The 1999 Draft, Six years later

[SkapePhin]

Excellent Article:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/ramblings.php?p=2514&cat=10

The 1999 Draft, Six Years Later

by Michael David Smith

“I think Cade McNown’s going to be good. Really good.â€Â

– Peter King, April 18, 1999

“I think Tim Couch will be the most successful QB in the next few years because he’ll have the best coaching.â€Â

– Paul Zimmerman, April 20, 1999

I include these quotes not to pick on King or Zimmerman, but merely to point out that it’s next to impossible to determine which college players will have NFL success. There’s not an expert in the entire football reporting world who can consistently spot the best picks.

To judge a draft with any degree of accuracy, you need half a dozen years of on-field performance to assess. And that’s what we’re doing here with our second annual draft review, this time of the 1999 selection meeting. (You can also read The 1998 Draft, Six Years Later, written in 2004.)

 

[PhinYZIR13]

Its always interesting to look at old scouting reports and opinions on players a few years after they are in the league. Good read.

 

[phinpunk14]

QB's picked early always tend to do bad anyway b/c they are expected to lead a horrible team. I still think Tim Couch would have done ok had he played for someone else, but the browns o-line was so bad he never had a chance.

 

[Jaj]

What I hate about that draft is that all we got out of it was Rob Konrad and he's gone. The same with 2000. I really thought Ben Kelly would have become something. Todd Wade is gone. Deon Dyer showed promise at one time. 2001, our best chance...

- Fletcher bust
- Greenwood is gone though was a good pick
- Minor was a decent 3rd down back, we picked him a bit high
- Chambers was the saving grace
- Brandon Winey... I really thought he'd be something but he was terrible in Wise's scheme and didn't develop enough strength.

2002 just McMicheal really, though Henry showed promise and McKinney could challenge to start again

2003 pitiful year

- Moore was a big reach, might start this year though
- Smith is out of position
- Whitley was a big reach and was terrible
- How we all hyped up J.R. Tolver
- Donald Lee makes mistakes but was a good pick
- Yeremiah Bell is contending to start at FS this year
- Provost dissapeared

2004 was our best draft in a very long, though no one admits it

- Carey was a reach but will contend to be the LT or will atleast be the RG
- Poole was a steal
- Bua is our new special teams demon
- Hadnot was a great pick, who will compete to start or will be a solid reserve
- Pape has promise
- Pope showed plenty of ability for a 7th rounder

 

[SkapePhin]

Dolphin related stuff:
Worst picks that looked good at the time:
James Johnson was a pretty lousy running back out of Mississippi State and was a bizarre choice at No. 39 for the Dolphins. Obviously, this means no team should take an SEC running back.

Biggest disappointments: Let me confess that I thought Cecil Collins, taken by Jimmy Johnson’s Dolphins with the first pick of the fifth round, would be a stud. Even before Collins went to jail he was nothing better than mediocre.

 

[Jaj]

Dolphin related stuff:
Worst picks that looked good at the time:
James Johnson was a pretty lousy running back out of Mississippi State and was a bizarre choice at No. 39 for the Dolphins. Obviously, this means no team should take an SEC running back.

Biggest disappointments: Let me confess that I thought Cecil Collins, taken by Jimmy Johnson’s Dolphins with the first pick of the fifth round, would be a stud. Even before Collins went to jail he was nothing better than mediocre.

Collins showed some promise, but his big losses in the backfield really brought down his YPC. Ya I admit I expected much of him too. I thought he could be our true answer at RB. Ben Kelly. Brandon Winey. Steals that didn't work out so well...

 

[jab]

What I hate about that draft is that all we got out of it was Rob Konrad and he's gone. The same with 2000. I really thought Ben Kelly would have become something. Todd Wade is gone. Deon Dyer showed promise at one time. 2001, our best chance...

- Fletcher bust
- Greenwood is gone though was a good pick
- Minor was a decent 3rd down back, we picked him a bit high
- Chambers was the saving grace
- Brandon Winey... I really thought he'd be something but he was terrible in Wise's scheme and didn't develop enough strength.

2002 just McMicheal really, though Henry showed promise and McKinney could challenge to start again

2003 pitiful year

- Moore was a big reach, might start this year though
- Smith is out of position
- Whitley was a big reach and was terrible
- How we all hyped up J.R. Tolver
- Donald Lee makes mistakes but was a good pick
- Yeremiah Bell is contending to start at FS this year
- Provost dissapeared

2004 was our best draft in a very long, though no one admits it

- Carey was a reach but will contend to be the LT or will atleast be the RG
- Poole was a steal
- Bua is our new special teams demon
- Hadnot was a great pick, who will compete to start or will be a solid reserve
- Pape has promise
- Pope showed plenty of ability for a 7th rounder

You are absolutely right about last year's draft picks. It is sooo easy to trash Wannstedt and Spielman for the poor decisions they have made, but you have to give them credit for the good decisions as well.

 

[byroan]

From Peter King's article:

I could be wrong about this, but I think the Colts made a serious mistake in bypassing Ricky Williams. I think he’ll make them regret it for years, even while Edgerrin James is catching 65 balls a season from Peyton Manning. Eastern football needs a brutish inside-running horse. There is no better brutish inside runner in the recent history of college football than Williams.

 

[Buddwalk]

Ricky was a better back than edge...but mentally ricky is lost!

 

[HysterikiLL]

Boy, this draft was a real mess. I knew the whole quarterback quarry was messed, but everybody else is all over the place.

This draft could bear some resemblance to that one.

 

[Jaj]

That draft surprised me. I thought Couch would become a high 80's rated QB.

 

[Buddwalk]

I thought Cade Mcnown would of been the best out of the bunch...i saw a clip of him 100 feet away from a basketball hoop...and he threw a football threw it

The Kid had the talent but couldnt really make decisions well

 

[FinFan Brazil]

excelent read. thanks

 

[KillerDolphins]

Speaking of other draft turds how about Andre Ware? Boy did he suck. Here are some others.

Aundray Bruce, 1988 NFL Draft
Steve Emtman, 1992
Ki-Jana Carter, 1995 NFL Draft
Kenneth Sims, 1982 NFL Draft
Walt Patulski, 1972 NFL Draft:
Tony Mandarich, OT, Michigan State (2nd overall, Packers, 1989)
Lawrence Phillips, RB, Nebraska (6th overall, Rams, 1996)
Heath Shuler, QB, Tennessee (3rd overall, Redskins, 1994)
Blair Thomas, RB, Penn State (2nd overall, Jets, 1990)
Trev Alberts, OLB, Nebraska (6th overall, Colts, 1994)
Anthony Bell, LB, Michigan State (5th overall, Cardinals, 1986)
Todd Blackledge, QB, Penn State (7th overall, Chiefs, 1983)
Bob Buczkowski, DE, Pittsburgh (24th overall, Raiders, 1986)
Rich Campbell, QB, California (6th overall, Packers, 1981)
Tom Cousineau, MLB, Ohio State (1st overall, Bills, 1979)
Mike Croel, LB, Nebraska (4th overall, Broncos, 1991)
Eric Curry, DE, Alabama (6th overall, Buccaneers, 1993)
Jim Druckenmiller, QB, Virginia Tech (26th overall, 49ers, 1997)
Clyde Duncan, WR, Tennessee (17th overall, Cardinals, 1984)
Steve Emtman, DT, Washington (1st overall, Colts, 1992)
Desmond Howard, WR, Michigan (4th overall, Redskins, 1992)
Mike Junkin, LB, Duke (5th overall, Browns, 1987)
Shawn Knight, DT, BYU (11th overall, Saints, 1987)
David Klingler, QB, Houston (6th overall, Bengals, 1992)
Eric Kumerow, OLB, Ohio State (16th overall, Dolphins, 1988)
Ryan Leaf, QB, Washington State (2nd overall, Chargers, 1998)
Tommy Maddox, QB, UCLA (25th overall, Broncos, 1992)
Todd Marinovich, QB, USC (24th overall, Raiders, 1991)
Keith McCants, DE, Alabama (4th overall, Buccaneers, 1990)
Dan McGwire, QB, San Diego State (16th overall, Seahawks, 1991)
Rick Mirer, QB, Notre Dame (2nd overall, Seahawks, 1993)
Bruce Pickens, DB, Nebraska (3rd overall, Falcons, 1991)
Jack Thompson, QB, Washington State (3rd overall, Bengals, 1979)
David Verser, WR, Kansas (10th overall, Bengals, 1981)
Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State (1st overall, Bengals, 1994)