1995 Draft Revisited:

With two weeks left to go in the NFL regular season, there are playoff contenders, middle of the pack “spoilers”, and those lobbying for draft picks.  Although, I believe this year has a run-away favorite for the #1 pick.

But if history is a guide to what it means to throw away your season only to get that coveted number 1 overall pick, the reward may not be worth the effort.  More importantly, making the best value of ALL draft picks is how dynasty’s are made…see Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970’s, 4 picks in the 1974 draft went on to the Hall of Fame.

Each year we go in and listen to Mel Kiper and his fellow analysts TELL us who is going to be good, great and a bust…but how accurate are the so-called experts.  Well, only time can tell and here we will take a look at how everything turned out.

IN order, starting with 1995, anything before then is pretty much dominated by players that have retired, so, who really cares today, right.

Coming into the 1995 draft, the big names from Kiper were “cant miss WR” JJ Stokes, “Sure-handed” Kyle Brady and “mammoth” Tony Boselli.  Speed was on display with Frank Sanders, Tamarick Vanover and Kez McCorvey.  And, of course, controversy was abreast with the “Reefer smokin” DT from Miami, Mr. Sapp.

The number 1 pick, Ki-Jana Carter was part of a long line of bad picks by Cincinnati, number 2, Boselli, great pick for Jacksonville, and #3 Steve McNair, borderline Hall of Famer.  The rest of the 1st round produced 3 sure-fire Hall of Famers, amazingly, 2 went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Having the 12th and 28th pick overall, Tampa bay selected Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, which undoubtedly was the single biggest moments leading to the Bucs lone Super Bowl championship.  With the 23rd overall pick, New England selected Ty Law, who also contributed to his share of Super Bowls.

So for all the hype regarding the skill position players, who fared well?  Michael Westbrook? Tyrone Wheatley? Napolean Kaufman? Rashaun Salaam?  In truth, only 10 of the 1st 32 picks (4 of the 1st 5) went on a QB, RB, or WR, and only McNair (3), Kerry Collins (5), and Joey Galloway (8) lived up to the hype.

1st Round Honorable Mention: St. Louis (6) DE Kevin Carter, Buffalo (14) G Ruben Brown , NY Jets (16) DE Hugh Douglass , Detroit (20) DT Luther Ellis,  Minnesota (24) T Korey Stringer.

Rest of Day 1 winners: Philadelphia Eagles (50) DB Bobby Taylor, Pittsburgh (60) QB Kordell Stewart, Green Bay (66) FB William Henderson, New England (74) RB Curtis Martin

Day 2 Winners: Detroit (141) ILB Stephen Boyd, Houston (159) DE Gary Walker, Detroit (192) FB Cory Schlesinger, Denver (196) RB Terrell Davis, Green Bay (230) Adam Timmerman, Minnesota (243) Jason Fisk.

Top 3 Winners:

#1. New England – CB Ty Law, LB Ted Johnson, RB Curtis Martin, DB Jimmy Hitchcock, and an undrafted Kicker…Adam Vinatieri!

#2. Tampa Bay – Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, period!

#3. Detroit – Detroit landed Luther Ellis who started right away, Schlesinger paved the way for Barry Sanders, Stephen Boyd (3 pro-Bowls, 1 alternate),

Bottom 3 Losers:

#1. Cincinnati – Sadly, it didnt end with Carter going #1, without a 2nd round pick, they went on to pick 5 nobodies.

#2. Washington – 2nd Round pick C Cory raymer is worth mentioning, Westbrook flopped, and their other 6 picks you wouldnt even recognize.

#3. Kansas City – With 8 picks in the first 6 rounds, KC flopped them all leading it off with Trezelle Jenkins from Michigan.