San Francisco 49ers Cut Braylon Edwards: Ranking the Top 15 2005 NFL Draft Busts

NFL wide receiver Braylon Edwards announced on Wednesday via Twitter that he had been cut by the San Francisco 49ers.

Edwards, a former No. 3 overall pick, was one of the headliners of the 2005 NFL Draft. The 2005 draft also included top college prospects Mike Williams and Adam "Pac-Man" Jones.

Aside from being Top 10 draft selections, they all share in the fact that their careers were essentially big disappointments. After a 2004 draft which has produced 24 Pro Bowl players in the first three rounds, including seven in the Top 10—Eli Manning, Larry Fitzgerald and Philip Rivers to name a few—there were only 23 Pro Bowl players in the entire 2005 draft.

In honor of Braylon Edwards' departure from his now third team in seven seasons, let us look at other players from the 2005 class who failed to meet expectations.

Honorable Mention: Shawne Merriman (RD1,12th Overall: Chargers)

"Lights Out" has been more like a flickering fluorescent these last few seasons. 

His rookie year was highlighted with 57 tackles, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.  He followed it up with 17 sacks in 2006—playing in only 12 games—and 12.5 sacks in 2007.  It appeared that the San Diego Chargers had struck gold. 

Everything changed in 2008 when Merriman spent the final 15 games on Injured Reserve due to a knee injury.  He returned in 2009, a shell of his former self, amassing 36 tackles and only four sacks in 14 games. 

From 2008 -2010, Shawn Merriman played in only 18 games, accumulating only 42 tackles and four sacks.  The Chargers waived him in November 2010 at which time he was claimed by the Buffalo Bills. 

Looking for a fresh start, Merriman unfortunately found more injury troubles as he was put on Injured Reserve for the 2010 and 2011 seasons due to an ongoing Achilles’ injury.

Current Status: Injured Reserve; in his second season with the Bills

Honorable Mention: Ronnie Brown (RD1, 2nd Overall: Dolphins)

Had Ronnie Brown been drafted in the second or even the late first round, he would most likely not be on this list.  As a No. 2 overall pick, he makes the cut. 

Ronnie Brown, along with Cadillac Williams, was a part of the running back by committee approach of the Auburn backfield in 2004.  Brown was highly touted by NFL teams given his pass-catching ability as well as his running. 

Brown rushed for 907 yards and contributed 232 receiving yards in his rookie season.  He raised the bar even higher in 2006, rushing for 1,008 yards. 

Like Cadillac, Brown would faced injury issues, bookending his 2008 Pro Bowl season with two injury-shortened seasons.  Brown returned in 2010 but his production decreased averaging only 3.7 yards per carry, the lowest of his career at that point. 

After acquiring running back Reggie Bush from the New Orleans Saints and drafting running back Daniel Thomas, Brown became expendable and was not re-signed.  He signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 as a backup to LeSean McCoy. .

Current Status: In his first season with the Eagles.

15. Cedric Benson (RD1, 4th Overall: Bears)

Is there something in the water down in Texas? 

Vince Young talked of suicide, Ricky Williams loved marijuana and Cedric Benson could not stay out of trouble with the law. 

Drafted by the Bears to be their featured back, Benson played most of his three seasons in Chicago behind incumbent Thomas Jones.  Benson did not score his first touchdown until the 2006 season and never rushed for more than 674 yards during his days in Chicago. 

Benson was arrested several times over his career for charges ranging from DUI to assault.  Recently, his career has seen a resurgence with the Cincinnati Bengals.  He is currently in his fourth season and has rushed for over 1,000 yards each of the last three seasons.

Current Status: In his fourth season with the Bengals

14. Jason Campbell (RD1, 25th Overall: Redskins)

Another interesting story of “is he or isn’t he.” 

Jason Campbell was an integral part of the undefeated 2004 Auburn Tigers.  Along with running backs Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and Ronnie Brown—both of whom appear on this list—they led Auburn to a Sugar Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. 

Drafted by the Redskins in 2005, Campbell never lived up to the expectations of a first-round quarterback.  He showed glimpses at times, throwing for over 3,200 yards in 2008 and 2009. 

However, he posted 20 touchdowns only once in his four seasons in Washington and never posted a passer rating higher than 87.  Campbell also had a problem maintaining the ball, contributing at least 13 total turnovers in four of his seven NFL seasons. 

Campbell was traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2010 after Mike Shanahan took over as head coach for the Redskins.  He was benched for three games during the 2010 season for ineffective play and only resumed his starting role when Bruce Gradkowski went down with a shoulder injury. 

He threw for only 2,387 yards and 13 touchdowns, along with eight interceptions in 13 games.  He started the first six games of 2011 before breaking his collarbone.  The Raiders then traded for “retired” Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, potentially signaling the end of Campbell’s career with the Raiders.

Current Status: Injured; in his second season with the Raiders

13. Mike Nugent (RD2, 47th Overall: Jets)

I had the privilege of attending the NFL Draft in 2005. One way to anger your fans who waited in line for almost 12 hours in which overnight temperatures dropped into the 40's; draft a kicker with your team's first pick.

While Nugent had a decent four-year stint with the Jets, it was nothing to write home about. He finished his final season on the bench behind Jay Feeley and had only one season with a field goal accuracy rate higher than 85 percent.

The Jets were 4-12 in 2005. Even had he finished that season at 100 percent, you're telling me that Mike Nugent was the best player available? The perplexed looks and rain of boos would probably signal otherwise.

Current Status: In his second season with the Bengals

12. J.J. Arrington (RD2, 44th Overall: Cardinals)

J.J. Arrington had arguably one of the greatest seasons for a running back in college football history.  He rushed for over 2,000 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.  His stats during his final season at the University of California were better than future NFL All-Pro Adrian Peterson.

The Arizona Cardinals drafted Arrington in the second round and promptly put him into a featured role in the offense,  Unfortunately, Arrington could never convert his collegiate talents into the professional game.

He rushed for an unimpressive 370 yards and two touchdowns on 112 carries.  He would never carry the ball more than 31 times in a season for the remainder of his career.

He would spend parts of the 2009 and 2010 offseasons with the Denver Broncos and the Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.  However, he never made either team's opening day roster.

Current Status: Out of football

11. Reggie Brown (RD2, 35th Overall: Eagles)

Another draft day miss by Reid and Company.  Granted, he was not the debacle that Freddie “Fred-Ex” Mitchell was, but a disappointment nonetheless. 

The Philadelphia Eagles were coming off of a Super Bowl appearance followed by a tumultuous offseason—thank you Terrell Owens—and were in need of an insurance policy in the event that the T.O. experiment imploded. 

Reggie Brown lasted five seasons with the Eagles, never reaching 1,000 yards and only caught 17 touchdowns in his entire five-year stint. 

He was supplanted by DeSean Jackson in 2008 and was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2009 season.  He was then released prior to the start of the season.

Current Status: Out of football

10. Maurice Clarett (RD3, 101st Overall: Broncos)

Whether you are an NFL fan, an Ohio State alum or a fan of crime stories, you should be more than familiar with the story of Maurice Clarett. 

He led the Buckeyes to a national title while rushing for over 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns in his freshman year.  Clarett’s brief OSU career was marred by fighting with coaches, legal issues and receiving improper benefits. 

Clarett spent the next two years suspended and later dismissed from school, pleading guilty to a charge of failing to aid law enforcement, and unsuccessfully challenging the NFL’s policy on draft eligibility. 

After a horrific combine in 2005—the part he participated in—the Denver Broncos took a chance on him.  It was the best situation given Denver’s history for making stars out of lesser known rushers.  Reports of bad work ethic, missed practices and showing up for camp overweight plagued his brief stint, ending in his release before the start of the season.  No other NFL teams expressed interest. 

After serving approximately three-and-a-half years for armed robbery in 2006, Clarett was released to a halfway house.

Current Status: Playing with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League

9. Alex Barron (RD1, 19th Overall: Rams)

There are two key principles when playing on the offensive line: don't move until the ball is snapped, and keep your hands between the shoulders.  Alex Barron must have been absent that day.

The Rams selected Barron 19th overall.  One would think that having the privilege of learning from fellow teammate Orlando Pace would do wonders in aiding Alex's development.  It never happened.

Alex Barron was known throughout his career for being consistently penalized.  Barron was notorious for his numerous false starts and holding penalties.  One of the most critical was on the final play of the Redskins vs. Cowboys game during the 2010 season.  A critical holding call on Barron negated a game-winning touchdown.

After five penalty-filled seasons in St. Louis, Barron was traded to the Dallas Cowboys where he lasted only one season.  He signed with the New Orleans Saints for the 2011 season.  He was placed on Injured Reserve and later released, having never played a game for the Saints.

Current Status: Free Agent

8. Erasmus James (RD1, 18th Overall: Vikings)

37 tackles + five sacks + four seasons = Unemployed

In a nutshell, that was Erasmus James.  Most of his career stats were compiled during his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings.  Injury problems and ineffective play caused him to miss 24 games between 2006 and 2007.

The Vikings traded James in 2008 to the Washington Redskins.  He suited up for five games, but accumulated no stats.  The Redskins released him later that season.

Current Status: Rumored to play with the New Mexico Stars of the Indoor Football League

7. Braylon Edwards (RD1, 3rd Overall: Browns)

When a team drafts a wide receiver third overall, an expectation of multiple 1,000 yard seasons is not unrealistic.  Enter Braylon Edwards, a speedy receiver out of Michigan who could give the Browns a serious downfield threat. 

In just over four seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Edwards recorded over 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns only once.  Both occurred in the 2007 season in which the Browns finished 10-6. 

His career has been highlighted by his affinity for dropping balls including a league-high 16 in 2008.  He has also had several run-ins with law enforcement.  His arrests include a 2009 assault in Cleveland and a 2010 DUI charge in New York.  He was on probation for his 2009 arrest at the time of his 2010 arrest. 

He was traded to the New York Jets in 2009.  In his first full season with the Jets in 2010, he caught 53 passes for 904 yards and seven touchdowns, however he continued his struggles with catching the ball on a consistent basis. 

He signed with the San Francisco 49ers for the 2011 season.  Due to ineffective play and time missed to injury, the 49ers parted ways with Edwards on Tuesday.

Current Status: Free Agent

6. Matt Jones (RD1, 21st Overall: Jaguars)

As if you needed it, Matt Jones is proof that the NFL Combine is not a perfect system.  I remember watching the 2005 combine thinking, “Who is this guy?  He’s a beast!” 

Matt Jones played quarterback in an option-style offense at the University of Arkansas.  It was a given that he would not play quarterback at the NFL level, but someone with his athletic gifts could absolutely find a spot on the roster of an NFL team.

He was 6’6, roughly 240 lbs., posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.4 seconds, and had a 39.5” vertical leap.  The consensus was that he could be a potential late first day/early second day pick as a pass-catching tight end, given his size. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars gambled heavily on Jones by taking him with the 21st overall pick intending to make him a wide receiver.  While Matt never developed into a star, for a player new to a position he posted decent numbers in his first two seasons. 

In 2005 and 2006 he combined for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in 30 games.  Despite posting career highs in yardage and receptions in 2008—65 receptions, 761 yards—his inability to become the big receiving threat coupled with two drug arrests signaled to the Jaguars organization that the Jones experiment appeared to be a failure. 

He was cut in March 2009 and spent the season out of football.  After signing a contract in February 2010 with the Cincinnati Bengals, he was cut later that year in training camp.

Current Status: Out of football

5. Carnell Williams (RD1, 5th Overall: Buccaneers)

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams came into the NFL in 2005 after a stellar career in his final two seasons at Auburn.  In spite of splitting carries with fellow first-rounder Ronnie Brown, he still posted two seasons of at least 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

The Tampa Buccaneers drafted Cadillac with the hopes of him being the workhorse and focal point of the offense.  Williams started off terrific, rushing for over 100 yards in each of his first three games.  However, by the fourth game he began to wear down and missed the next two weeks due to an ankle injury. 

He averaged nearly 30 carries per game in those first three weeks, compared to an average of 18 carries in his final season at Auburn.  He finished his rookie campaign with 1,178 yards and six touchdowns, earning him the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.  This would be his only 1,000 yard season to date. 

Williams’ next three seasons were hampered by injury, including tearing the patella tendons in each knee in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  While it appeared that Williams had returned to his prior form in 2009, he rushed for only 437 yards in his final season with the Buccaneers. 

He has signed with the St. Louis Rams to backup Steven Jackson for the 2011 season.

Current Status: In his first season with the Rams

4. Mike Williams (RD1, 10th Overall: Lions)

Mike Williams’ path to the NFL was an interesting one.  He played for two seasons at the University of Southern California totaling 176 receptions, 2,579 yards and 30 touchdowns. 

During his time at USC, former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was in the midst of challenging the NFL in court.  He sought to overturn the NFL’s stipulation that a player must be three years removed from high school in order to declare for the draft. 

When Clarett won his case at the trial level, Williams declared for the NFL draft as a sophomore and hired an agent.  Once the NFL won on an appeal, due to NCAA regulations Williams was unable to return to USC for the 2004 season. 

He entered the 2005 NFL draft after a year away from football.  He was selected 10th overall by the Detroit Lions and spent two disappointing seasons with them before being traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2007. 

He was cut after playing six games with the Raiders, but signed with the Tennessee Titans a few weeks later.  He never played in a game for the Titans and was cut before training camp in 2008.  Williams’ problems with his weight and work ethic were stated to be the reasons for his departure. 

After two years out of football, Williams is now in his second season with the Seattle Seahawks where he has reunited with his former coach at USC, Pete Carroll.  He posted a career best 751 receiving yards in 2010, earning him a three-year contract extension with the Seahawks. 

Regardless, he still shows the inconsistency of his early career posting a mere 236 receiving yards in 12 games this season.

Current Status: Injured Reserve; in his second season with the Seahawks

3. Troy Williamson (RD1, 7th Overall: Vikings)

There’s not many highlights to speak of on Troy Williamson.  Drafted by the Minnesota Vikings seventh overall, he was expected to be the heir apparent to the recently-traded Randy Moss. 

Having clocked in at 4.32 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine, the Vikings felt that Williamson was the speed guy they needed to make the big plays.  That is what they got, a guy who could simply run fast. 

He dropped balls and was only effective when running in a straight line.  He spent three miserable seasons with the Vikings accumulating 79 catches, 1,067 yards and three touchdowns before being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008. 

Williamson added two more terrible seasons to his resume and was cut by the Jaguars prior to the 2010 season.

Current Status: Out of football

2. Adam Jones (RD1, 6th Overall: Titans)

Where do we begin with “Pac-Man”?  Let’s start with the obvious, some of his prior legal troubles:

• 2005—Probation for a fight while attending West Virginia University
• 2005—Arrested for assault in Nashville
• 2006—Arrested for public intoxication
• 2007—Charged in the Las Vegas strip club shooting

Let us also remember that he was suspended for the duration of the 2007 season and then again for another six games in 2008.  He was out of football in 2009 after a failed attempt to play in the Canadian Football League. 

With all of this, we almost forget that he was a decent football player when he actually made it to the field.  His first two seasons in the NFL started off well, splitting time as a defensive back and return specialist.  It was all overshadowed by his constant troubles off the field. 

Finally, it appears that Adam Jones—he no longer wishes to be called Pac-Man—has settled down and is concentrating on football. 

He is in his second season with the Cincinnati Bengals but has missed 19 games with a neck injury that he sustained last season.  The good news for Adam Jones is at this point, things can only get better.

Current Status: In his second season with the Bengals

1. Alex Smith (RD1, 1st Overall: 49ers)

As I stated previously, I attended the 2005 NFL Draft.  I am a die-hard San Francisco 49ers fan and have been since childhood.  I wanted to be there to witness the selection of the player who would join the lineage of Montana, Young and, to some extent, Garcia.  Personally, I preferred Alex Smith over Aaron Rodgers.

Clearly, I was wrong.

Prior to this season, Alex Smith has been the epitome of "I do just enough not to get fired."  There are times when he looks like the leader who can put this team on his back.  Other times, you would think he has never thrown a football, as the video will demonstrate.

In Smith's first six seasons, he has never passed for 3,000 or more yards, never had a passer rating higher than 82 and only once did he record single-digit interceptions.  A disloyal coach in Mike Nolan and nagging shoulder injuries also slowed Smith's progress.

Jim Harbaugh was hired in early 2011 to coach the 49ers.  After meeting Smith, he admitted that he wished to give Smith a chance to compete for the starting job.  The 2011 season has been Alex's best season by far.  He is 69 yards shy of his first 3,000-yard season.  While he has only thrown 16 touchdowns, he has thrown only five interceptions, one more than his career low.  Smith has thrived in Coach Harbaugh's West Coast offense.

Even if the 49ers win a Super Bowl with Alex Smith at the helm, his spot in this list is set in stone.  Seven years is too long for a No. 1 overall pick to consistently perform at a high level.  Nevertheless, his continued success will not just brighten his resume, but it will give credence to the 49ers for their resolve and willingness to stick by Alex.

Current Status: In his seventh season with the 49ers

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