I’ve talked about how we always want instant results in this business and how sometimes a wait-and-see approach is the best course of action. But there is a limit to our patience, and there should be.
Four years is the ultimate measuring stick in the NFL. It is when a player becomes a vested veteran and all your investment in said player should be bearing fruit. With that in mind, let’s take a look backward at the most fundamental and most important decisions made in this business: those that come on draft day.
So let’s take a look at the top ten picks of the 2010 NFL Draft and see who has helped and who has haunted the franchises that picked them. We’re not looking to reshuffle the deck or to redraft, but just want to see what those players have done to justify all that money they got paid. Remember, the 2010 Draft was the last of the crazy money before the new CBA put a limit on rookie salaries.
#1: Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams (45 games played/45 games started)
It’s never a good sign when the coaching staff that drafted you has been shown the door. The QB in today’s NFL is the face of the franchise. Bradford, who is not old by any standard, has been eclipsed by the younger QBs drafted in the last few years. While the Rams have made progress since drafting Bradford, even in his own division he would be rated third behind Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick. Bradford’s record as a starter: 16-28-1.
#2: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions (49/48)
Suh was and is a real terror on the field. That’s the good and the bad. He brings attitude to the table, but in a game that is measured by sacks, his lofty draft status is right in line with those of other impact players. Warren Sapp was the last first-rounder playing inside to be a difference maker rushing the QB. With 2 Pro Bowl appearances and 22 sacks, Suh have been just what the team needed.
#3: Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Bucs (38/38)
Another coaching change to add to the list. McCoy’s been pinched by the injury bug, with just 38 games played. However, with 10 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance, he is part of a stout Bucs defensive front.
#4: Trent Williams, Washington Redskins (43/42)
Williams is a stand-alone left tackle and a good one. He has one Pro Bowl under his belt, as the Redskins with RGIII and Alfred Morris led the NFL is rushing in 2012.
#5: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs (36/36)
Berry missed all but one game of the 2011 season after landing on IR. Even with a poor 2012 record, this Chiefs team was stocked with Pro Bowl talent prior to Andy Reid coming on board. Berry has two Hawaii trips under his belt already, and thanks to a pick-six of Michael Vick in Week 3, two trips to the end zone off interceptions.
#6: Russell Okung, Seattle Seahawks (38/38)
There would be a lot less ”Beast Mode” without Okung at left tackle for the Seahawks. An All-Pro with one Pro Bowl appearance, Okung is the real deal. But Seattle will have to survive without him for the time being because of a toe injury. He’s currently on the IR Designated to Return list.
#7: Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns (45/36)
Cornerback is the most thankless position in the NFL. Do your job 95% of the time, but have one slip up, and then you get to watch some diva do his dance. Haden has 9 picks to his credit and looks like he will be a very steady player for years to come.
#8: Rolando McClain, Oakland Raiders (41/38)
McClain recently retired after his third arrest. Never short on talent, he needs to get his life back in order if he’ll ever have another shot at success in the hectic world that is the NFL. His five-year, $40 million contact was the going rate at the time for a Butkus Award winner. But man how times have changed: Andrew Luck and RG III signed four-year deals worth about $22 and $21 million with the new CBA.
#9: C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (49/22)
Think Darren Sproles and click your heels three times (Sproles played at Kansas State… you know Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz). Every new age NFL team wants to spread it out and get its best players out in space. Spiller can do that and take it upfield inside too. He does a good job between the tackles with a career 5.2 yards per carry average. You always wonder with smaller backs if they can hold up to the pounding, but good coaches should know how to utilize those talents.
#10: Tyson Alualu, Jacksonville Jaguars (51/51)
Lucky #10! Hey, you need a little luck to stay healthy in the trenches. Alualu has 10 sacks for a team that seems like it hasn’t had ten leads in his three-plus seasons. Built more like a defensive tackle than a pass rushing end, Alualu is the only player from the Top 10 of the class of 2010 to start every game for his team. While defensive linemen don’t make the headlines very often, they can make the back end of the defense appear better than what it is. But since Jacksonville can claim only 15 wins since Alualu arrived, it’s hard for him to stand out nationally.
Overall, not a bad draft class based on talent. I would say it’s seven hits and three misses. You tell me which three don’t make the grade.
– James Lofton
James Lofton is the analyst for WestwoodOne’s coverage of Sunday Night Football. This week, James will be in Atlanta as the Falcons (2010 first-round pick Sean Weatherspoon at #19) host the New England Patriots (Devin McCourty at #27). Coverage begins at 7:30 PM Eastern on WestwoodOne Sports.
