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Top 5 Worst Draft Picks- Philadelphia Eagles
These guys were brought in to help the team win, but couldn't accomplish anything on the field. Today I rank the top five worst draft picks by the Philadelphia Eagles.
5. Freddie Mitchell
He's remembered for one exciting play, but his career as a whole was a waste.
As a redshirt junior at UCLA, Freddie Mitchell was a consensus All-American and first team All-PAC 10. He also was the MVP of the 2000 Sun Bowl when he set the Sun Bowl record with a 180 receiving yards.
Mitchell was selected 25th overall in 2001. Aside from catching the 4th and 26 pass in the 2003 divisional playoff game, Mitchell's career was a disappointment. He never a accounted for more than 500 yards receiving in any of his four years in Philly and only had five touchdowns during that time. He also made the mistake of calling the Patriots secondary a group of nobodies prior to Super Bowl XXXIX.
4. Jon Harris
His size didn't equal production.
At Virginia, Jon Harris was a larger than life defensive end for the Cavaliers.
Harris was selected 25th overall in 1997. The fact is Philadelphia took a big gamble on a player that should have been a mid round pick. Harris' inexperience was evident and only started eight games in two years. After only recording two sacks as an Eagle, he was traded to Green Bay but never played a snap. The Eagles could have gone with Trevor Pryce who played 15 seasons and was a four time pro bowler and two time Super Bowl champion.
3. Kevin Allen
His off the field issues cost him a promising career.
At Indiana, Kevin Allen was built like the ideal left tackle.
Allen was selected ninth overall in 1985. His career got off to a rocky start when a contract dispute kept him out of most of training camp. His first start came against Lawrence Taylor and the Giants, a game in which New York compiled eight sacks. By midseason, Allen was relegated to special teams. The next year, he reported to training camp testing positive for cocaine and was released. A week after being cut, he was charged with rape and spent the next three years in prison. He was banned from the league for life soon afterward.
2. Jerome McDougle
He was the team's biggest disappointment of the past decade.
At Miami, Jerome McDougle was a standout defensive player. Among his accomplishments, he helped lead the U to its 12-0 National Championship season in 2001.
McDougle was selected 15th overall in 2003. The problem was injuries limited McDougle to 33 games in his five years in Philadelphia and only recorded three sacks. He dealt with everything from ankle, knee, and hip injuries, to an irregular heartbeat, rib fractures, and getting shot in the abdomen by an armed robber. Considering the level of defensive talent in the draft class including Kevin Williams, Terrell Suggs, Troy Polumalu, and Nnamdi Asomugha, this is as bad of a choice as it gets in retrospect.
1. Mike Mamula
He was a workout warrior who could register on field success.
As a junior at Boston College, Mike Mamula had 84 tackles and 11 sacks as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 defense for the Eagles. He senior year they switched to a 4-3 defense and Mamula was a right defensive end. From that position he had 73 tackles and 13 sacks. He was one of the first athletes to specially prepare for the NFL Combine drills and his performance paid off.
Mamula was selected seventh overall in 1995. He went on to have an average six year career before injuries forced him to retire. In 64 starts, he had 31.5 sacks and 209 tackles. So why is he number one? When you consider what Philadelphia had to give up in order to draft Mamula, it definitely wasn't worth it. Especially when you think that the picks Philadelphia gave to Tampa Bay in order to traded up ended up being future Hall of Famers Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks.