My man, Joe Pinzone, recently ran a research-based series on quarterbacks drafted in the first-round since 1990, labeling them either busts or non-busts. The thought here was to examine what history says about drafting a signal-caller in the first round.
Because it’s the consensus that the Bills will either select a QB or a defensive lineman in this year’s draft, I decided to take a shot at the other side.
This article in particular will jog your memory, as I began just like Joe did, in 1990. (He did his posts in six year spans, I chose three.)
At the end, I’ll compile all the information to try to shed some light on what the research suggests about drafting defensive lineman in the first round….
1990 Class
Cortez Kennedy (3rd overall, Seattle Seahawks)
What was the deal: He was an All-American with the Miami Hurricanes and was the consensus top defensive lineman in 1990 draft.
His rookie year: He held out throughout training camp and finally signed his contract two days before the start of the season. Because of his holdout, he had a sub-par first year, but he did make the Pro Bowl in his second season as a professional.
Legacy: Total beast. Made 8 Pro Bowls, and was named two 3 All-Pro teams from 1992 to 1994. Made the All-Decade team. Possible candidate for the Hall of Fame.
Verdict: Not a bust, duh.
Ray Agnew (10th overall, New England Patriots)
What was the deal: Not going to pretend I know what the Patriots situation was before the 1990 season, but Agnew had a good enough college career to have New England draft him in the Top 10.
Legacy: Played five years with the Patriots before moving onto the Giants, and finally to the St. Louis Rams to end his career. He finished his tenure as a professional with 22.5 career sacks and one a Super Bowl with the Rams.
Verdict: Bust
Anthony Smith (11th overall, Los Angeles Raiders)
What was the deal: From Arizona, defensive edge rusher.
Rookie year: Totaled 10.5 sacks but only started in 2 games.
Legacy: Not much of one, however he did have 57.5 career sacks, including 13.0 in his second season in LA. Only played for 7 seasons, flaming out by 1997. (Found out he was charged with the murder of a California man in 2008. Yikes)
Verdict: Not really a bust. But calling him a superstar would be a stretch.
Renaldo Turnbull (14th overall, New Orleans Saints)
What was the deal: Big time pass rusher that played on above average West Virginia teams.
Rookie Year: Recorded 9 sacks. Pretty good.
Legacy: Retired from football after a year with the Carolina Panthers in 1997 with 45.5 career sacks. Made the Pro Bowl in 1993 when he finished the year with 13.0 sacks and one interception.
Verdict: Not a bust?
1991 Class
Russell Maryland (1st overall, Dallas Cowboys)
What was the deal: Rocket Ismail, who was the No. 1 prospect chose to sign with the Toronto Argonauts (smart move) so the Cowboys drafted Maryland after a trade with the New England Patriots.
Rookie Year: Started 7 games, accumulated 4.5 sacks.
Legacy: Was the staple of consistency at the defensive tackle position throughout the 1990’s. Made the Pro Bowl in 1993, and was a two-time Super Bowl Champion (yea, he beat the Bills twice)
Verdict: Not a bust.
Eric Swann (6th overall, Phoenix Cardinals)
What was the deal: (Typing Phoenix Cardinals felt so awesome) The Cardinals weren’t good and the situation with Swann was very atypical. He never attended college as he inked a deal with a semi-pro team, the Bay State Titans.
Rookie Year: Finished the season with 4.0 sacks from the defensive tackle spot.
Legacy: Selected to the Pro Bowl in 1995 and 1996 when he had 8.5 and 5.0 sacks. Hard to say his legacy is that well known, but far from a bad player.
Verdict: Not a bust.
Huey Richardson (15th overall, Pittsburgh Steelers)
What was the deal: All-American in 1990 at University of Florida, but was apparently the fourth option for the Steelers first-round selection.
Rookie Year: Ended the year with no stats with the Steelers.
Legacy: Was sent to the Redskins after his rookie season when Bill Cowher took over, and ended his short career with the Jets. Played only two years in the NFL.
Verdict: Bust.
Bobby Wilson (17th overall, Washington Redskins)
What was the deal: Got drafted onto an improving Redskins team.
Rookie Year: Started one game, had 4.5 sacks and 25 tackles on the year.
Legacy: Won a Super Bowl with the Redskins, but hardly was a big factor in the team’s championship run. (Yes, he beat the Bills, too) Only played until 1994.
Verdict: Bust.
Kelvin Pritchett (20th overall, Dallas Cowboys)
What was the deal: Another guy I’ve never heard of although he played until 2004.
Rookie Year: Never started a game and finished out the year with 1.5 sacks and 26 tackles.
Legacy: Not much of one. Seems like he was a situational defensive tackle (think Spencer Johnson) but did enjoy a long career in the NFL.
Verdict: Not a bust, not a star.
Ted Washington (25th overall, San Francisco 49ers)
What was the deal: Ideal nose tackle prospect coming out of Louisville.
Rookie Year: Hard to tell how big his impact was in 1991, when he totaled only 1.0 sack, as pass rushing was not his forte.
Legacy: Mt. Washington was a total monster inside and was very fun to watch as a member of the Bills defense in the late 1990’s. Played at a high level until he was 39.
Verdict: Definitely not a bust.
1992 Class
Steve Emtman (1st overall, Indianapolis Colts)
What what the deal: Took home essentially all the hardware in college, outside of the Heisman Trophy. Won the Outland and the Lombardi Trophies and was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1991 as a junior at Washington. Won a National Title with the Huskies that year.
Rookie Year: Thoroughbred heading into the draft. Finished the year playing 9 games. He registered 3.0 sacks and an interception in which he returned for a touchdown. Somewhat promising.
Legacy: He’s remembered for his failures after coming into the NFL as such a highly touted prospect. Never eclipsed his 3.0 sack total of his rookie year. Last season was 1997 with the Redskins.
Verdict: BUST
Sean Gilbert (3rd overall, Los Angeles Rams
What was the deal: All-American out of Pittsburgh after finishing the 1991 season with 99 tackles from his defensive tackle spot. Apparently was one of those “high motor” defensive tackles similar to what is being said about Nick Fairley in this draft class. (Ran a 4.8 at 6’4’’, 315)
Rookie Year: After recording 5 sacks as a rookie, he was named to the All-Rookie team.
Legacy: Pro Bowl alternate twice (1995, 1996) but was traded to the Redskins (man, Washington is seemingly involved with all these guys) and played for the Panthers to end his career.
Verdict: Serviceable. Above-average player. Not a bust, although the Rams probably wanted more out of the No. 3 pick.
Chester McGlockton (15th overall, Los Angeles Raiders)
What was the deal: Actually remember this guy. As far as why the Raiders drafted him, I couldn’t tell ya, sorry.
Rookie year: Totaled 3.0 sacks but never started a game for the Raiders.
Legacy: Four time Pro Bowler, three time All-Pro. Very dominant in the mid-1990s.
Verdict: Not a bust.
Alonzo Spellman (22nd overall, Chicago Bears)
What was the deal: Typical late-round defensive lineman going to a middle-of-the-road team in the Chicago Bears.
Rookie Year: Spellman didn’t start, but played in 15 of the 16 games and registered 4.0 sacks.
Legacy: Had back to back years (1995 and 1996) of 8.5 and 8.0 sacks but was cut by the Bears after an injury in 1997.
Verdict: Not a bust, but not a star.
Chris Mims (25th overall, San Diego Chargers)
What was the deal: Tennessee defensive end product.
Rookie Year: Exploded onto the scene with a 10-sack season.
Legacy: Finished his “shorter” (7 season, 5 full) with 42 sacks, including a 11-sack year in 1994 with the Chargers. Still, he’s far from a household name. (In researching, I found that Mims died in 2008 from what doctors said was an enlarged heart. He apparently weighed over 450 lbs. when police found him in his apartment.)
Verdict: Very close to a bust.
Robert Porcher (26th overall, Detroit Lions)
What was the deal: Small school product, South Carolina State.
Rookie year: Slowly was brought into the defensive scheme in Detroit, only starting one game in his first season when he had 1.0 sack. He steadily improved each year as a professional.
Legacy: Fan favorite in Detroit. Played for the Lions his entire career, having five 10-plus sack seasons. He was a three-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. (1997, 1999, 2001)
Verdict: Not a bust.
In conclusion:
16 Defensive Lineman selected:
5 clear-cut busts, 6 clear-cut non-busts, 5 in-between (Either that, or I’m that much nicer than Joe. Ha)
With defensive lineman, there seems to be more of a grey area in terms of whether they were busts or not, especially when you compare them to quarterbacks.
I mentioned sack totals quite a bit, and that is not necessarily indicative of a good season for a defensive lineman, especially if they played defensive tackle. (ie. Vince Wilfork or Kyle Williams can dominate a game without registering 4.0 sacks and 10 tackles, it’s usually the attention paid to them by the opposing offensive line that creates plays for fellow defensive lineman, linebackers, and secondary members. So take the stats with a grain of salt.
Next up….1993-1995 (I might try to switch to six-year spans if I get the time)
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