The best and worst draft picks in Colts history

[sreylas937]

Bob Sanders (Had two great years with us but largely did not work out for us so in my opinion busted for us, he was our first round pick in 2004 after all, certainly not a talent bust, but the pick itself)

Idrees Bashir

Cory Bird

Marcus Washington (Still bitter we did not make an offer for him before he went to Washington)

Jerome Pathon

E.G. Green

Bertrand Berry (Bust for us but not for the Cardinals or Broncos)

Rob Morris (I was never high on him)

The entire 2007 draft class outside of Clint Session (Its to bad he cant stay healthy, he has alot of potential, Makes things happen when he is on on the field, a real shame, he is only 28 so hopefully things are not to late for him)

 

Brown being on the list is to early to tell 

Sanders was taken in the second round!

[Gavin]

Sanders was taken in the second round!

heard ya!   But still

[Buck Showalter]

Its a shame Sanders could never really get back to form, but to claim that he was a bad draft pick is crazy... Who would have said that the year he got DPOY... Dude was an intregal part of the Superbowl run...

If you can draft a player in the middle of the second round that seriously helps you win a SB, you will do it everytime, even if you KNOW he has a short shelf line...

end of story...

[GoColts8818]

Being injury prone alone does not make someone a bad pick. 

 

Sander's had injury issues on his rookie contract but was also played a key role in us winning a Super Bowl as well as winning DPOY on his rookie deal.  What hurt with Sanders was his second contract which the Colts got practically nothing out of him on. 

[Gavin]

Being injury prone alone does not make someone a bad pick. 

 

Sander's had injury issues on his rookie contract but was also played a key role in us winning a Super Bowl as well as winning DPOY on his rookie deal.  What hurt with Sanders was his second contract which the Colts got practically nothing out of him on. 

2006 he played 4 games 

[Dustin]

2006 he played 4 games 

 

He played in the playoffs and turned our D around.

[Gavin]

He played in the playoffs and turned our D around.

True.

[GoColts8818]

2006 he played 4 games 

I don't think I said he didn't.  I just said he played a key rule in helping us win the Super Bowl that year and btw last time I check playoff games count as games so he played 8 that year. 

[Gavin]

I don't think I said he didn't.  I just said he played a key rule in helping us win the Super Bowl that year and btw last time I check playoff games count as games so he played 8 that year. 

ok 8 out of 21. Im not disputing his talent, Its clear he was a great player, from that perspective he was great, from a games played perspective he turned out a bust

[GoColts8818]

ok 8 out of 21. Im not disputing his talent, Its clear he was a great player, from that perspective he was great, from a games played perspective he turned out a bust

Again, I didn't argue he didn't have injury issues.  In fact I said that.  I just said that fact alone doesn't make him a bad draft pick.  You can argue the fact he played a key role in us winning a Super Bowl and went on to win a DPOY award the next year (something no other Indianapolis Colt can say) that they got their money out of Sander's rookie contact even with the injury issues.  Had the Colts just parted ways with him then it would have been fine.  It was his second contract that really hurt the Colts because he played something like a total of 8 games under that contract.  They would have been pleading for 8 of 20 in a season on that one. 

[Robert Johnson]

I don't get worst draft picks.  What about Reese McCall, Derrick Hatchett,  Art Schlichter, or Leonard Coleman?   Donald Brown has doe far more than any of them.

Art Schichter has to be one of the worst picks ever!

[Warhorse]

Look, players are chosen by their value to a team when they pick, in conjunction with the possibility that they might get snagged by another team. After the first round, teams boards likely look quite different. A guy could be on a board as a 2nd rounder on several teams boards, and a fourth rounder on several other teams boards. So how is it that fans or analysts label a player a bust? Wouldn't the correct label be "drafted to soon? Why blame the player for the slot they were taken and say "they didn't live up to the round they were drafted".

 

Picking a player that stays on the team and contributes, is a major plus in the drafting world, regardless of which round they were taken. Only fans go bonkers about what round. Picture a coach saying, "well, he was taken in the fourth round so we're going to give him some slack", or "he's a first round WR so he needs to be better than the other players".

 

Donald Brown has contributed to this team, and is not a bust IMO. Take a look at picks from that same draft forward who are no longer in the league. There might be a bust or two among them.

[GoColts8818]

Look, players are chosen by their value to a team when they pick, in conjunction with the possibility that they might get snagged by another team. After the first round, teams boards likely look quite different. A guy could be on a board as a 2nd rounder on several teams boards, and a fourth rounder on several other teams boards. So how is it that fans or analysts label a player a bust? Wouldn't the correct label be "drafted to soon? Why blame the player for the slot they were taken and say "they didn't live up to the round they were drafted".

Picking a player that stays on the team and contributes, is a major plus in the drafting world, regardless of which round they were taken. Only fans go bonkers about what round. Picture a coach saying, "well, he was taken in the fourth round so we're going to give him some slack", or "he's a first round WR so he needs to be better than the other players".

Donald Brown has contributed to this team, and is not a bust IMO. Take a look at picks from that same draft forward who are no longer in the league. There might be a bust or two among them.

i really don't know how people could say Brown was a bigger bust than Ugoh was. Brown has at least given us some production and was only one pick in one draft vs. Ugoh who might have had a decent half a season and really hurt us in three different drafts.

[sreylas937]

Sanders is the type of player i would love to have at every postion,  he always gave 150% Balls to wall on every play, yes he got injured alot... But I would rather see someone giving it their all and get hurt rather then someone gets a hang nail or turf toe constantly 

[John Dee]

I totally agree.....      I was a huge Gonzo fan... 

 

But, dude could not stay healthy.    sad.     He could play.;

You could say the samething about Gonzo.  He was doing just fine till the injury bug got him. 

[John Dee]

2006 he played 4 games 

I think he came back in the Cincy game.     The same game Gilbert Grabner got benched and Rob Morris was plugged into the OLB spot.       The D really started turning around then.

 

I think Bob played 7 games that season.      All on the tail end.   And the only SB Indy won.    

 

And all because the D played great football in the post season. 

 

Injury IMO is NOT a reason to send anyone into the BUST category.     

 

A BUST simply cannot play.      

[John Dee]

Right On....       how in the heck can a team anticipate injury?

 

Being injury prone alone does not make someone a bad pick. 

 

Sander's had injury issues on his rookie contract but was also played a key role in us winning a Super Bowl as well as winning DPOY on his rookie deal.  What hurt with Sanders was his second contract which the Colts got practically nothing out of him on. 

[GoColts8818]

Right On....       how in the heck can a team anticipate injury?

Well in the case of Sanders there were some signs of injury issues even back to college.  So they at least had a clue it could be an issue.  In the case of someone like Gonzo though the guy never had an injury issue at Ohio State.  There was no way the Colts could have seen that one coming. 

 

With that said just because a guy had injury issues does not alone make that pick a bust.  In the case of Sanders they got a guy who played a key role in us winning a Super Bowl and then won the DPOY award the next year.  I am not sure how you could argue that was a bust.  He might not be the best pick in the history of the draft but compared to guys like Ugoh who they got next to nothing out of and hurt them in three different drafts. 

[colts_100nascar17fan]

Painter by far the worst, if he was atleast a half assed qb we prolly woulda been able to go undefeated that year,but he was a complete embarassment to the qb position!!!!! and always will be. Best- hell that list could go on and on and on lol. One of my favorite players never was drafted or drafted very low(cant remember) was Jeff Herrod #54 LB

[John Dee]

Well in the case of Sanders there were some signs of injury issues even back to college.  So they at least had a clue it could be an issue.  In the case of someone like Gonzo though the guy never had an injury issue at Ohio State.  There was no way the Colts could have seen that one coming. 

 

With that said just because a guy had injury issues does not alone make that pick a bust.  In the case of Sanders they got a guy who played a key role in us winning a Super Bowl and then won the DPOY award the next year.  I am not sure how you could argue that was a bust.  He might not be the best pick in the history of the draft but compared to guys like Ugoh who they got next to nothing out of and hurt them in three different drafts. 

From what I recall Sanders had a bum ankle at Iowa?   and I'm not looking it up.

 

But Sanders Injuries while in Indy were never chronic.   Simply everywhere... 

 

The Colts wanted Bob bad when they drafted him.    

[GoColts8818]

From what I recall Sanders had a bum ankle at Iowa?   and I'm not looking it up.

 

But Sanders Injuries while in Indy were never chronic.   Simply everywhere... 

 

The Colts wanted Bob bad when they drafted him.    

Yeah I couldn't even begin to tell you what he had at college I just know I remember reading over the years Sanders did have injury issues in college, although not to the level he had in the NFL.  I wasn't trying to say the two were related I was just saying at least with Sanders there was history of injuries in college compared to a guy like Gonzo where they just completely came out of the blue. 

[John Dee]

He was hurt when Indy drafted him....      but it was his ankle i think...  

 

 

So what....    Dude delivered.     I am a Sanders fan.   he was a ONE of a kind player.    He was a NATIONAL NAME.

 

A little guy that lived a HUGE life in a short time.

 

I don't care what any of these other rookie Colt fans have to say.   Bob was a "true" difference maker.

Yeah I couldn't even begin to tell you what he had at college I just know I remember reading over the years Sanders did have injury issues in college, although not to the level he had in the NFL.  I wasn't trying to say the two were related I was just saying at least with Sanders there was history of injuries in college compared to a guy like Gonzo where they just completely came out of the blue. 

[GoColts8818]

He was hurt when Indy drafted him....      but it was his ankle i think...  

 

 

So what....    Dude delivered.     I am a Sanders fan.   he was a ONE of a kind player.    He was a NATIONAL NAME.

 

A little guy that lived a HUGE life in a short time.

 

I don't care what any of these other rookie Colt fans have to say.   Bob was a "true" difference maker.

Right, if you've read my posts you've seen that I said Sanders was NOT a bust and that injuries alone do not make one a bust.

 

I was just disputing the idea that the Colts had no knowledge what so ever that he could have injury issues in the NFL.  It's why he feel to the second round in the draft.  I was using that compared to a guy like Gonzo in which there was just zero way they could have known because he was 100% healthy in college.

 

Again to be clear I in no way think Sanders was a bust and have not said that once.  I have pointed to the fact he was a difference maker on our Super Bowl Team and he is the only Indianapolis Colt to win the DPOY Award as proof that he wasn't. 

[BOTT]

From what I recall Sanders had a bum ankle at Iowa?   and I'm not looking it up.

 

But Sanders Injuries while in Indy were never chronic.   Simply everywhere... 

 

The Colts wanted Bob bad when they drafted him.

I believe it was his foot, and according to Polian he failed several physicals for other teams. The Colts physician convinced Bill they could fix his foot problem...rest is history.

[John Dee]

Right, if you've read my posts you've seen that I said Sanders was NOT a bust and that injuries alone do not make one a bust.

 

I was just disputing the idea that the Colts had no knowledge what so ever that he could have injury issues in the NFL.  It's why he feel to the second round in the draft.  I was using that compared to a guy like Gonzo in which there was just zero way they could have known because he was 100% healthy in college.

 

Again to be clear I in no way think Sanders was a bust and have not said that once.  I have pointed to the fact he was a difference maker on our Super Bowl Team and he is the only Indianapolis Colt to win the DPOY Award as proof that he wasn't. 

No....  no..   you have the total wrong Idea here..    

 

I am not complaining or complaining, or anything..        I remember Bob being hurt when Indy got him and that is it.

 

I totally respect your input.        And am not questioning at all.   

 

I welcome your input far more than some of the "draft experts" ...      flooding this grand site.  

 

Rock on Brother...........................

[John Dee]

Everything else eventually went wrong.....         sigh...

I believe it was his foot, and according to Polian he failed several physicals for other teams. The Colts physician convinced Bill they could fix his foot problem...rest is history.

[jshipp23]

Steve Emtman, Donald Brown, Trev Alberts.........

[John Dee]

Go away.....

Steve Emtman, Donald Brown, Trev Alberts.........

[jshipp23]

Go away.....

Awe...Forgot your metamucil again this morning... Don't worry the bed sores are the beginning of the end, you'll be out of your misery soon,

[superrep1967]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000160737/article/indianapolis-colts-best-and-worst-draft-picks

 

Best: Peyton, Luck, Marvin, Mathis, Reg

Worst: Elway (because he didn't play for the Colts), Jeff George, Trev Alberts, Donald Brown, Anthony Gonzalez

Steve Emtman

[jshipp23]

Best- Manning, James, Harrison, Wayne

[John Dee]

A little puppy nipping at the shoe strings...

 

Kid I am IN MY PRIME.   

 

 

Awe...Forgot your metamucil again this morning... Don't worry the bed sores are the beginning of the end, you'll be out of your misery soon,

[John Dee]

Tell us why?   seriously.

 

 

Steve Emtman

[superrep1967]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000160737/article/indianapolis-colts-best-and-worst-draft-picks

 

Best: Peyton, Luck, Marvin, Mathis, Reg

Worst: Elway (because he didn't play for the Colts), Jeff George, Trev Alberts, Donald Brown, Anthony Gonzalez

Still to me the worst draft picks this organization ever made. Steve Emtman, Jeff George, Trev Alberts,  Anthony Gonzalez and Tony ugoh

[John Dee]

One just under preformed, One just ....  could not play, and the other three were simply hit with injury.

 

 

It happens.     

Still to me the worst draft picks this organization ever made. Steve Emtman, Jeff George, Trev Alberts,  Anthony Gonzalez and Tony ugoh

[superrep1967]

Tell us why?   seriously.

Did you ever watch the Colts when he played he was the number 1 overall pick in the NFL in 1992 and was totally injured all the time and played maybe a half dozen games and retired in 1995 with Miami. 

[John Dee]

Ya...  I had season tix then....     

 

You didn't fail ....       Job well done.

 

Carry on.......        ;)

Did you ever watch the Colts when he played he was the number 1 overall pick in the NFL in 1992 and was totally injured all the time and played maybe a half dozen games and retired in 1995 with Miami. 

[superrep1967]

Its a shame Sanders could never really get back to form, but to claim that he was a bad draft pick is crazy... Who would have said that the year he got DPOY... Dude was an intregal part of the Superbowl run...

If you can draft a player in the middle of the second round that seriously helps you win a SB, you will do it everytime, even if you KNOW he has a short shelf line...

end of story...

The Colts would not have won the Superbowl in 2006 without him. That's not a bust. 

[superrep1967]

Best- Manning, James, Harrison, Wayne

Freeney and Mathis as well. 

[Buck Showalter]

The Colts would not have won the Superbowl in 2006 without him. That's not a bust.

Right???

That's what I'm saying!!!