UM in the NFL

I think the obvious answer to number 1, and the only one, is Tom Brady.

too early to tell what he will accomplish I feel like.

1.  Tom Brady. 

2.  Chris Perry, Anthony Thomas, Tim Biakabutuka, Tyrone Wheatley.

A) Brady aside, I did not expect Breaston to have this sort of career especially after all the "Stevie no!"s during his M career. His speed is his weapon which usually doesn't suffice but he seems to have found his niche.



2) I was a mega Perry fan as most of you probably were. Thought he was destined for NFL carries especially after his 40+ carry game against MSU ( I think ). I was also a huge Marquise fan but his speed and route running were something his superior catching abilities couldn't make up for.

I thought he would have a trophey or atleast a stadium named after him.

Huge bust

I definitely don't think Brandon Graham belongs on the list. When he was healthy he tore s*** up. I'm sure he'll keep doing that once fully healthy.

Had he stuck around campus a couple of more years he would have been a good one.

Horace Prettyman really flamed out.

Tom Brady (sucessful)

Benni Joppru (complete dud)

Answer to #2: Braylon. He hasn't really put it all together really despite being the 3rd pick. He has had a couple decent years though.

Was anyone else in AA when the university sent out a memo detailing the 'appropriate' abbreviations for the University of Michigan? I loathed that email, yet now when I see someone write UM I can't help but think... no, that's wrong.

U-M made me a snot.

Actually, just a bigger snot.

1. Has to be Tom Brady. No real discussion there. As a surprise pick, I'll also say Brian Griese. I couldn't stand him during his U of M years (although he shut me up in the end). Never expected him to make it in the NFL, let alone start for multiple teams. I know it was a far from stellar career, but it's one I never in a million years thought he would have.

2. Terrell is the obvious pick. Outside of him, I'd say A-Train. After his awesome rookie season, I didn't expect him to fizzle out so quickly. I foolishly thought he was going to be the quasi-second coming of The Bus.

Biggest NFL Bust - Bennie Joppru

1. Amani Toomer

2. Tim Biakabatuka

Based on some inital comments, here are my responses:

• Brady - seemed too obvious to mention
• Graham - definitely way too early to judge, but bummer that he hasn't had the impact that we expected right away due to injury
• Joppru - certainly flamed out for his draft position, but was on IR for his first three seasons so he never really had a chance.
• Breaston - good one.  He was up and down at Michigan and I didn't think he'd latch on as a receiver in the NFL - maybe just a punt returner. 
• Henson - he ruined both of his careers by trying to do both, unfortunately.  And in both cases he was rushed into playing time that he wasn't ready for.  I would have liked to see what would have happened if he stuck with football full time.
• Running Backs - I think there's an interesting trend in that so many of the best RB didn't do much in the NFL.  I have a couple of theories behind this:  First, I think we assumed they were better than they were since our offense centered around them so much and was built on tons of carries.  Second, I think we used them up more in college than some other college backs and they reached their half-life sooner.  Perry, Thomas, Wheatley, and Biakabatuka all had some degree of success but it was very short lived and then they were out of the league.  Wheatley revitalized his career somewhat by becoming a power back in a part time role, but that's about it as far as longevity.  It is hard to even come up with a RB that had any prolonged career - Leroy Hoard? 

1. Gotta go with Brady

2. Was always a little dissapointed Gabe Watson didn't have a bigger impact in the league

1.  David Harris.  Even after his breakout senior year, I never expected him to burst onto the NFL scene like he did.

2. Jason Avant.  The best hands I ever remember.  Never expected him to be a backup

1. A couple surprises- I never thought he could perform in the NFL, but Elvis Grbac had a couple good years in KC, statistically. Todd Collins is another example. He never played much, but he was around a LONG time.

2. A couple disappointments- Glen Steele was an absolute BEAST in 97, but didn't last long in the NFL. Also, Jaime Morris was a big disappointment considering how successful his brother was. Granted Joe played behind Jumbo Elliott and the boys, but still. Still 3rd on Michigan's all time rushing yards list and had 45 carries in one game for the Redskins. I think thats still a record.

1. Steve Breaston (echoing what others have said here)

2. Drew Henson (Still haven't figured that out ... I realize that he was perpetually distracted, but I wonder if the speed of the NFL game was too much for him, intelligence and athletic ability aside.)

- - -

A word on Michigan RBs: This wouldn't apply to Chris Perry, but with the others mentioned here I wonder if Michigan's historically outstanding offensive lines made some of those guys look a little better than they were. UMich was an O-line factory right up to the point where Hutchinson, Backus, Maurice Williams, and that other guy all started in their first NFL year. (After that, it was Jonathan Goodwin, David Baas, and Jake Long, if you restrict to yourself to guys that actually made a roster and played in a game. Hopefully the draught will end soon.)

Surprise- James Hall



Bust- David Terrell

1) Like others, it would have to be Tom Brady. In the seasons where he has been the starting QB in New England, he has not thrown BELOW 60% for completions and has averaged around 3,500 yards total passing per year over 11 seasons. He was a great QB at Michigan, but his performance at the  next level, as QBs go, has been phenomenal.

In this category should go the longevity award too - while he didn't have a statistically impressive career,  kudos to Todd Collins for fighting for playing time over parts of 15 seasons.

2)  It seems like many of the example that come to mind for this question are RBs and WRs, but these are among the high-risk, high-reward picks for teams, but also, I am forced to wonder sometimes if excellent play on the line can make the running game look better than it might actually be. 

The classic modern example is probably David Terrell, as others have mentioned - I would have honestly thought he would be one of the most discussed WRs in the last decade coming out of school. An off-the-wall bust might be Trezelle Jenkins, who went in the first round in 1995 and looked to be a great OT - he played in parts of three seasons and vanished with virtually no productive  stats, I believe. 

I will say that thought Tyrone Wheatley underperformed at the next level - I think "bust" would be way too harsh in his case. I would have  expected him to be a far better RB in the NFL than he ended up being overall, though he did have something of a renaissance with the Raiders, as I recall. Going with  merely "underperforming", Braylon Edwards hasn't had the career I thought he might either, but he has some good years under his belt with the pontential  for many more. 

Suprise- Jay Riemersma, Ty Law

Bust- marlin Jackson

Surprise: Cato June. He was a solid but not spectacular safety in the mid 90's, but somehow he blew up in the pros and made a pro bowl as a linebacker.



Bust: the usual suspects: Terrell, Perry

1) Mario Manningham... I knew his speed would be an asset in the NFL but considering all the rumors of  marijuana use and the low score he received on the Wonderlic exam as well as his draft position, I saw potential bust written all over him. He started off slow but gradually has come into his own and seems to have a bright future.

2) My bust would be David Terrell as well and also Gabe Watson as i figured he would be a man beast in that middle.

I know he had some injury problems, but I was hoping that Marlin Jackson would have been able to stick around the league longer than he did.  

Edit:  I also thought Alan Branch would've been more successful.

Best: Steve Breaston- not so great senior year and was always light as a feather.

Bust: Braylon Edwards- talks too much off the field and too many drops.

I was always most surprised by Brady (obviously), but also Armani Toomer.  Guy played for over a decade and was a pretty good WR for most of that time.  As for disappointments, it would have to be Wheatley - he was an amazing athlete who got to the NFL, gained some weight, and nothing more than a battering ram toward the end.  Could have been a much better player than he turned out.  

More recently, the biggest surprise has been Leon Hall - I thought he was a good corner in college, but to be a Pro Bowler so quickly was surprising.  Brandon Graham is also starting to worry me a bit, though with Philly you never know if that is a scheme issue or an ability problem.

1) Jim Harbaugh- I had no idea he would be as successful as a coach in both college and the pros (only one year, but still). I didn't see him play in college, and only remember his nfl days when he was at the end of his career, but I'm happy that he (and his brother) have been such successful coaches.

Tom Brady- At the beginning of his college career, he was a bit over shadowed by Henson and I'm not sure he really overcame that until he left. He was good in college, but he's been better in the pros.

Steve Hutchinson- Yes, he was a late first roun pick, but he's been dominant in the NFL and he's still playing at a high level. He's been the kind of guy teams build around, which is saying a lot as a lineman.

2) Braylon Edwards- Such promise, never lived up to the first round pick level. Too many off-field distractions.

Chad Henne- At least he was better than Brady Quinn.

1. Tom Brady

2. David terrell and Braylon Edwards