Everyone is always talking about how the Bengals made the wrong choice and should have drafted someone else. Funny that not a single person here seems to admit that they had players who they thought would be stars that did not work out. Here are a few of mine. I was really excited when we......

...drafted Ki-Jana Carter. He was one of the best colleeg RBs I had ever seen, and the Bengals actually had a lot of talent on offense when we drafted him. I was so excited that Mike Brown had made an aggressive move to trade up for him. I thiought he woudl transform our offense.


...signed Nate Webster. I really liked the guy. He seemed to have all the tools, and we really needed a LB at that time.

...drafted Keiwan Ratliff. This one will probably draw a few laughs, but Ratliff was an explosive playmaker in college. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year his senior season when he had 9 ints and scored 4 defensive tds. He was also one of the best punt return men in the SEC and even played some WR.

...drafted Peter Warrick. He actually played pretty well for us, but not up to his potential. In college he was ridiculous good. he was the most exciting player since Deion Sanders.

....drafted Roddrick Muckelroy. He was not a highly ranked player because he didn't have eye-popping workout numbers, but he had started four years at a top program (Texas). He had played every LB position and just made tackles all over the field. To me he looked like a real good football player.

The goon.

Didn't start following the team until the Marvin era began, so besides the obvious 2005 tragedy:

Kenny Irons and Jordan Shipley

(07-16-2015, 07:06 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: The goon.

Who is the goon?

(07-16-2015, 07:08 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Who is the goon?

O'dell Thurman.  Guy was a straight up goon, enforcing the middle like it was his paid job.

In fairness, players who's careers were cut short due to injuries, I don't really count as busts, since they never had much of a chance to live up to their hype.

(07-16-2015, 07:48 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: In fairness, players who's careers were cut short due to injuries, I don't really count as busts, since they never had much of a chance to live up to their hype.

I think it's part of being a bust though, sure it wasn't their fault getting injured in a football related manner, but the world will call them one anyways simply because they didn't perform like they were supposed to.

I sympathize with them way more than those who had the ability and availability and couldn't get it done.

Peter Warrick for sure.  I thought Gresham would be better than he was.  More FA signings are coming to mind than draft picks.

I must also say Thurman, because his problems weren't injury related. ....I could say Big Daddy Wilkenson, but many would argue. Ohio State Fans and Bengals Fans would say he wasn't bad. I just expected more out of the first player taken in the draft by all the teams. We passed on everybody else to get him. When you look at all the players we passed up in the draft to take him....but, at the time, I was all for drafting him. Chris Collinsworth then on WLW Radio was not for drafting him and the players he mentioned before the draft had better careers. I was wrong and Collinsworth was right. .....but since many will say Big Daddy shouldn't be judged on being the first pick in the draft, then I will say Thurman. We lost Pollack to injury and we could not afford to lose Thurman to suspensions also. That set Marvin and the teams rebuilding project way back at linebacker. We drafted 2 linebackers and a year later didn't have either one. ...I'm also not sure what happen to Rivers who we drafted to replace them....This stuff has hurt Bengals at linebacker and plays into why play-off Jets and Chargers ran the ball right up our Bengals.

Jason Shirley because I felt like he could have dominated playing on the defensive line.

(07-16-2015, 06:50 PM)fredtoast Wrote: ....drafted Roddrick Muckelroy.  He was not a highly ranked player because he didn't have eye-popping workout numbers, but he had started four years at a top program (Texas).  He had played every LB position and just made tackles all over the field.  To me he looked like a real good football player.

Saw the thread and thought of him as well.

Since you already mentioned him I'll say I'm disappointed Ryan Whalen didn't go further. I remember him doing a cartwheel in the air to make a game saving catch against Pittsburgh a couple of years back. That sort of thing goes far with me.

Dennis Weathersby or more recently, Jordan Shipley.

Recently:

Dontay Moch

Taylor Mays

Older:

John Copeland

Eric Bieniemy

(07-16-2015, 07:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: O'dell Thurman.  Guy was a straight up goon, enforcing the middle like it was his paid job.

Ha.  Is that an established nickname, or did you just make it up and expect everyone to know who it was?  I've never heard it.

Andy Dalton.

Jerome Simpson. Lots of talent but probably a bit slow picking up the playbook. Probably was a drug dealer too.

(07-16-2015, 09:42 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Andy Dalton.  

Actually, as a 2nd round draft pick that took the team to the playoffs, as a rookie.  I'd say that Andy has been punching above his weight.

However, does not mean that I'm satisfied with him as the long term QB.

(07-16-2015, 07:10 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: O'dell Thurman.  Guy was a straight up goon, enforcing the middle like it was his paid job.

Well it was his paid job technically. Drinking and snorting cocaine is what he was doing like it was his paid job.

Warrick tops my list, followed by AJ Nicholson and Reinard Wilson. My Nole fandom showing a bit?

From what I've seen on these boards... a lot of people SHOULD be saying Shawn Williams.

Dennis Weathersby - Not his fault. Dude just couldn't catch a break.

Lamont Thompson - Ball hawk S in college, just didn't translate.

PDub- Honestly, he turned into a solid #2 and PR, but the injury in '04 ruined his career.

Michael Westbrook - He had some solid seasons for the Skins, but he was washed up when we got him

Ki-Jana - He was a college super star. We had a great passing attack, just needed a RB. Sigh...

Warren Sapp - Went to sleep thinking we got him, woke up and he was a Raider. (I know this isn't what you're going for, but I had to include him)

Gus Frerotte - Believe it or not, he had some solid seasons for the Skins, but just like Westbrook, he was a bust here.