April 28, 2007 I was all giddy with excitement when I went in for work that beautiful spring day. Most draft experts had predicted that the most exciting wide out prospect since Randy Moss, minus the personal baggage, would land in Tampa. After enduring a long 4-12 season there was hope that we may select the most explosive playmaking reciever the franchise had ever seen. Unfortunately that excitment was short lived, for the third year in a row Matt Millen, probably the worst GM in NFL history drafted a wide out, the one the organization and fan base coveted Calvin Johnson. I felt as though someone had stole my prom date. I can only imagine what went on in the war room with Gruden, Bruce Allen and company, but I'm sure it was alot of bleeped the bleep bleep Matt Millen. As a result we drafted Gaines Adams supposedly I solid defensive end prospect out of Clemson. A safe pick. It filled a need and if he truly develop into the prospect some thought he may become he might make us all forget about Calvin Johnson. But lets look at that draft and all the players we pass on because Allen/Gruden team lack imagination and quite frankly good judgment of talent outside the tackle box.
| 1 |
Oakland Raiders |
JaMarcus Russell |
Quarterback |
LSU |
| 2 |
Detroit Lions |
Dayhandler, NickCalvin Johnson |
Wide Receiver |
Georgia Tech |
| 3 |
Cleveland Browns |
Joe Thomas† |
Offensive Tackle |
Wisconsin |
| 4 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Adams, GainesGaines Adams |
Defensive End |
Clemson |
| 5 |
Arizona Cardinals |
Brown, LeviLevi Brown |
Offensive Tackle |
Penn State |
| 6 |
Washington Redskins |
Landry, LaRonLaRon Landry |
Safety |
LSU |
| 7 |
Minnesota Vikings |
Peterson, AdrianAdrian Peterson† |
Running back |
Oklahoma |
| 8 |
Atlanta Falcons (from Houston) [9] |
Anderson, JamaalJamaal Anderson |
Defensive End |
Arkansas |
| 9 |
Miami Dolphins |
Ginn, Jr., TedTed Ginn, Jr. |
Wide Receiver |
Ohio State |
| 10 |
Houston Texans (from Atlanta) [9] |
Okoye, AmobiAmobi Okoye |
Defensive Tackle |
Louisville |
| 11 |
San Francisco 49ers |
Willis, PatrickPatrick Willis† |
Linebacker |
Ole Miss |
| 12 |
Buffalo Bills |
Lynch, MarshawnMarshawn Lynch† |
Running back |
California |
| 13 |
St. Louis Rams |
Carriker, AdamAdam Carriker |
Defensive End |
Nebraska |
| 14 |
New York Jets (from Carolina) [10] |
Revis, DarrelleDarrelle Revis† |
Cornerback |
Pittsburgh |
| 15 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Timmons, LawrenceLawrence Timmons |
Linebacker |
Florida State |
| 16 |
Green Bay Packers |
Harrell, JustinJustin Harrell |
Defensive Tackle |
Tennessee |
| 17 |
Denver Broncos (from Jacksonville) [11] |
Moss, JarvisJarvis Moss |
Defensive End |
Florida |
| 18 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
Hall, LeonLeon Hall |
Cornerback |
Michigan |
| 19 |
Tennessee Titans |
Griffin, MichaelMichael Griffin† |
Safety |
Texas |
| 20 |
New York Giants |
Ross, AaronAaron Ross |
Cornerback |
Texas |
| 21 |
Jacksonville Jaguars (from Denver) [11] |
Nelson, ReggieReggie Nelson |
Safety |
Florida |
| 22 |
Cleveland Browns (from Dallas) [12] |
Quinn, BradyBrady Quinn |
Quarterback |
Notre Dame |
| 23 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
Bowe, DwayneDwayne Bowe |
Wide Receiver |
LSU |
| 24 |
New England Patriots (from Seattle) [13] |
Meriweather, BrandonBrandon Meriweather |
Safety |
Miami (Florida) |
| 25 |
Carolina Panthers (from New York Jets) [10] |
Beason, JonJon Beason† |
Linebacker |
Miami (Florida) |
| 26 |
Dallas Cowboys (from Philadelphia) [14] |
Spencer, AnthonyAnthony Spencer |
Defensive End |
Purdue |
| 27 |
New Orleans Saints |
Meachem, RobertRobert Meachem |
Wide Receiver |
Tennessee |
| 28 |
San Francisco 49ers (from New England) [15] |
Staley, JoeJoe Staley |
Offensive Tackle |
Central Michigan |
| 29 |
Baltimore Ravens |
Grubbs, BenBen Grubbs |
Offensive Guard |
Auburn |
| 30 |
San Diego Chargers |
Davis, CraigCraig Davis |
Wide Receiver |
LSU |
| 31 |
Chicago Bears |
Olsen, GregGreg Olsen |
Tight End |
Miami (Florida) |
| 32 |
Indianapolis Colts |
Gonzalez, AnthonyAnthony Gonzalez |
Wide Receiver |
Ohio State |
There's alot of nice names on that list most notably Adrian Peterson, Laron Landry, and yes even Brady Quinn. The ripple continue. The ripple continues. The following year in attempt to inject some "juice" into the offense the old regime then decided to be creative and reach on a speedster from appalachain st. Dexter Jackson probably still thinking of what could have been with Johnson. One problem he was track star playing football, and not a football player with track star speed and one year later is no longer on the team. Now here we are looking like a team that could go winless for the second time in franchise history. Remember Gruden and Allen didn't have 1st round picks for the first 2 years of their reign and also missed out on a 2nd and 3rd during that time, they could hardly afford to throw away another 1st on a bust in Adams and a 2nd on a bust in Jackson. Our roster is now filled with second day draft picks, damn that Matt Millen!
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