2010 NFL Draft: The BUST BUBBLE
By Editorial Staff
2010 NFL Draft: The BUST BUBBLE
It’s Draft Day Eve where every team and their fans are optimistic that their team will be selecting the next future star. The prospects are nervously awaiting word on where they will earn millions of dollars over the next several years. The draft is such an upbeat joyful day full of hope and excitement. However, Draft Day also brings nightmares of selections gone wrong, teams are haunted by their poor selections that are labeled BUSTS!!! We are going to discuss 5 players that are in jeopardy of being labeled a bust; they rest on our BUST BUBBLE. Who else do you consider on the BUST BUBBLE?
1. JaMarcus Russell– QB- Oakland Raiders
– JaMarcus Russell was selected #1 overall in the 2007 draft and has yet to live up to his potential. Over his career he has thrown for 4,083 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. He has a troubling completion percentage of 52% and is very inconsistent. Russell has given his doubter plenty of ammo by frequently being out of shape and at times pushing 300lbs. It has been rumored that Russell doesn’t have the work ethic to succeed in the NFL and this coupled with this terrible numbers lead to his benching last season. Russell will be fighting for his NFL career this offseason as he will be in a competition with Bruce Gradkowski. There are also rumors that the Raiders are considering a quarterback with the #8 overall pick. Russell is on the BUST BUBBLE and this upcoming season very well may solidify Russell’s standing as an outright BUST!
2. Derrick Harvey– DE- Jacksonville Jaguars
– In the 2008 NFL Draft the Jacksonville Jaguars were dead set on upgrading their poor pass rush. Derrick Harvey was a fast rising prospect out of the University of Florida and he caught the eye of the Jaguars. With the #8 overall pick the Jaguars selected Harvey and felt they addressed their need. However, Harvey has struggled to be the playmaker the Jaguars envisioned. Thus far in his NFL career Harvey has only tallied 5.5 sacks and is consistently invisible on the football field. This offseason the Jaguars signed Aaron Kampman to come in and give the pass rush Harvey was unable to provide. The Jaguars will also look to add some competition in this year’s draft. This season may very well be the last chance for Harvey to avoid the Bust label; he is sitting on the BUST BUBBLE!
3. Darren McFadden– RB- Oakland Raiders
– I might have been able to do a top five BUST BUBBLE list with just Raiders (Joke, maybe). Darren McFadden was selected #4 overall in the 2008 draft and was expected to be an instant playmaker for the Raiders. One of the biggest things holding back McFadden is injuries; he missed 7 games already in his career. While injuries have slowed him down he hasn’t produce much when he has been on the field. To date he has 856 yards and 5 touchdowns rushing with 530 receiving yards. McFadden needs to find away to stay healthy or he could continue to lose carries to Michael Bush. With each passing year it looks like McFadden will not live up to the potential that had the Raiders use the #4 overall pick to select the running back out of Arkansas.
4. Alex Smith– QB- San Francisco 49ers
– In 2005 the 49ers held the #1 overall pick and were in need of a franchise quarterback. The 49ers were trying to decide between Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers, ultimately the 49ers went with Smith. Smith as struggled to live up to the standards of a #1 pick and has compiled 7,029 yard, 37 touchdowns, and 43 interceptions. Smith has also struggled staying on the field as a result of injuries and ineffectiveness; he missed 37 games over his 4 year career. Some will point out the unstable coaching Smith has received but the fact still remains that he sits on the BUST BUBBLE. The feeling is that the 49ers will give Alex Smith this upcoming season to show he is the man or they will move on.
5. Glenn Dorsey– DE/DT- Kansas City Chiefs
– Glenn Dorsey was labeled a can’t miss defensive tackle prospect. He was big, fast, and able to create pressure on opposing offenses. All this potential lead the Kansas City Chiefs to select Dorsey with the #5 overall pick in the 2008 draft. While Dorsey has had some solid play he just hasn’t dominated like the #5 overall pick should. He has collected only 2 sacks and is struggling to adjust to the Chiefs new 3-4 defense. The Chiefs don’t seem ready to give up on Dorsey but the Bust label is knocking on the door. This upcoming season will have a big impact on the future of Glenn Dorsey.