Redskins' Draft History

With the draft only a few days away, it's appropriate to review the team's draft history over the last decade with what I can recall about each of the draft picks.

1996
1. Andre Johnson, T, Penn State - Played a few disappointing years
4. Stephen Davis, RB, Auburn - Set the rushing record, great years in a Redskins uniform, too bad the Spurrier era ended the chances of him retiring as a Skin
5. Leomont Evans, S, Clemson - Decent backup player, occasional starter
6. Kelvin Kinney, DE, Virginia St. - Same as Evans
7. Jeremy Asher, LB, Oregon
7. Deandre Maxwell, WR, San Diego St.

1997
1. Kenard Lang, DE, Miami - Good motor and versatile, some decent years out of him before he signed with Cleveland
2. Greg Jones, LB, Colorado - Disappointment
3. Derek Smith, LB, Arizona St. - Did well enough that he turned his opps into a long-term starting role with the Niners
4. Albert Connell, WR, Texas A&M - Talented headcase, one good year and good riddance to the Saints
5. Jamel Williams, S, Nebraska - Unmemorable backup
5. Keith Thibodeaux, CB, N.W. Louisiana - Unmemorable backup
5. Twan Russell, LB, Miami - Non-descript special teams player
5. Brad Badger, G, Stanford - Good find, unfortunately lost his depth to the Raider Nation

1998
2. Stephen Alexander, TE, Oklahoma - Too injury prone, never fulfilled on potential
3. Skip Hicks, RB, UCLA - Found the end zone as a rookie but fizzled after that
4. Shawn Barber, LB, Richmond - Talented underachiever made a home with underachieving Chiefs
5. Mark Fischer, C, Purdue - Nondescript backup
6. Pat Palmer, WR, Northwestern St. - Preseason only?
7. David Terrell, CB, UTEP - Blossomed into a great special teams player, why did we allow him to leave?
7. Antwaune Ponds, LB, Syracuse - Nondescript backup

1999
1. Champ Bailey, CB, Georgia - Elite athlete, how horrible that he got fed up with the revolving door; however, can't complain about getting Clinton Portis in return
2. Jon Jansen, T, Michigan - Great pick, the Skins are lucky to still have the original 'Rock'
4. Nate Stimson, LB, Georgia Tech - Nothing
5. Derek Smith, OL, Virginia Tech - Nothing
6. Jeff Hall, K, Tennessee - Nothing
7. Tim Alexander, WR, Oregon St. - Don't know what happened with him

2000
1. LaVar Arrington, LB, Penn St. - Absolute shame that he didn't realize his HOF talent as a lifetime Redskin
1. Chris Samuels, T, Alabama - Continues to impress and with Joe Bugel around, has his best years ahead of him
3. Lloyd Harrison, CB, N.C. State - Too slow
4. Michael Moore, G, Troy St. - Never got off the ground
5. Quincy Sanders, S, UNLV - Didn't last long
6. Todd Husak, QB, Stanford - Played in NFL Europe, may still be there?
7. Del Cowsette, DT, Maryland - Got time as a backup, may still be floating around somewhere
7. Ethan Howell, WR, Oklahoma St. - Preseason casualty

2001
1. Rod Gardner, WR, Clemson - Couldn't get open, the Danny was right all along, should have picked Santana Moss at this spot
2. Fred Smoot, CB, Mississippi St. - Fun "party" guy to have on the team but far from a shutdown corner
4. Sage Rosenfels, QB, Iowa St. - Decent arm and stands tall but that's about it
5. Darnerien McCants, WR, Delaware St. - Not enough passion
6. Mario Monds, DT, Cincinnati - like Del Cowsette

2002
1. Patrick Ramsey, QB, Tulane - Strong arm and tough, still has an opportunity to have a wonderful career ahead of him; in retrospect, it was a waste to draft him as a first rounder that year anyway
2. Ladell Betts, RB, Iowa - Shows talent but hasn't proven an ability to stay healthy
3. Rashad Bauman, CB, Oregon - Too small and didn't have burner speed to compensate
3. Cliff Russell, WR, Utah - Fast but raw, couldn't stay healthy to develop
5. Andre Lott, S, Tennessee - Average player
5. Robert Royal, TE, LSU - Decent value at this pick, too bad we couldn't keep him but we've got Cooley
6. Reggie Coleman, T, Tennessee - Nothing
7. Jeff Grau, LS, UCLA - Nothing
7. Greg Scott, DE, Hampton - Nothing
7. Rock Cartwright, FB, Kansas St. - Great heart, excellent special teams player and backup but will be limited to that role

2003
2. Taylor Jacobs, WR, Florida - Same as Cliff Russell, didn't take advantage of his many opportunities last year
3. Derrick Dockery, G, Texas - Big and talented, learning under Bugel will maximize his potential
7. Gibran Hamdan, QB, Indiana - Not a pro prospect, NFL Europe and maybe CFL is as good as it gets

2004
1. Sean Taylor, S, Miami (Fla.) - Makings of an elite athlete but is self-destructive
3. Chris Cooley, TE, Utah State - Grew by leaps and bounds, hope he doesn't regress and that the team is able to retain him in the long run
5. Mark Wilson, OL, California - Didn't stick
6. Jim Molinaro, OL, Notre Dame - Unknown, can Buges turn him into a gem?

2005
1. Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn - Unproven as of yet, didn't excite me last year; a far cry from Champ
1. Jason Campbell, QB, Auburn - Is he as good as Gibbs is hoping? One bad hit to Brunell and we'll find out soon enough
4. Manuel White, Jr., RB, UCLA - Unknown, was on IR
5. Robert McCune, LB, Louisville - Doubtful if he ever contributes more than on special teams
6. Jared Newberry, LB, Stanford - Didn't stick
7. Nehemiah Broughton, RB, The Citadel - Same as Rock Cartwright; surprising that the team kept both

So here is the count of keepers excluding last year's class:
99 - 1
00 - 1
02 - 2
03 - 2 (but Jacobs will be cut and it will be down to 1)
04 - 3 (but Taylor could go to prison)

That is how NOT to build a team through the draft.