Heisman Boom or Bust?

[The Gipper]

@the-gipper said:

Why should we even talk about the Browns?  Lets try something that is at least a wee bit interesting. Here is a list of Heisman Trophy winners.  What say you, which ones were booms and which ones were busts in their NFL careers? Also, if you wish, pick a "middle ground....not bad, not great". For purposes of this I am  only going back to 1963 when Roger Staubach won the Heisman.  Why? Because he is like the first guy I ever remember winning it.

Here is my  list of choices for Boom in Blue.   Choices for Busts in Red.  Others, left black,  are either middle ground or too soon (for the last 4)

YEAR	WINNER	SCHOOL	POSITION
2016	Lamar Jackson	Louisville	QB
2015	Derrick Henry	Alabama	RB
2014	Marcus Mariota	Oregon	QB
2013	Jameis Winston	Florida State	QB
2012	Johnny Manziel	Texas A&M	QB
2011	Robert Griffin III	Baylor	QB
2010	Cameron Newton	Auburn	QB
2009	Mark Ingram	Alabama	RB
2008	Sam Bradford	Oklahoma	QB
2007	Tim Tebow	Florida	QB
2006	Troy Smith	Ohio State	QB
2005	Reggie Bush	Southern California	RB
2004	Matt Leinart	Southern California	QB
2003	Jason White	Oklahoma	QB
2002	Carson Palmer	Southern California	QB
2001	Eric Crouch	Nebraska	QB
2000	Chris Weinke	Florida State	QB
1999	Ron Dayne	Wisconsin	RB
1998	Ricky Williams	Texas	RB
1997	Charles Woodson	Michigan	DB/WR
1996	Danny Wuerffel	Florida	QB
1995	Eddie George	Ohio State	RB
1994	Rashaan Salaam	Colorado	RB
1993	Charlie Ward	Florida State	QB
1992	Gino Torretta	Miami	QB
1991	Desmond Howard	Michigan	WR
1990	Ty Detmer	Brigham Young	QB
1989	Andre Ware	Houston	QB
1988	Barry Sanders	Oklahoma State	RB
1987	Tim Brown	Notre Dame	WR
1986	Vinny Testaverde	Miami	QB
1985	Bo Jackson	Auburn	RB
1984	Doug Flutie	Boston College	QB
1983	Mike Rozier	Nebraska	RB
1982	Herschel Walker	Georgia	RB
1981	Marcus Allen	Southern California	RB
1980	George Rogers	South Carolina	RB
1979	Charles White	Southern California	RB
1978	Billy Sims	Oklahoma	RB
1977	Earl Campbell	Texas	RB
1976	Tony Dorsett	Pittsburgh	RB
1975	Archie Griffin	Ohio State	RB
1974	Archie Griffin	Ohio State	RB
1973	John Cappelletti	Penn State	RB
1972	Johnny Rodgers	Nebraska	WR
1971	Pat Sullivan	Auburn	QB
1970	Jim Plunkett	Stanford	QB
1969	Steve Owens	Oklahoma	HB
1968	O.J. Simpson	Southern California	HB
1967	Gary Beban	UCLA	QB
1966	Steve Spurrier	Florida	QB
1965	Mike Garrett	Southern California	HB
1964	John Huarte	Notre Dame	QB
1963	Roger Staubach	Navy	QB

[The Gipper]

One interesting case is Doug Flutie.  Here  I have him in the "middle ground", for his NFL career.   But the fact is, he is a HOFer in Canadian football. And though you love the guy playing for your team (ask Bills fans),  I don't think his NFL career was quite good enough to give him the Boom designation.

(one guy that should take a clue from Flutie is one of the busts up here:  Mr. JFF)

[SD_Tom]

Still can't believe Henry won over Watson that year

[Mark O]

@the-gipper said:

One interesting case is Doug Flutie.  Here  I have him in the "middle ground", for his NFL career.   But the fact is, he is a HOFer in Canadian football. And though you love the guy playing for your team (ask Bills fans),  I don't think his NFL career was quite good enough to give him the Boom designation.

(one guy that should take a clue from Flutie is one of the busts up here:  Mr. JFF)

Doug Fluties NFL numbers would make him better than any QB we've had since 99.

[The Gipper]

@sd_tom said:

Still can't believe Henry won over Watson that year

Agree. Elliot also would have been a better choice.

[The Gipper]

@mark-o said:

Doug Fluties NFL numbers would make him better than any QB we've had since 99.

If he were in his prime I would take him right now for this team.

[Unsympathetic]

Agree with most..

Ingram - Bust

Bradford - Bust

Reggie Bush - If he's not a bust, he defines the bottom of the remotely-NFL-caliber category.

Newton - Defense carried them to the SB. He may not be a bust but he's nowhere near a boom.

Winston is closing in on bust level this year in TB.. I'm only paying attention bc he's riding the pine for me in FF.  He threw an int/fumble just yesterday that was high school caliber.. at no point is it a good idea to try an option pitch just to avoid a sack.

Mariota looks boom, too soon for Henry.

[The Gipper]

Another couple I am having a debate with myself about:

George Rogers.   Did gain 7176 yards rushing in his career.  While not top tier, that is a pretty decent career.  Which is why I put him in "the middle ground".

On the other hand:  Herschel Walker gained 8225 yards rushing plus another 4859 yard receiving in his career....and that is just his NFL career, not including his USFL days. He had over 13,000 total yards....which puts him 45th all time.   I think I will revise him to a Boom.

[Unsympathetic]

Rozier would have been right there with George Rogers had he not wasted 2 seasons on USFL rosters

Ron Dayne - Bust

[The Gipper]

@unsympathetic said:

Agree with most..

Ingram - Bust

Bradford - Bust

Reggie Bush - If he's not a bust, he defines the bottom of the remotely-NFL-caliber category.

Newton - Defense carried them to the SB. He may not be a bust but he's nowhere near a boom.

Winston is closing in on bust level this year in TB.. I'm only paying attention bc he's riding the pine for me in FF.  He threw an int/fumble just yesterday that was high school caliber.. at no point is it a good idea to try an option pitch just to avoid a sack.

Mariota looks boom, too soon for Henry.

Bradford and Ingram are still in the middle of their careers.....that is why I put them in the "middle ground" as they still likely have a lot of career left. Plus...they are not BAD.  Bradford is not like the Tebows, JMZ, Crouch, Weinke's, Leinert's, Ware etc. 

And While Bush's career is basically over, he has gained over 9000 total yards in his career.  Which is also pretty good.  More that some HOF, like Frank Gifford, Larry Csonka,  Paul Warfield, Terrell Davis, John Stallworth, Floyd Little, Ozzie Newsome. etc.   So, while not a boom, also not a bust.

[The Gipper]

@unsympathetic said:

Rozier would have been right there with George Rogers had he not wasted 2 seasons on USFL rosters

Ron Dayne - Bust

Well, I did kind of put him there with George Rogers...in the middle ground area.   Rozier had over 4400 yards rushing in the NFL. Plus, as you say, USFL production.

Dayne?  Maybe....borderline.  He had 3722 yards rushing in 7 years.  Borderline bust.

[The Gipper]

Notice, that in "this" Century....I only have two Heisman winners in the Boom category:   Palmer and Newton.....and you have argued about Newton.

Compare the period from like 1976 to 1988.   Only one bust on that group.  (Charles White.....only about 3K yards in 8 years). 

[TexasAg1969]

Ingram is still Brees' primary back in NO along with Camara-the two sent AP packing so a bust he is most certainly not.

JFF was willing to go to Canada but they have not reciprocated as of yet.

Bradford is very good when healthy but that is not often.

Henry needs to be with anyone other than the team that is lost on when to use him. They suck as badly as we do coachingwise.

Famous Jameis is still in the running.

[OSU Kid]

How in the world did Jason White beat out Larry Fitzgerald...

[The Gipper]

@osu-kid said:

How in the world did Jason White beat out Larry Fitzgerald...

What WR has ever won the Heisman?   Tim Brown........and Leon Hart back in the 40s?  And that's it?

[The Gipper]

As far as I can tell, only the following Heisman Trophy Winners ever played for the Cleveland Browns:

Charles White

Vinny Testaverde

Ty Detmer

Robert Griffin III

Johnny Manziel

plus: Ernie Davis

[wargograw]

@the-gipper said:

Agree. Elliot also would have been a better choice.

Except for Henry besting him in pretty much every category.

[The Gipper]

@wargograw said:

Except for Henry besting him in pretty much every category.

Except talent.

[wargograw]

Well good thing the award's not based on talent then....

[The Gipper]

@wargograw said:

Well good thing the award's not based on talent then....

To a great extent....that is true. 

Except, of course, the subject of this thread is:  how well did Heisman winners do in the pro ranks.

Yes....the award is based purely on performance...in one year....in college.   And that is fine....but its off topic.

But....no one thought that RGIII had better talent than Andrew Luck....yet, who won?

Jason White won the trophy over all of the following:  Eli Manning, Ben R., Phillip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald

Chris Weinke beat out Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomlinson

And here is a real interesting Heisman voting year: 2001.....the top 5 vote getters for the Heisman were: Eric Crouch, Rex Grossman, Ken Dorsey, Joey Harrington, David Carr.    Probably the biggest bust year for QBs in history (though...OK, sure, Grossman did take his team to a Super Bowl).