Bust or not a bust? A look back at 2006's first round

[Texecutioner]

In our collective obsession with each year's draft, we rarely if ever devote much time to the scrutiny of past drafts.

It isn't enough to reevaluate a draft one year later. Three years are needed to fully assess whether a draft pick is a bust or not.

So let's rewind to 2006 and look at the careers of the men taken in Round 1. Here's the only ground rule: The higher the player was picked, the greater the expectations.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn...c.php?t=538191

The expectations for Bush couldn't have been much higher. It was widely presumed he would be the first-overall selection, and if it weren't for a late-April controversy regarding allegations of free rent for his parents, Bush might well have been the Texans' pick.

The more I think about this, the less I believe it...

I'm thinking the Texans wanted Mario all along and were probably just using Bush as a negotiation tactic with Mario's agent...

[bah007]

Originally Posted by Polo

The more I think about this, the less I believe it...

I'm thinking the Texans wanted Mario all along and were probably just using Bush as a negotiation tactic with Mario's agent...

Maybe I am naive or stubborn but as soon as we re-signed Carr I was positive that we would take Williams.

I thought we would take Vince if we let Carr walk and take Mario if we took Carr back.

I never really believed that Bush was in the cards for us. He was just the media's golden boy and they wanted to believe that he would go #1 overall.

Again, maybe I was just oblivious to the real situation though.

[drewmar74]

Seems like Florio has these guy tiered into four levels:

Not a bust
Not a bust for now
Bust
Bust for now

How in the hell does Mario end up in the "Not a bust (for now)" category? IMO, Mario is clearly not a bust nor is there anything on the horizon that should change his level of play in that direction.

Normally I like Florio, but that irritated me.

[bah007]

Originally Posted by drewmar74

Seems like Florio has these guy tiered into four levels:

Not a bust
Not a bust for now
Bust
Bust for now

How in the hell does Mario end up in the "Not a bust (for now)" category? IMO, Mario is clearly not a bust nor is there anything on the horizon that should change his level of play in that direction.

Normally I like Florio, but that irritated me.

I was going to post pretty much the exact same thing but decided not to. It just didn't seem worth it. I would need a million fingers to count how many times Mario has been undervalued, underestimated, and put down by people who probably haven't even watched him play.

Who knows what this clown was thinking when he wrote that?

Originally Posted by drewmar74

Normally I like Florio, but that irritated me.

That kinda irritated me a little bit too once I read the rest of the picks.

The other thing that irritated me was comparing him to Reggie White.

[drewmar74]

Originally Posted by bah007

I was going to post pretty much the exact same thing but decided not to. It just didn't seem worth it. I would need a million fingers to count how many times Mario has been undervalued, underestimated, and put down by people who probably haven't even watched him play.

Who knows what this clown was thinking when he wrote that?

Exactly. If Mario gets the "For now" tag, then everyone ought to get it. What a douche.

Originally Posted by Polo

That kinda irritated me a little bit too once I read the rest of the picks.

The other thing that irritated me was comparing him to Reggie White.

I agree. Talk about setting the bar high.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by bah007

I was going to post pretty much the exact same thing but decided not to. It just didn't seem worth it. I would need a million fingers to count how many times Mario has been undervalued, underestimated, and put down by people who probably haven't even watched him play.

Who knows what this clown was thinking when he wrote that?

Probably along the lines of him not being the clear cut best DE/pass rusher in the game...yet.

or maybe b/c he's trying to rationalize (incorrectly) RB's 623784961238946 catches for 500 yds a season & his huge game breaker skills..............on special teams are worth as much as an all around solid DE. #1

[awtysst]

He says Mario is the best player in the top 10 yet is "not a bust for now". This just screams of him wanting to call Mario a bust and not being able. I hope Mario has a long illustrious hof career in HTown and then in his canton acceptance speech dances on the headlines that called his selection a "blunder."

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by drewmar74

Exactly. If Mario gets the "For now" tag, then everyone ought to get it. What a douche.

X's 10

[kastofsna]

"bust for now" and "not a bust for now" are basically the same thing. useless

[Hookem Horns]

Originally Posted by kastofsna

"bust for now" and "not a bust for now" are basically the same thing. useless

I don't agree with that. Mario is "not a bust for now" because his last 2 seasons have been real productive and he looks like he is going to be a great player. Bush is "a bust for now" because he hasn't done squat in the NFL and it doesn't look like that is going to change. Two very different things.

The "for now" thing has to be in there because not enough time has passed to say for sure someone is or not a bust. If Mario goes backwards next season and never gets better ultimately he will be considered a bust no matter how good he was the last 2 seasons. If Bush turns into Barry Sanders next season and has a Hall of Fame career he will not be considered a bust no matter how bad he has been his first 3 seasons.

I don't get what everyone's issue is with this.

[bah007]

He says that three years is long enough to determine whether a guy is a bust or not but half the guys have "for now" listed next to them.

I agree with Kast. This is just a useless opinion article that actually had hardly any opinions in it.

Why write an article about busts and then leave the book open on half the guys you listed?