All-time Top 5 supplemental draft picks

[SoFlaJets]

Eric Moneypenny / Special to FOXSports.com

Posted: 1 hour ago

With the NFL Supplemental Draft looming and talented players like Virginia LB Ahmad Brooks available to any NFL team, the GMs and personnel guys around the league have a huge choice to make.

To supplement, or not to supplement?

If you read my Top 5 Worst Selections in the Supplemental Draft, you'd probably want to shy away from spending one of your 2007 picks to take someone that can help this season.

But the NFL Supplemental Draft isn't all doom and gloom. Here are my all-time Top 5 best selections in NFL Supplemental Draft history.

These guys aren't my top five picks only because they had great NFL careers. These are my top five because of how well they fit on the teams that took them and turned into far better scenarios than the "hold off, wait until next year" approach the supplemental draft allows for.

Also, along the way, I'll tie in some players that the teams could've chosen had they waited for the next draft, and not taken these particular dudes in the "Supp."

1. Bernie Kosar, QB, Cleveland

(1985 Supplemental Draft, 1st Round)

Obviously, Bernie Kosar's the no brainer on this list. By the end of Kosar's rookie season, he was a starter. By his second year, he'd returned the franchise he cheered for as a kid to the NFL's upper echelon.

The slow-footed, side-armed slinger from Youngstown, OH helped lead a struggling franchise to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons, and had the Browns one game away from the Super Bowl on three separate occasions, making him my most valuable supplemental pick of all-time.

The common understanding is that this supplemental pick was shrouded by a small pinch of controversy. Kosar was a redshirt sophomore at the University of Miami, and graduated from school after the regular 1985 NFL Draft occurred, an important point since only college seniors and graduates were eligible for the draft.

Then, Kosar made himself eligible for the 1985 Supplemental Draft, largely in hopes of being drafted by his childhood favorites. The interest on the Browns part was definitely reciprocal, and to this day, everyone (including Kosar) admitted that the Browns and the young quarterback were in cahoots all along on setting this up.

You see, Minnesota held the second selection in the 1985 supplemental draft, and they also coveted Kosar. But Cleveland wanted him really badly, so they traded four draft picks to Buffalo (who held the first pick), just to leapfrog the Vikings in the supp and bring Bernie back home to Ohio. In fact, the Browns' mass dumping of picks to bully their way into the front of the Kosar Sweepstakes even helped lead to changes in the way the NFL operates the Supplemental Draft.

In 8 1/2 with the Browns, Kosar threw for 21,904 yards, establishing himself as not only one of the franchise's all-time greats, but as an all-time great supplemental draft pick.

Notable quarterbacks available to Cleveland in the 1986 NFL Draft, had they passed on Kosar in the 1985 supplemental: Jim Everett, Chuck Long, Bubby Brister, Jack Trudeau, Hugh Millen, Mark Rypien. The year of 1986 was a decent one for quarterbacks, but you can see why the Browns were better served in the long run to have not waited until then.

2. Cris Carter, WR, Philadelphia

(1987 Supplemental Draft, 4th Round)

Cris Carter has the second most receptions of any receiver in NFL history. (Brian Bahr /Allsport/ / Getty Images)

Even though Carter only cost the Eagles a fourth-round pick in the 1988 Draft, some in Philadelphia weren't overly impressed by the end of his stay there. During his time with the Eagles, Carter was battling personal problems, even though his statistics were solid, just not overwhelming.

Either way, in Carter's only three years with the Eagles, he caught 19 touchdowns (that's all he could do, right?), which was much more production than you should expect out of your average fourth-round wideout. That, just as much as his later production, makes him one of my all-time top supplemental picks.

Carter, an All-American receiver at Ohio State, was forced to enter the supplemental draft after the NCAA declared him ineligible for his senior season after it was learned that his brother had set him up with an agent. Carter appealed the NCAA decision, and the 1987 NFL supplemental draft was postponed until the beginning of September, when Carter's (along with a player from Pitt) eligibility status was made clear.

After Philadelphia, Carter would go on to overcome his personal battles and have a Hall of Fame career in Minnesota, finishing his career with 1,101 receptions, good for second all-time.

Notable Wide Receivers available for Philadelphia in the 1988 Draft (fourth round or later): Michael Haynes caught 428 passes for the Falcons and Saints. Other than Haynes, you can see why Carter was a great value for that pick.

3 (tied). Jamal Williams, DT, San Diego & Mike Wahle, OL, Green Bay

(1998 Supplemental Draft, 2nd Round)

The 1989 Supplemental Draft is memorable as three big-time college players (Steve Walsh, Timm Rosenbach, and Bobby Humphrey) were taken as first-round picks. The 1998 Supplemental Draft should be as memorable, if only for two not-so-big name college players that turned into future Pro Bowlers.

In 1998, Jamal Williams was drafted by San Diego, and by now with the Chargers, he's evolved into the premier nose tackle in the NFL. Williams came into the league as a 305-pound defensive lineman from Oklahoma State. Now, he's 348 pounds and feeds on a steady diet of double and triple teams.

As for Wahle, he entered the Supplemental Draft after losing his NCAA eligibility with the Naval Academy. Taken by the Packers, Wahle started over 60 straight games before being released in a cost-cutting move in March 2005. Then, Carolina quickly snatched him up, and he reached the 2006 Pro Bowl after only his first season with the Panthers.

Despite being Pro Bowlers and 1998 Supplemental Draft picks, Williams and Wahle share another commonality. Both went through rather drastic position changes from between the beginning of their college days and pro careers. Williams entered college as a 280-pound middle linebacker, and Wahle was a high school tight end and quarterback that wound up at wide receiver for a short time at Navy.

So, no matter what positions they started off in at in college, it's clear now that they were both fantastic supplemental picks by the end of their college careers.

Notable Defensive Tackles available to San Diego after the second round of the 1999 Draft: None of the defensive tackles taken after the second round in '99 have come close to matching Williams.

Notable Offensive Guards available to Green Bay after the second round of the 1999 Draft: Although you can always find a solid offensive lineman anywhere in the NFL Draft, I couldn't find any of Wahle's caliber after the second round.

4. Bobby Humphrey, RB, Denver

(1989 Supplemental Draft, 1st Round)

I was very tempted to put Bobby Humphrey on my Top 5 worst supplemental picks list, since he lasted only four seasons in the NFL and erased the Denver Broncos' first-round choice for 1990.

However, when you look at Humphrey's production his first two seasons with the Broncos, you can't deny that Denver got first-round value out of this supplemental pick.

An All-American in college at Alabama (rushing for 3,420 career yards), the 6-foot-1, 201-pound Humphrey injured his foot early in his senior year, making him eligible for a medical redshirt.

As a prelude to his many future holdouts, Humphrey stayed in school, holding himself out of the 1989 NFL Draft. Then, instead of taking that redshirt season, he entered the 1989 supp.

At the time, Denver was a team coming off an 8-8 season. The Broncos boasted a rushing attack led by Sammy Winder and an aging Tony Dorsett, an attack that was exactly as effective as it sounds. Enter Humphrey, a no-brainer selection for the Broncos.

As a rookie, Humphrey made an immediate splash, rushing for 1,151 yards and helping the Broncos earn a Super Bowl berth. In Humphrey's second year, his 1,202 yards made it seem like the Broncos had the perfect running back to complement Elway.

From there, it was turmoil. Due to a contract dispute in 1991, Humphrey held out some of his third season in Denver and was shipped off to Miami for the 1992 season. Humphrey had a decent season with the Dolphins, running for 471 yards and catching 54 passes. It was such a decent season that he decided to hold out again, but in the meantime was he shot in the leg by his friend with a .38, along with being arrested on drug charges.

Since then, Humphrey has cleaned up his act, entered coaching, public speaking, and has even warned against contract holdouts to Ashley Lelie in local Denver papers. His rushing for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons and helping his team to a Super Bowl make him one of my Top 5 all-time supplemental picks.

Plus, for Denver fans, think about this: Had Humphrey stuck around for 10-12 seasons as the feature back, we may have never seen the emergence of Terrell Davis or those great late-Elway Bronco Super Bowl teams.

Notable running backs available to Denver had they waited until 1990 to use this pick: Dexter Carter, Reggie Cobb, Anthony Thompson, Anthony Johnson, Harold Green, Chris Warren, Barry Foster, Johnny Johnson, Johnny Bailey.

5. Rob Moore, WR, NY Jets

(1990 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

By the 1990 season, Wesley Walker, the longtime speedy stalwart of the Jets' receiving corps, turned 35 and retired from football. Big Al Toon, a three-time Pro Bowler at this point, was currently the Jets' No. 1 option at wideout.

Aside from the tall, lanky and productive Toon, the Jets' receiving corps was about as deep as the foam padding under the rock-hard Giants' Stadium turf. At 5-9, JoJo Townsell was coming off a career-high 45-catch season in 1989, which made him the only apparent complement to Toon.

The Jets attempted to address the receiver position in the 1990 draft, selecting a player in the sixth round that put up some wild college stats (Terrence Mathis), and Dale Dawkins out of "The U."

When Rob Moore entered the 1990 supplemental draft, it was like the Jets were handed a gift. He was 6-3, a big target like Toon, a great athlete and played his college ball upstate at Syracuse.

Moore was a great fit with the Jets, and he produced right away. As a rookie, he caught 44 passes for 692 yards and six touchdowns, and went on to average 61 catches a season from 1990-95.

What makes this an all-time great supplemental pick to me is that Moore single-handedly turned a 1990 Jets draft class at WR from a D+ to a B+ at the time (Mathis wouldn't really catch on until going to Atlanta), and he was an instant hit opposite Toon.

Moore would finish his NFL career with Arizona, posting career marks of 628 catches for 9,302 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Notable wide receivers available to the Jets had they waited until 1991 to use the pick: Herman Moore, Alvin Harper, Mike Pritchard, Jake Reed, Ernie Mills, Yancey Thigpen, Rocket Ismail, Michael Jackson.

[rajensen088]

For Jet fans, Rob Moore was absolutely the worst pick for any franchise..... Jets gave up their first round pick because they drafted Moore. Ron Wolf had Brett Favre as the highest rated player in the entire draft, but because the Jets had forfeited their first round pick they lost him to Atlanata in the second round. Had the Jets not drafted Rob Moore and lost their first round pick, Brett Favre would have been the Jets QB for the last 14 years.

[PatsFanTX]

Had the Jets not drafted Rob Moore and lost their first round pick, Brett Favre would have been the Jets QB for the last 14 years.

Same old Jets.

[shutout]

For Jet fans, Rob Moore was absolutely the worst pick for any franchise..... Jets gave up their first round pick because they drafted Moore. Ron Wolf had Brett Favre as the highest rated player in the entire draft, but because the Jets had forfeited their first round pick they lost him to Atlanata in the second round. Had the Jets not drafted Rob Moore and lost their first round pick, Brett Favre would have been the Jets QB for the last 14 years.

and you probably would've bitched and moaned about how overrated favre is,how he throws too many interceptions,and how we could've had rob moore in the supplemental,then favre would've had someone to throw to.

[quietjets]

Now, I am starting to like a supplemental draft.... I like to try to get Brooks for 3rd rounder although i know some team will gamble first or 2nd rounder on him...

[Gotham-City-Sparky]

Now, I am starting to like a supplemental draft.... I like to try to get Brooks for 3rd rounder although i know some team will gamble first or 2nd rounder on him...

Maybe Brooks is the reason we got the Skins second round pick next year. Our bid could be one of the two second round picks and we still keep one for the draft