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What's Wrong with the University of Texas?

Discussion in 'NFL Draft Forum' started by Vengeful Odin, Oct 8, 2009.

  1. Vengeful Odin

    Vengeful Odin Norse Mod

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    As a fan of college football, I've always admired (and somewhat envied) the University of Texas. My usual college team is Kansas State. Since I live in the same town as the university, so rooting for them is kind of a given. However, I've always respected Texas. Maybe it's their mystique, maybe it's their uniforms (which are among the best in sports, in my opinion), I don't know. Regardless, Texas has been one of the top college programs for the last decade, including this year, with potential #1 pick QB Colt McCoy leading the Longhorns.

    One thing I've noticed over the last several years is that despite success at the collegiate level, Texas players don't necessarily always make the best transition to the NFL. The track record just hasn't held up. And what's surprising is I've often considered these guys to be the "best ever" at their position. I don't go around trying to peg Hall of Famers, but it seems like ever Texas guy I've ever liked has turned into a high-profile bust.

    Some folks have general rules of thumb. (For instance, never draft a wide receiver from Florida. Or, avoid pass rushers from Florida State) With that in mind, I would like to make a recommendation to all NFL GMs. Avoid players from the University of Texas at all costs. They may look like the real deal, almost like a mirage in the desert, but at the end of the day they're going to let you down. I've had my heart broken by many a Texas player over the years.

    I guess that starts with Ricky Williams. We all know the story by now: High profile back that Mike Ditka traded his entire draft for. Never really got off the ground in New Orleans. Gets traded to Miami, puts together two MONSTER years, before retiring to practice yoga and smoke weed. Comes back, gets suspended for a year, goes to the CFL, and gets hurt. Comes back again, rips his pectoral. He's now part of a timeshare in Miami featuring Ronnie Brown. For me Williams is, and always will be, a what-could-have-been story. I remember him in college, in fact I watched him run. The comparisons to Earl Campbell coming out were more than valid. Keep in mind the year - 1999 - this was the guy, I was sure, was going to break the just eclipsed rushing record. Flash forward 10 years and he's still got that famed power and speed, it's just too bad he didn't use it for so long.

    Let's flash forward a few years to 2001. I fell in love with a guy that was an absolute monster of a man - his press clipping said he was 6'6 and 370 pounds. Leonard Davis, I was certain, was going to essentially reinvent the Left Tackle position - I saw him as a more dominant version of Orland Pace or Jonathan Ogden, who were at the peak of their game coming in. Davis, I thought, would be better than both of them - combined. Davis has eventually become dominant, as a member of the Cowboys, after a position switch to guard. Hardly the stuff that Hall of Fame careers are built on (especially when the most underrated guard of all time, Bob Kutchenberg, can't even get into the Hall of Fame).

    Adding insult to injury, less heralded teammate (and fellow first rounder) Casey Hampton has had a very solid career for the Steelers, going to the Pro Bowl 4 times in a 5 year span and also winning two NFL titles.

    I don't really even know where to begin with Mike Williams. Where I saw power with Davis, I saw fat with Williams (6'6, 340). I considered him a right tackle all the way, which is why I was stunned when the Bills took him with #4 overall in 2002. It didn't surprise me in the slightest when he essentially ate himself out of the league, though you do have to give him credit for coming back (and sticking) as a member of the Washington Redskins.

    I happen to like fellow Longhorn Quentin Jammer quite a bit as well. Despite a solid career as a member of the Chargers, Jammer has never quite taken that next step to elite CB, and has failed to make the Pro Bowl once in his 8 year career, which has to be disappointing.

    For me though, they don't come much more disappointing than Roy Williams, Wide Receiver. Nicknamed "Legend" coming out, Williams was a legitimate 6'3 and 215 pounds, ran a legit 4.4 40, with nearly a 40 inch vertical. I was absolutely convinced that Williams was going to set the world on fire, despite being selected by the lowly Detroit Lions. Perhaps no player in Texas history (and that's saying something) has let me down quite like Williams. We're talking about a guy who has one good season (2006 - going on 3 years ago), and really hasn't been the same guy we saw in college. When I look at Roy I'm amazed at the lack of fire, passion. It's like he's just going through the motions out there. That's why it sucks. I still think the guy's talented, he just doesn't care. And that seems to be a pattern with a lot of Texas players. What happened to the guy who wanted to wear #1 because he was the best? Williams isn't even the #1 receiver on his own team - that honor goes to Jason Witten.

    I don't have a lot to say about Marcus Tubbs, who was drafted the same year as Williams. I think his career may have turned out differently; he was just cursed with some bad luck and injuries. He never really recovered from microfracture surgery in 2006.

    In 2005, the Texas guy I really liked was Derrick Johnson. He was another guy coming out that had the physical tools you look for, though we would find out later he was a bit soft and has a tendency to get nicked up. He was never a pure pass rushing terror, but in 2004 this guy was Consensus first-team All-American, won both the Butkis and Nagurski (for best LB and defender). He ran an insane time at the combine in the 40 - 4.52 seconds, absolutely incredible for a guy his size (6'3, 242 lbs). Yet Johnson has consistently underwhelmed in Kansas City since his arrival. This year the Chiefs have switched to the 3-4, and rather than let Johnson play the strong side (a position I think he's suited for), they've placed him at the ILB position and buried him behind journeyman Demorrio Williams on the depth chart.

    I was never really all that impressed with Cedric Benson, mainly because he stated his idol was Ricky Williams and that naturally made me a bit wary. He's doing well now as a member of the Bengals, of all franchises, though like several other names on this list his best years have come after a change of scenery. I reserve judgment regarding Benson; as I said he's doing well now but his flameout in Chicago was of epic proportions. I'm still not sold on him long term.

    Of course, no list of Texas flameouts would be complete without mentioning Vince Young. This guy was Tim Tebow before Tebow was Tebow, leading the Longhorns to a national title over the highly touted USC Trojans, led by co-Heisman winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart (USC flame outs is another article for another day). Here's a guy who, despite the funky mechanics, appeared to be a bigger, stronger, faster Michael Vick. I thought, coming out, this guy was going to be a 21st century Randal Cunningham. He could run, he could throw, and he had the words playmaker written all over him. What's happened to Young has been well documented. He's had his share of issues, including some bizarre behavior that nearly led to his dismissal from the team last year. He now backs up the sub-par Kerry Collins, though the Titan's 0-4 start may mean that Coach Jeff Fisher has no choice but to see what - if anything - Young can bring to the table in an effort to spark the team. I don't know what he'll find. We're talking about a guy that is even in turn of interceptions to touchdowns, even factoring in the runs. His QB rating is an awful 68.8 for his career. Like Ricky and Roy, Vince has appeared lost at times, almost like he's in over his head. I wish the guy luck reclaiming his career though, as he seems like a genuinely nice guy.

    Michael Huff is a guy who I've never quite been able to gauge; his curious career could be attributed to a lack of big play ability; or it could be that the Raiders are just too dense to recognize his talent. It's interesting; but after finally giving Huff some playing time this year, he's responded with 3 interceptions thus far. 4 games do not a season make, but I'm not all convinced the problems with Huff are completely on his shoulders.

    Fellow secondary mate Michael Griffin appears to be on the fast track to becoming an elite player, making the Pro Bowl as a member of the Titans last year. Griffin strikes me as an intelligent player (he made 7 interceptions last year), though I suspect some of that is playing with what I would consider the best secondary in the NFL. Nick Harper and Cortland Finnegan are underrated CBs, as is Chris Hope at the other S spot.

    Draft mate Aaron Ross looked like he was quietly developing into one of the better CBs in the league, as he's had 3 interceptions each of his first two years in the NFL as a member of the Giants. This season, however, he's been bothered by a hamstring injury and currently finds himself on the bench, behind Terre Thomas on the depth chart. Even if he does come back, there are no guarantees of reclaiming his starting spot, as Thoams has played well in the secondary.

    I don't know what it is about the University of Texas, but I've been consistently and constantly let down by their players in the NFL. With the exception of Casey Hampton, every other player has been what I would deem a worst a bust, at best an underperformer. Either way it's not good. I'm especially disappointed when I look at guys like Ricky Williams, Leonard Davis, Roy Williams, Derrick Johnson, and Vince Young. These are guys that I pegged as possible HOFers when they came out. They have all the physical gifts in the world, yet none of them has lived up to my expectations.

    So far all of you NFL GMs considering taking Colt McCoy as your franchise QB next April - look at this history of Texas players as you consider the options. Maybe Colt McCoy bucks recent history and becomes a standout player. But me, I look at this history and I'm not so sure he can overcome it.
     
  2. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Very good question, however, I would also be very careful draftung any offensive players from the offensive juggernaut that is USC.
    I honestly think thatthe styles of play just don't equate into Pro Players. JMHO.
     
  3. Motion

    Motion New Member

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    Jason Whitlock mentioned the same thing with LSU.....

    http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10187180/The-truth-is-sexy-...-and-so-are-NFL-Truths
     
  4. Vengeful Odin

    Vengeful Odin Norse Mod

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    Ahem ...

    So needless to say I agree with you. I would also think you could start to make the case that outside of Palmer, USC QBs have been pretty big flops in the NFL. Not good for Mark Sanchez ... :shifty:

    While I agree with Whitlock to some extent, especially with Russell and Addai, I think he's being unnecessarily hard on Jackson and Dorsey just to prove his point. Doesn't surprise me (he's hated on the Chiefs ever since bringing in Pioli), I just think it's unfair to judge a second year player who's trying to change positions (from 4-3 3 technique to 3-4 5 technique) and a rookie who has played in all of 4 games. In fact, I would argue that Landry and Bowe have both looked good ... and outside of Casey Hampton, they're better than any other pros from the University of Texas.

    As far as stereotypes, I can't believe Iforgot the cardinal rule regarding RBs: Never draft a RB from Penn State.
     
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  5. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    It's said that Mack Brown does a lot of comforting of his players and the environment surrounding these players is always positive at the University of Texas because the players are hailed as the best by everyone. Roy Williams of the Cowboys discussed this a year or two ago, saying how he was shocked that he was booed by a fan in the NFL because it simply didn't happen in Texas. I think a lot of these players who make the transition from Texas to the NFL are mentally fragile and usually, actually 99.9% IMO, players who don't handle pressure well don't succeed in the NFL.
     
  6. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    Its the same with Ohio St.... All the big time programs don't always put out elite talent in the NFL.
     
  7. Vengeful Odin

    Vengeful Odin Norse Mod

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    I don't know ... Eddie George was pretty good.

    I agree that all the big time programs have their fair share of busts, but it seems to me that Texas has more than most.
     
  8. ToddsPhins

    ToddsPhins Banned

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    Hey...at least you put out stars like Greg & Steve Bellisari. :tongue2: J/K... I played baseball with Greg so I can tease a little. ;)
    Posted via Mobile Device
     
  9. BuckeyeKing

    BuckeyeKing Wolves DYNASTY!!!!

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    Every now and then a Ohio St star does great things in the pro's but most of the time they don't translate. Look at A.J Hawk.
     
  10. Motion

    Motion New Member

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    *cough* Vernon Gholston *cough*
     

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