Recent BUSTS

[Don Wassall]

Another first round bust, still kicking around the league:

Jaguars signed S Terrell Edmunds, formerly of the Titans.
Edmunds was traded from the Eagles to the Titans last season and totaled 48 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one interception while splitting time with the two teams. The former first-round pick was let go by the Steelers after his rookie contract expired at the end of the 2022 season and is now set to play for his third team in two years. He’ll have a chance to provide added depth to the Jaguars’ secondary but is unlikely to be viewed as a starter at this point. In addition to Edmunds, they also signed cornerback Tre Flowers and linebacker Ty Summers.

 

[Don Wassall]

There's no better example of how meaningless being able to run fast for 40 yards in a straight line in shorts is than John Ross. 957 yards for his career since being drafted in the first round in 2017.

This year's equivalent is Xavier Worthy, drafted in the first round by the Chiefs. He weighs 172 pounds. What will they say when he flops even with Patrick Mahomes throwing the ball to him? Doesn't matter because by then there will be new "John Ross types" for the draft "gurus" and DWFs to be drooling over.

Eagles signed WR John Ross.
Ross announced his retirement last July while with the Chiefs but is now back for a second go at things with the Eagles. The former No. 9 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft hasn’t played a regular-season snap since 2021 and has dealt with a myriad of injuries dating back to his days in college at Washington. Ross has a career receiving line of 62-957-11 but has totaled just 13 receptions for 241 yards and one touchdown over his last two seasons. He’ll have a chance to make the Eagles as added depth on a roster that’s short on receiver talent behind A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, but is well off the fantasy radar even if he makes the roster.

 

[Gator Dad]

Two second-round picks from the 2021 draft:

Carlos "Boogie" Basham. Linebacker drafted by the Bills #61 overall. Lasted only two seasons in Buffalo before being traded to the Giants for a 2025 6th round pick (Buffalo also had to give up a 2025 7th round pick in the deal). In 3 NFL seasons put up a grand total of 48 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 interception. BUST!

D'Wayne "Dee" Eskridge. Wide receiver drafted by the Seahawks #56 overall. Total stats over 3 NFL seasons: 17 receptions on 34 targets, 122 receiving yards, 1 TD. Appeared in 10 games in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Appeared in only 4 games in 2023, with 1 target and 0 receptions. Was suspended the first 6 games of the 2023 season because he was arrested for a "confrontation" with his "baby mama." BUST!

 

[Gator Dad]

Another thing we should do is when mentioning busts here, also bring up what was written about them in scouting reports so everyone can see just what geniuses draft "experts" are - or perhaps find some red flags that were brought up by scouts but ignored by GMs and everyone else (except us). Here's one for a player I just mentioned, D'Wayne Eskridge:

Strengths:
"Explosive"
"Dynamic"
"Extremely fast"
"Glides" through the defense
"Sudden"
"Serious second-gear acceleration" (this is apparently the melanin-enhanced flipside of "non-stop motor")

Weaknesses:
Undersized (5'9", 190 lbs.)
"Needs to develop route running" (apparently something he somehow couldn't learn in high school or college)
"Lacks strength"
"Too many drops"

Lurkers (and NFL GMs) take notice: The strengths for these busts are either meaningless buzzwords like "explosive" or "glides," or abilities that are overrated in football (running very fast in a straight line in shorts). Meanwhile, the weaknesses are glaring red flags - a weak, undersized WR with a problem with drops and a "need to develop route running" (LOL) - but the red flags are ignored because of DAT UPSIDE.

 

[Gator Dad]

Carlos "Boogie" Basham's scouting report (from Walterfootball) is rather funny: It includes "surprising speed" as a strength and "stiffness", "lacks elite athleticism", and "needs to improve sinking his hips" as weaknesses. If not for his picture and his nickname of "Boogie", I'd think it was describing a lunch-pail guy with a non-stop motor.

 

[Don Wassall]

Another thing we should do is when mentioning busts here, also bring up what was written about them in scouting reports so everyone can see just what geniuses draft "experts" are - or perhaps find some red flags that were brought up by scouts but ignored by GMs and everyone else (except us). Here's one for a player I just mentioned, D'Wayne Eskridge:

Weaknesses:
Undersized (5'9", 190 lbs.)
"Needs to develop route running" (apparently something he somehow couldn't learn in high school or college)
"Lacks strength"
"Too many drops"

Lurkers (and NFL GMs) take notice: The strengths for these busts are either meaningless buzzwords like "explosive" or "glides," or abilities that are overrated in football (running very fast in a straight line in shorts). Meanwhile, the weaknesses are glaring red flags - a weak, undersized WR with a problem with drops and a "need to develop route running" (LOL) - but the red flags are ignored because of DAT UPSIDE.

My rule of thumb is that a good 90% or more of Black receivers taken early who are 5'9" or shorter end up being outright busts or at best journeymen/kick returners. And of course every draft brings a new crop of them accompanied with the requisite media hype, same as what happens at safety, cornerback and defensive tackle with the endless revolving door of "upside talent" that shuts out Whites at those positions.

 

[HaywoodZarathustra]

Yes, especially if they are slow. That's insane to choose a small, slow player at those positions, regardless of the room brightening smile.

 

[Bucky]

Dat eternal upside is reserved for

 

[Tannehill17]

Another thing we should do is when mentioning busts here, also bring up what was written about them in scouting reports so everyone can see just what geniuses draft "experts" are - or perhaps find some red flags that were brought up by scouts but ignored by GMs and everyone else (except us). Here's one for a player I just mentioned, D'Wayne Eskridge:

Strengths:
"Explosive"
"Dynamic"
"Extremely fast"
"Glides" through the defense
"Sudden"
"Serious second-gear acceleration" (this is apparently the melanin-enhanced flipside of "non-stop motor")

Weaknesses:
Undersized (5'9", 190 lbs.)
"Needs to develop route running" (apparently something he somehow couldn't learn in high school or college)
"Lacks strength"
"Too many drops"

Lurkers (and NFL GMs) take notice: The strengths for these busts are either meaningless buzzwords like "explosive" or "glides," or abilities that are overrated in football (running very fast in a straight line in shorts). Meanwhile, the weaknesses are glaring red flags - a weak, undersized WR with a problem with drops and a "need to develop route running" (LOL) - but the red flags are ignored because of DAT UPSIDE.

That reminds of me a WR the Dolphins used to have, Jakeem Grant. Guy was small, fast as lightning, but couldn't run routes and had hands of stone. He kept getting chance after chance after chance until the Dolphins finally cut bait with him and traded him to the Bears. A white guy who had those same problems would have been released outright after maybe 1 season. Again, DAT UPSIDE.

 

[Don Wassall]

That reminds of me a WR the Dolphins used to have, Jakeem Grant. Guy was small, fast as lightning, but couldn't run routes and had hands of stone. He kept getting chance after chance after chance until the Dolphins finally cut bait with him and traded him to the Bears. A white guy who had those same problems would have been released outright after maybe 1 season. Again, DAT UPSIDE.

Right on cue. His unrealized upside is still there waiting to be tapped:

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports free agent WR Jakeem Grant will participate in Jets minicamp on a tryout basis. Grant suffered a season-ending knee injury last preseason with the Browns and hasn’t played a regular-season snap since 2021. Grant suffered a torn Achilles in training camp in 2022 but was a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021 while with the Dolphins and Bears. Grant has never totaled more than 373 yards as a receiver and wouldn’t come with any fantasy upside if he were to make the Jets’ 53-man roster.