Another one for the fellow old timers: Mark Nichols. WR out of San Jose State.
Drafted in the first round by the Lions in '81.
I remember him showing flashes of competency, but he never amounted to much. Just went and checked his career stats – played six seasons, all with the Lions, and his high-water mark was 744 receiving yards in one year.
A Russ Thomas pick.
79 comments and not once did I see kickalicious mentioned…Come on, was no one else looking forward to 50 yard field goals from the locker room?
I remember being excited about the potential of Rogers, Roy Williams, and Mike Williams. Three #1 type receivers on the field at the same time? Fireworks, baby!
It was good for the 1.5 games it happened! Then injuries, pot, laziness, etc. took over. Sigh.
Kalimba Edwards was the first name that popped in my head. The guy had all the tools in thr world and If I remember was a good worker as well. Just never clicked for him on the field.
Kalimba was the prototypical “Looks like Tarzan; plays like Jane.”
For you old timers, Luther Bradley, David Lewis, Lynn Boden, and Reginald O’Keith Rogers… Yeah, the list is long and goes back decades!
That cornerback Chris Greenwood had me pumped. Had so many tools just no toolbox.
Bentley is another recent hopeful that never was.
Joique Bell was Craig Reynolds before Craig Reynolds was Craig Reynolds.
Especially since we all wanted him to be an All-Pro like his brother…
I realize it’s been over 20 years… but “too soon”…
This one really sucked.
He looked like an All-Pro in the making to me… and then his career was over on 1 of the best days of Lions team history. Total gut punch… but just happy he lived and was able to recover and have a “normal” life.
Man…Joique was my guy. 220 with soft hands and never went down after first contact.
Joique’s 3 year run was 900, 1200 and 1200 YFS with 7 TDs a year while starting only 10 of those 48 games. 50+ catches 2 of those years…
Because we can’t have a RB more than 3 years before his career is shredded by injuries (literally every starting RB since Barry has been hurt/ruined after 3 seasons) of course he popped his Achilles and that was it…but he was a lot lot better than Netflix, so far, IMO. Similar story, yes and I hope Netflix has a career like Jouqies…
Yep Bell was a good one… Really good dude too… Fun story to follow. I thought Kevin Jones was amazing, but he played behind one of the worst offense of lines in the history of the league
My sort of classic Lions fan draft moments happened in the early to mid 2000s, in terms of “never was” players. I said Chuck Long, but at least I was a kid then. When we drafted Charles Rogers I was so excited. He was so good at MSU. Electric going deep. I thought there was no way he could fail in the NFL. Wrong. Then came Roy Williams a couple years later, and I thought "oh, man this guy is such a stud at UT. He’s going to light it up. And he was kinda meh. Then the next year, we drafted Mike Williams. I thought it was weird, but I got behind and started dreaming of the Twin Towers like they had tried (but failed) to do with Herman Moore and Reggie Barrett. And he quickly became known as Fat Mike Williams.
By the time Calvin came around, I was like no thanks I’ll take Adrian Peterson that year. But we took Calvin and I was beside myself. I thought I finally got it right. This was the wrong pick. Adrian Peterson wouldn’t have been a bad pick, but Calvin was like the one thing Matt Millen got right.
Hey, at least Roy Williams gave Calvin the coolest nickname of all time
How about germane Crowell? He had every tool in his toolbox. It just never happened.
Mikel leshoure. I really would have liked to see what he would have done without the injury. He was an animal in college. He had everything to be great. He never got his speed or explosion back.
Joey Harrington - Footsteps syndrome
Jahvid Best - Injuries
Charles Rodgers - Drugs - Not Sure if he qualifies because he had a couple solid seasons.
Titus Young - Mental Health
Aaron Berry - Never developed
Andre Ware - Worst 1st round pick by the lions ever for draft position/contribution?
Mike Williams - Lazy - Close 2nd for me in worst 1st round draft picks in Lions history
This list could be a solid 20 guys easy…
Nick Eddy.
Teddy Lehman.
Injuries got both.
Rogers really didn’t though.
5 games 22 catches 244 and 3 TD
1 game no stats
9 games w 3 starts 14 catches 197 1 TD.
That’s 1 season, half starts for 36 catches 441 yards and 4 TDs.
Josh Reynolds. Quintez Cephus lite.
That’s the reality of Smokey Brittle McProp48. Sorry.
