if they removed Darnold because the Jets got back 2nd & 4th round picks, the two #1s for Jamalcontent makes that pick almost good. 

  • Upvote 3
  • Sympathy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Bugg said:

When you consider the opportunity cost and postional value of picking Adams over Mahomes and Watson, it's the Adams pick. And it's not close. Sanchez managed to be okay enough to get a run first offense to 2 AFC title games. Taking any safety over either of  those 2 QBs was a CATASTROPHE.  Once again, the draftniks want to talk about nonsense. 

When you consider his all pro accolades and NFL top 100 rating (#27) and what the jets received in return for him your bias shows through lol. 
 

Watson is a criminal and mahomie running for his life ( as he would have here only with no weapons)is human as we saw in the super bowl 

shames trolling really hurt that kid here. All he wanted was to win or get paid. 
 

like Sanchez he can’t control how he got here 

whats Adams position anyway?  He had as many snaps at FS here as he did SS and also played at OLB, outside corner and slot corner 

bowles knew how to use him. Carroll turned him into a blitzer. 
 

hrs nowhere near the worst pick. You just don’t like him I suspect 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

Yes.  If he wrote Vernon Gholston, which is clearly the right choice, no one would read the article.

It really is that simple.  

 

Which is fine.  But you can't have both.  Either your true to your objectivity, or you're the NYDN.  They have made a clear and public choice.  People will still read, but sadly, I don't think we needed another click-bait site as much as the objective one they purported to be.

I'm hoping FootballOutsiders can help fill the void.

  • Upvote 1
  • Sympathy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it kind of depends on context.

Obviously Gholston and Hackneberg were much worse picks in terms of production relative to draft slot.

But this sentence summarizes the argument for Sanchez: “(He) quite easily cost one of the best rosters in the NFL a chance at a Super Bowl.”

It's not just his production it's the opportunity cost of having him at QB.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, LIJetsFan said:

A pair of AFC title game appearances couldn’t save former New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez from a dubious distinction bestowed by PFF.

Pro Football Focus couldn’t wait until spring to conjure up draft day nightmares.

The analytic statistical service filled the doldrums of the NFL offseason with terror after unveiling the draft worst pick over the last 15 years for the New York Jets and their brethren. New York’s nominee, per Michael Renner, is quarterback Mark Sanchez, the fifth overall pick of the 2009 proceedings.

Renner admits that there is “a lot of good content to choose from” when it comes to the Jets’ most dubious draftees. He lists defensive dropouts Dee Milliner and Vernon Gholston as nominees and is tempted to put Sanchez’s eventual successor Sam Darnold in the spot.

However, Renner praises the Jets for earning a sizable haul from trading Darnold and thus removes him from consideration.

Sanchez isn’t so lucky.

“Sanchez, however, took a lot of draft capital to secure via trade,” Renner writes. “(He) quite easily cost one of the best rosters in the NFL a chance at a Super Bowl.”

To Renner’s point, the Jets traded with the Cleveland Browns to select the USC product, moving a dozen spots ahead through the deal. Cleveland obtained the 17th and 52nd overall picks as well as veterans Kenyon Coleman, Brett Ratliff, and Abram Elam.

While it’s more than fair to say that Sanchez had his struggles—ones made all the more painful by future Pro Bowlers B.J. Raji, Brian Orakpo, Malcolm Jenkins, and Brian Cushing going within the next ten picks—calling him the ultimate comedy of the Jets’ draft day errors seems excessive.

Following the circulation of PFF’s selection on social media, many were quick to note that Sanchez helped guide the Jets to the AFC title game in each of his first two seasons at the New York offensive helm. While it’s fair to perhaps label Sanchez a game manager in the postseason affairs, working in conjunction with strong defensive and rushing efforts, he was far from the only reason the Jets failed to advance to the Super Bowl.

The first time around, Sanchez actually helped the Jets built a 17-6 first half lead over Indianapolis (a lead built through two Sanchez touchdown passes) before momentum shifted through an 80-yard Colts drive capped off by a Peyton Manning touchdown pass. It began a 24-point onslaught for the Colts, who put 461 yards of offense in the 30-17 victory.

One year later, Sanchez threw three touchdown passes in the Divisional victory over New England before falling just short of erasing a 24-0 deficit in the next conference title game in Pittsburgh. He had two more scoring passes (both in the second half) as the Jets fell in a 24-19 final.

Sanchez’s 95.5 passer rating over the 2010-11 postseason was second-best amongst playoff quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts, behind only future Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers.

Additionally, it’s not as if the Jets missed out on another franchise man later in the draft. Matthew Stafford was the consensus top pick to Detroit while Tampa Bay ironically took Kansas State’s Josh Freeman with the 17th pick, which was the Jets’ original selection obtained in another deal with the Browns.

The other throwers (Pat White, Stephen McGee, Rhett Bomar among them) made little to no impact on the NFL level. In fact, the last quarterback taken (Julian Edelman out of Kent State) went on to make his mark as a receiver instead.

Sanchez at least has the distinction of throwing NFL passes, something second-round choice Christian Hackenberg (2016) was never able to do.

 

***********************************************************

FYI Jets Fans, I strongly disagree but posted this article as food for thought during these doldrums.  

I hate agreeing with PFF, but they are right.

Because we had a small window of momentum with our OL, Running game a defense and Sanchez was just along for the ride.  He was the reason we didn't get to a SB those two years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i wouldn't exactly put sanchez in the jets ring of honor but he was far from the worst draft pick since 2006.  the usual suspects, gholston, milliner, coples, the hitman, kyle wilson etc. have already been named so there's no point in discussing them further.  but the real issue is the number of first round misses the jets have had since 2006.  just from the aforementioned group that's 5 (not including sanchez) in 15 years and the list could easily expand if guy like wilky and shelly are put on it.  that's a whole lotta bad draft choices.

  • Sympathy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, K Clue said:

Vernon Gholston was so bad that they forgot about him actually being the worst Jet ever. 

Vernon Gholston was picked 6 th overall in the draft.  He made 18 tackles in 3 NFL seasons, along with 18 assisted tackles in those 3 years. I know that he never got a single sack in an actual game.

Vernon Gholston didn't just underperform, I would make the argument that he never performed at all.

So, Gholston averaged 6 tackles and 6 assisted tackles per season, for 3 seasons.  There are linebackers who make 6 tackles and 6 assisted tackles in a single game.

Edited by Alka
I got some of my facts wrong.
  • Upvote 2
  • Sympathy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...