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Guys who never panned out. (1 Viewer)

seatownfavorite

seatownfavorite

Footballguy
I was just thinking about some of the guys I remember seeing in college and thinking they had the whole package, but when they got to the NFL they never really left a lasting mark. Here are the first two to get the ball rolling:

Napoleon Kaufman - I was always a big Husky fan and this guy I thought had stud written all over him. He had a semi-decent career (6 years / 4792 yards / 4.9 per carry), but he retired to become a minister and never really lived up to his potential.

Major Applewhite - I always thought he got the shaft when they stuck Chris Simms in at QB. He didn't have an NFL pedigree but he was a great leader and always exciting to watch. Wish he would have caught on somewhere (ala Flutie) but it wasn't to be.

 
Major Applewhite

he just didn't have the arm strength to make the throws you have to make in the NFL. I believe he is a coach for Texas.

 
Troy Davis, ISU RB

2 time 2,000 yard rusher for the Cyclones. He spent time with the Saints and then headed to Canada. His brother Darren was pretty good too.

 
Brent Moss

Great RB who could be the posterboy for the new policies the NFL is trying to implement under Goodell. (sorry, had to do it)

I'm still holding out hope for Brandon Williams in SF. Hopefully he can become what Badger fans know he can become. Not the greatest, but I would think he could play a solid role in a young offense.

 
Leeland McCelroy was one of the most explosive runners Id ever seen. I thought he was going to be the next Barry Sanders.

Marcus Dupree could have been an all time great but had his career cut short by injuries. So did Mike Gaddis.

Sammie Smith also looked like the total package for the Seminoles but had a penchant for fumbling at the goal line. His instincts and vision were also less than stellar.

 
Let's go with Ron Dayne... what a major bust.

How about Chris Weinke... but we never thought he'd be good in the NFL, did we?

The biggest bust in recent years is Ryan Leaf. Seriously he was the single biggest bust over the past 15 years and he flamed out in style.

 
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Cecil Lammey said:
Troy Davis, ISU RB

2 time 2,000 yard rusher for the Cyclones. He spent time with the Saints and then headed to Canada. His brother Darren was pretty good too.
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Troy was just too small for the NFL (5-8, 180) and IIRC his fumbling didn't help either. He did have a pretty good CFL career, which is where a lot of smaller backs end up.
 
Since I know there's plenty of "Penn State RBs", "Florida WRs", there's the Michigan RB, too.

Tyrone Wheatley was an absolute stud in HS and college. All-around terrific athlete who had a couple decent seasons, but was still a big time disappointment overall as a pro.

Tim Biakabutuka - another back with tremendous measurables, strength, speed, balance, stiff arm, spin moves, etc.. but he just couldn't stay healthy and never amounted to anything other than a tease as a pro.

A couple other Big Ten RBs who busted, brought to you by LHUCKS advertising. :thumbup:

Anthony Thompson

Vaughn Dunbar

Darrell Thompson

I won't even bring Ron Dayne into the discussion, that's low hanging fruit as far I'm concerned.

And, how 'bout a heralded MAC running back... (yeh, yeh, it's the MAC) but Travis Prentice had a record book career in college, but never really had what it took to be a great pro.

Going wayyyy back.. how about WR Hart Lee Dykes and RB Brent Fullwood.

 
I'm pretty young, but the guy that stick out in my memory are:

Leaf - looked like the real deal

Warrick - so much hype, so much fun, so awful in the NFL

Danny Wuerffel - Nobody expected him to be Montana, but wow was he awful.

Curts Enis / Tim Biakabutuka / Lawence Phillips - all looked like sure things.

Charles Rogers - This guy was sick at Michigan State. Sick.

Cade McNown / Tim Couch / Akili Smith - Mulligans anyone? (w/ McNabb and C-pep out there)

 
There are tons of college stars who never made it in the pros, but if we are just talking about the guys we really thought would be great pros, these guys come to mind:

Tyrone Wheatley

Charles Rogers

Tim Biakabutuka

Curtis Enis

Jeff George

Steve Emtman

Blair Thomas

Ki-Jana Carter

Yatil Green

Tim Couch

Courtney Brown

Brian Bosworth

 
Bob Henry said:
Since I know there's plenty of "Penn State RBs", "Florida WRs", there's the Michigan RB, too.

Tyrone Wheatley was an absolute stud in HS and college. All-around terrific athlete who had a couple decent seasons, but was still a big time disappointment overall as a pro.

Tim Biakabutuka - another back with tremendous measurables, strength, speed, balance, stiff arm, spin moves, etc.. but he just couldn't stay healthy and never amounted to anything other than a tease as a pro.

A couple other Big Ten RBs who busted, brought to you by LHUCKS advertising. :thumbup:

Anthony Thompson

Vaughn Dunbar

Darrell Thompson

I won't even bring Ron Dayne into the discussion, that's low hanging fruit as far I'm concerned.

And, how 'bout a heralded MAC running back... (yeh, yeh, it's the MAC) but Travis Prentice had a record book career in college, but never really had what it took to be a great pro.

Going wayyyy back.. how about WR Hart Lee Dykes and RB Brent Fullwood.
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I was trying to think of him earlier and couldn't remember his name. Stupid U of M....
 
Charles Rogers is the main one that comes to mind. He was a beast in college. I still think he would've been a good NFL player if it weren't for his character problems. The guy just wasn't very motivated.

 
EBF said:
Charles Rogers is the main one that comes to mind. He was a beast in college. I still think he would've been a good NFL player if it weren't for his character problems. The guy just wasn't very motivated.
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How about a broken leg and a broken collar bone? Do you think that had anything to do with it?Speed was his game, no one could explode out of a pattern like he could. He was at full speed on his second step... DBs were defenseless. After his injuries he was never the same. Remember in his first two games as a pro he had something like 200 yards and 2 or 3 TD's, then he broke his collar bone and it was all over for him.
 
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patriarchz said:
EBF said:
Charles Rogers is the main one that comes to mind. He was a beast in college. I still think he would've been a good NFL player if it weren't for his character problems. The guy just wasn't very motivated.
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How about a broken leg and a broken collar bone? Do you think that had anything to do with it?Speed was his game, no one could explode out of a pattern like he could. He was at full speed on his second step... DBs were defenseless. After his injuries he was never the same. Remember in his first two games as a pro he had something like 200 yards and 2 or 3 TD's, then he broke his collar bone and it was all over for him.
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Neither of those injuries should have been career threatening. There was never any talk that they were. I think the demise of Charles Rogers was due strictly to off field issues and immaturity problems.
 
Rashaan Salaam

Admits to smoking pot while he's playing for the Bears which could explain why he couldn't hold onto the ball

Charles White

1 good year just doesn't cut it

Eric Crouch

Well...he shouldn't have won it anyway

Archie Griffin

Two time winner who rushed for 2,808 yards in 7 seasons in the NFL and scored 13 times

 
EBF said:
patriarchz said:
EBF said:
Charles Rogers is the main one that comes to mind. He was a beast in college. I still think he would've been a good NFL player if it weren't for his character problems. The guy just wasn't very motivated.
Click to expand...
How about a broken leg and a broken collar bone? Do you think that had anything to do with it?Speed was his game, no one could explode out of a pattern like he could. He was at full speed on his second step... DBs were defenseless. After his injuries he was never the same. Remember in his first two games as a pro he had something like 200 yards and 2 or 3 TD's, then he broke his collar bone and it was all over for him.
Click to expand...
Neither of those injuries should have been career threatening. There was never any talk that they were. I think the demise of Charles Rogers was due strictly to off field issues and immaturity problems.
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No joke. Guys like Frank Gore come back from serious knee injury that actually affect their game but Rogers couldn't stay motivated recovering from a couple broken collarbones.
 
Is it to early to call Mike Williams a bust? He was supposed to be the 2nd coming of Jesus himself, and hasnt done squat, or Maurice Clarett.

 
tebuckey said:
A few I didnt see listedMandarichShulerMarinovichTrev Albert
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Shuler is a real good one.Mandarich definitely performed far below his hype, but he did have a few productive years in Indy....not enough to remove the bust label, but probaly enough to shed the spectacular bust label.
 
Native said:
Leeland McCelroy was one of the most explosive runners Id ever seen. I thought he was going to be the next Barry Sanders.

Marcus Dupree could have been an all time great but had his career cut short by injuries. So did Mike Gaddis.

Sammie Smith also looked like the total package for the Seminoles but had a penchant for fumbling at the goal line. His instincts and vision were also less than stellar.
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He brews a great beer though
 
tebuckey said:
Is it to early to call Mike Williams a bust? He was supposed to be the 2nd coming of Jesus himself, and hasnt done squat, or Maurice Clarett.
Click to expand...
He was? He was supposed to be good but I don't recall anyone talking about him like he was an all-time WR prospect. There was a ton of debate here over who was going to be better, BMW or Troy Williamson but not much about either having GOAT potential.
 
Chaka said:
tebuckey said:
Is it to early to call Mike Williams a bust? He was supposed to be the 2nd coming of Jesus himself, and hasnt done squat, or Maurice Clarett.
Click to expand...
He was? He was supposed to be good but I don't recall anyone talking about him like he was an all-time WR prospect. There was a ton of debate here over who was going to be better, BMW or Troy Williamson but not much about either having GOAT potential.
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Agreed. And even before Williams entered the league there was talk that he was too big and slow, and that he might ultimately have to be moved to TE.
 
patriarchz said:
Let's go with Ron Dayne... what a major bust.

How about Chris Weinke... but we never thought he'd be good in the NFL, did we?

The biggest bust in recent years is Ryan Leaf. Seriously he was the single biggest bust over the past 15 years ever and he flamed out in style.
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fixed
 
A guy I always thought was a good player was Charlie Ward. Granted he chose Pro Basketball over the NFL so we have no indication of what type of pro he would be, but I have always thought he would have at least been productive in the NFL, maybe not a superstar, but I'm thinking like a better passing Kordell Stewart.

 
Chris Doering.

In college I never saw a guy who got open so easily, so much of the time. He was always open.

I'm surprised that he couldn't stick as even a 3rd WR.

 
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