Worst Draft Picks for each Colts GM

[IndyNorm]

I'm taking the night off of arguing over Ballard, but thought it'd be fun to expand on the side conversation in the FA thread on really bad draft picks.

So list in your opinion the worst draft pick for each of the Colts GMs in the Indy era along with an honorable mention(s) if you want. Here are mine:

Irsay - Jeff George, at least when considering how much we gave up to unnecessarily trade up to #1 overall and select him.

Tobin - Trev Alberts. Honorable mention: Dedric Mathis

Polian - Tony Ugoh. Honorable mentions: Gilbert Gardner, Sweet Pea Burns

Grigson - Bjorn Werner. Honorable mention: everyone else drafted by Grigson from '13 on except for Kelly, Mewhort, and I guess Moncrief

Ballard - Tarrell Basham - and what was worse that wasting a pick on him is that we cut a productive LB/DE in John Simon in '18, who went on to help the Cheats win the SB, to keep Basham only to cut his worthless ass like 2 weeks later. Honorable mentions: Quincy Wilson, Ben Banogu.

[Oldcolt]

Ernie Accorsi- Johnny Cooks at 2, Art Schlischter at 4 in 1982.

Or how about the run from 1976-1978: Ken Novak, Randy Burke and Reese McCall Joe Thomas and Dick Szymanski ran those draft and I remember them. There have been so many shit drafts by this team over the years,

[Colts And Orioles]

Ernie Accorsi- Johnny Cooks at 2, Art Schlichter at 4 in 1982.

Or how about the run from 1976-1978: Ken Novak, Randy Burke, and Reese McCall ...... Joe Thomas and Dick Szymanski ran those drafts, and I remember them. There have been so many shit drafts by this team over the years.




o


Joe Thomas rebuilt the Baltimore Colts, turning what was an aging, awful team into a bona-fide contender that won 3 consecutive AFC East championships from 1975 through 1977.

From 1972 through 1974, the Colts had had 3 consecutive losing seasons, with each one being worse than the previous. They went 5-9 in 1972, 4-10 in 1973, and 2-12 in 1974. After the Colts started the 1975 season at 1-4, I thought to myself, "Here we go again" ...... and then the Colts ran off 9 straight wins, including 2 over the defending AFC East champion Miami Dolphins. At that time, the turnaround from 2-12 in 1974 to 10-4 in 1975 was the biggest ever in NFL history. During that 9-game winning streak, I sometimes wondered whether or not I was dreaming or if it was really happening.

Robert Irsay fired Thomas one month after the conclusion of the 1976 season.

o

[Oldcolt]

C & O, we went through the same emotions. Back then the draft was the highlight of being a Colts fan. So glad those days are behind us.

[CletusPyle]

I'm taking the night off of arguing over Ballard, but thought it'd be fun to expand on the side conversation in the FA thread on really bad draft picks.

So list in your opinion the worst draft pick for each of the Colts GMs in the Indy era along with an honorable mention(s) if you want. Here are mine:

Irsay - Jeff George, at least when considering how much we gave up to unnecessarily trade up to #1 overall and select him. Honorable mention: Art Schlichter

Tobin - Trev Alberts. Honorable mention: Dedric Mathis

Polian - Tony Ugoh. Honorable mentions: Gilbert Gardner, Sweet Pea Burns

Grigson - Bjorn Werner. Honorable mention: everyone else drafted by Grigson from '13 on except for Kelly, Mewhort, and I guess Moncrief

Ballard - Tarrell Basham - and what was worse that wasting a pick on him is that we cut a productive LB/DE in John Simon in '18, who went on to help the Cheats win the SB, to keep Basham only to cut his worthless ass like 2 weeks later. Honorable mentions: Quincy Wilson, Ben Banogu.

It's hard to disagree with any of these...maybe Irsay picking Steve Emtman number 1 overall in 1992 deserves honorable mention. Good post!

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Tarrell Basham - and what was worse that wasting a pick on him is that we cut a productive LB/DE in John Simon in '18


I guess you are wanting to judge each player based on their Colts career only?

FWIW - Basham is still playing in the NFL - he finished his fifth year in the league and is under contract for Year 6.

He has played in over 50% of the snaps on defense in each of the last 3 years.

He has recorded double digit QB hits the last 2 years.

Sometimes it takes a bit longer to develop defensive linemen.

[IndyNorm]

Ernie Accorsi- Johnny Cooks at 2, Art Schlischter at 4 in 1982.

Or how about the run from 1976-1978: Ken Novak, Randy Burke and Reese McCall Joe Thomas and Dick Szymanski ran those draft and I remember them. There have been so many shit drafts by this team over the years,

Good catch on the Schlichter. That was a little before my time, but I remembered that he played a little after the Colts moved to Indy so I thought he was drafted after the whole Elway debacle. The fact that he was picked #4 overall the year before that makes the early '80s Colts look even worse :eek:

[IndyNorm]

I guess you are wanting to judge each player based on their Colts career only?

FWIW - Basham is still playing in the NFL - he finished his fifth year in the league and is under contract for Year 6.

He has played in over 50% of the snaps on defense in each of the last 3 years.

He has recorded double digit QB hits the last 2 years.

Sometimes it takes a bit longer to develop defensive linemen.

Yeah, impact for the Colts. Otherwise Jeff George wouldn't be on my list since he did end up having a decent overall NFL career.

That is interesting on Basham. I remember seeing that he didn't do anything for the Jets for the remainder of the season after we released him, but good for him that he was able to develop into a contributor.

[Chromeburn]

I’m just going off the top two rounds. It’s a bigger gamble after that.

Ballard - Banagu
Grigson - Phillip Dorsett
Polian - Rob Morris or Idrees Bashir (Morris did show up at Sam in the playoffs)
Polian jr - Ugoh
Tobin - Trev Alberts

[Butter]

I feel like Werner was worse than Dorsett.

[njcoltfan]

I guess you are wanting to judge each player based on their Colts career only?

FWIW - Basham is still playing in the NFL - he finished his fifth year in the league and is under contract for Year 6.

He has played in over 50% of the snaps on defense in each of the last 3 years.

He has recorded double digit QB hits the last 2 years.

Sometimes it takes a bit longer to develop defensive linemen.

Ala Jerry Hughes !!

[njcoltfan]

I’m just going off the top two rounds. It’s a bigger gamble after that.

Ballard - Banagu
Grigson - Phillip Dorsett
Polian - Rob Morris or Idrees Bashir (Morris did show up at Sam in the playoffs)
Polian jr - Ugoh
Tobin - Trev Alberts

I don't think the chapter on Banagu is finished yet !!

[Oldcolt]

I don't think the chapter on Banagu is finished yet !!

It is fascinating that the dude is still on the team. Somebody loves him, but it sure wasn't the defensive coaches last year. Interesting if he makes a move with the new coaching staff. He hasn't played enough for someone like me to have any opinion on how he plays.

[Hoopsdoc]

For Polian I’d have to include Jacques Mclendon and Quin Pitcock.

[ChaosTheory]

I feel like Werner was worse than Dorsett.

For sure. Werner was a higher draft pick than Dorsett. Starts 16 games in three seasons, 6.5 sacks, then out of the league. Dorsett was a bust, too, but at least he's still in the league.


For Polian I’d have to include Jacques Mclendon and Quin Pitcock.

Yeah, Pitcock was a weird story. When I think of "worst picks" I guess I'm thinking more of 1st and 2nd rounders. I looked at Polian's history and I guess I'd go with Tony Ugoh because he was a 2nd-rounder. I would've said Jerry Hughes but he was actually a player... just not for IND.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

When I think of "worst picks" I guess I'm thinking more of 1st and 2nd rounders. I looked at Polian's history and I guess I'd go with Tony Ugoh because he was a 2nd-rounder.


To make matters worse, Polian had so much conviction about Ugoh (or was it desperation) that he traded a future 1st round pick in the 2008 draft for the opportunity to select Ugoh in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft.

[ChaosTheory]

To make matters worse, Polian had so much conviction about Ugoh (or was it desperation) that he traded a future 1st round pick in the 2008 draft for the opportunity to select Ugoh in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft.

To be fair, though... Didn't Tarik Glenn retire like a month before the 2007 season? I remember reading something about his decision how he regretted it for a while after. I think Ugoh was "supposed" to have more time before being thrown to the wolves.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

To be fair, though... Didn't Tarik Glenn retire like a month before the 2007 season?

Yeah, Tarik retired before training camp started.

However, all players go through end of season interviews and I would imagine that Tarik probably let Polian know his thoughts that there was a possibility that he may retire over the summer. Polian may have believed that he/Dungy/Manning could talk him into another season, but I always thought drafting Ugoh was a bit of a desperation move by Polian to secure a LT. If Polian was sure that Glenn would stick around, I think he waits until the following off-season to make a move, either through free agency or the draft.

[Chromeburn]

I feel like Werner was worse than Dorsett.

Probably, but just trying for something different. Everyone will likely agree on the same things.

Also, I think of context when he took a WR when we obviously needed safety and Collins was sitting there for the taking. Then the rumor that he took him because NE was going to. Just a bad GM.

[JAFF]

I feel like Werner was worse than Dorsett.

Dorset couldn’t catch a cold in a hospital ward