Ahmad Brooks...

Angry Pope · Jun 22, 2006

We were there for his workout...information on the Supplemental Draft...

Update on Brooks, 6/22

Brooks held a workout for pro scouts on June 22 at the University of Virginia. On a 96-degree day and the heat index up at 110, Brooks ran on AstroTurf and worked out on grass that was dried-out. Bengals linebacker coach Ricky Hunley conducted the workout. There were representatives from 31 teams at the workout, with only the Vikings not in attendance. Mike Nolan from the 49ers was the only head coach there. He was joined by San Francisco VP of player personnel Scot McCloughan. Brooks will work out for the 49ers at their place for two days next week. Randy Mueller of the Dolphins, Mike Murphy from the Cowboys and Calvin Branch from the Raiders were also there. Brooks lost 32 pounds in 10 weeks (he was measured at 6-foot-3, 260 pounds) and passed five drug tests in the last 10 weeks. He ran three times, timed at 4.68, 4.75 and 4.74 in the 40, with 10-yard splits of 1.53, 1.58 and 1.58 and 20-yard splits of 2.73, 2.75 and 2.75. His arm span measured 33½ inches and his hands measured 9½. He had a 32-inch vertical jump, a 9-foot-8 long jump, a 4.43 short shuttle, an 11.84 long shuttle, a 7.43 three-cone drill and 19 benches. The conditions were not really good, just average.

The day before the workout, Brooks met with John Dorsey and Reggie McKenzie (GB), had a meeting with Ricky Hunley (CIN) and had dinner with Jerry Reese (NYG).

Brooks, who played linebacker in college but might project as a Julius Peppers-type defensive end in the pros, missed six games with a right knee injury last year. He visited Dr. James Andrews on June 12 for the knee to be examined and that report was made available to all NFL teams.

Brooks' father, Perry Brooks, was a defensive tackle whom New England drafted in Round 7 in 1976. He never played for New England but played 92 games for Washington.

He will continue to work out under Chip Smith in Atlanta.

Update on Berryman, 6/13

There were 17 teams at his workout, including John Dorsey (GB), Scott McCloughan (SF) and Kent McCloughan (Scott's father) from the Raiders. That's a large contingent. He worked out indoors on what was considered a slow track. Dorsey conducted the drills, which lasted 45 minutes, and Berryman did a good job.

LB Berryman (6-0¾, 235) was clocked at 4.67 in the 40 (1.61 after 10; 2.71 after 20), 4.39 in the short shuttle, and 7.33 in the three-cone drill. He also had a 9-foot-11 broad jump, a 32-inch vertical jump and 17 lifts.

(June 22, 2006) -- For those of you experiencing a little post-NFL draft withdrawal, there's good news: The 2006 Supplemental Draft is just around the corner.

This years' supplemental draft is tentatively scheduled for July 13. Rules of the supplemental draft stipulate that it has to take place at least 10 days prior to opening of the first training camp.

Draft order is determined by a weighted system that is divided into three groupings. First come the teams that had six or fewer wins last season, followed by non-playoff teams that had more than six wins, followed by the 12 playoff teams.

The first time the supplemental draft came into play was in 1977, when Al Hunter, a running back from Notre Dame, was selected in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks.

Of course, in order for a team to select someone, it must have that choice available in the following year's regular draft -- and that's the pick it will give up to make the supplemental pick.

Some of the names you might recall who have been selected in supplemental drafts through the years include linebacker Brian Bosworth, a first-round pick of the Seahawks in 1987; Washington State QB Timm Rosenbach, taken by the Cardinals in 1989; Miami QB Steve Walsh, also taken in 1989 by the Dallas Cowboys; and Duke QB Dave Brown, who was selected by the Giants in 1992.

More recently, San Diego defensive tackle Jamal Williams was a second-round supplemental pick in 1998, and he has become a terrific run-stuffer for the Chargers.

The paperwork hasn't officially been filed yet for the supplemental draft this year, but there are at least four players who will get a close look from scouts around the league:

Ahmad Brooks, LB, Virginia: A national defensive player of the year coming out of high school, Brooks had an outstanding 2004 season for the Cavaliers in 2004, but got hurt last year.

Jason Berryman, DE, Iowa State: At about 240 pounds, he's probably a linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

David Dixon, LB: Dixon is from Galveston, Texas, and last played at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas in 2004.

Ahmad Hall, FB, Texas: Hall served in the Marines and wasn't eligible for the regular draft. He worked out at Texas' Pro Day on March 22 and was measured at 5-10¾, 232 pounds. He ran his 40s in 4.53 and 4.55 and also had a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-9 long jump, 4.20 short shuttle, 7.21 three-cone drill and 24 bench presses.

Angry Pope · Jun 23, 2006

More on Brooks...

Dolphins interested in former Virginia star Brooks

In the 2005 supplemental draft, the Miami Dolphins used a fifth-round selection on Manuel Wright, a talented but habitually underachieving defensive tackle from Southern California. For their investment, the Dolphins got an out-of-shape and immature defender, a guy who played in only three games and recorded four tackles and who reported back to work this spring in dubious condition.

But say this for Nick Saban: Just because the Dolphins' coach was once bitten in the supplemental draft doesn't mean he will be twice shy about using it again to add a young defender.

Which is why, more than just about any other team in the league, the Dolphins are eyeing linebacker Ahmad Brooks, the former University of Virginia star booted off the squad by coach Al Groh for a series of undisclosed infractions, as a possible choice in the July 13 supplemental draft.

The Dolphins were one of 22 teams represented on Thursday at Brooks' audition for league scouts. But in terms of due diligence, Miami has already done more background work than most franchises on Brooks, a player with enormous physical ability but a history of poor judgments off the field. That includes sending him recently to meet with Lon Rosen, a psychologist and close friend of Saban who has done personality reports in the past for the Miami coach.

It appears that Miami and San Francisco, which is scheduled to bring Brooks to the Bay Area next week for a one-on-one session, are the teams most interested in him. A team that exercises a pick in the supplemental draft must forfeit a choice in the corresponding round in next year's regular draft.

Although he possesses first-round physical skills, Brooks, clearly the top prospect in the supplemental draft at this point, is more likely to be chosen in the middle rounds. If that's the case, the Dolphins, prone to take a few chances on players -- as was the case when they signed former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick last month as an undrafted free agent -- could be the club that chooses Brooks.

Saban is attempting to gradually remake an aging defense. He added three starters in the last two drafts and there remains some hope that Wright will yet become a player. Plus, many scouts feel Brooks will be best suited to playing in a 3-4 front, the alignment that Saban wants to eventually make his base defense. New defensive coordinator Dom Capers has coached the 3-4 virtually his entire NFL career.

At 6-feet-3 and 260 pounds, having shed more than 30 pounds in the past two months, Brooks certainly has the prototype frame for a 3-4 linebacker. And although Miami star Zach Thomas has demonstrated no signs of slippage, he is entering his 11th season and will be 33 when the campaign begins, and the Dolphins will soon have to start thinking about grooming his eventual successor.

Brooks is big enough to play inside linebacker and quick enough, as evidenced by 13 sacks and 31 quarterback pressures in three seasons at Virginia, to move outside and rush the passer. He also had 234 tackles, 21 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles, an interception and 14 passes defensed.

All of which means it won't be surprising if Saban and the Dolphins roll the dice in the supplemental draft for the second year in a row.

Crossbones · Jun 24, 2006

Drop the Chalupa dude.

Angry Pope · Jun 24, 2006

CrossBones said:
Drop the Chalupa dude.

LOL....

It will be interesting to see what Al does.

Angry Pope · Jun 24, 2006

We were one of the teams paying the most attention...

Must-have Cav?

June 24, 2006

Ahmad Brooks has the skills to be a first-day selection in the NFL draft, but two talent evaluators who reviewed the former Virginia linebacker's tapes and workout believe he will slide somewhere between Rounds 3 and 5 in this year's supplemental draft.

Brooks, one of four prospects granted "special" eligibility this week for the July 13 draft, worked out for scouts and coaches on Thursday. He was timed between 4.69 and 4.75 seconds in the 40-yard dash and registered a 32-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-8 broad jump.

While those in attendance were pleased to see Brooks weigh-in at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds – 26 pounds lighter than his original training weight with Chip Smith of Competitive Edge Sports in Atlanta – most scouts noted that he struggled some with his footwork in the shuttle drills (4.42 seconds in the short shuttle, 7.41 in the three-cone and 11.80 in the 60-yard shuttle) and produced average results in the bench press for his size (19 repetitions at 225 pounds). Still, they felt Brooks looked in good shape.

Known to be an underachiever with some lazy habits, Brooks reportedly has had off-field issues with failed drug tests at Virginia. His agent, Gregory Williams, told team decision-makers that his client had successfully passed five independently administered drug tests in the past three months. Also, a full medical evaluation of Brooks' previous right knee injury was provided to teams by Dr. James Andrews, whom Brooks had visited a few weeks ago in preparation for Thursday's workout.

Most 3-4 scheme teams see Brooks as being a good fit inside, while others feel he can play outside and put in some work at rush end in passing situations. Everyone is in agreement that having a solid support staff and veteran leadership on the defensive side of the ball will be crucial to keeping Brooks in line.

The Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers were the teams that paid close attention to Brooks' workout, which was conducted by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker coach Ricky Hunley. The Packers, Bengals and Giants met with Brooks on Wednesday. Next week, he will travel to San Francisco to visit with 49ers officials and take a physical.

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT NOTES

Ex-Texas fullback Ahmard Hall worked out in front of scouts from the Packers and Tennessee Titans inside the Longhorns' practice bubble on Thursday. Hall, who had previously impressed scouts at the school's pro day in late March, decided to stick with those results and not risk possible injury, but he did catch passes after measuring in at 5-10 and 236 pounds.

Former Delaware wide receiver David Boler, who was deemed to be a free agent by the NFL's player personnel department after the NCAA ruled against his request for an extra year of eligibility, has been receiving interest from a handful of teams, including the Arizona Cardinals. Boler hopes to set up a workout date over the next few weeks.

Northern Illinois linebacker Javan Lee, who learned this week that he will not be given a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, planned to contact the NFL's player personnel office to inquire about becoming a supplemental draft prospect or a free agent. Lee could also explore options to attend a NAIA program, since NAIA schools abide by different rules to judge semesters used by student/athletes. A defensive back turned outside linebacker, Lee is roughly 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds with good range. He recorded over 100 tackles before missing what would have been his senior campaign due to hernia surgery. Lee has been estimated to run the 40 in the 4.6-second range.

Ex-Minnesota running back Gary Russell must wait until at least January 2007 in order to make himself eligible for the NFL. Russell, who isn't enrolled at the school after attending a local-area community college to work on his grades earlier this spring, would not qualify for the supplemental draft since he is not yet three years removed from his high school graduation. Russell's father, Gary Sr., has noted to several sources that his son will attempt to transfer to a lower level of college football, but that would have to be a NAIA program since Division I-AA, Division II and Division III schools all abide by the same academic eligibility rules as Division I-A schools (i.e., a student/athlete deemed ineligible cannot participate at any other NCAA level program).

Angry Pope · Jun 25, 2006

Speculation on Brooks....

Dolphins GM meets with linebacker Ahmad Brooks

JASON COLE

The Dolphins have taken an interest in former University of Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who is considered by many the top player available in the NFL's supplemental draft on July 13.

Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller and director of college scouting Ron Labadie were among those who attended Brooks' workout Thursday.

Mueller and Labadie met with Brooks after the workout.

In addition, the Dolphins sent Brooks to Michigan last week to meet with Lon Rosen, a psychologist and longtime friend of Dolphins coach Nick Saban, agent Greg Williams said Friday.

Rosen does character research on players for Saban.

Williams also said he presented information to scouts, coaches and executives in attendance, showing that Brooks has passed drug tests taken on a regular basis over the past two months. Williams acknowledged that Brooks had ''issues'' with drug use during college.

Brooks was arrested in March 2003 on a marijuana possession charge.

According to two sources, Brooks failed multiple drug tests for marijuana use during college.

That led to the school's dismissal of him from the team this winter.

''Ahmad knows that he has to make good decisions in the future and change the people he hangs out with if he's going to take advantage of the athletic talent he has,'' Williams said. ``He's a good kid who wants to get this turned around and be an example to kids about how someone can change for the better.''

Brooks weighed 260 pounds, down approximately 30 pounds from two months ago. The weight issue is another question for NFL teams.

Brooks was considered one of the top high school players in Virginia history before going to college.

Some scouts have said he has the talent to be a first-round pick.

However, the off-field issues could drop Brooks into the fourth or fifth round of the supplemental draft.

Angry Pope · Jun 28, 2006

More on Brooks....

"Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks is the one generating the most excitement. Or the most caution. He's made an incredible comeback in 10 weeks. Depressed about his departure from Virginia and slow recovery from a knee injury, he ballooned to 292 pounds. He went to Atlanta, worked out, got on a diet and lost 32 pounds. His 4.6 times in the 40-yard dash at last week's workout may not have been great by most teams' standards, but it opened some eyes. The 49ers would appear to be the best fit. They've lost Julian Peterson and most of their experienced outside linebackers in the past couple of years. Brooks and Manny Lawson, the second of San Francisco's first-round picks, would form a good tandem in Mike Nolan's 3-4 defense. The question is, in what round would the 49ers take him? Had he stayed in school and not had drug issues, Brooks might have been a top-10 pick in 2007. He could go as high as the second round, but if teams are cautious, he would go in the fourth or fifth round. Athletically, Brooks is a steal, which is why the Dolphins' Nick Saban is interested."

Angry Pope · Jun 30, 2006

All-time Top 5 supplemental draft picks

With the NFL Supplemental Draft looming and talented players like Virginia LB Ahmad Brooks available to any NFL team, the GMs and personnel guys around the league have a huge choice to make

To supplement, or not to supplement?

If you read my Top 5 Worst Selections in the Supplemental Draft, you'd probably want to shy away from spending one of your 2007 picks to take someone that can help this season.

But the NFL Supplemental Draft isn't all doom and gloom. Here are my all-time Top 5 best selections in NFL Supplemental Draft history.

These guys aren't my top five picks only because they had great NFL careers. These are my top five because of how well they fit on the teams that took them and turned into far better scenarios than the "hold off, wait until next year" approach the supplemental draft allows for.

Also, along the way, I'll tie in some players that the teams could've chosen had they waited for the next draft, and not taken these particular dudes in the "Supp."

1. Bernie Kosar, QB, Cleveland
(1985 Supplemental Draft, 1st Round)

Obviously, Bernie Kosar's the no brainer on this list. By the end of Kosar's rookie season, he was a starter. By his second year, he'd returned the franchise he cheered for as a kid to the NFL's upper echelon.

The slow-footed, side-armed slinger from Youngstown, OH helped lead a struggling franchise to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons, and had the Browns one game away from the Super Bowl on three separate occasions, making him my most valuable supplemental pick of all-time.

The common understanding is that this supplemental pick was shrouded by a small pinch of controversy. Kosar was a redshirt sophomore at the University of Miami, and graduated from school after the regular 1985 NFL Draft occurred, an important point since only college seniors and graduates were eligible for the draft.

Then, Kosar made himself eligible for the 1985 Supplemental Draft, largely in hopes of being drafted by his childhood favorites. The interest on the Browns part was definitely reciprocal, and to this day, everyone (including Kosar) admitted that the Browns and the young quarterback were in cahoots all along on setting this up.

You see, Minnesota held the second selection in the 1985 supplemental draft, and they also coveted Kosar. But Cleveland wanted him really badly, so they traded four draft picks to Buffalo (who held the first pick), just to leapfrog the Vikings in the supp and bring Bernie back home to Ohio. In fact, the Browns' mass dumping of picks to bully their way into the front of the Kosar Sweepstakes even helped lead to changes in the way the NFL operates the Supplemental Draft.

In 8 1/2 with the Browns, Kosar threw for 21,904 yards, establishing himself as not only one of the franchise's all-time greats, but as an all-time great supplemental draft pick.

Notable quarterbacks available to Cleveland in the 1986 NFL Draft, had they passed on Kosar in the 1985 supplemental: Jim Everett, Chuck Long, Bubby Brister, Jack Trudeau, Hugh Millen, Mark Rypien. The year of 1986 was a decent one for quarterbacks, but you can see why the Browns were better served in the long run to have not waited until then.

2. Cris Carter, WR, Philadelphia
(1987 Supplemental Draft, 4th Round)

Cris Carter has the second most receptions of any receiver in NFL history. (Brian Bahr /Allsport/ / Getty Images)

Even though Carter only cost the Eagles a fourth-round pick in the 1988 Draft, some in Philadelphia weren't overly impressed by the end of his stay there. During his time with the Eagles, Carter was battling personal problems, even though his statistics were solid, just not overwhelming.

Either way, in Carter's only three years with the Eagles, he caught 19 touchdowns (that's all he could do, right?), which was much more production than you should expect out of your average fourth-round wideout. That, just as much as his later production, makes him one of my all-time top supplemental picks.

Carter, an All-American receiver at Ohio State, was forced to enter the supplemental draft after the NCAA declared him ineligible for his senior season after it was learned that his brother had set him up with an agent. Carter appealed the NCAA decision, and the 1987 NFL supplemental draft was postponed until the beginning of September, when Carter's (along with a player from Pitt) eligibility status was made clear.

After Philadelphia, Carter would go on to overcome his personal battles and have a Hall of Fame career in Minnesota, finishing his career with 1,101 receptions, good for second all-time.

Notable Wide Receivers available for Philadelphia in the 1988 Draft (fourth round or later): Michael Haynes caught 428 passes for the Falcons and Saints. Other than Haynes, you can see why Carter was a great value for that pick.

3 (tied). Jamal Williams, DT, San Diego & Mike Wahle, OL, Green Bay
(1998 Supplemental Draft, 2nd Round)

The 1989 Supplemental Draft is memorable as three big-time college players (Steve Walsh, Timm Rosenbach, and Bobby Humphrey) were taken as first-round picks. The 1998 Supplemental Draft should be as memorable, if only for two not-so-big name college players that turned into future Pro Bowlers.

In 1998, Jamal Williams was drafted by San Diego, and by now with the Chargers, he's evolved into the premier nose tackle in the NFL. Williams came into the league as a 305-pound defensive lineman from Oklahoma State. Now, he's 348 pounds and feeds on a steady diet of double and triple teams.

As for Wahle, he entered the Supplemental Draft after losing his NCAA eligibility with the Naval Academy. Taken by the Packers, Wahle started over 60 straight games before being released in a cost-cutting move in March 2005. Then, Carolina quickly snatched him up, and he reached the 2006 Pro Bowl after only his first season with the Panthers.

Despite being Pro Bowlers and 1998 Supplemental Draft picks, Williams and Wahle share another commonality. Both went through rather drastic position changes from between the beginning of their college days and pro careers. Williams entered college as a 280-pound middle linebacker, and Wahle was a high school tight end and quarterback that wound up at wide receiver for a short time at Navy.

So, no matter what positions they started off in at in college, it's clear now that they were both fantastic supplemental picks by the end of their college careers.

Notable Defensive Tackles available to San Diego after the second round of the 1999 Draft: None of the defensive tackles taken after the second round in '99 have come close to matching Williams.

Notable Offensive Guards available to Green Bay after the second round of the 1999 Draft: Although you can always find a solid offensive lineman anywhere in the NFL Draft, I couldn't find any of Wahle's caliber after the second round.

cont'd...

Angry Pope · Jun 30, 2006

cont'd...

4. Bobby Humphrey, RB, Denver
(1989 Supplemental Draft, 1st Round)

I was very tempted to put Bobby Humphrey on my Top 5 worst supplemental picks list, since he lasted only four seasons in the NFL and erased the Denver Broncos' first-round choice for 1990.

However, when you look at Humphrey's production his first two seasons with the Broncos, you can't deny that Denver got first-round value out of this supplemental pick.

An All-American in college at Alabama (rushing for 3,420 career yards), the 6-foot-1, 201-pound Humphrey injured his foot early in his senior year, making him eligible for a medical redshirt.

As a prelude to his many future holdouts, Humphrey stayed in school, holding himself out of the 1989 NFL Draft. Then, instead of taking that redshirt season, he entered the 1989 supp.

At the time, Denver was a team coming off an 8-8 season. The Broncos boasted a rushing attack led by Sammy Winder and an aging Tony Dorsett, an attack that was exactly as effective as it sounds. Enter Humphrey, a no-brainer selection for the Broncos.

As a rookie, Humphrey made an immediate splash, rushing for 1,151 yards and helping the Broncos earn a Super Bowl berth. In Humphrey's second year, his 1,202 yards made it seem like the Broncos had the perfect running back to complement Elway.

From there, it was turmoil. Due to a contract dispute in 1991, Humphrey held out some of his third season in Denver and was shipped off to Miami for the 1992 season. Humphrey had a decent season with the Dolphins, running for 471 yards and catching 54 passes. It was such a decent season that he decided to hold out again, but in the meantime was he shot in the leg by his friend with a .38, along with being arrested on drug charges.

Since then, Humphrey has cleaned up his act, entered coaching, public speaking, and has even warned against contract holdouts to Ashley Lelie in local Denver papers. His rushing for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons and helping his team to a Super Bowl make him one of my Top 5 all-time supplemental picks.

Plus, for Denver fans, think about this: Had Humphrey stuck around for 10-12 seasons as the feature back, we may have never seen the emergence of Terrell Davis or those great late-Elway Bronco Super Bowl teams.

Notable running backs available to Denver had they waited until 1990 to use this pick: Dexter Carter, Reggie Cobb, Anthony Thompson, Anthony Johnson, Harold Green, Chris Warren, Barry Foster, Johnny Johnson, Johnny Bailey.

5. Rob Moore, WR, NY Jets
(1990 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

By the 1990 season, Wesley Walker, the longtime speedy stalwart of the Jets' receiving corps, turned 35 and retired from football. Big Al Toon, a three-time Pro Bowler at this point, was currently the Jets' No. 1 option at wideout.

Aside from the tall, lanky and productive Toon, the Jets' receiving corps was about as deep as the foam padding under the rock-hard Giants' Stadium turf. At 5-9, JoJo Townsell was coming off a career-high 45-catch season in 1989, which made him the only apparent complement to Toon.

The Jets attempted to address the receiver position in the 1990 draft, selecting a player in the sixth round that put up some wild college stats (Terrence Mathis), and Dale Dawkins out of "The U."

When Rob Moore entered the 1990 supplemental draft, it was like the Jets were handed a gift. He was 6-3, a big target like Toon, a great athlete and played his college ball upstate at Syracuse.

Moore was a great fit with the Jets, and he produced right away. As a rookie, he caught 44 passes for 692 yards and six touchdowns, and went on to average 61 catches a season from 1990-95.

What makes this an all-time great supplemental pick to me is that Moore single-handedly turned a 1990 Jets draft class at WR from a D+ to a B+ at the time (Mathis wouldn't really catch on until going to Atlanta), and he was an instant hit opposite Toon.

Moore would finish his NFL career with Arizona, posting career marks of 628 catches for 9,302 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Notable wide receivers available to the Jets had they waited until 1991 to use the pick: Herman Moore, Alvin Harper, Mike Pritchard, Jake Reed, Ernie Mills, Yancey Thigpen, Rocket Ismail, Michael Jackson.

Angry Pope · Jun 30, 2006

Top 5 worst supplemental draft picks

With the NFL Supplemental Draft looming and talented players like Virginia LB Ahmad Brooks available to any NFL team, the GMs and personnel guys around the league have a huge choice to make.

Should NFL teams now go for a talented player that wasn't eligible for this spring's draft? Or, should they hold off this summer and save that pick for next year's regular draft?

If a team selects a guy in this year's supplemental draft, they do get someone ready to help out immediately.

However, if you get the guy, next April, you give up an equivalent selection in the regular NFL Draft. Sometimes, the reward does outweigh the risk. Many times, it doesn't. It's a tricky situation for NFL teams and an even bigger guessing game than the normal draft.

All that said, here are my All-time Top 5 worst selections in the NFL Supplemental Draft.

My top five worst supplemental picks aren't guys that I would necessarily consider busts. In retrospect, they simply weren't worth the draft pick that their teams gave up in getting them.

So, I'm not here just to point, laugh, and say "these guys were bad picks," I'm going to show you why they were. Along the way, I'll tie in some players that the teams could've chosen had they patiently waited for the next draft, and not taken these particular dudes in the "Supp."

1. Brian Bosworth, LB, Seattle Seahawks
(1987 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

Labeled an all-time NFL draft "bust" (supplemental or otherwise), there was no doubt back in '87 that some team would use a first-round supplemental pick on Boz.

At the time, few would question whether or not the crazy-haired, two-time Butkus Award winner was headed for a rockin' pro career, even though he was only eligible for the NFL Supplemental Draft after getting kicked off Oklahoma's team in 1987 for failing a drug test.

As a linebacker, Bosworth had it all. He was intelligent (an Academic All-American), athletic, aggressive and marketable. Back then, to suggest that "the Boz" would eventually be anything short of a perennial Pro Bowler would've been, as they said, "uncivilized."

However, Boz only played three up-and-down seasons (insert your own "Bo Jackson running over Boz on MNF" jokes here), and retired after a bum shoulder rendered him entirely ineffective.

Even worse for the Seahawks during the Bosworth era was that they lost four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Fredd Young, who wound up in Indianapolis. They should've found a way to keep Fredd around.

So, who could the Seahawks have drafted in 1988, had they waited until the NFL Draft to take a linebacker?

In 1988, Seattle wouldn't have even needed to select a linebacker with the first round pick they lost by taking Bosworth.

After the first round, teams found a group of solid linebackers that would still be making names for themselves in the NFL throughout the 1990s while Bosworth was in early retirement. Check these names out: Chris Spielman, Ken Norton, Vincent Brown, Fred Strickland, Bill Romanowski and Carlton Bailey. At linebacker, any of those names would've been better 1988 draft choices than Bosworth.

2. Timm Rosenbach, QB, Phoenix Cardinals
(1989 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

A threat to throw or run in college at Washington State, Tim with two M's was widely regarded as a gamer. He also led the entire nation in passing efficiency in 1988, and finished seventh in that year's Heisman voting.

At the time of that supplemental draft, the "Phoenix" Cardinals needed a quarterback, as franchise QB Neil Lomax was battling a nagging leg injury that would eventually end with a career-ending hip replacement.

Also, the Cardinals avoided choosing a quarterback in the 1989 NFL Draft, probably since it was pretty barren on the quarterback front. Troy Aikman, Rodney Peete and Billy Joe Tolliver were the only QBs from the 1989 draft to ever make any sort of dent in the league.

Like Bosworth, Timm Rosenbach only played three NFL seasons. The first year, he sat behind Gary Hogeboom. The second season, he showed glimpses of a promising career, throwing for 3,098 yards, running for 470 more and forever immortalizing himself as the starting Cardinals quarterback on the Nintendo classic Super Tecmo Bowl.

In 1991, Rosenbach blew his knee out and missed the entire year, leaving the Cardinals to rely on Tom Tupa as their starting quarterback. Seriously. In 1992, Rosenbach entered an early retirement after a scary concussion, which led him into the rodeo, an uneventful CFL stint and a private fishing business. He's now back in football, as a respected college assistant at his alma mater, Washington State.

Had the Cardinals waited until 1990 to draft a quarterback: The Cardinals would've been hovering around the fifth or sixth pick in the draft, depending on the tiebreaker between the 5-11 teams. So, had "Phoenix" not selected Rosenbach in the '89 supp, they would've still had a nice group of productive college quarterbacks to choose from in 1990.

With Jeff George the top NFL prospect, Atlanta had the first pick that year. However, since the Falcons already had Chris Miller, they were looking to deal it away. The Cardinals could've made a move if they coveted George with the first pick they essentially lost on Rosenbach.

Also, Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware would've been available in the first round. And, if the runnin'-and-shootin' Ware wasn't your speed, in the later rounds you could find a Neil O'Donnell, Scott Mitchell and John Friesz. Not bad. As you remember, O'Donnell wound up starting in a Super Bowl, while Mitchell and Friesz were, um, tall.

cont'd...

Angry Pope · Jun 30, 2006

cont'd...

3. Dave Brown, QB, Giants
(1992 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

Brown was 6-foot-5 and threw a great deep ball in college. When it came to his prospects in the NFL, not only did he appear nothing short of prototypical, he had the arm to back it up. Brown was tutored in the early part of his college career by then-Duke coach Steve Spurrier. By the end of his stay in Durham, he had developed into one of the nation's most impressive passers.

Instead of staying at Duke to play one more season, Brown put his name into the 1992 supplemental draft, and the Summit, N.J., native was drafted by his (essentially) hometown Giants.

To me, what made this such a bad supplemental selection in hindsight wasn't that Brown was a terrible quarterback or anything. It was that the Giants already had Jeff Hostetler and Phil Simms, so there was nothing for Brown to do right away, making it obvious that the team could've used their 1993 first-round pick on a more prominent need. By the summer of 1992 (when they selected Brown), the Giants were already a shell of the veteran-laden champions that won the Super Bowl only a year-and-a-half prior.

During Brown's rookie season with the Giants, he sat through yet another "Is it Hostetler or Simms?" debacle. In his second year, he sat behind Simms. If the Giants were going to take a flier on drafting a young quarterback during this era (only to make him sit), they should've waited to develop some of the young talent that was about to become available in the 1993 NFL Draft (see "Had they Waited").

When Brown was finally handed the controls in 1994, the gritty right-hander threw for 8,785 yards on some pretty bad Giants teams, before losing his job to Danny Kanell due to injury in 1997.

In 1998, Brown wound up in Arizona, where the Jake Plummer era had already begun, and he watched as the Cardinals finally tried to kind-of, sort-of recover from the drafting of Timm Rosenbach.

Had the Giants waited until 1993 to draft a quarterback: Since they finished 6-10 in 1992, the top two quarterbacks in the draft (Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer) wouldn't have been around by the first-round pick that the Giants essentially gave up.

However, take a look at the only other quarterbacks selected in 1993. In the later rounds, you had Mark Brunell, Trent Green, Elvis Grbac, Billy Joe Hobert, Alex Van Pelt and Gino Toretta. And, aside from Toretta, the Giants would've eventually gotten as much or more out of any of the names mentioned as they did Dave Brown.

4. Steve Walsh, QB, Cowboys
(1989 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

Why on earth did the Cowboys draft Steve Walsh just one year after selecting Troy Aikman? (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)

Even though you could never accuse Walsh of coming anywhere close to throwing the ball out of the stadium a la Michael Vick in a Powerade commercial, he was a terrific college quarterback at the University of Miami. And, with newly ex-Hurricane coach Jimmy Johnson taking the reigns in Dallas, you could understand why Jimmy would want one of "his guys."

Walsh was a leader, a winner, but had questionable arm strength for the pro level. By 1989, every pro team coveted the 6-5, 220 pound, rocket-armed quarterback, but there was still this Joe Montana fella that was winning championships. In retrospect, you could see where Walsh could've fit a Montana-like mold.

What makes this a terrible selection is that Dallas had already selected Troy Aikman with the No. 1 overall selection that year in the regular draft. It's still mind-blowing that they'd use what was ultimately a first-round pick in the 1990 draft on yet another rookie quarterback. Were the Cowboys hoping Jimmy could win with Walsh and trade Aikman?

As history shows, Aikman won out. In a genius move by the Cowboys, Walsh was traded after only two seasons to New Orleans for draft picks. From there, he went on to a solid, but not spectacular, NFL career as a part-time starter and backup for various teams.

Had the Cowboys waited until 1990 to draft a quarterback: Obviously with Aikman, the Cowboys did NOT need a quarterback, and due to the flurry of picks from the Herschel Walker trade, they still wound up with Emmitt Smith in 1990.

However, finishing 1-15 in 1989, they would've had the No. 1 selection in the 1990 draft. Considering that Indianapolis traded Chris Hinton, Andre Rison and draft picks to Atlanta for that particular pick to take Jeff George, the eventual Cowboy dynasty could've made an even bigger splash in the early 1990s. Imagine Michael Irvin and Andre Rison in the same receiving corps circa 1993. It would've been sick.

On the other hand, some have argued that the Cowboys may have never drafted Emmitt Smith in 1990 had they not used a supplemental pick on Walsh. Remember, that running back Blair Thomas was selected with the second pick in '90. Fortunately, we'll never know.

Dave Wilson, QB, Saints
(1981 Supplemental Draft, 1st round)

In college at Illinois, Wilson was the man. In 1980, Wilson bombed Ohio State for a record 621 passing yards in one game. When Wilson became eligible for the supplemental draft, the hapless New Orleans Saints simply couldn't help themselves.

At the time, the Saints still had perennial punching bag Archie Manning in control of the quarterback position. And Wilson never got much of a chance after his rookie season in 1981, when he threw an Alex Smith-like one touchdown to 11 interceptions.

What makes this a bad selection was that Wilson (like Manning or any other Saints quarterback in that era) was heaved to the lobos way too early, bad for any young quarterback, but then he sat. And boy, did he sit. In fact, he almost sat behind every quarterback in a set of 1979 TOPPS Pro Football cards. He sat behind Manning. He sat behind Ken Stabler. He even sat behind Richard Todd. Folks, you know that your team thinks you throw way too many interceptions if you're grabbing bench behind Richard Todd, also known by his superhero alter ego "Pickman."

Wilson finally got his chance to shine for the Saints in 1985, but he had a difficult time holding off USFL refugee Bobby Hebert. Wilson had an even harder time holding Hebert off once ex-USFL coach Jim Mora took over in New Orleans for 1986.

By the time the 1987 strike dust settled, the job was Hebert's. By '89, Wilson was out of football. From '81-88, Wilson passed for a very un-first-round worthy career total of 6,987.

Had the Saints waited until 1982 to draft a quarterback: The Saints would've had the third pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. Here were the quarterbacks available for the Saints to draft that year (in order): Jim McMahon, Art Schlichter, Oliver Luck, Matt Kofler, Mike Pagel, Mike Kelley, Luc Tousignant, Bob Lane, Bryan Clark, Ron Reeves, Steve Michuta, Bob Holly and Dan Fereday. Well, I guess there was one in there, huh?

Angry Pope · Jul 13, 2006

Brooks goes to the Bengals...

Bengals take Brooks in supplemental draft

(July 13, 2006) -- Linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who starred at Virginia for three seasons but was kicked off the team by coach Al Groh, was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the NFL's supplemental draft.

Brooks, a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference linebacker as a sophomore, was also a finalist for the Butkus Award given to the nation's top linebacker in 2004.

But he played only six games last season because of injury, then was dropped by the team just before spring practice this year. He subsequently applied for the draft.

Groh, the former head coach of the New York Jets and a longtime NFL assistant, did not specify the reason for the dismissal.

Six other players who applied for the supplemental draft were not chosen.

The Bengals, who used the 22nd pick of the third round to take Brooks, forfeit their third-round choice in the 2007 draft.

Angry Pope · Jul 13, 2006

Here was the draft order of todays SupDraft...

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT UNDERWAY

Here's the order for the 2006 Supplemental Draft, which was scheduled to get underway at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

1. San Francisco

2. Houston

3. Tennessee

4. Green Bay

5. Detroit

6. Baltimore

7. New Orleans

8. Philadelphia

9. Buffalo

10. Arizona

11. Cleveland

12. St. Louis

13. Oakland

14. New York Jets

15. Miami

16. San Diego

17. Kansas City

18. Minnesota

19. Atlanta

20. Dallas

21. Jacksonville

22. Cincinnati

23. Carolina

24. Seattle

25. New York Giants

26. Chicago

27. Tampa Bay

28. Indianapolis

29. Pittsburgh

30. Washington

31. New England

32. Denver

The order is determined via a weighted lottery based on the 2006 draft order. For each round, teams have ten minutes to decide whether to use a pick on a player. If two teams or more teams put in a claim on a player in a given round, the team with the highest priority gets the player.

The player most likely to be selected is former Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Since the 49ers have first priority and are one of the teams believed to be most interested (indeed, San Fran coach Mike Nolan was the only head coach present for Brooks' Pro Day workout), a team like the Giants or the Dolphins will have to predict when the Niners would make a move, and jump on Brooks one round earlier.

Using a pick in the Supplemental Draft results in a forfeiture of that pick in the April 2007 draft. Also, the team using a pick in a given round must actually hold the rights to the pick -- if the pick has already been traded away in a given round by the team, the team can't use a pick in that round for the Supplemental Draft.

Ahmad Brooks...

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Crossbones

Let’s Go!

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