Bauman, Russell, Betts: Wasted Picks?

[BrudLee]

Originally Posted by Bergman14

All we have done the last couple of years is waste picks. Betts and Russell were drafted much too early for their projections, I think Betts was a projected fifth rounder, and it was just Dan's obsession with offense. Add Taylor Jacobs to that list as well, think where we could be if we had drafted d linemen with all of those picks.

I had seen Betts projected as a third rounder, but there had been a run on RB's that round with 2 taken in the previous five picks (including one Clinton Portis). The 2002 draft hasn't yielded many d-linemen after the selection of Betts, with only Akin Ayodele of Jacksonville getting any serious playing time - and that at linebacker. So if we'd drafted d-linemen instead of the above three players, we'd have 3 young backups instead of old backups - if the previous coaching staff was able to "coach 'em up" enough to stay on the roster.

Is Betts a bust? Maybe. I'm not convinced he was the best RB on last year's team, and he ain't close to it now. Is Bauman a bust? No - he's no star, but he's a capable nickel back, and (fingers crossed) when we are holding onto a lead and run a primarily nickel coverage, he'll get a chance to shine. Is Russell a bust? Probably. His only weapon is his speed, and I'd say he couldn't catch a cold, but he probably wouldn't catch the joke.

We should probably leave Taylor Jacobs off the list. A healthy training camp could make him more valuable than the previous three combined.