Sep 16, 2007; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Vikings huge receiver Troy Williamson (82) warms up previous to the beginning of the sport aginst the Detroit Lions at Ford Discipline. The Lions defeated the Vikings 20-17 in time beyond regulation. Necessary Credit score: Leon Halip-US PRESSWIRE
The Minnesota Vikings have encountered a handful of draft busts all through franchise historical past — some latest ones, even — however for Bleacher Report‘s sake, former wideout Troy Williamson takes the cake.
BR’s collective workers recognized the Prime 99 draft busts in sports activities historical past, and Williamson checked in at No. 49. He was the one Viking to grace the naughty checklist.
Williamson’s Manufacturing By no means Matched the Draft Spot
Minnesota Vikings receiver Troy Williamson warms up earlier than a divisional matchup towards the Detroit Lions at Ford Discipline. On Sep. 16, 2007, Williamson ready for one in all his closing appearances with the Vikings because the membership sought an early-season street victory. Detroit finally defeated Minnesota in time beyond regulation. Necessary Credit score: Leon Halip-US PRESSWIRE.
BR: Williamson forty ninth on Prime 99 Draft Bust Checklist
Williamson mainly represented the halfway level of the BR checklist, as Davenport wrote, “Remember Troy Williamson? Yeah. The Minnesota Vikings wish they didn’t, too. In 2005, the Vikings needed a deep threat after trading Randy Moss, so the team used the pick obtained in the trade to select Williamson, a speedster from South Carolina.”
“As a rookie, Williamson had over five times as many drops (11) as he did touchdowns (2) — an issue that was famously blamed on ‘depth perception.’”
Years later, Williamson would reveal psychological well being as a supply of his profession troubles. In reality, by way of understanding and empathy, he was a few decade too late for individuals who wished to find out about his story. Psychological well being consciousness was not the identical in 2007 as in 2017 or right now.
Davenport continued, “Williamson himself later admitted that his lack of early success and the criticism that came with it rattled him, and after three years, 79 receptions and three touchdowns, Williamson was traded to Jacksonville for a sixth-round pick. High Vote: 49.”
The Profession
Williamson’s NFL profession might be summarized as a high-draft choose with distinctive velocity who simply flat-out didn’t launch.
The Vikings chosen Williamson seventh general within the 2005 draft, anticipating an abundance of huge performs from his spectacular velocity. These expectations had been unmet. In three seasons with Minnesota, he recorded simply 79 receptions for 1,067 yards and three touchdowns. His most efficient yr was 2006, with 455 receiving yards, however he by no means achieved a breakout season.
For a Prime 10 choose, his profession receiving statistics are remarkably low: 87 catches, 1,131 yards, and 4 touchdowns throughout 49 video games, averaging roughly 23 receiving yards per recreation. Whereas he did contribute as a kick returner, with 47 returns for 987 yards, this wasn’t sufficient to salvage his receiving profession.
A subsequent alternative with Jacksonville proved equally unproductive, yielding solely 8 catches for 64 yards and a landing.
Minnesota Vikings huge receiver Troy Williamson makes an attempt to make a catch towards Washington throughout first-quarter motion at FedEx Discipline. On Sept. 11, 2006, Williamson continued his second NFL season whereas making an attempt to determine himself as Minnesota’s high receiving menace. The previous first-round choose remained one of many league’s most scrutinized younger receivers. Necessary Credit score: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports activities.
In brief, Williamson possessed uncooked expertise and acquired ample alternatives as a excessive draft choose. He was simply unable to translate that potential into NFL manufacturing.
Sneakers Too Huge to Fill
On March third, 2005, the Vikings traded Moss to the Oakland Raiders for linebacker Napoleon Harris, the seventh general choose — Williamson — and a Seventh-Rounder, which might flip into cornerback Adrian Ward, who was waived six months later.
Followers had been distraught in regards to the Moss commerce; it could be just like Minnesota buying and selling Justin Jefferson subsequent March. The one would-be savior on the time was Williamson, tabbed straight as Moss’s alternative. He was the one probability to erase the in poor health will of the Moss commerce. And that simply didn’t occur.
Drops plagued Williamson, and even with out these, he merely wasn’t on Moss’s stage or wherever close to it.
Different Vikings’ Draft Busts
Minnesota largely escaped BR’s scorn, however that doesn’t imply it’s had a quiet “bust” historical past. These are arguably the primary busts in Vikings’ historical past, listed alphabetically:
Lewis Cine (S, 2022)
D.J. Dozier (RB, 1987)
Leo Hayden (RB, 1971)
Erasmus James (DE, 2005)
Christian Ponder (QB, 2011)
Laquon Treadwell (WR, 2016)
Dimitrius Underwood (LB, 1999)
A couple of blocks away from the Vikings’ stadium, the Minnesota Timberwolves had been represented just a few instances on the BR checklist, as Any Bailey wrote about 2011 draft choose Derrick Williams, “During his sophomore season at Arizona, Derrick Williams looked like a can’t-miss prospect. He had prototypical combo forward size. He could ferociously finish above the rim. And he somehow shot a blistering 56.8 percent from deep.”
“But as has happened with others, that size made him more of a tweener than anything else. His outside shooting never translated to the NBA. And he didn’t do nearly enough in the ancillary categories to keep him on the floor. He was out of the league by his mid-20s.”
Minnesota Vikings receiver Troy Williamson runs alongside the sideline throughout a Christmas Day matchup towards the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Financial institution Stadium. On Dec. 25, 2005, the rookie huge receiver appeared in his first NFL season whereas Minnesota battled Baltimore on the street. Williamson entered the league because the seventh general draft choose. Necessary Credit score: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Variations of the “Williams” final identify evidently have tough draft luck in Minnesota.
Timberwolves guard Johnny Flynn checked in at No. 38, and Minnesota North Stars LW Brian Norton ranked No. 51. BR known as Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell the highest bust in sports activities historical past.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
