Draft Busts of the 90's Gang Green Style

Being based in New York, it should come as no surprise that many people at the All-Access Football offices have allegiances to the two teams that play across the Hudson, but still align themselves with the Big Apple. Part of the crew has been in “sports ecstasy” (is there any other kind?) since the Super Bowl, as Ross Mandel put it in his Valentine’s Day piece on his New York Giants.

But what about the other half?

You know…the ones that hold Joe Willie Namath in his white shoes so dear to their hearts? The ones who suffered through the original Bobby Petrino back in 1976—can you say Lou Holtz? (OK, so Holtz left with only one game remaining in his first season.) The ones who went through the entire decade of the ‘70s with nary a playoff appearance from their heroes? The ones who endured 11 years of futility (1987-97) and whose lone visit to postseason football was achieved with a fittingly mediocre 8-8 campaign? The ones whose team first played in a baseball stadium before moving into a stadium named for the other team in town? Could you imagine the Yankees playing in “Mets Stadium”—or visa versa for that matter? Of course not.

So as the Big Blue faithful enjoy a third Super Bowl triumph in the last 22 years, what have the Gang Green fanatics whose “wait ‘til next year” mantra enters year 39 been up to? Lamenting our draft busts, of course!

The ‘90’s garnered Kurt “Not Tiki” Barber in the second round (42nd overall) of the ’92 Draft, and Coleman Rudolph “the red-nosed lineman”. There were complete no shows in second round picks Rick Terry in 1997 and Dorian Boose in 1998, while others such as James Farrior (No. 8 Overall in 1997) would flourish elsewhere.

Without further ado—here are the top five Jet busts of the 1990’s:

#5 – Kyle Brady, 1995 1st Round (9th Overall): There are many Jets fans who can close their eyes and still see No. 99 in Gang Green—and I am not talking about the original Mr. Brigitte Nielsen (Flavor Flav!), but one Warren Sapp. Because of off the field rumors, the potential No. 1 overall pick from the University of Miami had slipped all the way down to number nine and all the long-time sufferers in the Theater at Madison Square Garden were ready to explode with joy—maybe even ecstasy—with the prospect of Sapp in Jets green. But then, Paul Tagliabue stood at the podium and uttered those painful words, “With the ninth pick, the New York Jets select…Kyle Brady, tight end out of Penn St.”

What?!?! Were they trying to channel the spirit of Mickey Shuler? How could they pass up Sapp when they so desperately needed an impact player along the defensive line? Heck, even the Tampa Bay Bucs—one of only five franchises with a worse wining percentage than the Jets—got this one right. They took Sapp three picks later and the rest as they say…is history.

#4 – Browning Nagle, 1991 2nd Round (34th Overall): It begins and ends with the fact that Brett Favre went one measly spot ahead of the Jets, at No. 33, to the Atlanta Falcons. This despite the fact that Ron Wolf, the Jets assistant general manger, had the future Hall of Famer as the No. 1 rated player on his draft board. The problem? The Jets did not own a first round pick that year and could not find a trading partner. A year later, Wolf got his man, acquiring Favre in a trade with the Falcons. The problem? The people of Green Bay and not Leon Hess were now signing Wolf’s paychecks.

To make matters worse, Nagle couldn’t even be Ken O’Brien to Favre’s Dan Marino. O’Brien was only lapped by 36,267 yards and 292 touchdown passes by Dapper Dan, while Nagle has thrown 59,168 fewer yards and 434 fewer touchdown passes than Favre. On the bright side—Nagle has had 268 less interceptions than the three-time MVP.

#3 – Johnny Mitchell, 1992 1st Round (15th Overall): Before there was Kyle Brady, the Jets fans had Johnny Mitchell to boo. Mitchell’s early receiving numbers showed promise—he caught six touchdowns in 1993 and 58 passes in 1994. Nevertheless, the fact that he was a first round pick and so physically gifted makes this former Nebraska Cornhusker the Jets’ third biggest bust of the ‘90s.

Mitchell’s demise was so quick that Rich Kotite—the franchise’s least successful head coach (4-28 in two seasons)—jettisoned him after the headman’s first season (Mitchell’s fourth). After leaving the J-E-T-S, the Chicago native made just one more catch as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. Mitchell lost his “desire” for the game, which may have not been there to begin with.

#2 – Three-Way Tie: Reggie Rembert, 1990 2nd Round (28th Overall)/Ryan Yarborough, 1994 2nd Round (41st Overall)/Alex Van Dyke, 1996 2nd Round (31st Overall): There should be sign above the doorway to the Jets’ war room that anyone who enters must tap. It should read:

“Though shall not draft a receiver in the second round.”

Here are the numbers: Rembert – 36 receptions, 437 yards, one touchdown; Yarborough – 44 receptions, 494 yards, three touchdowns; Van Dyke – 26 receptions, 219 yards, three touchdowns. These aren’t their stats from their rookie seasons—these are the CAREER numbers for the bust trifecta!

#1 – Blair Thomas, 1990 1st Round (2nd Overall): The downtrodden franchise believed they found their franchise back when they selected the former Nittany Lion with the second pick. Little did they know they were drafting the ultimate symbol of the franchise’s futility—what a way to kick off the decade!

The heir apparent to Freeman McNeil, Thomas ran for 620 yards as a rookie, including an impressive 5.0 yards per carry, but his future was cemented in a moment that will forever be remembered as “the fumble”. It was a Monday Night contest against the Chicago Bears early in his second season and it appeared to be Thomas’ coronation in front of national audience. He rumbled for a career-high 125 yards but--as only a Jets budding star could--as the Jets were running out the clock, Thomas fumbled away not only the game but apparently his career. He finished his second season with a career-best 728 yards, but his yards per carry dipped to 3.9. The next season his rushing total dropped to 440 yards, the season after it fell to 221 yards, and the season after that he was a goner—only to be brought up by Jets fans when discussing the franchise’s not-so-storied drafting history.