When the Raiders released Russell this week, it put some finality on a notion that has been budding for more than a year. Russell, the top overall pick in 2007, was the biggest bust in NFL draft history, such a spectacular failure that it will set the standard for puke jobs for years and years. So much money. So much invested. So much wasted talent. So nothing gained in return.
Russell earned a notch less than $40 million in three seasons with the Raiders, and he gave them seven victories, 18 touchdown passes, 23 interceptions and 15 lost fumbles. He showed up late, holding out in his rookie season, then let the Raiders take him out for a fancy dinner and split before it was time to pay the bill. Russell’s terrible work ethic and careless attitude made him a villain in his own locker room. Bottom line, the Raiders screwed up and they’ll be paying the price for an awful long time.
Since the 1970 merger, the Patriots have twice used a No. 1 overall draft pick on a quarterback, and each player helped shape the direction of the franchise for more than a decade — and counting. Unlike the Raiders, though, the Patriots used that top pick to actually help their franchise.
The Pats used the top selection on Jim Plunkett in 1971, and he helped swing the momentum of a fledgling organization. Plunkett’s numbers weren’t exactly inspirational, but he wasn’t surrounded by a whole helping of talent, either. He was 23-38 in five seasons with the Patriots, completing 48.5 percent of his passes for 9,932 yards, 62 touchdowns and 87 interceptions.
But credit the Patriots for maximizing their asset. When the 1970 Heisman Trophy winner struggled in 1975, he was benched in favor of Steve Grogan, who injected some life into the team and created momentum for the 1976 season. New England traded Plunkett to the 49ers in the offseason for three first-round picks — two in 1976 and one in 1977 — and a 1977 second-rounder, yielding center Pete Brock, safety Tim Fox, cornerback Raymond Clayborn and running back Horace Ivory with those selections.
Grogan was a warrior, a natural leader and an inspiration for the team and the fan base. And the four draft picks helped the Patriots establish two of the best teams in the history of the franchise in 1976 and 1978. While Plunkett didn’t do much on the field in New England, his talent and pedigree provided enough backing for the Pats to pull off perhaps their greatest trade ever.
And then there was Drew Bledsoe. His arrival in 1993 brought back a fan base that didn’t know what to make of a team that got off to an embarrassing start to the decade. Having the top selection might have also been a big selling point for Bill Parcells, who took New England’s head coaching position the same year. The Patriots have sold out every home game since 1994, and the area’s football interest has never been more fanatic.
Bledsoe had a 63-60 record in nine seasons with the Patriots, completing 56.3 percent of his passes for 29,657 yards, 166 touchdowns and 138 interceptions. He led them to one Super Bowl and earned an assist in their run to another one. Owner Robert Kraft kept streamlining talent around Bledsoe, and a core of those guys were still in place during New England’s Super Bowl era. Then, after Tom Brady‘s emergence in 2001, the Patriots sent Bledsoe to the Bills for a first-round draft pick that helped them land defensive lineman Ty Warren.
The first pick in the draft can be a dangerous thing because a great string of luck is just as important as talent evaluation, especially while dealing with a quarterback. The Patriots have been fortunate to get it right twice, and it has helped them develop one of the great franchises in the NFL.
