<![CDATA[#2 Overall Booms and Busts]]>Here I will detail one opinion about which #2 overall draft picks (regular draft) were booms and which had middle range careers and which were busts (plus the too early to tell ones). These are just for selections since 1970 merger.

Booms:

1. Lawrence Taylor LB Giants HOF

2. Marshall Faulk RB Colts HOF

3. Julius Peppers DE Panthers probable HOF

4. Randy White DT Cowboys HOF

5. Tony Dorsett RB Cowboys HOF

6. Donovan McNabb QB Eagles (borderline for HOF)

7. Neil Smith DE Chiefs

8. Eric Dickerson RB Rams HOF

9. Cornelius Bennett LB Colts

10. Bert Jones QB Colts

11. Calvin Johnson WR Lions (possible HOF)

12. Archie Manning QB Saints

13. Art Still DE Chiefs

14. Leonard Davis OT Cardinals

15. Ndomakong Suh DT Lions

16. Tony Boselli OT Jags

17. Bill Fralic OG Falcons

18. Eric Turner S Browns

Middle range:

19. Kevin Hardy LB Jags

20. Reggie Bush RB Saints

21. Tony Casillas DT Falcons

22. Sherman White DE Bengals

23. LaVar Arrington LB Redskins

24. Darrell Russell DT Raiders

25. Mike McCoy DT Packers

26. Mike Bell DE Chiefs

27. Chris Long DE Rams

28. Ronnie Brown LB Colts

Busts:

29. Robert Gallery OT Raiders

30. Dean Steinkuhler OT Oilers nka Tits

31. Robert Griffin III QB Redskins (for now....can rejuvenate possibly)

33. Rick Mirer QB Seahawks

34. Quentin Coryatt LB Colts

35. Tony Mandarich OT Packers

36. Lam Jones WR Jets

37. Blair Thomas BR Jets

38. Bo Matthews RB Chargers

39. Jason Smith OT Rams

40. Steve Niehaus DT Seahawks

41. Charles Rogers WR Lions

42......and last.....the biggest bust of all: Ryan Leaf QB Chargers

Too soon perhaps to tell:

Von Miller LB Broncos......but looking good so far

Marcus Mariota QB Titans

Greg Robinson OT Rams

Luke Joeckel OT Jags

]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/39742/2-overall-booms-and-bustsRSS for NodeFri, 02 Oct 2026 03:15:28 GMTFri, 04 Mar 2016 16:37:19 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:49:09 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

@the-gipper said:

@mudfly said:

I dont think breaking your legs makes you a bust pick....just an unfortunate dude.....Von Miller was a great pick and the proof is already in the pudding.....if he has a random injury tomorrow, that does not disqualify his already proven talent or that it was a smart pick.....

Hell, he just won the super bowl, almost on his own....that is enough right there....and is a LOT more than most of those guys you have listed on the boom list.....60 sacks in 5 years is HOF kind of stuff....(for comparison, Clay Mathews had 70 over 18 years)

Yea, OK, I will buy the argument. Like I said I was just going by how short a time he has played.

Eric Turner died at 30 and didnt win any super bowls, so how is he a boom and Von isnt?

Because he was OUR guy?

Ok....I can live with that....he's one my all time favorites...

And Burt Jones is a Boom?.....the guy who only played 5 full seasons in an injury riddled career and never won anything?....

You must not have been alive too see him play. The fact is, Jones had Elway, Marino, Namath talent. Had he not been hurt....and had he not played for the ruinous Robert Irsay organization, Jones could be considered one of the greatest QBs to ever play. And he played 10 years, while yes, in half of them he was injured. But he led that bunch to consecutive 10-4, 11-3 and 10-4 records. A miracle really for an Irsay team

Nope...I was there and saw him play....just trying to get you to apply equal logic....IE: he was a great pick and his career was ruined by injury. So, if he's a boom, then if Von broke his legs now, he'd still be a boom....which you've already conceded, so it's all good....

Good enough....because Bert was one hell of a player.

(but again, remember....I didn't say Miller was a bust....just that I thought it may have been too early to tell.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583532https://brownsboard.com/post/583532Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:49:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:45:13 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

@mudfly said:

I dont think breaking your legs makes you a bust pick....just an unfortunate dude.....Von Miller was a great pick and the proof is already in the pudding.....if he has a random injury tomorrow, that does not disqualify his already proven talent or that it was a smart pick.....

Hell, he just won the super bowl, almost on his own....that is enough right there....and is a LOT more than most of those guys you have listed on the boom list.....60 sacks in 5 years is HOF kind of stuff....(for comparison, Clay Mathews had 70 over 18 years)

Yea, OK, I will buy the argument. Like I said I was just going by how short a time he has played.

Eric Turner died at 30 and didnt win any super bowls, so how is he a boom and Von isnt?

Because he was OUR guy?

Ok....I can live with that....he's one my all time favorites...

And Burt Jones is a Boom?.....the guy who only played 5 full seasons in an injury riddled career and never won anything?....

You must not have been alive too see him play. The fact is, Jones had Elway, Marino, Namath talent. Had he not been hurt....and had he not played for the ruinous Robert Irsay organization, Jones could be considered one of the greatest QBs to ever play. And he played 10 years, while yes, in half of them he was injured. But he led that bunch to consecutive 10-4, 11-3 and 10-4 records. A miracle really for an Irsay team

Nope...I was there and saw him play....just trying to get you to apply equal logic....IE: he was a great pick and his career was ruined by injury. So, if he's a boom, then if Von broke his legs now, he'd still be a boom....which you've already conceded, so it's all good....

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583529https://brownsboard.com/post/583529Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:45:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:29:35 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

I dont think breaking your legs makes you a bust pick....just an unfortunate dude.....Von Miller was a great pick and the proof is already in the pudding.....if he has a random injury tomorrow, that does not disqualify his already proven talent or that it was a smart pick.....

Hell, he just won the super bowl, almost on his own....that is enough right there....and is a LOT more than most of those guys you have listed on the boom list.....60 sacks in 5 years is HOF kind of stuff....(for comparison, Clay Mathews had 70 over 18 years)

Yea, OK, I will buy the argument. Like I said I was just going by how short a time he has played.

Eric Turner died at 30 and didnt win any super bowls, so how is he a boom and Von isnt?

Because he was OUR guy?

And Burt Jones is a Boom?.....the guy who only played 5 full seasons in an injury riddled career and never won anything?....

You must not have been alive too see him play. The fact is, Jones had Elway, Marino, Namath talent. Had he not been hurt....and had he not played for the ruinous Robert Irsay organization, Jones could be considered one of the greatest QBs to ever play. And he played 10 years, while yes, in half of them he was injured. But he led that bunch to consecutive 10-4, 11-3 and 10-4 records. A miracle really for an Irsay team

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583521https://brownsboard.com/post/583521Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:29:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:21:47 GMT]]>Going back further to the beginning of the draft, the #2 overall pick has....overall, been a pretty good pick. The following Hall of Famers were taken with the #2 pick:

Tom Mack OG

Bob Brown OT

Merlin Olsen DT

Les Richter LB (by the one year and done Dallas Texans in 1952)

George McAfee RB

Sid Luckman QB

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583519https://brownsboard.com/post/583519Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:21:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:21:06 GMT]]>I dont think breaking your legs makes you a bust pick....just an unfortunate dude.....Von Miller was a great pick and the proof is already in the pudding.....if he has a random injury tomorrow, that does not disqualify his already proven talent or that it was a smart pick.....

Hell, he just won the super bowl, almost on his own....that is enough right there....and is a LOT more than most of those guys you have listed on the boom list.....60 sacks in 5 years is HOF kind of stuff....(for comparison, Clay Mathews had 70 over 18 years)

Eric Turner died at 30 and didnt win any super bowls, so how is he a boom and Von isnt?

And Burt Jones is a Boom?.....the guy who only played 5 full seasons in an injury riddled career and never won anything?....

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583517https://brownsboard.com/post/583517Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:21:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:18:19 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

He is still very young into his career. If he breaks both legs, knees, ankles....the end result would be that his career would be incomplete. A few of the guys on the list had careers cut way short by injury. But he plays great for now....and I expect he will be fine, but I am comparing him to everyone on the list, some of whom had lengthy careers.

Fair enough. Arrington had a promising career cut short by a blown out achilles tendon.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583516https://brownsboard.com/post/583516Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:18:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:16:07 GMT]]>

@clevfan4life said:

I hope that "too soon to tell" on Von Miller was a troll. Plus i'd consider Chris Long a boom, not middle range.

No, Miller, as I said, he is just starting out really. Not sure why this worries you.

And on Long....I would disagree.....he has played 8 years now, going into his 9th, and he has not been all that and a bag of chips.

Example: in those 8 years he has never been a Pro Bowl selection. He has decent sack numbers.....but compare Miller who has more in many fewer years.

A solid player.....maybe by the time his career ends he could be considered a boom......

But if I am not wrong....didn't the lousy Rams think so much of him that they just cut him, no?

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583515https://brownsboard.com/post/583515Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:16:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:09:45 GMT]]>

@texasag1969 said:

d

Apparently you lost your mind somewhere in there during the typing. LOLLOLLOL! 😆

He is still very young into his career. If he breaks both legs, knees, ankles....the end result would be that his career would be incomplete. A few of the guys on the list had careers cut way short by injury. But he plays great for now....and I expect he will be fine, but I am comparing him to everyone on the list, some of whom had lengthy careers.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583511https://brownsboard.com/post/583511Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:09:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:07:01 GMT]]>Here are the Quarterbacks taken with the #2 overall draft pick since the Browns joined in 1950:

1950 Adrian Burk....Bust

1951 Bob Williams...Bust

1954 Lamar McHan...Bust

1956 Earl Morrall....BOOM

1960 George Izo...Bust

1961 Norm Snead...BOOM

1962 Roman Gabriel...BOOM

1964 Pete Beathard...Bust

1966 Rick Norton...Bust

1971 Archie Manning...BOOM

1983 Bert Jones...BOOM

1998 Ryan Leaf...Bust

1999 Donovan McNabb...BOOM

2012 Robert Griffin III...Bust...so far

2015 Marcus Mariota...too soon to tell.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583508https://brownsboard.com/post/583508Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:07:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:06:34 GMT]]>I hope that "too soon to tell" on Von Miller was a troll. Plus i'd consider Chris Long a boom, not middle range.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583507https://brownsboard.com/post/583507Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:06:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:04:56 GMT]]>d

@the-gipper said:

Too soon perhaps to tell:

Von Miller LB Broncos......but looking good so far

Apparently you lost your mind somewhere in there during the typing. LOLLOLLOL! 😆

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583505https://brownsboard.com/post/583505Fri, 04 Mar 2016 17:04:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #2 Overall Booms and Busts on Fri, 04 Mar 2016 16:43:08 GMT]]>Note: Eric Turner is the only player taken by the Browns in their history with the #2 overall pick of the draft. If they can do as well with that pick this year, it will be alright by me.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/583498https://brownsboard.com/post/583498Fri, 04 Mar 2016 16:43:08 GMT