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Redskins with 3 of the worst draft busts in history

At least that's the word per ESPN (hat tip: Cincy Jungle). And they are:

4. QB Heath Shuler (Tennessee)

Drafted by: Redskins, first round, No. 3 overall, 1994
Shuler started eight games as a rookie and certainly didn't look like an immediate bust, throwing 10 TDs and 11 interceptions. However, over the next three years with the Redskins and Saints, he would throw 21 interceptions to just five touchdown passes. He was out of the league by 1998.

32. T Andre Johnson (Penn State)

Drafted by: Redskins, first round, No. 30 overall, 1996
The Redskins have had more than their fair share of poor draft picks, but this tops them all. Johnson did not appear in a game for the Skins during his rookie season and was cut during the summer of 1997.

And finally:

50. WR Michael Westbrook (Colorado)

Drafted by:Redskins, first round, No. 4 overall, 1995
Three years after trading up to select WR Desmond Howard with the fourth overall pick, the Redskins dipped into the wideout pool again with Westbrook, who had the skills to dominate. The former Colorado Buffalo had a big year in 1999 (65 rec., 1,191 yards, 9 TDs) but a variety of issues kept him from ever achieving stardom.

More needs saying here, since Westbrook's name has come up recently. The video is no longer available, but recall that Michael Westbrook once beat the shit out of Stephen Davis at practice. See, for example:

Westbrook_zoom_medium

via bengals.enquirer.com

Why? Hog Heaven explains:

Michael Westbrook’s assault of Stephen Davis on the Redskins practice field is football legend. Supposedly, Davis called Westbrook "gay."

NOT SO, says Westbrook. Davis just said Westbrook was acting gay. He wasn’t saying Westbrook was, you know, really gay. But, the gay label stuck and Westbrook says that, not his attack on a team mate, haunts him to this day

Anthony Brown goes on to say that Westbrook complains too much, and I tend to agree. It takes an insecure character to get mad enough at a gentleman Stephen Davis' size to fight him. It's actually much worse than merely being insulted by Davis, as Westbrook went on to say that it almost kept him locked in his closet house forever:

So the connotation is Michael Westbrook is gay. ... My ex-girlfriend heard it about a year ago from this guy and she went nuts. Everybody that knows me knows that's the farthest thing from the truth. For about three years, I wanted to lock myself in the house and never come out.''

I don't have much to add on Westbrook's claim besides stating that I think he probably has mental problems. But ignoring the homophobia for a moment, I don't know if he was one of the top 50 busts of all time. As Lee Gibbons points out:

Westbrook as you likely recall was the Redskins first round pick back in 1995, selected 4th overall. It would be a bit harsh to call Westbrook a complete bust, he did have a 1,000 yard season (career stats) and was with the team for seven years, but it’s safe to say the pick didn’t turn out as the team envisioned.

Consider this my obligatory cautionary tale against drafting WRs in the first round. It's probably irrational to proceed with a drafting strategy operating solely on the worst-case-scenario mindset presented by a Michael Westbrook, but I happen to think WRs are more fungible than, say, defensive linemen. Juts my two opinion, though.

0 recs  |  Comment 8 comments

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They just hatin'

cuz they jealous.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 22, 2008 12:25 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Did you notice

The worst draft picks ever and ALL occured before Danny became the owner

by dr WNC on Apr 22, 2008 12:42 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Shhhhh.

Don’t say anything nice about El Danny-o. Somebody might get offended.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 22, 2008 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I think his drafts has all been fine

well within the normal limits of drafting, with no overwhelming busts. You’ve got your hits (Champ Bailey, Lavar Arrington, Chris Samuels, Sean Taylor) with some misses (Patrick Ramsey, Rod Gardner). Beyond the 1st round, and I’d even go so far as to say beyond the early picks in the first round, expectations cannot be unreasonably high that a player will necessarily impact the team. Only guys picked in the top 10 picks can really be magnificent failures, since those are the people who have high expectations.

Here’s a list of the guys the Redskins have picked in the top 10 since 1997:

LaRon Landry
Carlos Rogers
Sean Taylor
Lavar Arrington
Chris Samuels
Champ Bailey

That’s a pretty damn good list if you ask me. I really believe that when this team does draft, they do a great job. We’ve had some real steals in Dan’s time frame as well in guys like Rock Cartwright (7th), Derrick Dockery (3rd), Chris Cooley (3rd), and more recently in Golston, Montgomery, and Doughty.

Whatever criticisms of Daniel Snyder are out there, I don’t think an unusually bad draft history is among them.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Apr 22, 2008 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Then why does he constantly piss draft picks away?

I don’t get it. He does something well (draft), which also happens to be something that can save him money… but instead he chooses to do something he doesn’t do well (sign older FAs), which happens to be something that causes him to work his salarycapologist overtime and keep his budget at or near the maximun allowed.

For a businessman, it shouldn’t be this hard.

by TexSkins on Apr 22, 2008 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's not the "fantasy owner"

It’s the staff starting with Vinnie and Campbell.
Danny does many things which no one can understand

by dr WNC on Apr 22, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well...

I can’t speak for why they give away draft picks, but one of the reasons we’ve had fewer is so we can trade the players we want. Rocky McIntosh and Jason Campbell, for instance, both required trading up, which requires picks.

In terms of throwing the picks away, I think the dumbest moves were Brandon Lloyd and TJ Duckett. As stupid as we were to get Archuleta, I didn’t think we gave up any draft picks to sign his contract. Ditto on London Fletcher, I think.

But really I can’t answer your question. It is increasingly puzzling that the team can competently draft and then conclude that they should pursue free agency more. I was hoping, perhaps irrationally, that this season was a reflection of just that, as we’ve spent most of our free agency signing our own guys and are the proud owners of 9 draft picks.

Some interesting draft stuff:

The last time the Redskins had 4 or fewer picks was 2004 (we had 3 in 2003). The last time the Patriots had 4 or fewer? 1962. Last time the Colts had fewer? 1950. Steelers? 1962. Giants had 4 in 2005, but before that it was 1957, and they have a good bit more picks than us over the past 5-6 years.

I say this because I’m compelled by the logic that drafting is a better player acquisition strategy than free agency, ALL THINGS EQUAL, and those are some teams that have enjoyed the kind of recent success I dream about.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Apr 22, 2008 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yes, to a point

The numbers show that teams need to draft, just like everything the key is moderation.
A team should draft no less than 4 people each year, but years of 4,5 or 6 to balance trade and free agency would be acceptable. Your Redskins seem to have the all or nothing mentality of one way or another, This is what I think is changing this year, an overall balance to aquiring people each year.

by dr WNC on Apr 23, 2008 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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