New York Giants' Draft Busts: No. 3 ... Derek Brown

I really liked this pick at the time. Makes me question my whole self worth thinking about it now.

Another fun exercise, Ed.

The NFL has had 75 official drafts, to date. The Giants have consistently failed to take advantage of the first round opportunities afforded to them in those 75 years. But they have excelled in later rounds. Brown, Stroud and Weitecka in ’;53, Huff and Chandler in ’56, Tunnel in ’48 ( a walk-on), all the way up to Kelley and Van Pelt in ’73, Armstead and Strahan in ’93, Barber in ’97 and so on.

(As an aside, Sam Deluca, a lineman with the Jets and other teams, locally grown, as they say, and a long time announcer for the Jets was the Giants first pick in ’57, though it was the second round ( they traded their first to Rams for Robostelli in ’56, and as I mentioned last year, the Rams used that pick for Del Shofner!)

Their best pick before Kyle Rote in 1951 was George Connor from Notre Dame, a Hall of Fame defensive player- for the BEARS, of all teams. Love to know how that happened- he never played with the Giants ( drafted in either ’46 or ’47).

Rote was a bonus pick, which was established as a special pick each year for about 10 years, and then there was Gifford, drafted in ’52 as a defensive back. Nobody worth spit after that, really until Fred Dryer in ’69.

 Some might argue that Phil King in ’58,. as a #1, contributed- he played at least 6 years and was almost always a back-up.

Their best pick ever, aside from Taylor, may well have been Lou Cordileone in 1960, local boy, a guard, who came out of Clemson. Why was he so great? Never heard of him? He was traded straight up prior to the ’61 season for YA Tittle- certainly a worthwhile pick, after all.

A couple of participants on this site have mentioned that those awful picks in ’71 and ’72 were under Robostelli. I think not. He came aboard for 5 years as the first real GM for the team ( I think Wellington Mara did it before, and Steve Owens before that) after ’72 and Troy Archer , Gary Jeter, George Martin, Harry Carson are among his choices.

But you could check that. I tried and came up empty.

I hope Francis Peay and John Hicks get mentioned.

On Derek Brown, the #3 worst- he runs nose to nose in ability with the Jets #1 pick that year, another tight end, Johnny MItchell from Nebraska. Funny coincidence.

Anyway, thanks for opening the door, Ed. Sorry to take so long.

His college play gave zero indication that he’d be anywhere near a bust. I was happy we drafted him and not Johnny Mitchell, Derek Brown was the goods. Gotdamn this was supposed to work!

Watching the higlight films of Derek Brown @ Notre Dame prior to the draft
should have thrown up all sorts of flags. Seeing him catch the ball & then
run with it afterwards was a joke. He ran like an offensive tackle-no speed,
no balance, no moves. Ofr course now no one will believe me, but you
shouldhave seen the highlight films of Derek Brown-down right embarassing.

Tucker Fredrickson and Joe Don Looney (was listening to Bob Papa and his meat head cohost this morning).

Two picks that in the era of non-free agency probably contributed to the dark ages as much as anything (I’m going by stats, I’m clinging to my 20’s)

I’d say then two guys I would have dropped in here, not necessarily above the Fredrickson or Looney, are Tyrone Wheatley and Eric Dorsey.

Wheatley is the worst kind of bust, the one that goes on to success with another team. Dorsey, according to the NFL.com page, has significantly worse stats (no tackles?) than Willie Jo and was drafted six slots higher.

Best tight end ever, if only for a few years. Maybe my favorite all time Giant