The 2005 NFL Draft is evidence in Cincinnati that what can go wrong, does go wrong

Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole writes that "only three first-round picks from the 2005 NFL draft have signed contract extensions with their initial franchise so far." The 2005 NFL Draft, James Walker writes, that "the top of this draft class was probably the worst of this decade. The best players turned out to be linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Shawne Merriman and neither went in the top 10." Some of the names in that first round include Alex Smith, Adam Jones, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams.

Of course we know the story about the 2005 NFL Draft from the Bengals perspective. Several players were a big part of the Bengals 2005 playoff run. Odell Thurman was one of the finalists for rookie of the year. David Pollack and Chris Henry figured to be a big part of the team's future. Tab Perry started out as a decent return man and that was the year Jonathan Fanene was drafted in the seventh round. Pollack's career ended in 2006 and Thurman hasn't played a snap since his rookie campaign. Henry's story is well known. Adam Kieft was injured all of the time and never played and Eric Ghiaciuc was, well, Eric Ghiaciuc. Tab Perry was hurt in the same game that Pollack was injured and never returned to form. Of all the players drafted in 2005, only Fanene received a contract extension (note: Henry was cut and then re-signed to a minimum two-year deal).

When 2005 was winding down, I thought to myself that this could be the defining draft in the Marvin Lewis era. Two great linebackers. A talented wide receiver that caused fits against third-string cornerbacks and safeties. Instead, as it seems to happen in Cincinnati, what can go wrong, does go wrong.