Name a player you were totally wrong about regarding NFL career.

YourPublicEnemy

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Name one you thought would be awesome but flopped when he got to the pros and name a guy you thought would be a bust but turned out to be very good.
 

MarkPftw

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Nov 19, 2016
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Tom Brady..I know it sounds crazy..but who in the hell would have expected a legend from where he came from ? Below average athleticism..but his brain and arm..is the reason he has disected defenses for well over a decade. I thought he AND Eli Manning would be busts..boy was I wrong. And Mike Vick and RG3..yeah..I knew they would be injury prone because of the risks they took..but damn..they turned out to be major busts..especially RG3.
 

MarkPftw

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Also..I never thought Jason Witten would be a bust..but I never expected him to be an all time great TE. And Tim Tebow..I still don't see how he's not an NFL player. He's no QB..but he is an NFL talent. He's turned out to be a major bust.
 

DCFseattle

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Mar 16, 2011
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Even if Tom Brady didn't make it in the nfl, can you really call a 6th round pick a bust? I don't think anybody had high expectations for him and if not for an untimely injury to Drew Bledsoe, he likely never amounts to anything. Right place, right time, right offensive gamelan early in his career allowed him to develop into an all timer.
 

dallasg23

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Aug 15, 2013
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Also..I never thought Jason Witten would be a bust..but I never expected him to be an all time great TE. And Tim Tebow..I still don't see how he's not an NFL player. He's no QB..but he is an NFL talent. He's turned out to be a major bust.
Tebow just refuses to try anything beside QB.
 

MarkPftw

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No..you really can't call a 6th rounder a bust. It's just amazing how he came from absolutely nothing to quiet possibly the GOAT.
 

dallasg23

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Eli Manning as a guy who I thought was going to be a bust after his hissy over being drafted by the chargers. And as a busy. Johnny Football. Thought he'd grow up and be a decent ball player. All the upside and athleticism but clearly not the brain
 

YourPublicEnemy

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I thought Matt Ryan and Cam Newton would be busts. I was wrong.

I thought Peter Warwick would be an amazing talent. Nope.
 

MarkPftw

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Derek Carr..I know he's still young..but I never expected him to have a season like he's had this season. He and Dak are leading the new generation of QBs so far this season.
 

Larry00

Senior
Oct 6, 2005
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Sticking with my Cowboys...

Nate Newton. Went undrafted, and signed with the Boys as a free agent. Was so damn fat that they gave him the nickname "The Kitchen". Ended up going to 6 Pro Bowls on one of the most dominate offensive lines in NFL history.
 

jauk11

Heisman
Dec 6, 2006
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I don't follow the money game any more, maybe an ex-UK player occasionally. But I guess all UL fans do, on the collegiate level.
 

YourPublicEnemy

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I honestly thought Couch was going to be good but I was in high school so my opinion was skewed. I wish for his sake he wouldn't have been drafted by the Browns because he would have had a longer career.
 

dgtatu01

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Sep 21, 2005
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Locally a few guys who I thought would be good, but weren't are Artose Pinner, Keenan Burton, and Davante Parker. Pinner had that natural burst through the hole wrecking ball mentality with speed that NFL guys generally have. Keenan Burton ran great routes and could get open even against the big name teams like Florida. Davante Parker is one of the best pass catchers I have ever seen in college. Just really good ball skills. It remains to be seen how he will pan out, but his speed may not be NFL Pro Bowl caliber and he seems to be injury prone also. Too bad because he really catches the ball as well as anyone I have ever watched in college.

Some guys I never expected to do well locally were Danny Trevathon and Jacob Tamme. I didn't think Trevathon was near big enough to play LB in the NFL, much less be a pro bowl type player. He had special teams guy written all over him to me. Same for Tamme, just not physical enough, but he has benefited greatly from the move to spread out pass catching TE's in the game.

One guy who I loved, but NFL teams didn't was Wesley Woodyard. I thought in the right system.he would be a great OL or even convert over to a SS. This is one time I was smarter than the pros since he has been a fine NFL player even though he didn't get drafted.
 

Grumpyolddawg

Heisman
Jun 11, 2001
28,465
37,267
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Tom Brady..I know it sounds crazy..but who in the hell would have expected a legend from where he came from ? Below average athleticism..but his brain and arm..is the reason he has disected defenses for well over a decade. I thought he AND Eli Manning would be busts..boy was I wrong. And Mike Vick and RG3..yeah..I knew they would be injury prone because of the risks they took..but damn..they turned out to be major busts..especially RG3.

Vick wasn't a bust because of his on field play, he was a bust because he couldn't leave the thug life behind. During the 6 years with the Falcons he led them to the playoffs twice, quite an acomplishment for the Falcons and was in the pro bowl 3 years. With all the negative press around him for his involvement in the dog fighting and 21 months in federal prison teams were still willing to sign him as a free agent. He led the Eagles to the playoffs and Eastern division championship after being away for 2 seasons. Guy could play and I don't see how he is a major bust for his playing ability. On the field he was a faster Jackson and was faster than almost everyone in the NFL too. He just couldn't shake the thug lifestyle. So maybe a bust as a human being, but not an NFL qb.
 
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mtn cat1

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Feb 5, 2003
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Ref. Public enemy,s post, I don,t see TIm's career as a flop, I place the blame squarely on the Brown's Front Office. They totally and completely failed to provide him with an offensive line comporable to NFl standard's.
 
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bthaunert

Heisman
Apr 4, 2007
29,518
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Some of the people listed are surprises, but don't really answer the OP's question. I doubt anyone thought anything about Tom Brady making the transition from college to the pros.

Peter Warrick was a great answer. I was so pumped when the Bengals drafted him and thought he was going to be a superstar.

I also thoght Reggie Bush was going to be a complete stud in the NFL and couldn't believe when Mario Williams was picked ahead of him.
 

jcvins2

Sophomore
Jan 21, 2008
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Who predicted Ronnie shields would be on an NFL roster. He certainly took advantage of the right situation
 

BlueRaider22

All-American
Sep 24, 2003
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Tebow just refuses to try anything beside QB.

Also due to the media circus that always seemed to follow him no NFL team wished to modify the game to him.

One guy that I have been impressed with is Mariota. As a Titans' fan I was a little worried when they took him. I thought we picked a running QB who plays in a system where they only have to make 1-2 reads.....and stuck him in an NFL system without a OL nor WRs to throw to. To me I wasn't expecting much. So far I'm happy to be wrong.
 

Tskware

Heisman
Jan 26, 2003
25,151
21,763
113
Name one you thought would be awesome but flopped when he got to the pros and name a guy you thought would be a bust but turned out to be very good.

Frank Minniefield, went to HS with him, thought he was a really good HS player, but that is about it. Never in a million years did I think he would have a long and productive pro career. Turns out he was one of those rare players that got better at every level.
 
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Glenn's Take

Heisman
May 20, 2012
12,542
14,716
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Not that he had a great or even average NFL career but the fact that Alfonso Smith played in 49 games at UK and 49 games in the NFL is just incredible to me. When he left I didn't even think the NFL was a thought for him.
 
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MarkPftw

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Nov 19, 2016
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Vick wasn't a bust because of his on field play, he was a bust because he couldn't leave the thug life behind. During the 6 years with the Falcons he led them to the playoffs twice, quite an acomplishment for the Falcons and was in the pro bowl 3 years. With all the negative press around him for his involvement in the dog fighting and 21 months in federal prison teams were still willing to sign him as a free agent. He led the Eagles to the playoffs and Eastern division championship after being away for 2 seasons. Guy could play and I don't see how he is a major bust for his playing ability. On the field he was a faster Jackson and was faster than almost everyone in the NFL too. He just couldn't shake the thug lifestyle. So maybe a bust as a human being, but not an NFL qb.




Yeah..I just didn't want to bring up the dog fighting and his time in prison. I would say that all of his off the field problems and horrible ****** human ways have played a big factor in him being wasted these last few years. He's 35 or 36 years old and when is the last time that he's been on the field or even a team ?
 

theoledog

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Nov 21, 2008
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Vick wasn't a bust because of his on field play, he was a bust because he couldn't leave the thug life behind. During the 6 years with the Falcons he led them to the playoffs twice, quite an acomplishment for the Falcons and was in the pro bowl 3 years. With all the negative press around him for his involvement in the dog fighting and 21 months in federal prison teams were still willing to sign him as a free agent. He led the Eagles to the playoffs and Eastern division championship after being away for 2 seasons. Guy could play and I don't see how he is a major bust for his playing ability. On the field he was a faster Jackson and was faster than almost everyone in the NFL too. He just couldn't shake the thug lifestyle. So maybe a bust as a human being, but not an NFL qb.
Saw him play/Falcons... Even professional athletes couldn't catch him... Some really good run-pass QB's in the league... My opinion hasn't changed about DTQB's in spite of Newton and Wilson... NFL is a passing QB league... And those guys are one play away from retirement whenever they run... Cam got the turd beat out of him SB... Still ain't right:)
 

Grumpyolddawg

Heisman
Jun 11, 2001
28,465
37,267
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Yeah..I just didn't want to bring up the dog fighting and his time in prison. I would say that all of his off the field problems and horrible ****** human ways have played a big factor in him being wasted these last few years. He's 35 or 36 years old and when is the last time that he's been on the field or even a team ?

But seven years being one of the top qbs in the league hardly translates to a huge bust, to me Ryan Lief, I think was his name who came out with Peyton Manning, Rohan Davey I think was his name the qb from LSU selected by the Raiders. Those guys were bust as regular adults, just wasn't dog fighting. Vick just shows its much easier to take the kid off the street than it is to take the street off the kid. Guy was a very good NFL qb for a number of years.
 
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3kidsandme

Heisman
Jan 12, 2013
7,345
10,353
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But seven years being one of the top qbs in the league hardly translates to a huge bust, to me Ryan Lief, I think was his name who came out with Peyton Manning, Rohan Davey I think was his name the qb from LSU selected by the Raiders. Those guys were bust as regular adults, just wasn't dog fighting. Vick just shows its much easier to take the kid off the street than it is to take the street off the kid. Guy was a very good NFL qb for a number of years.
Agree on vick. He was spectacular with the falcons. Jamarcus russell who your thinking of
 

maysvilleky

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Aug 13, 2003
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I thought Young out of Texas was going to be a very good pro...wrong! And I think Woodyard has had a great NFL career considering he was undrafted.
 
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Grumpyolddawg

Heisman
Jun 11, 2001
28,465
37,267
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Agree on vick. He was spectacular with the falcons. Jamarcus russell who your thinking of

Yep, you are correct, it was Russell, that's the type career I call a huge bust. No idea how I came up with Rohan Davey and couldn't remember Jamarcus Russell
 

YourPublicEnemy

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I thought Young out of Texas was going to be a very good pro...wrong! And I think Woodyard has had a great NFL career considering he was undrafted.

He won ROTY though, right? But yeah, I never would have guessed that the 2006 group of Leinart, Bush and Young wouldn't be superstars.
 

Kats23

All-American
Nov 21, 2007
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I was pretty annoyed when the Steelers drafted Big Ben. Didn't think the speed of the game would transition.

I thought Brian Brohm would be a decent QB. Not an All Pro or anything but a Joe Flacco type, 2nd tier QB.
 

dgtatu01

All-Conference
Sep 21, 2005
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I was pretty annoyed when the Steelers drafted Big Ben. Didn't think the speed of the game would transition.

I thought Brian Brohm would be a decent QB. Not an All Pro or anything but a Joe Flacco type, 2nd tier QB.
Brohm taught me some of the things to look for in great college QB's that will not translate to the pros. Him and Andre Woodson were prototypical guys that can ball in college, but not play in the pros. Both of them three very lofty balls when they threw deep. They also threw to a spot a lot and let their WR's beat their man to the ball. in the NFL you have to throw your man open and be able to zip balls into holes. There just aren't that many guys that can get separation from pro DB's.
 

Deeeefense

Heisman
Staff member
Aug 22, 2001
44,083
51,075
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Locally a few guys who I thought would be good, but weren't are Artose Pinner, Keenan Burton, and Davante Parker.

I would have to disagree with these. Pinner had some productive years with Detroit- not all pro but certainly not a bust either, Burton's career was ended early by chronic injuries, Parker hasn't been in the league long enough to judge but lately he has been making some nice catches for the fins. He was buried on the depth chart his first year.
 

420grover

All-American
Mar 26, 2006
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I thought for sure that one of the 50 Mike Williams would be a HOF receiver. All were busts. Thought Mariotta would be a huge bust and he's turning out half decent. Jury's still out though.
 

Bluetick2100

All-Conference
Apr 15, 2007
5,662
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Alfonzo Smith had much more of a NFL career than I ever expected.
Had a lot of speed but never really was a outstanding player at UK.
 

TeoJ

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
24,365
20,385
65
But seven years being one of the top qbs in the league hardly translates to a huge bust, to me Ryan Lief, I think was his name who came out with Peyton Manning, Rohan Davey I think was his name the qb from LSU selected by the Raiders. Those guys were bust as regular adults, just wasn't dog fighting. Vick just shows its much easier to take the kid off the street than it is to take the street off the kid. Guy was a very good NFL qb for a number of years.



I watched him play the Buccaneers and vick acted like he was going out of bounds and Derrick Brooks backed off and he gained ten more yards.The same play two minutes later Brooks drilled him on the side lines.
 

keefsopeng

All-Conference
Mar 23, 2005
5,015
2,068
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I agree with a lot of the guys that have already been mentioned so I'll say someone who hasn't yet. He is still young and has been injury prone, but I figured Clowney was a can't miss but he's been a bum when he plays another one was Trent Richardson, guy had all the tools but it didn't work. As for the flip side, I thought Justin Blackmon would be what Julio Jones is and he has been not even able to play because he can't quit smoking weed and drinking and driving.