clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Overrated?

I got into an argument with a fan of a team from Gainesville (that apparently has a college in it... I heard they actually played a really close game with Ole Miss, but unfortunately lost it in the end).


Anyway, he was trying to tell me that Florida State had littered the draft with first round busts. I decided to take a look and examine this argument…

 

I decided, instead of going back to the old days of FSU I would stick to roughly the last 20 years. Here we go...

 

 

 

 

2007    Lawrence Timmons      #15      Pittsburgh

 

 

Has been a very productive player after learning their system. Seems to be the next in the line of great Pittsburgh linebackers

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

 

2005    Travis Johnson      #16      Houston Texans 

 

 

So far in his NFL career, he’s best known for giving the bionic knee to Trent Green, then yelling at him about it. He can’t quite be called a bust, but he is far from the dominant defensive lineman they thought they had drafted.

 

Boom/Bust – Push

 

 

 

 

2005    Alex Barron          #19      St. Louis Rams 

 

 

Has been an anchor for their line, but has a penalty issue. Far from a bust.

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

 

 

2006    Ernie Sims        #9        Detroit Lions 

 

 

Has been one of the few bright spots on a bad team.  

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

2006    Kamerion Wimbley  #13   Cleveland Browns 

 

 

Similar to Sims, has been one of the few bright spots on a bad team.  

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

2006    Brodrick Bunkley  #14   Philadelphia Eagles

 

 

 

A very good player for the Eagles, has proven worthy of his selection 

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

2006    Antonio Cromartie  #19   San Diego Chargers 

 

 

If anything a steal at the 19 pick. A physical, shutdown corner, with size and speed. Has already made spectacular plays, along with giving Peyton Manning fits

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

2002    Javon Walker               #22      Packers

 

 

Very productive pre injury and before witnessing the murder of his friend and teammate. Has never been the same since. But as far as the Packers go, he was great.

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

2001    Jamal Reynolds        #10      Packers

 

 

Packers traded Matt Hasselbeck and another first-round pick to move into this spot. Reynolds, whose lack of size (6-3, 260) hurt him, played three years, totaled 16 games (with no starts) and three sacks. 2001    Derrick Gibson #28      Raiders 

 

Boom/Bust - Bust

 

 

 

2000    Peter Warrick               #4        Bengals 

 

 

What could have been had he stayed healthy and went to a good team. Alas, we shall never know. What we do know is that he never lived up to expectations, and bounced around the league like a pinball.

 

Boom/Bust – Bust

 

 

    

2000    Corey Simon                #6        Eagles 

 

 

A great player for the Eagles while he was healthy. A space eater who could also make plays. Weight was an issue in Indy, but the Eagles got a great player.

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

     

 

 

2000    Sebastian Janikowski #17      Raiders    

 

 

As great as he was in college, you kind of know when you take a kicker this high; there is no chance for him not to be a bust. He has been good, not great, for the Raiders

 

Boom/Bust – Bust

 

 

 

1998    Andre Wadsworth        #3        Cardinals

 

 

Andre got stopped before he ever got going. Was a huge disappointment after a stellar college career.

 

Boom/Bust – Bust

 

 

 

1998    Tra Thomas        #10      Eagles

 

 

An anchor for the Eagles line for many years.

 

Boom/Bust –  Boom

 

 

           

1997    Peter Boulware             #4        Ravens  

 

  

 

Perennial pro bowl player who helped the Ravens win a Super bowl without any offense to speak of.

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

1997    Walter Jones                #6        Seahawks   

 

 

 

Still considered one of the best in football. Helped a slow, soft, and non shifty Shaun Alexander look like an all time great.

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

1997    Warrick Dunn               #12      Buccaneers 

 

 

Still a great player all these years later. Also a great man off the field, and a great part of the community.

 

Boom/Bust – Boom

 

 

 

 

1997    Reinard Wilson  #14      Bengals

 

 

 

Did have a 9 sack season, but did not live up to the expectations of his draft spot.

 

Boom/Bust – Bust

 

 

 

Best of the Rest

 

1995    Derrick Alexander        #11      Vikings   

Boom/Bust- Bust  

 

1995    Devin Bush                   #26      Falcons

Boom/Bust- Bust

 

1995    Derrick Brooks            #28      Buccaneers

Boom/Bust- Boom

 

1994    William Floyd               #28      49ers 

Boom/Bust- Boom      

 

1993    Marvin Jones                #4        Jets

Boom/Bust- Boom     

 

1992    Terrell Buckley             #5        Packers 

Boom/Bust- Boom    

 

1990    Dexter Carter               #25      49ers 

Boom/Bust- Bust      

 

1989    Deion Sanders              #5        Falcons

Boom/Bust- Boom 

 

 

So by my figures that gives FSU 17 Booms, and 8 Busts (with one push). Doesn’t seem to me that FSU has a problem with busts in the NFL, and to that point, may have one of the best ratios of Booms to Busts in NFL history.