1st rounders last 4 years

[Big D]

Its been said that the meat and potatoes of NFL teams come from guys drafted in the middle rounds however the guys drafted in the first round are usually expected to be your big time impact-playmakers and guys that you would hope to be the real stars of your team.

Looking at the guys we have taken in the 1st round since Whisenhunt has been here is pretty disapointing. We've drafted everywhere in the 1st rd from the top 5, middle and end but it seems we keep getting the same type of player: maybe gives you a flash or two of some real talent but highly inconsistent and not the impact players you hope to get as a #1 pick.

Levi Brown #5 overall: Ok player. Decent. Has underperformed for where he was drafted and doesn't seem to be any better today than he was when he first got here.

DRC #16 overall: Physical freak and has shown great flashes of his talent but seems to be regressing. Kind of an all or nothing player. That said probably the best #1 of these 4 guys.

Beanie Wells # 31 overall: Has all the tools to be a really good player but has not been able to put it together. Loads of talent but the guy seems to be made of glass. He has had a hard time getting on the field and when he does he can't stay there.

Dan Williams #26 overall: Did we even have a 1st rd pick this year? Seriously this guy has basically been invisible so far. Haven't seen enough of his play to really make any determinations but the whole 2 pounds episode and fact that there is a fossil that he can't seem to pass on the depth chart don't bode well for him. Regardless jury remains out until he actually does something one way or the other.

Now all of these guys drew rave reviews coming out of college and obviously have talent. Wells and Williams were even considered steals for where they were drafted. My question is why haven't these guys been more productive? Where is the motivation? Where is the improvement? Why in some cases are guys regressing?? I think you can see where I'm going with this...

This coaching staff has failed miserably at developing what little young talent there is on this roster. You can say well it's the players but guess what it was this coaching staf that picked the players in the first place. How about they do their job and coach them up? We've seen a little bit of the talent these guys have. Its there. I just don't think they are being coached in a way that is maximizing their talents nor are they are making strides and improving the way they should be. I'm not going to pretend I know a lot about schemes and the like but can you imagine a guy like DRC playing under Belichick? How about Williams playing the 3-4 NT under Ryan? Beanie creating another 3 headed monster in NY under Coughlin? Obviously those are much better teams than what we are but those coaches know what players to get to play in their systems and find a way to get the most out of them. Whis has been a failure in this department and its cause for concern. Thoughts?

 

[82CardsGrad]

It'd be more interesting to see how all of that compares with other coaches who have made first round picks over that same time...

IMHO, I think it's a pretty decent selection of picks. With the exception of Levi, the others have or show a ton of promise that they will do very well in this league. If someone can get inside DRC's head and readjust his brain, he can be another Neon Deon...
If Wells can stay healthy, he can actually be a league-leading RB...
And Williams is seeing much more playing time, and IMHO, his time is proving to be very impressive and effective. Still too early of course, but, I like what I've seen from the kid thus far...

Oh - with respect to the comments about "failing to develop young talent"... I dunno about that D. Look at Breaston, Hightower, Howlings...and last year Campbell was in that conversation... and Branch this year. Andre Roberts is showing improvement. Greg Toler is playing well - certainly above the level many thought he would be at given his collegiate background... Rashad Johnson is showing signs of improvement...

Have they failed in some places?? I guess so...I would say that players like DRC and Beanie should be much more dominant than they've been. But the book still isn't fully written on them just yet. Levi is a failure, perhaps... But who else?? Where else have they flopped in developing young talent and how is that any worse than other coaches around the league??

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Dan Williams ? invisible ?

Watch closer. He has been anything but invisible.

DL is the hardest position to learn in the NFL.

Ask Alan Branch.

 

[Metcalf Rules]

Its been said that the meat and potatoes of NFL teams come from guys drafted in the middle rounds

in defense of Whisenhunt, Dennis Green ate all the meat and potatoes before he left.

 

[football karma]

Dan Williams, even when he completes his assignment 100%, will be invisible. Its the nature of the nose guard job in a 3-4.

What you will see is a linebacker running free and making a tackle at the line of scrimmage.

 

[Big D]

Dan Williams ? invisible ?

Watch closer. He has been anything but invisible.

DL is the hardest position to learn in the NFL.

Ask Alan Branch.

Williams has played well in the last two games. Thats about it. I think he's up to 2 tackles per game since there were a few games where he did absolutely nothing. Not really the impact I personally would be looking for from a #1 pick but like I said in my post its just too early to say anything one way or the other.

If you are using Branch as a baseline I guess you are saying it's going to take 4 years before the guy has an impact. I certainly hope he is ahead of that learning curve.

 

[Big D]

Dan Williams, even when he completes his assignment 100%, will be invisible. Its the nature of the nose guard job in a 3-4.

What you will see is a linebacker running free and making a tackle at the line of scrimmage.

It is true his job is to take up space and clog up running lanes. Only thing is we are bottom 4 in rush defense so again I think the impact has been pretty minimal to this point.

Once again though its much too early to really form an opinion on him as a player.

 

[Hypothesis]

Williams has played well in the last two games. Thats about it. I think he's up to 2 tackles per game since there were a few games where he did absolutely nothing. Not really the impact I personally would be looking for from a #1 pick but like I said in my post its just too early to say anything one way or the other.

If you are using Branch as a baseline I guess you are saying it's going to take 4 years before the guy has an impact. I certainly hope he is ahead of that learning curve.

A NT's job in a 3-4 defense is basically to be invisible on the stat sheet, so that the LB's can make the plays. Most NT's won't rack up the tackles or sacks. Their job is to get push in the middle and occupy 2 blockers. Something that Dan Williams has done a pretty good job of so far. Our run defense woes have been mainly due to people out of position, over committing and losing contain or missed tackles.

A NT getting his name called often throughout the game usually means he's doing something wrong.

I will agree with you that it is too early to give a definite grade on him, but so far he has looked pretty good while he's in there.

 

[TheHopToad]

How about some of the guys we passed on in those drafts:

2007: Rd 1, took Levi Brown. Passed on Adrian Peterson, Leron Landry, Patrick Willis, Derelle Revis Rd 2, took Alan Branch. Passed on Kevin Kolb, Sidney Rice, Lamarr Woodley

2008: Rd 1, took DRC. Passed on Joe Flacco, Aqib Talib, Chris Johnson, Desean Jackson

Too soon to really evaluate 2009 & 2010 drafts.

 

[bg7brd]

How about some of the guys we passed on in those drafts:

2007: Rd 1, took Levi Brown. Passed on Adrian Peterson, Leron Landry, Patrick Willis, Derelle Revis Rd 2, took Alan Branch. Passed on Kevin Kolb, Sidney Rice, Lamarr Woodley

2008: Rd 1, took DRC. Passed on Joe Flacco, Aqib Talib, Chris Johnson, Desean Jackson

Too soon to really evaluate 2009 & 2010 drafts.

Every team in the league passed on LSH 6 TIMES!!!!! Many of them 7. You could play this game all day long.

 

[TheHopToad]

Every team in the league passed on LSH 6 TIMES!!!!! Many of them 7. You could play this game all day long.

True, but he is still just a special teams player. Not in the same league as AP or Chris Johnson.

EDIT: The fun one is that 199 players went before Tom Brady did near the end of the sixth round of the 2000 draft. The Cards drafted Thomas Jones, Raynoch Thompson, Darwin Walker, David Barrett, Mao Tosi, Jay Tant, and Jabari Issa that year before Brady went.

Even Neil Rackers was drafted before Tom Brady.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

The strange this I bet the Cards are one of the better teams at drafting late in the draft. Breaston, LSH, Watson, Reggie Wells, Keith, Davis, Iwebema, are all late round guys that have contributed.

 

[187]

Williams has played well in the last two games. Thats about it. I think he's up to 2 tackles per game since there were a few games where he did absolutely nothing. Not really the impact I personally would be looking for from a #1 pick but like I said in my post its just too early to say anything one way or the other.

You do realize that elite 3-4 nose tackles put up around 40 tackles a year right? That's 2.5 tackles per game. Stop looking at the stat sheet to try and evaluate a 3-4 NT, it doesn't work that way.

It is true his job is to take up space and clog up running lanes. Only thing is we are bottom 4 in rush defense so again I think the impact has been pretty minimal to this point.

Once again though its much too early to really form an opinion on him as a player.

Surely Bryan Robinson seeing much more playing time than DW on top of DW not even playing in two games can't have anything to do with our defense's stats against the run being poor right? That and our best LB against the run, Hayes, just started playing two weeks ago. Williams has played what, MAYBE 30% of the total defensive snaps this season? That number has zero value in judging how DW has played. Come on now. If my guess on his playing time is right, 70% of the plays involved in our rushing YPG allowed didn't even have DW on the field.

 

[PJ1]

You can't blame Williams for Robinson getting more playing time in earlier games. Watson is inactive every week and he is better than Robinson. I am impressed with him. He gets better everytime I see him play.

Tough position also. Like the pick.

 

[WarnerHOF]

Levi Brown is a bust, he is far and away the worst LT in the league.

Every week, it's usually always someone overpursuing and not protecting the cutback lane or missed tackles that give up the big runs. Dan Williams is playing very well IMO.

DRC and Beanie are both underachieving, no argument there.

 

[Big D]

Ok so the point of the thread seems to be getting lost here. If you are saying that Williams is playing well shouldn't he be getting a lot more PT so he can have a real impact? How is him playing behind a less effective player helping him develop (or the team win)?

Again its not about the picks its about why guys with obvious talent that the team is heavily invested in are not having more of an impact.

 

[PJ1]

Ok so the point of the thread seems to be getting lost here. If you are saying that Williams is playing well shouldn't he be getting a lot more PT so he can have a real impact? How is him playing behind a less effective player helping him develop (or the team win)?

Again its not about the picks its about why guys with obvious talent that the team is heavily invested in are not having more of an impact.

Ask the coach. I believe most people here have been screaming for less of Robinson and more of Williams.

 

[Big D]

Ask the coach. I believe most people here have been screaming for less of Robinson and more of Williams.

Thank you. That was my whole point and the premise of this thread. I don't believe the coach has been very good and developing and maximizing the young talent we have (aka coaching) especially when it comes to the guys we have the most invested in, our #1 picks. That is very concerning to me and my whole point with this thread.

 

[devilalum]

True, but he is still just a special teams player. Not in the same league as AP or Chris Johnson.

EDIT: The fun one is that 199 players went before Tom Brady did near the end of the sixth round of the 2000 draft. The Cards drafted Thomas Jones, Raynoch Thompson, Darwin Walker, David Barrett, Mao Tosi, Jay Tant, and Jabari Issa that year before Brady went.

Even Neil Rackers was drafted before Tom Brady.

If the Cards had taken Brady he'd be selling cars somewhere by now.

 

[NJCardFan]

How about some of the guys we passed on in those drafts:

2007: Rd 1, took Levi Brown. Passed on Adrian Peterson, Leron Landry, Patrick Willis, Derelle Revis Rd 2, took Alan Branch. Passed on Kevin Kolb, Sidney Rice, Lamarr Woodley

2008: Rd 1, took DRC. Passed on Joe Flacco, Aqib Talib, Chris Johnson, Desean Jackson

Too soon to really evaluate 2009 & 2010 drafts.

2007-08, there is a reason why a QB wasn't taken and that was Matt Leinart. Even so, Kolb isn't exactly setting the world on fire. As for 1st round picks in general, the Cards have always for some reason drafted head scratchers, with few exceptions.