Five Years After

[The Gipper]

Though it is done, evaluating a draft immediately afterwards is actually quite silly. It usually takes 3-5 years to get a good handle on a draft. Here is a look back at the draft 5 years ago, 2008. See how it shapes up:

Top Quality from Round One, 2008:

#1 OT Jake Long 4 Pro Bowls, 1 All Pro selection

#3 QB Matt Ryan 2 Pro Bowls

#10 LB Jerod Mayo 2 Pro Bowls, 1 All Pro

#12 OT Ryan Clady 3 Pro Bowl, 2 All Pro

#16 DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 1 Pro Bowl

#18 QB Joe Flacco 1 Pro Bowl, 1 SB MVP

#24 RB Chris Johnson 3 Pro Bowl, 1 All Pro

#25 DB Mike Jenkins 1 Pro Bowl

#26 OT Dwane Brown 1 Pro Bowl 1 All Pro

Busts from the first round of the 2008 draft:

#6 DE Vernon Gholston out of the league

#8 DE Derrick Harvey out of the league

#19 OT Jeff Otah out of the league

#29 DT Kentwan Balmer out of the league

Best of rounds 2-5. These players have all made at least 1 Pro Bowl:

#44 RB Matt Forte

#49 WR DeSean Jackson

#55 RB Ray Rice

#73 RB Jamal Charles

#146 FB Jerome Felton

#153 WR Matt Slater

#164 OT Carl Nicks

Beat of round 6-7, by using PFR "Career Average" number ( a single number reflecting career):

Round 6:

#205 WR Pierre Garcon 29 CA

#190 DT Ahtyba Rubin 25

#187 OC John Sullivan 23

#175 LB Geno Hayes 21

Round 7:

#224 WR Steve Johnson 25 CA

#227 RB Peyton Hillis 19

#229 DB Cary William 17

#250 OG Mackenzie Bordeneaux 16

(Also QB Matt Flynn)

[MLD Woody]

But but but.... they didn't take the guy I wanted!

So I'll judge the draft now!

The picks were bad and the players are bad!

Bitch moan bitch moan

[The Gipper]

How did the various teams stack up in that 2008 draft? Here are the number of still active players in the league from those drafts from each team, and the Pro Bowlers drafted

Arizona: 3 active players Rodgers-Cromartie

Atlanta: 7....Matt Ryan

Baltimore: 6, Rice, Flacco

Buffalo: 2....none

Carolina: 6...none

Chicago: 6...Forte

Cincinnati: 6...none

Cleveland: 1...none (Rubin)

Dallas: 6...Mike Jenkins

Denver: 5...Ryan Clady

Detroit: 5...none

Green Bay: 6...none

Houston: 3...none

Indy: 4...none

Jax: 1...none (Quentin Groves)

Kansas City: 6...Jamal Charles

Miami: 7...Jake Long

Minnesota: 3...none

New England: 2...Jerod Mayo, Matt Slater

New Orleans: 3...Carl Nicks

Giants: 3...none

Jets: 3...none

Oakland: 4...none

Philly: 6...DeSean Jackson

Pittsburgh: 3...none

San Diego: 2...none

San Fran: 4...none

Seattle: 4...none

St. Louis: 4...none

Tampa Bay: 4...none

Tennessee: 6...Chris Johnson

Washington: 4...none

So, it seems probable that the team with the best 2008 draft had it pay off 5 years later: The Baltimore Ravens who had both Flacco and Rice....main cogs in their SB run taken that year.

The worst?: Either the Browns, or the Jaguars.

But, I will vote for the Jags because: A. that is the year the Browns didn't have a pick til the fourth round. Jax had picks in those earlier rounds including round 1 where they took Derrick Harvey who no longer plays. The one player the Browns took that was still active is Aytahba Rubin....a quality player.

And the only player still active from the Jags 2008 draft is Quentin Groves....now a Cleveland Brown.

[The Gipper]

If we go three years back, here are the plums and the prunes:

Top Quality from Round One 2010:

#2 Ndamakong Suh DT 1 Pro Bowl 1 All Pro

#5 Eric Berry DB 1 PB

#14 Earl Thoma DB 1 PB

#15 Jason Pierre-Paul 1 AP 1 PB

#18 Maurkice Pounce OC 1 AP 2 PB

#27 Devin McCourty DB 1 PB

Potential Busts of 2010 first round, with their PFR Career average rating

#30 Jahvid Best RB out of the league

#13 Brandon Graham DE CA: 7 (compare a 32 for Suh)

#16 Derrick Morgan DE CA:11

#29 Kyle Wilson DB CA: 12

#28 Jared Odrick DE CA: 12

#25 QB Tim Tebow CA: 12

Best of the rest, other Pro Bowlers from 2010:

#42 RoB Gronkowski TE

#91 Navarro Bowman LB

#95 Jimmy Graham TE

#195 Antonion Graham WR

Second round busts:

#43 Sergio Kindle LB Baltimore -0- CA rating

#48 Jimmy Clausen QB -0- CA rating

#56 Mike Neal DB -1- CA rating

#41 Torell Troup DT out of the league CA rating of 2

Kindle shows that Ozzie Newsome is not infallible.

[cambridgeho]

Gronk and Graham, in different Offenses would have been a different outcome. I know its hind sight. The Jimmy Clausen draft pick was a Mid 2nd rounder, not sure if he was a savior pick or a franchise pick, but yes he was a dud. This shows the draft is a crap shoot and that our previous FO didnt get it right.

[Tim Couch Pulls Out]

@mld-woody said:

But but but.... they didn't take the guy I wanted!

So I'll judge the draft now!

The picks were bad and the players are bad!

Bitch moan bitch moan

But but but...they took the guy I wanted!

So this draft is perfect and people are stupid for thinking otherwise!

[PoeticG]

@the-gipper said:

If we go three years back, here are the plums and the prunes:

Top Quality from Round One 2010:

#2 Ndamakong Suh DT 1 Pro Bowl 1 All Pro

#5 Eric Berry DB 1 PB

#14 Earl Thoma DB 1 PB

#15 Jason Pierre-Paul 1 AP 1 PB

#18 Maurkice Pounce OC 1 AP 2 PB

#27 Devin McCourty DB 1 PB

Potential Busts of 2010 first round, with their PFR Career average rating

#30 Jahvid Best RB out of the league

#13 Brandon Graham DE CA: 7 (compare a 32 for Suh)

#16 Derrick Morgan DE CA:11

#29 Kyle Wilson DB CA: 12

#28 Jared Odrick DE CA: 12

#25 QB Tim Tebow CA: 12

Best of the rest, other Pro Bowlers from 2010:

#42 RoB Gronkowski TE

#91 Navarro Bowman LB

#95 Jimmy Graham TE

#195 Antonion Graham WR

Second round busts:

#43 Sergio Kindle LB Baltimore -0- CA rating

#48 Jimmy Clausen QB -0- CA rating

#56 Mike Neal DB -1- CA rating

#41 Torell Troup DT out of the league CA rating of 2

Kindle shows that Ozzie Newsome is not infallible.

...You forgot Joe Haden, a Cleveland Brown. I personally feel he has been probowl snubbed and last season he was denied the Probowl because of the suspension, but I tell ya the truth- I'd rather have Haden over ANY CB in the Probowl that represented the AFC, or the NFC for that matter. Joe Haden rules.

[Harry Buffalo]

@poeticg said:

...You forgot Joe Haden, a Cleveland Brown. I personally feel he has been probowl snubbed and last season he was denied the Probowl because of the suspension, but I tell ya the truth- I'd rather have Haden over ANY CB in the Probowl that represented the AFC, or the NFC for that matter. Joe Haden rules.

Your personal feeling mean nothing in this matter. Is he considered one of the best CB in the league. Ya, but this list only shows players that have been to pro bowls.

[The Gipper]

@poeticg said:

...You forgot Joe Haden, a Cleveland Brown. I personally feel he has been probowl snubbed and last season he was denied the Probowl because of the suspension, but I tell ya the truth- I'd rather have Haden over ANY CB in the Probowl that represented the AFC, or the NFC for that matter. Joe Haden rules.

I only listed those who have made a Pro Bowl. For as good as I think he is and as much as I agree with you, Joe, apparently has yet to be named a Pro Bowler.

[b86b]

@the-gipper said:

If we go three years back, here are the plums and the prunes:

Top Quality from Round One 2010:

#2 Ndamakong Suh DT 1 Pro Bowl 1 All Pro

#5 Eric Berry DB 1 PB

#14 Earl Thoma DB 1 PB

#15 Jason Pierre-Paul 1 AP 1 PB

#18 Maurkice Pounce OC 1 AP 2 PB

#27 Devin McCourty DB 1 PB

Potential Busts of 2010 first round, with their PFR Career average rating

#30 Jahvid Best RB out of the league

#13 Brandon Graham DE CA: 7 (compare a 32 for Suh)

#16 Derrick Morgan DE CA:11

#29 Kyle Wilson DB CA: 12

#28 Jared Odrick DE CA: 12

#25 QB Tim Tebow CA: 12

Best of the rest, other Pro Bowlers from 2010:

#42 RoB Gronkowski TE

#91 Navarro Bowman LB

#95 Jimmy Graham TE

#195 Antonion Graham WR

Second round busts:

#43 Sergio Kindle LB Baltimore -0- CA rating

#48 Jimmy Clausen QB -0- CA rating

#56 Mike Neal DB -1- CA rating

#41 Torell Troup DT out of the league CA rating of 2

Kindle shows that Ozzie Newsome is not infallible.

not sure Ozzie knew he was gonna break his skull and F his career up.. But I get your point, think how many people loved the Dill Pickle back then..