The Sports Cult

With the NFL draft recently completed, we continue to take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia. 4th round, #120 overall in 2010.

An astounding 13 DTs were drafted ahead of Atkins, and only Ndirtykong Suh has matched his production. He was a starter and Pro-Bowler by his second year, and an All-Pro in year three. Atkins gets to the QB at an alarming rate, notching 26 sacks in his first 40 starts as a pro. He was on his way to another great season in 2013, before tearing an ACL in October. (more…)

With the NFL draft dominating the sports landscape, let’s take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal. 1st round, #24 overall in 2005.

Rodgers was draft day fodder in 2005, but has since had the last laugh. One has to wonder his fate, had Cowboy CB Nate Jones not knocked Brett Favre out of the game on a Thursday night late in the 2007 season;

(more…)

The 25 year window on the 1989 Draft will end this year and I think it is hard to screw up an overall #1 first round pick; Troy Aikman will not make the Cowboys list.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Emmitt Smith, RB, Florida. 1st round, #17 overall in 1990.

Jimmy Johnson wanted James Francis, and Jerry Jones (more…)

With the NFL draft dominating the sports landscape, let’s take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Barry Sanders, RB, Oklahoma St. 1st round, #3 overall in 1989.

There was plenty of talent on the board when the Lions were on the clock at #3 (future Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Derrick Thomas); fellow RBs Tim Worley and Sammie Smith were also tapped as top-10 picks.

(more…)

With the NFL draft rapidly approaching, let’s take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Ray Lewis, LB, Miami. 1st round, #26 overall in 1996.

I’m not a fan of his antics (or that he may have helped butcher someone the weekend of Super Bowl XXXV in Atlanta…allegedly), but Ray Ray has undeniably been the best MLB of this generation.

(more…)

With the NFL draft rapidly approaching, let’s take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Devin Hester, CB, Miami. 2nd round, #57 overall in 2006.

(more…)

With the NFL draft rapidly approaching, let’s take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

1. Steve Smith, WR, Utah. 3rd round, #74 overall in 2001.

Ten WR went ahead of the feisty Smith in the 2001 draft, but only Reggie Wayne has been better. He missed a yr with injury, but has otherwise averaged about 70 catches, 1,000 yds, and 7 TD. As you will see later, the Panthers were otherwise dreadful finding competent WR in the draft from 1997 to 2007. (more…)

With the NFL draft rapidly approaching, let’s take a look back at each team’s hits and misses over the past 25 years.

FIVE BEST PICKS

I went back and forth on whether to include future Hall of Famer Brett Favre on this list. Ultimately I didn’t, for two reasons: Jerry Glanville was against drafting Favre in the 2nd round in 1991 and once stated it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre into the game; although the Falcons did acquire a 1st round pick (#19 overall) from Green Bay for Favre, they wasted it (more on that later).

1. Deion Sanders, CB, Florida St. 1st round, # 5 overall in 1989.

(more…)