With the 2007 NFL Draft just days away let’s make some predictions on who could be some possible busts and surprises in this year’s class. I’m not going to look clear down the board at the late rounds, I’m going to look at first rounders who might struggle or excel.
The busts could start as early as the number one pick in the draft if the Oakland Raiders select JaMarcus Russell. No matter how good Russell might be, it will be nearly impossible for him to shine on the Raiders. When I think of Russell going into this bad situation, I think of Ryan Leak going to the Chargers and Tim Couch going to the Browns.
Adrian Peterson is the talented running back from Oklahoma with an injury-plagued college career. I don’t know what makes these pro scouts think a guy who was injured every year in college will miraculously stay healthy in a more punishing league. This guy could go down in history as a “what if.”
Many are regarding Mississippi linebacker, Patrick Willis, as the best in the draft. I think this is a case where the combine shows how fast and how strong, but not how good of a football player you are. Expect Penn State’s, Paul Poslunzy to be a better pro carrying on a tradition of great linebackers from the Big Ten Conference.
With all the hype about wide receiver Calvin Johnson, many don’t even know Robert Meachem’s name. LSU’s Dwayne Bowe and USC’s Dwayne Jarrett will likely go ahead of him, but I’m not so sure they should. Meachem is a phenomenal wideout from Tennessee and probably has the best hands in this receiver class.
The last guy I look to to be a good pro once he gets a shot is Michael Bush. An injury last season took him off the radar. He might not get nabbed in the first round, but that would be a shame. The Bears could grab this guy with the 31st pick to be a nice backup for Benson, especially with Thomas Jones moving on. This guy could end up being better than the other Bush running back in the league before his career is over. Remember I said that.
I don’t see a lot of first round busts as there seems to be more talent with this class than many people give it credit for. A guy like QB Brady Quinn probably won’t be bad, but won’t be great either. A guy like OT Joe Thomas will be a good pro for years to come, but that isn’t much of a surprise. Expect big things from Tedd Ginn Jr., Paul Poslunzy, Robert Meachem, and Michael Bush in the upcoming years while JaMarcus Russell and Adrian Peterson could fade fast.
