In recent memory, the one that stands out to me was Justin Harrell. Kid had the potential to be Ndamukong Suh with his head screwed on straight, but a series of injuries (bicep, knee, ultimately back) ended his NFL career. Once you lose your back, you don't have a lot else.
Yup. I remember he could have left after his junior year and been a 2nd, maybe late 1st round draft pick. Came back and tore his biceps in the second game of the season I believe. He then played against UF with torn biceps and had a helluva game. So only played 3 games his senior year and was still drafted mid-first.
Greg Cook - qb - Bengals. Some thought he'd be an all-time great. Great rookie year for Bengals. Got hurt. Never played after 2nd year.
The Pats drafted a kid in 82 who had two great seasons. Clayton Weishuhn. Ilb who played alongside Steve Nelson. Was going to be even better. Got hurt and couldn't play again.
That's a good one that I hadn't heard of. Selected in the first round, gains 1400+ yards from scrimmage and 12 TDs as a rookie, goes to Hawaii as part of Pro Bowl festivities, destroys knee in a rookie All-Stars flag football game, The End. Wikipedia tells me he almost had to have to lower half of his leg amputated.
Yeah, it was a bad injury. I think it was a flag football game on the beach.
An interesting one could've been McGahee. He was really never the same after that injury, he was still a decent/good pro though, so i guess not really, but he could've been a special talent had he not blown out his knee. We can possibly add Marcus Lattimore to this list in a year or two.
IMO David Pollack is probably the best option here though.
What happened to LaVar Arrington? Wasn't he a top 5 draft pick?
Yup. He played like he didnt give a **** what the down, distance or play call was he was rushing the QB no matter what. He would purposely not run the play called. Now he has a DC based radio show and is just as stupid now as he was on the field.
Greg Cook - qb - Bengals. Some thought he'd be an all-time great. Great rookie year for Bengals. Got hurt. Never played after 2nd year.
Cook, as his offensive coordinator, Bill Walsh, once told NFL Films, “could very well have been remembered or noted as the greatest quarterback of all time.”
Last edited by I_C_DeadPeople : 12-18-2012 at 03:16 PM.
I will add Charles Rodgers. Whether he could have lived up to his pick, that is questionable. Dude looked a legitimate star number one when health, which was never.
Even though it was on our rivals, it was nice to see Edwards come back eventually and play a couple of years with Miami.
PSU's RBs were ran into the ground by JoePa before they got into NFL. Now NFL scouts follow this example and look at the number of carries the guy had in college.
Knee injuries, lost his speed...lost his career...
I am a Bengal fan and I think PW was over rated even before he had the injuries. If anything he was very over drafted. Certainly could have been a good player though before the knee injury but never elite that is for certain.
Cadillac Williams. Healthy the first month of his career, then banged up with nagging injuries for two seasons, and after he tore his patella tendon it ´07, it was basically game over for him.
I think Charles Rogers is a great one. He had a few flashes of brilliance but his collarbones were made of glass. The pot stuff didn't help either.
Lavar Arrington is not a good choice. While he list some ability due to frequent injury, the reason he didn't live up to potential was because of what was between the ears.
And please don't turn this into a homerfest. For example, Ryan Mathews does not belong near this list when compared to so many other choices, including guys like Darren McFadden.
go and watch a youtube video of mcgahee in college. He was AP-lite before AP, beast of a runner with some nice wheels and vision, always getting yards after contact. hell his knee was destroyed, completely obliterated and he still went in the first. guy had some phenomenal talent but was never quite the same what a shame.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thumper/JBCX/Bixby
Orton will never be in the same class as the Drew Brees or the Peyton Mannings or the Tom Bradys of the world. Kevin Kolb has the potential to be that kind of player.