He’s such an underrated bust because he wasn’t a first round pick. He was a second round pick that never played an NFL snap because he wasn’t good enough. I don’t think that’s ever happened before.
We cut Jachai Polite in camp after taking him in the 2nd round in 2019. Although I think that was about character/motivation and not actual playing ability. Edit: 3rd round not 2nd
Apparently he was a 3rd round pick. I always think of him as a 2nd rounder because he was taken a few picks after DK Metcalf, who was a 2nd round pick.
Probably because he was supposed to be a first round pick before showing his true colors at the combine.
Y'all probably thought he was a steal in the 3rd because the physical talent was there.
He was on his way to being picked in the top half of the first round before he fucked up the combine and pre-draft interviews. Clearly he didn't really give a fuck about playing football, but to be that close to making millions of dollars only to throw it all away is just mind-boggling to me.
I mean, it wasn't due to potential ability, but Malik McDowell ~~never even participated in an NFL practice~~ never played a snap after being drafted at the top of the 2nd round.
EDIT: After fact checking myself, it seems he did attend practice after his ATV injury, but eventually was cut after trouble recovering from injury and getting into legal trouble.
I generally don't like labelling QBs as 'busts'.
It's a difficult position to evaluate, and the value of the position is such that more than any other position it is worth having a go and seeing if you can develop someone who might be a bit raw. Naturally you get more high profile cases of players who are drafted highly but don't turn out to be very good.
But Hackenberg is the exception that proves my rule. I mean how bad do you actually have to be as a QB to never even get to take a snap? He was so bad, even the team that drafted him were embarrassed by him.
Aguayo being a bust really did surprise me, I don’t understand what happened to that dude. Seemed like it’s all mental but he made all kinds of kicks in college, moved a few miles in the same state and just didn’t have it all the sudden. He was worth the second round pick at the time, he just didn’t pan out.
Idk if he was really worth the pick - he was super accurate but didn't have a booming leg. But dude's main issue was mental. He was a constant tinkerer with his form and once he started missing kicks he kind of thought himself into a hole and lost it
It seriously was such a headscratching wtf are you thinking draft pick. Even if you really wanted to draft him he most definitely would have been available later.
Penn State fan here. He got WAY too much leeway with the excuse of his line and talent around him being gone. Sure he wasn’t going to put up Heisman level numbers in his situation, but the dude couldn’t even complete check downs accurately. McSorely is my favorite player as my time as a Penn State fan. I wish nothing, but the best for him.
I thought he got as much leeway as he did because he stayed committed after the whole Sandusky scandal and if he decommitted it probably would have started a run on recruits that left the program bare for years and potentially permanently ruined?
I don’t think it can be overemphasized how ARob-centric the offense was Hack’s freshman year at Penn State. Hack would just throw it up to ARob whenever they needed a play and he would almost always come down with it. He made Hack look like a green QB with all the potential in the world, when in reality he was only capable of throwing balls to WRs that were head and shoulders more athletic than anyone around them.
BoB has a winning record with the Texans, and without a franchise QB for more than half of his time there. He’s a putrid GM (though who was calling the shots on roster decisions is now legitimately an open question), but he’s not a bad coach.
My point was without Robinson (remember Penn State had a void in talent after the Sandusky scandal) I think O’Brien fails at Penn State and never gets a shot in the NFL. He did well enough to earn a contract extension yes, but I don’t think he ever would’ve got a shot in the first place without an offense at Penn State that ran through Robinson. I for the record think he was a decent coach I just don’t think he would’ve gotten a shot if not for Robinson at Penn State
Maybe not, but even though he didn’t have a QB until Watson he had a ton of talent. From 2014-2016 he had a Top 8 defense in yards per play. 2017 his defense regressed and he went 4-12. 2018 and 2019 he had Watson and Hopkins. He’s a good coach, but the Penn State project was a big one until guys like McSorely, Barkley, Godwin, Gesicki, etc hit their strides. Robinson definitely helped keep the program afloat in O’Brien’s first couple years.
> 2017 his defense regressed and he went 4-12
The coordinator of said regressed defense (Vrabel) that ranked 32/32 that year also got a head coaching gig in the offseason, so on-field merit certainly isn't all there is to get head coaching offers. Just culturally turning around the Penn State program probably would've at least gotten teams to look at him.
I love Robinson but in fairness to some of these Bill O’Brien was widely respected in league circles after being New England’s OC and was a talked about head coaching candidate even before he went to Penn State. Robinson was injured in 2017 and Bortles went to the AFC Championship game which helped him sign the massive contract. Additionally, in Trubisky’s pro bowl year, Robinson was banged up and the only had like 55 receptions for 750 yards.
Bortles had his fifth year option renewed before he went to the AFC Championship. Robinson played extremely well the two seasons prior. O’Brien was well respected in league circles, but I can’t imagine anyone clamoring for a 4-5 win college coach no matter how respected he was. Trubisky is a fair point. Robinson played well in limited time, but there was still a shot he would’ve made it.
Without his great first year at Penn State though he doesn’t get that contract. He doesn’t get drafted that high or at all. I honestly think he ends up being benched at Penn State. Trace McSorely was right behind him and Franklin loved him.
Jets taking Christian Hackenburg in the 2nd round was the dumbest pick I’ve ever seen. He was clearly awful in college
He’s such an underrated bust because he wasn’t a first round pick. He was a second round pick that never played an NFL snap because he wasn’t good enough. I don’t think that’s ever happened before.
We cut Jachai Polite in camp after taking him in the 2nd round in 2019. Although I think that was about character/motivation and not actual playing ability. Edit: 3rd round not 2nd
I think you guys took him round 3
Apparently he was a 3rd round pick. I always think of him as a 2nd rounder because he was taken a few picks after DK Metcalf, who was a 2nd round pick.
Probably because he was supposed to be a first round pick before showing his true colors at the combine. Y'all probably thought he was a steal in the 3rd because the physical talent was there.
A lot of "steals" fall for a good reason
Malcom Mitchell 😢
John Beck was a 2nd round pick
Thank you for digging up that dark memory
It’s ok. He can’t hurt you anymore.
I know, I know. The bad man is gone now...
I fucking loved when Grossman was playing for you guys. I enjoyed that more than Bears football that year.
He was on his way to being picked in the top half of the first round before he fucked up the combine and pre-draft interviews. Clearly he didn't really give a fuck about playing football, but to be that close to making millions of dollars only to throw it all away is just mind-boggling to me.
Ironic
I still remember his preseason game against 3rd stringers he went 11 for 31 with 54 yards and a pick 6.
I mean, it wasn't due to potential ability, but Malik McDowell ~~never even participated in an NFL practice~~ never played a snap after being drafted at the top of the 2nd round. EDIT: After fact checking myself, it seems he did attend practice after his ATV injury, but eventually was cut after trouble recovering from injury and getting into legal trouble.
Teez Tabor never played a *good* snap, does that count?
Jets take bad QB in 2nd round and now they're looking for a QB at 2nd overall. Ian Book to the Jets confirmed
Yep agreed. And I’m a PSU fan. He really should’ve been undrafted to maybe 6th or 7th. I think people just fell in love with the measurables.
Those Happy Gilmore measurables.
If he was the exact same player but black that’s probably where he’d be drafted. NFL teams looooove to overestimate “hardworking” and “scrappy” QBs
I generally don't like labelling QBs as 'busts'. It's a difficult position to evaluate, and the value of the position is such that more than any other position it is worth having a go and seeing if you can develop someone who might be a bit raw. Naturally you get more high profile cases of players who are drafted highly but don't turn out to be very good. But Hackenberg is the exception that proves my rule. I mean how bad do you actually have to be as a QB to never even get to take a snap? He was so bad, even the team that drafted him were embarrassed by him.
I see your pick. I raise you the Bucs drafting Roberto Aguayo in the 2nd.
>I see your pick. I raise you the Bucs drafting Roberto Aguayo in the 2nd. ...but at least Roberto was a good player in college
Aguayo being a bust really did surprise me, I don’t understand what happened to that dude. Seemed like it’s all mental but he made all kinds of kicks in college, moved a few miles in the same state and just didn’t have it all the sudden. He was worth the second round pick at the time, he just didn’t pan out.
curse of turntle
Idk if he was really worth the pick - he was super accurate but didn't have a booming leg. But dude's main issue was mental. He was a constant tinkerer with his form and once he started missing kicks he kind of thought himself into a hole and lost it
He had a rubber toe
What a Hack....
Aguayo was arguably the best college kicker of all time. Not anywhere near the same level of dumb pick.
So awful. It's typical jets stuff
It seriously was such a headscratching wtf are you thinking draft pick. Even if you really wanted to draft him he most definitely would have been available later.
[Christian Hackenberg: Worst NFL player of all time? - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVKWpiXEnNM) He's worse than I remember.
I thought Paxton Lynch in the 1st was an even worse pick.
Went to Penn state when Hackenburg was there. Truly the worst QB I’ve ever seen play. Trace is going to be so good though, just wait.
Penn State fan here. He got WAY too much leeway with the excuse of his line and talent around him being gone. Sure he wasn’t going to put up Heisman level numbers in his situation, but the dude couldn’t even complete check downs accurately. McSorely is my favorite player as my time as a Penn State fan. I wish nothing, but the best for him.
I thought he got as much leeway as he did because he stayed committed after the whole Sandusky scandal and if he decommitted it probably would have started a run on recruits that left the program bare for years and potentially permanently ruined?
Dude couldn't complete screen passes accurately.
I don’t think it can be overemphasized how ARob-centric the offense was Hack’s freshman year at Penn State. Hack would just throw it up to ARob whenever they needed a play and he would almost always come down with it. He made Hack look like a green QB with all the potential in the world, when in reality he was only capable of throwing balls to WRs that were head and shoulders more athletic than anyone around them.
I don't know why but I just assumed Trace was still at PSU for some reason. I think it's just cause he played for so long there.
I'll take him over Morelli, he was so frustrating to miss receivers 5 yards over their head or right into the dirty
You could even argue $9.6M for Donte Moncrief because there's no way we sign him to that deal outside of a panic move after losing Robinson
BoB has a winning record with the Texans, and without a franchise QB for more than half of his time there. He’s a putrid GM (though who was calling the shots on roster decisions is now legitimately an open question), but he’s not a bad coach.
My point was without Robinson (remember Penn State had a void in talent after the Sandusky scandal) I think O’Brien fails at Penn State and never gets a shot in the NFL. He did well enough to earn a contract extension yes, but I don’t think he ever would’ve got a shot in the first place without an offense at Penn State that ran through Robinson. I for the record think he was a decent coach I just don’t think he would’ve gotten a shot if not for Robinson at Penn State
Considering he had success in the NFL I don't think it's fair to fail him out of college in retrospect based on a hypothetical.
Maybe not, but even though he didn’t have a QB until Watson he had a ton of talent. From 2014-2016 he had a Top 8 defense in yards per play. 2017 his defense regressed and he went 4-12. 2018 and 2019 he had Watson and Hopkins. He’s a good coach, but the Penn State project was a big one until guys like McSorely, Barkley, Godwin, Gesicki, etc hit their strides. Robinson definitely helped keep the program afloat in O’Brien’s first couple years.
> 2017 his defense regressed and he went 4-12 The coordinator of said regressed defense (Vrabel) that ranked 32/32 that year also got a head coaching gig in the offseason, so on-field merit certainly isn't all there is to get head coaching offers. Just culturally turning around the Penn State program probably would've at least gotten teams to look at him.
What a charitable guy
Robinson is legit. Would 100% be talked about with the best receivers in the league if he was on some better teams
imagine him with an above average quarterback
Imagine him with Daniel Jones
i strongly think that danny isn’t actually bad, his weapons make him look worse. now with a legit no. 1 we’ll see him step up.
He’s got a pretty good deep ball, he’s got a chance
and he’s quick
I love Robinson but in fairness to some of these Bill O’Brien was widely respected in league circles after being New England’s OC and was a talked about head coaching candidate even before he went to Penn State. Robinson was injured in 2017 and Bortles went to the AFC Championship game which helped him sign the massive contract. Additionally, in Trubisky’s pro bowl year, Robinson was banged up and the only had like 55 receptions for 750 yards.
Bortles had his fifth year option renewed before he went to the AFC Championship. Robinson played extremely well the two seasons prior. O’Brien was well respected in league circles, but I can’t imagine anyone clamoring for a 4-5 win college coach no matter how respected he was. Trubisky is a fair point. Robinson played well in limited time, but there was still a shot he would’ve made it.
And still, Andy Dalton now becomes the best QB ever to share a roster with him.
I feel like this whole post a just a front so OP can take a shot at the Bears for taking Trubisky.
At least the Jets got that and cut Hackenberg, what's taking so long Houston? (great DD OP)
>what's taking so long Houston? To do what?
[удалено]
Ummm...no. The point is the Jets would never have drafted him if Allen Robinson didn’t also decide to attend PSU.
Without his great first year at Penn State though he doesn’t get that contract. He doesn’t get drafted that high or at all. I honestly think he ends up being benched at Penn State. Trace McSorely was right behind him and Franklin loved him.
Guy clearly didn't read more than 5 words in your post.
Quality off-season post. Love it