Who's the Bust?

by Chris on May 8, 2008 10:07 AM CDT in 2008 Off Season Comment 16 comments

There weren't any pictures of Ryan Sims actually playing football so he had one painted. (Photo source)

If you browse through this list of Kansas City Chiefs' draft picks, you'll notice that just about every year there is a first day player taken that far and away didn't play up to his draft pick value.

I'm talking about Junior Siavii (2004 R2), Kris Wilson (2004 R2), Julian Battle (2003 R3), Eddie Freeman (2002 R2) and Eric Downing (2001 R3). Guys like Sly Mo, Ryan Sims. You know what I'm talking about.

I'm not levying criticism on the Chiefs for this because, as we all know, the draft is pretty much a crap shoot when you get far enough away from it. Every team has busts.

My question to you is, if it's going to happen, which one of our first day draft picks is going to have an NFL career that falls far below their current expectations? Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers and Jamaal Charles are your choices. (I know Charles wasn't a first day guy but his expectations and value are closer to a second round pick than a third IMO)

It's also possible to make the case that all four of these guys are coming into ideal situations - Dorsey should improve one of the league's worst run defenses; Albert immediately becomes one of the best offensive linemen; Flowers has a starting spot reserved for him in a scheme he knows; and Jamaal Charles will be given enough time to acclimate to the league before he's given a starting nod.

Who's the "bust"?

Poll

Which Chiefs' draft pick is going to be a bust?

Glenn Dorsey

67 votes

Branden Albert

82 votes

Brandon Flowers

48 votes

Jamaal Charles

57 votes

No one!

386 votes

640 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 16 comments

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Comments

I put Branden Albert, but not because I think he's a "bust"...

I just think that we may have overestimated his ability to be a left tackle since he almost exclusively played guard in college. I think he’ll be a great guard, but I think anything short of left tackle makes him a reach at #15 overall.

by Vince D on May 8, 2008 10:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well put

That’s the kind of thought I was looking for when I posted this.

by Chris on May 8, 2008 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

RE

I probably shouldn’t have put “No one” on there for the sake of the discussion. Oh well.

by Chris on May 8, 2008 10:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Can Charles really be condidered a bust

if he doesn’t impress? He could have easily gone at the end of the first round, early 2nd. I guess, though, regardless of his value, he was in the top 105 players taken, and those guys, apparently, should all be starters, so yeah, he could be a bust.

by PVChiefsfan on May 8, 2008 10:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think third round should still be considered "first day"

they only moved it for more commercials…players taken in the first 3 rounds should ALWAYS make the roster, and according to Gretz et al. should also ALWAYS be starters by the end of year 2.

by PVChiefsfan on May 8, 2008 10:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

bust

At least 7 players drafted by our Chiefs this year will be solid contributors if not starters by 2010.

by Ernta on May 8, 2008 11:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully

Dorsey, Albert, Richardson, Robinson (do PR/KR count as “starters”) Flowers and Carr are all starters, with Cottam, Morgan, Charles, Johnston and Franklin contributing.

by PVChiefsfan on May 8, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm gonna go with Flowers...

... just because he was rated as a good CB- not excellent- and someone who would “fit” in a Cover 2 scheme that didn’t require solid man-to-man skills.

That and at just 5-9, he’s a little small.

Again- like you were asking for Chris, I’m nit-picking.

I like our draft pretty well. Kinda disappointed we didn’t address our O-line more. Wouldn’t have minded grabbing an available T or G over Jamaal Charles in the 3rd, but after reading the Herm excerpts from the Radio interview, he seems convinced we got a steal at that spot.

by mikvogel on May 8, 2008 11:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

hmmm

I would disagree…I think Flowers may be the most pro-ready guy we drafted…maybe even more so than Dorsey. Flowers is a sure tackler, is very intelligent, makes good reads and knows how to play his zone, and although he isn’t the fastest, his brains make up for it because he anticipates correctly and can close on the ball or recover from a juke move…

by PVChiefsfan on May 8, 2008 3:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

When its...

When its all said and done, Charles will have as good a career as McFadden.

by HIV 2 Elway on May 8, 2008 12:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Albert

For those unsure about Branden Albert. He was scouted as a LT in high school and prep school; however, he was asked to play LG because Virginia had a top tier LT in D’Brickashaw Ferguson. After Ferguson graduated in 2006, he continued to play LG for continuity in the line and to aid in the development of their future LT Eugene Monroe. Having said this Branden Albert has the size, footwork, arm length, character, and athleticism that you desire in a LT. Say that he does not succeed at LT then move him over to LG and Brian Waters over to C. Simply becuase if you switch him to RG he has to make the transition to getting in a 3 point stance on Left hand instead of his right which can cause problems; in addition he would have to adjust his footwork. Finally, if you look at the gametape of Branden Albert you can see how dominate he really is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L1h1uZfk4M

by Dono on May 8, 2008 1:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dorsey, Barry Richardson

First of all, I voted that none of those four will be busts. I believe all four will be solid. But…

Dorsey’s leg still concerns me.

I realize Barry Richardson is a 6th round pick. If a 6th round pick is still with a team after two years, it is an above-average pick. And I really like the pick. But based on expectations of some others around here, I am less optimistic that he’ll be better than some of the others we have coming back or have added—at least within the next two years. Good pick? Yes. Potential to be a solid regular? His tale of the tape makes me hopeful. But perhaps a bust relative to expectations getting too high for him.

by sunny D on May 8, 2008 8:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

if he ends up being the RT

and is just slightly better than Chris Terry I would declare that he is not a bust :)

by PVChiefsfan on May 9, 2008 7:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

If Richardson - in his rookie year - can play at a level higher than Terry/Turley, then you’d have to think there is tremendous upside. Boom/bust is relative to expectations, I think. Seems like a lot of people are hoping he is a starter right away, and I believe that’s a lot to expect of a sixth-round pick at OT. My expectation is that he’s an okay back-up for a couple years, then perhaps a very good regular after that. For the 2010 Super Bowl Champion Chiefs. =]

by sunny D on May 9, 2008 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It will all depend on

if and how quickly Herm or somebody can light a fire under his ass and get him to play like he means it…that was a huge knock against him…if he played aggressively, he might have been picked in the first round…so i say there is HUGE upside
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/ot/barryrichardson.html

by PVChiefsfan on May 9, 2008 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs