Who is the most surprising UM bust in the NFL to you?
Who are the guys you thought would be great at the next level, but busted?
I'll start the bidding with Devin Bush. I guess I knew it was possible that being undersized could be an issue for him, but his speed and tackling and football IQ were so insanely high in college that I never seriously considered that he'd spend his NFL career getting paved by 320lb guards who are also insane athletes.
February 27th, 2024 at 1:01 PM ^
"Just couldn't get his act together. Unfortunate. Being drafted by the Browns didn't help."
I said it was at least partially his fault just before mentioning the Browns. In no way did I say it was a one-way-street.
However, just as the Lions were where top draft picks went to die, so were the Browns for a time. I believe that has changed for both teams now.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:01 AM ^
He was definitely not a "bust" - maybe his pro career was not as good as expected, but he played 8 years, made a Pro Bowl and had 5500 career receiving yards and 40 TDs. He also had some big moments for the Jets in the playoffs. That's a solid, albeit far from legendary, NFL career.
David Terrell on the other hand played essentially 4 years and had a quarter of those stats.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:13 AM ^
Agree, not a bust but also not the career we thought Braylon would have. Terrell yes, bust but also think he was a guy that maxed out in college and skills didn't transfer.
Devin Bush, I thought he got injured in the osu game and wasn't quite as explosive after. I could be completely wrong but I never thought he looked good for the steelers. Also never thought that was a good fit for him in that style of defense. An undersized inside lber in a 3 front defense isn't ideal. Which is why I was surprised the steelers took him.
February 27th, 2024 at 4:32 PM ^
Bush looked good his first year for the Steelers, but never got back to form after his ACL tear early in his second year. Weirdly, it wasn't that his knee didn't ever work again, but rather that he totally lost his great instincts and instead looked hesitant and slow to move at the start of each play after the injury.
Was super disappointing to me, as a big Michigan and Steelers fan
February 27th, 2024 at 10:33 AM ^
For a top 3 pick in the draft, yes I would consider that a bust. Top 3 picks must be transformative players. No exceptions.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:51 AM ^
You may have a different definition of bust than others.
Top 3 picks from those years, compared to Braylon's stats. First number is players that were better than Braylon (only counted until I got lazy)
- 2004 (2) - Eli Manning, Robert Gallery (much worse), Larry Fitzgerald
- 2005 (1) - Alex Smith (better than Braylon), Ronnie Brown (same or worse), Braylon
- 2006 (1) - Mario Williams (better), Reggie Bush (same), Vince Young (same or worse)
- 2007 (2) - Jamarcus Russell (much worse), Calvin Johnson (better), Joe Thomas (better)
- 2008 (3) - Jake Long, Chris Long, Matt Ryan (all better)
- 2009 (1) - Stafford, Jason Smith (much worse), Tyson Jackson (worse)
That's 10 out of 18 players that definitely had better outcomes, and 4 or so that had definitively worse careers.
If your definition is "below the median" then yes Braylon had a bad career. But there are many other definitions of "bust"
February 27th, 2024 at 4:33 PM ^
Calvin Johnson-- much, much, much, better!
February 27th, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
I wonder how much of Terrell's lack of production had to do with a lousy Bears team? Their QB in 2004 was Chad Hutchinson and Craig Krenzel (!) had a 46% completion percentage in the 6 games he played in his one year in the NFL
February 27th, 2024 at 9:53 AM ^
The reason Devin Bush failed surprised me, it wasn't size, he basically could really read a play or do zone drops.
Good answers so far, I'll add Jake Long just being an average tackle was surprising to me.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:02 AM ^
Jake Long was by no means average. He started his career with 4 straight pro bowls, and one season as 1st team all pro.
Long played hurt constantly, and the injuries took their toll eventually.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:33 AM ^
Fair. But a number one overall tackle you're hoping for 4 all-pro seasons and 8-10 pro bowls. Injuries are not really the player's fault either.
February 27th, 2024 at 12:42 PM ^
I guess, but also, underperforming astronomically high expectations is not the definition of "bust". Underperforming reasonable expectations for the context, also is not a "bust".
Tony Mandarich = bust.
February 27th, 2024 at 6:13 PM ^
Or you could have just said "Hmm... better than I remembered!"
And named someone else!
February 27th, 2024 at 10:03 AM ^
What?
Jake Long made the Pro Bowl in each of his first 4 season I believe.
He got injured in 2012 and was never the same afterward.
February 27th, 2024 at 11:08 AM ^
Yeah, I don’t think injuries causing a player to not meet expectations should “surprise” anyone. Football is a violent sport, and injuries cause rapid declines sometimes — we know it’s going to happen, we just don’t know to whom. Jake Long was a cornerstone tackle until he got hurt and wasn’t. Not a bust, just a what-might-have-been.
The surprise busts are the ones whose talent just wasn’t good enough to cut it. David Terrell, oft-mentioned here, is the number 1 for me.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:54 AM ^
David Terrell.
Dude was an absolute stud WR and was selected 8th overall in the 2001 draft. Never did anything in the pros and was out of the league five seasons later. I thought for sure we was going to be the next Anthony Carter and it never worked out for him.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:02 AM ^
Still my favorite UM receiver of all time with Tai Streets and Mario Manningham a close 2 and 3.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:16 AM ^
Manningham was never the same after that knee injury. Just didn't get it back. He devastated defenses before that. They said it was just a the meniscus and maybe so. That also hurt as the 06 offense already lost Bass. Manningham and the nfl, idk..
February 27th, 2024 at 10:32 AM ^
Agreed. MM was truly a deep threat that exposed a lot of shaky secondaries.
Antonio Bass? We hardly knew ye.
February 28th, 2024 at 9:31 PM ^
Really wish we could have seen Mario and Antonio together at their peaks for longer. The "Italians" would have really been special.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:16 AM ^
This was my first thought. He went play for play in the Orange Bowl with Shaun Alexander when we beat Bama. I thought he was going to be an absolute stud in the NFL. Getting drafted by the Bears probably didn't help though.
February 27th, 2024 at 1:26 PM ^
I thought Maurice Hurst was going to be The Man. Sorry to say he is a journeyman.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:54 AM ^
Not so much a bust because of getting hurt, but I expected a more prolific career from Jake Butt.
All around good dude it would seem though and I love that he's now in broadcasting. Definitely seems suited for the job.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:03 AM ^
Butt should at least get an *asterisk due to his injury.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:08 AM ^
Did his insurance pay out though? Loved his love for the UM. But...
February 27th, 2024 at 9:54 AM ^
You could probably argue to what extent he was a bust but I thought Braylon would do much better than he did.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:55 AM ^
Jalen Mayfield Is kind of heading that way. I know 2020 was weird, but I thought he could have used another year in college.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:38 AM ^
I forgot Jalen Mayfield even existed.
February 27th, 2024 at 11:30 AM ^
I live down in Atlanta, and the local media spent the better part of a year or two raking Mayfield over the coals any chance they got.
In Jalen's defense, the Falcons as a whole have been pretty bad for the better part of the last five to six years, but I've never heard the local sports media down here give Jalen a pass on anything.
February 27th, 2024 at 12:22 PM ^
Looking back, some of the players who left that year seemed to be bad for the teams mojo. Addition by subtraction really
February 27th, 2024 at 1:10 PM ^
He could really used an another year in college. He wasn't great at Michigan and his techniques aren't great either. That's largely why he didn't amount to anything in the NFL. If your techniques suck, chances are that it will get exposed in the NFL.
February 27th, 2024 at 9:55 AM ^
If it doesn't work out in the NFL you can always coach! Nick Sheridan climbing the coaching ladder is proof.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:00 AM ^
Don't forget about Packers OC Adam Stenavich
February 27th, 2024 at 10:16 AM ^
And Atlanta Falcons TE coach Kevin Koger.
February 27th, 2024 at 8:48 PM ^
And Michigan OL coach Grant Newsome
February 27th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
That's a skill set that takes aptitude as well. People were saying he would be a good coach when he was a player, and not just because his limitations as a player were evident.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:02 AM ^
"For me its gotta be Aidan Hutchinson. His sacks are mostly just busted plays and he seems to get lucky more often than not.
With love,
The Red Cedar Message Board"
February 27th, 2024 at 10:06 AM ^
"Agree, Hutchinson definitely overrated imho, had 14 sacks last year of college (Stalions effect?), down to 9.5 and 11.5 first two years in the NFL. Harder game when you dont know whats (Tuck) comin'.
- SpartDawg02"
February 27th, 2024 at 10:12 AM ^
I said something similar below, but yours is more clever. +1
February 27th, 2024 at 11:55 AM ^
Obligatory
"hIs ArMs ArE tOo ShOrT"
February 27th, 2024 at 12:42 PM ^
I really enjoy watching the Lions with my neighbors (MSU fans) and seeing them root for Hutch. It took awhile from them admit they liked him, now they are fully on the Hutch train.
February 27th, 2024 at 2:56 PM ^
Love my OSU neighbor buying his wife a Hutch Jersey this year
February 27th, 2024 at 10:03 AM ^
I was young when he was at Michigan, but I thought Chad Henne would have had a better career in the NFL. Great career as a backup all things considered, but thought he was gonna be a longterm starter.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:07 AM ^
I can get get behind this selection. He's created a nice little niche as a journeyman backup QB but I also thought he would set the league on fire given his cannon for an arm, good mechanics, and overall command of the offense.
Still he made millions in a backup role and is good enough to plug-n-play if needed. There are much worse ways to be considered a bust in the NFL.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:25 AM ^
Henne had a problem where he played so much in college that I think he hit his ceiling at Michigan so there weren’t going to be too many areas that he could improve at in the NFL. I think that’s why you saw him drop into the 2nd round.
For all of his physical tools, Henne was very slow coupled with a poor pocket presence, struggled with accuracy on intermediate routes (his completion percentage was basically the same in college as it was the NFL: 59.6% and 59.7%) and he also had a bit of the same problem Navarre had with batted balls - in fact I think I saw that when he started for Jacksonville in 2013 he “led” the league in the category.
I’m not sure it’s fair to call him a bust but in retrospect I’m not exactly shocked he didn’t become a longtime starter in the NFL.
February 27th, 2024 at 10:52 AM ^
I would argue Chad Henne had the MOST successful career of any UM graduate. Here's why:
1. He played for 16 seasons meaning he's going to rake millions from his NFL pension in retirement. Their pension funds based on playing years so the more years you play, the more you take home.
2. As a career back-up he seldom got hit so his risk of CTE is low. No fun having millions if you cant remember what to do with them
3. He never suffered any major injuries that would cripple him as he gets older.
Dude is my absolute hero.
February 27th, 2024 at 11:03 AM ^
Great perspective on Henne and quality of life.
February 27th, 2024 at 12:02 PM ^
I believe Brian at one point said that being a long-time career backup QB is the best job in the NFL in reference to Todd Collins. If you need a reminder, Collins had a 16 year career in the NFL and started a total of 21 games - with 13 of those coming in 1997 as the Bills' first string QB. He has appeared in 51 total games and did not play in 4 full seasons while being paid as a backup.
That's the gig right there. He definitely beats out Henne in terms of longevity vs. lack of playing time, although he was 10 years earlier and probably had smaller contracts as a result.
February 27th, 2024 at 1:23 PM ^
Jim Sorgi being Manning's backup for 5 years had to be the peak back-up QB job. Which is why it's kind of funny he ended his time in Indy on the IR with a torn labrum.