Name A Player You Thought Would Be A Bust...and became Great.

I loved Mario and thought he was the second coming of Reggie White. He destroyed guys in college, embarassed them. I loved Cutler as well, he was my favorite QB that year over Vince and Leinert. I thought Bowe would be a bust as well and I thought Marshawn Lynch would last 5 years in the league,tops.

 

I don't know if I considered him a bust, but I was sold on Leaf more then Manning. I thought Leaf would have the better career.

 

The same way Mike Vick made it through college football - athleticism. Vick relied on his legs and Leaf used his cannon arm.

 

Haha.. He was definitely kidding. Ryan Leaf has become the epitome of a bust.

 

he has almost replaced Tony Mandarich as the poster boy for "bust"

 

I thought Ryan Leaf would have a better pro career than Peyton Manning !

I thought Peyton was a little too analytical. He had the perfect background to become a top QB yet he never won a national championship or the Heisman (or even a SEC championship if I'm not mistaken). Without some strong emotions I thought he'd be a good but not great starter. Too much of a thinker.

Leaf had the fire and passion for the game which I thought would make him a great leader. And a stronger arm. Leaf came within a single play of upsetting Michigan in the Rose Bowl. I just saw him as more charismatic than Manning. A guy players would naturally rally around.

But the weakness I saw in Peyton was actually his greatest strength. Manning became the perfect QB with his meticulous preparation and attention to detail. He's become an OC on the field - the ultimate cool and analytical QB.

And Leaf's strength as I saw it was really his weakness. Ryan was too passionate and didn't use his head. That made him flame out very quickly. Too much emotion (and no common sense). And that alienated him with his teammates.

 

he had like 10 of those 14.5 sacks in 3 games against horrible o-lines, so that stat is misleading. He also played on the d-line with manny lawson, john mccargo and tank tyler, who were all high draft picks. Lets be real, his stock went through the roof when he ran his 40 time at the combine. No one knew who he was before that and the knock on him was his motor and work ethic. I never said he wasnt gifted, i felt he wasnt as good as the combine made him out to be