NFL Draft 2011 Results: Top 5 First-Round Rookies Destined for Epic Fail
We see it following every draft.
We analyze these players to no end and once they are selected, we come up with every reason in the book as to why they will succeed.
Yet we all know that not every player gets to live the high-life.
Some teams will look back and wonder why they selected the player they did.
What were they thinking when they selected this player over the dozens of other Pro Bowlers from the class?
How could they possibly let this gem fall?
We’ve seen busts before, but they don’t even compare to the epic fails in recent years. Who will be the Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell of this draft?
Here are your top five first-rounders destined to become epic failures with their current teams.
5. Mike Pouncey, Miami Dolphins OG/C
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Maurkice Pouncey was a 2010 first-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He anchored the offensive line that helped lead the team to the Super Bowl and even earned himself a Pro Bowl selection.
Naturally, everyone wants to believe that his twin brother, Mike, will have the same impact in the NFL.
Yet Maurkice is clearly the better player—just because they are twins does not mean they will have the same success.
Mike heads to an organization in flux that has been down for most of the time since Dan Marino left.
The success path has already been taken by Maurkice—Mike’s path could very well take the wrong turn.
4. Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins OLB
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Kerrigan is not an elite athlete—he is simply a sound football player.
Yet he is far better off as a defensive lineman using his power to bulrush offensive lineman than rushing them on the edge.
He is expected to play linebacker for the Redskins, starting next to star linebacker Brian Orakpo.
Although he won’t see the same double teams, he could very well flame out as a linebacker attempting to rush the passer with brute strength.
We’ve seen phenomenal football players end up in the wrong situations before. With his innate knack to attack quarterbacks, his skills could very well be neutralized in Washington’s defense.
He would make for a better 4-3 defensive end and could flame out quickly in Washington as he sees a dramatic increase in sacks.
3. Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints RB
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Really? Former Heisman trophy and BCS National Championship winner Mark Ingram?
The same Mark Ingram who is the clear-cut No. 1 running back in the class?
The same Mark Ingram who the Saints actually traded up for to select?
The same Mark Ingram that is one of the angriest runners in the history of the game?
Yes, that Mark Ingram.
His stock steadily declined throughout the draft process.
Once deemed the definitive No. 1 running back in the class, Illinois’ Mikel Leshoure began to make a run at that title in the last two-three weeks leading up to the draft.
Durability concerns began to sit in the minds of most general managers—will his knee be able to hold up in the NFL? Does he have the speed we like after failing to impress at the Combine?
Questions and concerns began to loom over Ingram like a dark cloud.
The Saints selected a former Heisman winning running back before by the name of Reggie Bush. He has failed to reach the same individual success as his speed was neutralized by the defenders of the NFL.
Ingram relies on his power, but we have far stronger men in the NFL than we do in college.
All of the Saints’ running backs seem to suffer injury or disappoint according to their standards—is there really reason to believe Ingram will break that streak?
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2. Jonathan Baldwin, Kansas City Chiefs WR
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The Chiefs generally like to select high character players to fit their system—one has to wonder what mental gaffe happened here.
Baldwin is the type of me-first player who will not hesitate to throw teammates or coaches under the bus when things turn south.
For an upcoming team, this is not the type of player you want in your locker room. He can become a cancer, even as a rookie.
Selected in the first round, the Chiefs organization and fanbase will expect a lot from Baldwin. Yet Baldwin may just expect even more from the Chiefs and the fans.
He is going to want to see a lot of targets—the type of targets that superstar receivers A.J. Green and Julio Jones see.
He has first round talent, but does he have the mentality to be a team player?
Not only was he a surprise pick by the Chiefs, his stock dropped for a reason.
1. Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans QB
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Jake Locker could very well be this year’s Matt Leinart.
He didn’t free-fall in the draft like Leinart since we knew Locker would never go No. 1 overall, but he is following a similar path.
He is just another case of a player heading back to school to play his senior season and costing himself a top-five pick and a lot of money.
He stayed in school to allow himself to be even more scrutinized by NFL scouts and analysts.
Instead of entering the 2010 draft to rival Sam Bradford for the No. 1 selection as one of the top overall prospects in the draft, he entered the 2010 draft potentially not even being selected in the first round at all.
It came as a shock when Tennessee selected the quarterback, even though he does fit their current system.
Leinart went to Arizona, which appeared to be a fantastic fit with two Pro Bowl receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Yet Leinart couldn’t beat out Kurt Warner for the starting job and even worse, couldn’t even beat out Derek Anderson who proved to be one of the worst QB’s in the league last year!
Sorry Locker fans, but he is destined to fail.
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