2010 NFL Draft: Drafters Beware The Busts

First off, congratulations to the New Orleans Saints. They had an excellent season and made all of the right moves to beat Peyton Manning and the Colts. I know that I was cheering for them all yesterday. The video of Drew Brees crying with his little boy in his arms will be a moment in time to remember.

Now that the congratulations are over...

It is time for a different sort of mock draft. For every single draft, there are sleepers. These are the guys that general managers and coaches draft thinking they can contribute in some way. But a few months into the season, the player drafted exceeds all expectations and becomes an essential part of the offense/defense. These are the kind of players that all coaches want on their team. However, for every sleeper there is the player that coaches fear. They come into the league and are expected to contribute in big ways. However, they do the exact opposite and totally underachieve. Whether they are expected to start and end up being a bench player, or don't contribute due to attitude problems, these players are the worst kind to draft. They are the "busts". Here are 10 players that the coaches and GM's should be weary of.

In no particular order.

1. Ndamukong Suh. DT from Nebraska

Hear me out. Ndamukong Suh is the consensus No. 1 pick in this draft. He has been compared to Richard Seymour. He has the highest expectations of any player in this draft. For that reason alone he is a potential bust. Anybody who comes into the league with such hype is going to be a potential bust if he doesn't live up to the extreme expectations that are put upon him. His prior knee injuries are also cause for concern. His knees and expectations could make him a BUST.

2. Sam Bradford. QB from Oklahoma

Sam Bradford was great in his career at Oklahoma. He won the Heisman in 2008. He has great accuracy along with outstanding leadership skills. However, he has questions about being injury prone. In his junior year at Oklahoma, Bradford suffered a third degree AC joint sprain one play after becoming Oklahoma's all-time passing leader. He would return later in the year. Bradford re-injured his right shoulder on Oct. 17, 2009 against Texas on the second drive of the game. He then opted for shoulder surgery which ended his junior campaign. Bradford now has to prove to NFL GM's that his shoulder is fine and that it won't cause him problems in the future. His shoulder could cause him to be a BUST.

3. Terrence Cody. NT from Alabama

If you have been following the draft at all, then as soon as you saw the title of this article, this guy should have appeared in your mind. Cody is arguably the biggest risk. He has the most potential to be a bust then anyone out of this draft. He showed up at the Senior Bowl weighing 370 pounds. That would already put him at one of the heaviest players in the NFL. His weight has caused a big backlash as to his dedication to working out in the off-season and being the best he can be. Cody was an elite NT at Alabama. However, his lack of dedication has most people thinking BUST.

4. Carlos Dunlap. DE from Florida

He is simply overrated. WalterFootball.com lists his strengths and weaknesses as this:

Strengths:

• Very big frame and nice bulk
• Very good strength
• Long arms
• Good agility
• Solid closing speed
• Takes good angles to the ball
• Plays with great pad level
• Instinctive–good block recognition
• Knack for batting down passes
• Flashes great disengagement to make tackles
• Versatile–lines up DT and DE on both sides of ball

Weaknesses:

• Lacks a first step; doesn't fire out of stance
• Not the elite athlete he is hyped up as
• Extremely inconsistent
• Lacks serious power at point of attack
• Very soft and not physical
• Dominated by inferior talent
• Not mentally tough
• Not as productive as stats would lead you to believe
• No pass-rush move outside of spin
• Lacks counter moves
• Doesn't seem to love the game
• Poor intangibles
• Lethargic body language on the field

Sounds like a bust of a player if I have ever heard of one. He is the typical over-hyped athlete that gets drafted way too high every year. His lack of production and lethargic attitude scream BUST.

5. Taylor Mays. S from USC

He has been an intimidating presence for USC for years. He looked like a man among boys. However, his decision to return for a senior year has hit his stock pretty hard. His senior year showed all of Mays' weaknesses against the pass. He lacks the instinct against the pass but can blow up whoever gets the ball. He is a risk-reward kind of player. His powerful hitting can be an asset to any team, however, his weakness against the pass will hurt him at the next level. Whoever drafts him better prepare themselves for what they are getting. He could be a USC BUST.

6. Dez Bryant. WR from Oklahoma St.

This kid is a skilled wide receiver. He has a ton of potential. However, he was suspended by the NCAA for three quarters of the year for lying about his hanging out with Deon Sanders. This brings up a lot questions about his character. His time with Deon Sanders is probably blown out of proportion. However, it still makes Dez a risk. If Dez turns out to have the character problems that people are suggesting then he could be the definition of BUST.

7. Dexter McCluster. RB/WR from Mississippi.

He is 5'8". BIG red flag right out of the gate. He is 165 pounds. BIGGER red flag right out of the gate. However, he has great straight-line speed and agility. He seemed to raise his stock at the Senior Bowl which might turn out to be a bad thing. If he raises his stock, but doesn't perform like the game-changer that he is projected to be, then he will surely be a BUST.

8. Everson Griffen. DE from USC

Griffin is a nice prospect from USC. He has good size with good speed. He can play in a 4-3 or a 3-4 scheme. However, he is very inconsistent and never really dominates. He is an average defensive end with good athleticism. WalterFootball.com calls him a "Boom or Bust player", but doesn't lean towards a boom. BUST alert.

9. Sergio Kindle. LB from Texas

He is a raw prospect with a lot of potential. However, with any raw prospect, there is a possibility that the potential doesn't pan out. His inconsistency is a problem as well as his liability against the run. He could very well turn into a great player, however, there is a chance that he is nothing more then a BUST.

10. Jason Pierre Paul. DE from South Florida.

He has superb size and strength to compete in the NFL. However, he might be drafted based on potential more then actual ability. He also could have the "one year wonder" tag. This makes him a risk and a potential BUST.

Honorable Mention.

Tim Tebow: Everyone knows him. Everyone knows the flaws. Most predict him to fail rather then succeed. Although, whoever drafts him might be looking for more then he can give which makes him a potential BUST.

LaGarrette Blount: His stock has been rising since the Senior Bowl. However, his character flaw makes him a huge potential BUST.

Brandon Graham: His stock soared after his Senior Bowl MVP award. There are questions about his ability to drop into coverage for 3-4 teams. He also isn't the biggest DE. This gives him potential to be a BUST.