Detroit Lions Draft Busts Since 2001, No. 10: Daniel Bullocks

by Sean Yuille on Apr 4, 2011 11:57 PM EDT in Detroit Lions Opinion

Over the course of the next few weeks, all of SB Nation's NFL blogs will be counting down the top 10 draft busts and successes for their teams. For the Detroit Lions, I decided to take a look specifically at what has happened in the last 10 years. Yes, it's sad that there are enough busts in one decade to comprise a top 10 list, but this is the Matt Millen era we're talking about. The surprising thing is that there were enough successes to even think about compiling a top 10 list for that category.

The criteria for determining the top 10 draft busts is admittedly not based on any specific data or formula or anything like that. It is very subjective, although I did only look at first- and second-round picks. My feeling was that anybody picked later than the second round wouldn't have had high expectations going into the league, so where a player was picked weighed heavily in determining my list. Also, since no players drafted in the first and second rounds in the last few years have had enough time to fully develop and/or bottom out of the league, none in the last three drafts are on the list.

Counting it down from 10 to one, safety Daniel Bullocks is No. 10 on the list of the top ten Lions draft busts since 2001. He was picked 40th overall (second round) in 2006 and started seven games during his rookie season, compiling 74 tackles. Injuries kept him from playing in 2007, but he bounced back nicely with 94 tackles and 15 starts in 2008. Injuries once again prevented him from doing anything in 2009, and he is now in the UFL. Talent-wise, Bullocks isn't necessarily a bust, but his injuries kept him from being able to stay on the field. For a second-round pick, the Lions certainly could have used more than two healthy seasons out of him, but as you will find out in the coming weeks, that was a common theme for most of Matt Millen's second-round picks.

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This isn't fair

of all 32 teams we have to relive this crap too! well let the joke begin. I am suprised Bullocks made this list he wasn’t great but this is Matt FREAKIN Mi**en we are talking about. I hope Joey isn’t #1 I mean really cut the kid a break.

"Show me someone with an offseason and I'll show you someone in last place"- Ndamukong Suh ( All Pro, Pro Bowl, Pepsi Rookie of the year, AP defensive rookie of the year, Sporting news rookie of the year)

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 12:02 AM EDT reply actions

It'd be awesome to see

What the top 10 list would be if all SBNations got together to make one. I’d put money on 3 of the top 10 being Lions picks.

by Mavyrk on Apr 5, 2011 12:06 AM EDT reply actions

Charles Rogers has to be in the top 3

This is the Motor City. And this is what we do...
P.C.P ... Now with a Richer, and Bolder flavor

by JCruize on Apr 5, 2011 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

He is the top 3

is Rogers, #2 is his right collarbone, and #3 is his left collarbone.

PCP supporter since March 2011

2010 Fantay Football Champion of yahoo 20 team Pride of Detroit Fantasy league with a record of 16-0!! Thank you Arian Foster.

by Enforcer on Apr 5, 2011 2:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

WOE

Back off my fellow Saginastian there. #1 has to be Mike Williams, 2/3/4 could very well be rogers/collarbone/drug dealer.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 6, 2011 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions

I always though Bullocks had potential. Injuries are killers though.

RIP Robyn Bailey 1961 - 2010. I love you mum.

by Hyperion Ecta on Apr 5, 2011 12:14 AM EDT reply actions

Me too

Bullock showed some great flashes when he was actually healthy

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

Bullock and c rogers can’t be on this list they were injured more than they actually played!

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 9:20 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Agreed

All men are created equal. Its just that some men are more equal than others....

by CapitolLions on Apr 5, 2011 7:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!

tell me that there is a prize for say 16 right?? i will beat 9,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999 that no one gets 32 right

by det32 on Apr 5, 2011 12:15 AM EDT reply actions

All 32 answers are Mike Williams

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by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions

lol

by det32 on Apr 5, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

Because you know there is gonna be at least one VCU like player that screws everyone’s round up.

PCP supporter since March 2011

2010 Fantay Football Champion of yahoo 20 team Pride of Detroit Fantasy league with a record of 16-0!! Thank you Arian Foster.

by Enforcer on Apr 5, 2011 8:42 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

ok, who can predict Sean's top 10 Lions draft busts list?

I’ll give it a try:

10 – Daniel Bullocks
9 – Gerald Alexander
8 – Roy Williams
7 – Jordon Dizon
6 – Ernie Sims
5 – Kevin Jones
4 – Ikaika Alama-Francis
3 – Mike Williams
2 – Joey Harrington
1 – Charles Rogers

Hey that's a timeout, I can play right? yeah, get me--get the F-- Help me up...I can throw the ball if you need me to throw the ball...

by n4ry4 on Apr 5, 2011 8:09 AM EDT reply actions

Drew Stanton should be on there

sorry Stanton lovers, but a 2nd rd pick should be more than a 3rd stringer.

"The right (draft) move sometimes might be to strengthen a strength. Filling holes in the 1st round leads to grabs and busts." - Steve_Chiefs.

by JazzyBBP on Apr 5, 2011 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions

joey didnt have the heart to be a great player

Andre Ware was the lions biggest bust of all time

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 9:25 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

not sure about roy

he was pretty decent for more than a couple of years. plus he netted us Pettibeast

by brothe15 on Apr 5, 2011 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, he was the 7th overall pick in the draft

and he gave us one good year. the rest of his seasons were mediocre. I don’t expect he’ll be higher on the list though because you’re right—we did get good draft value from him.

Hey that's a timeout, I can play right? yeah, get me--get the F-- Help me up...I can throw the ball if you need me to throw the ball...

by n4ry4 on Apr 5, 2011 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

He was a dissapointment in several seasons, but overall had good production as had great trade value…

"His lateral agility is unprecedented. Reports claim he has literally been seen in two places at once."- Mav

by rames on Apr 5, 2011 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

What about shaun cody ? I feel you can’t have players on this list that has experienced success with different teams- So m williams,francis,and cody should be let off of the hook.

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 9:35 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Alexander could be boarderline in that group as well

seeing he started several seasons after us…

"His lateral agility is unprecedented. Reports claim he has literally been seen in two places at once."- Mav

by rames on Apr 5, 2011 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely not.

A bust is a bust regardless if they go on to do something with other teams. Mike Williams is forever a Lion’s bust, we drafted him with an expectation and it isn’t like he didn’t fit the scheme of our team, he literally ATE himself out of the league.

by Mavyrk on Apr 5, 2011 1:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Smelly

Mike Williams STILL HAS NOT DONE SHIT! other than play 1 year in Seattle and this is after being a bust here as well as in Oakland.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 6, 2011 1:42 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think Ernie should be on there at all.

1- Matt Mi**en..i’m right you know

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Boss Bailey has to be there. He was the 34th pick overall.

This is the Motor City. And this is what we do...
P.C.P ... Now with a Richer, and Bolder flavor

by JCruize on Apr 5, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

N4 NO WAY is Charlie the #1

Not when we drafted a TE named Mike Williams after he sat out a year and came out and couldn’t catch shit! At least Charlie gave us a couple of spectacular TD catches in the endzone his first game! Gerald Alexander a second round pick in 07 or Alama Francis also a 2nd round pick in 07. Kalimba edwards or Andre Goodman in 02.And be damn happy this is only going back to 2001 cause in 2000 we had Stockard McDougle and Barret Green!

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 6, 2011 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions

The reason I picked Rogers over Williams

Even though they both basically did nothing for us (Rogers averaged 12 catches and 1.33 TD’s per season for three years with us, while Williams averaged 18 catches and 1 TD per season for two years with us), it came down to draft position.

Charles Rogers was the second-overall pick, and picked one pick ahead of Andre Johnson just to rub salt in the wound.

Mike Williams was the tenth-overall pick, and the third wide receiver taken.

But you can make a case for either, I suppose.

Hey that's a timeout, I can play right? yeah, get me--get the F-- Help me up...I can throw the ball if you need me to throw the ball...

by n4ry4 on Apr 6, 2011 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Thought Johnson was drafted before Charlie!

Damn it now I have to go google some old drafts just to see.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 6, 2011 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

I really hate the BUST label and think it should be reserved for guys in the top half of the draft.

Guys in the second round have been passed over by virtually every team in the NFL at least once, so I am not sure why people should expect to get a star player from the second round.
The success rate of players in the first round is probably under 50%. Depending on how you define success.

Busts for the Lions are guys like Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, Ernie Sims, Joey Harrington. Four in one decade is bad enough.

FUN FACT: One bust usually leads to another.

"I read one article, I said, 'This guy doesn't know what he's talking about,' " Mayhew said. "Then I read another one, and I thought, 'Wait a minute, they're all saying the same thing.' -Martin Mayhew 2011 regarding Draft Gurus.

by NorthLeft12 on Apr 5, 2011 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

cmon north

Rogers never played enuff how do you consider him a bust ? M. Williams never had the coaching staff in place for him to excel ! Willliams was the deadhawks top receiver last season so how do you consider him a bust?

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 9:41 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

sims and joey should be on the list but a player who has suffered an injury at no fault of their own should automatically be discarded off of the bust list.

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 9:48 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

!!!!!!??????!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Rogers busted every way but Sunday. Lazy, injury prone, and never caught a pass over ten yards. Did not help that he had Joey throwing to him.

MikeW almost the same. Overweight, slow, lazy, and crappy. I don’t care if he is finally good for someone else five years later. He sucked for us. BUST!

by NorthLeft12 on Apr 5, 2011 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions

whatever dude so i guess stafford is a bust then 2

+1000

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 12:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

If he does not play another game for us, YES A BUST!

But he is still with us and I look forward to him justifying his Number One selection.

by NorthLeft12 on Apr 5, 2011 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Lefty

Rogers first HOME game his Rookie year, I was there in Ford Field watching him catch 2 diving TD’s 1 he was turned sideways going into the endzone, Charlie was going to be a damn fine WR until he had that damn injury! Williams would have been a good WR if he had not eatten his way to the TE position.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 6, 2011 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions

M Williams is a bust

because he was overweight, had poor work ethic, and couldn’t produce on the field because of it. It’s not like he left Detroit and was instantly great. He had to go through the mud for a while before he learned his lesson and decided he was going to be an NFL player…definition of bust in my book

"His lateral agility is unprecedented. Reports claim he has literally been seen in two places at once."- Mav

by rames on Apr 5, 2011 10:41 AM EDT reply actions

Mike is the defintion of bust

Like Ryan Leaf and Jamarcus Russell they where the lone reason it never worked. Mikes problems had nothing to do with the coaching staff or the QB it was his piss poor work ethic and immaturity.

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions

u r a bust

So what he had a few issues coming into the league and playing for Al Davis didn’t help his case any. He has turned his career around and I give him much respect for that. We all make mistakes bro and he overcame that so the label as a bust is just not fair. I could see if he’s out the league but he is not.

by smelllyfingers on Apr 5, 2011 12:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Aside from the chidish reply

He is a bust. Hey props to him for turning his career around after HE threw it away. As a draft choice in the 1st round for the the Detroit Lions he is one of the biggest bust we ever took. Don’t use the Raiders as an excuse. He played for Jeff fisher too and failed there as well. They guy couldn’t hack in the league.

He finished his rookie season with 29 receptions for 350 yards and 1 touchdown while playing in 14 games with four starts.

In 2006, Williams was on the inactive list for both of the Lions’ first two games. He played in just eight games in the 2006 season, and made eight catches for 99 yards and one touchdown. During the Lions’ Week 15 loss at Green Bay, Williams led the Lions in receiving yards after catching three passes for 42 yards. Williams caught two more passes in a Week 16 loss to Chicago, but posted several drops as well, and was unable to secure a potential game-winning touchdown pass thrown by Jon Kitna as time expired. During the Lions’ Week 17 win on the road in Dallas, Williams caught two passes for 28 yards, including a fourth quarter 21-yard touchdown pass.

Williams was traded along with Josh McCown to the Oakland Raiders during the first day of the 2007 NFL Draft in exchange for a 2007 fourth-round pick which the Lions used to select A.J. Davis. In Oakland, Williams reunited with his former college positions coach Lane Kiffin.

How is that not a bust? Just because he is playing now 5 years later at a slightly above average level dosen’t clear him from being a bust with the Detroit Lions.

On October 28, 2007 in a road game against the Tennessee Titans, Raiders quarterback Daunte Culpepper threw a pass to Williams which, if caught, would have given the Raiders the first down and brought them into the red zone. Instead, Williams dropped the football and the Raiders lost possession, on a turnover on downs, and lost the game because the Titans maintained possession for the remaining time on the clock. Williams’ error turned out to be his last play with Oakland as the Raiders released him a few days afterward

Williams signed with the Tennessee Titans on November 22, 2007, reuniting him with former USC running back LenDale White and his former offensive coordinator from USC, Norm Chow. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Williams weighed 271 pounds at the time of the signing, unusually high for a wide receiver, where most position players are less than 230 pounds. Williams team mates nicknamed him Cookie dough and had a propensity to eat Pillsbury cookie dough right out of the package. Williams has had weight issues throughout his career, and some schools recruited him as a tight end out of high school. He was inactive for his first game with the team. Williams lost 30 pounds in the off-season by boxing, playing basketball, and doing pilates. He reported to organized team activities in May 2008 at 240 pounds. On July 31, the Titans released Williams

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by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

^ should have been at the end v

How is that not a bust? Just because he is playing now 5 years later at a slightly above average level dosen’t clear him from being a bust with the Detroit Lions.

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Apr 5, 2011 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

BUT PROFILER

He was the best WR on a team that was not even .500 and (snivel snivel) they went to the playoffs because of him and they beat the Saints. Can you smell what the ROCK IS COOKING! I know Williams can it was Cookies!

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 6, 2011 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Bulluks Aint A Bust

In my opinion he wasn’t a bust. Contributed good in 2 seasons and could be a backup somewhere else in the league. Stanton was also a second round pick and he should be here instead.

by Detroitnr1 on Apr 5, 2011 1:09 PM EDT reply actions