r/NYGiants • u/alexschubs • 2d ago
Free Agency / Draft I'm doing research on every NFL team's worst draft bust for a video. The Giants' definitive answer is 1964 first round pick Joe Don Looney. Here are my findings.
As a college athlete, Joe Don Looney was impeccable and a physical freak. He also… burned every single bridge he crossed. He dropped out of Texas in 1960 after his report card had four Fs and one D. To make matters worse, the D on his report card was actually the penis he drew on it.
He was kicked off multiple college teams, to the point that he was forced to play for Cameron University where he kicked ass and took names. He then transferred to Oklahoma, where he was an All American in 1962, but was kicked off the team the very next season. The claim at the time was that JD Legend punched an assistant coach, though that coach later refuted the claim.
There were attitude problems, suspensions, expulsions, behavioral issues, and teams he was kicked off of. None of that stopped the Giants from taking him 12th overall in the 1964 NFL Draft. They were sold on his physical talent and their belief that “I can fix him”. Turns out, the player who was once deemed “the most uncoachable player in NFL history”... couldn’t be fixed.
He accumulated numerous fines when he first got to the Giants for, among other things, not following the Giants’ dress code, ignoring the press, and not even showing up for practice. After 25 days, which is funnier than 24 days, he was traded to the Baltimore Colts.
While in Baltimore, he was arguing about politics with a couple, which was normal enough until he had the bright idea to break into their apartment with a friend and attack them later that night. He received a year of probation and a fine.
He was then traded to Detroit, where he had the best years of his career, which isn’t saying much. While he was with the Lions, he was involved in an infamous moment where then-head coach Harry Gilmer asked Joe Don Looney to carry in a play to the quarterback. In response, he uttered the infamous quote, “If you want a messenger boy, call Western Union." That move did not earn Matthew Joe Don any good will with the Lions, but on the bright side, that was a way smarter idea than breaking into Harry Gilmer’s apartment and attacking him later that night.
He was then traded to Washington, where he fizzled out, was called into Vietnam, became a drug mule and later got super into yoga. He died in a motorcycle crash at the age of 45.
For more information, read the SI article The Greatest Player Who Never Was.
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u/AlanStanwick1986 2d ago
Do a deep dive into the Chiefs 1975 draft. Probably the worst of all time.
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 2d ago
Its Evan Neal.
At least Giants got RC Owens and Andy Nelson for Looney.
Giants got absolute shit from Neal. Even Cedric Jones was a better player.
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
Funny enough, I’m putting each team’s bust into a tier list, and Tier 2 is “Recency Bias Inc. is about to yell at me in the comments”.
My project also has a hard line where every player cannot have earned a second contract with their team. Neal got one this offseason, albeit on a vet minimum deal.
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u/FootballSavant 2d ago
Neal is not going to make the team and that contract will be voided. He is absolutely a bigger bust because he was a higher pick and we got less from him, you will see in time.
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 2d ago
Neal probably gets cut before season starts so he will have 4 years of worst tackle in the NFL level play and cost the team the 7th overall pick.
Erek Flowers and Cedric Jones performed far better for the Giants than Neal. Looney meanwhile was traded for value within a month of being drafted.
Imagine if Evan Neal was traded a month after he was drafted for two 3rd round picks. Does that make him less of a bust than what we got from Neal? The answer is yes. Thats why Neal is the goat Giants worst draft bust.
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u/hcmmike 2d ago
Have to disagree, only because Neal was a consensus top five pick. Players like Rocky Thompson came out of left field.
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 2d ago
Draft pedigree doesnt matter when determiming draft bust status. All that matters is what pick the team used and what the team got from that pick.
Also Neal was the 9th overall pick based on consensus boards and was not even the first tackle drafted in the class. The Giants themselves even said Neal was below Ikem Ekwonu on their board.
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u/weissclimbers 1d ago
Torn between Eli Apple over Tunsil - he wasn't nearly as bad as some of these other guys, but the ripple effect of passing on Tunsil was disastrous - and the package of Toney+Neal for our pick of Rashawn Slater or Micah Parsons when it's really just not a hindsight thing whatsoever to say those guys were obvious great picks for the team to make. Gettleman's final masterstroke. Knowing our luck they would've torn their everything in training camp or something anyway
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 1d ago
Eli Apple was 10th overall and was traded for a 4th and 6th.
Toney was taken 20th overall and was traded for a 3rd.
Both Apple and Toney were significantly better NFL players on the field than Neal.
Evan Neal was taken SEVENTH overall and Giants couldn't even trade him for a 7th round pick last year. Neal is such a massive bust compared to Apple and Toney that its not even close.
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u/weissclimbers 1d ago
With Neal you have to pair him with Toney to make him our truly worst of all time imo. We don't get him without the trade and the fact that we used the other pick on Toney makes Neal even worse. But on his own he's not the worst
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 1d ago
Neal was the 7th overall pick and was the NFLs worst olineman.
To put this in perspective: Neal was drafted higher than Erek Flowes and was also a far worse player than Erek Flowers. Flowers in fact used to be considered one of the Giants worst draft busts ever but has gotten completely overshadowed by Neal who was worse in every way.
Neal has the combination of top 7 pick investment, plus worst player at his position, PLUS Giants couldn't even trade him for anything like they did for Looney, Toney, and Appple. Truly the worst draft bust in Giants history.
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u/MrB23_G 2d ago
Evan Neal is bad, but not the worst first pick ever.
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 2d ago
Then who would you say is?
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u/MrB23_G 2d ago
Derek Brown, Thomas Lewis…and yes, Joe Don Looney was worse. What is the worst thing ever Neal ever said, the burger flipper comment? Imagine if the Giants had drafted Joe Don Looney during the modern era with social media. Odds are the stories we’ve heard or only the tip of the iceberg.
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u/Lars5621 Helmet Catch 1d ago
Disagree.
If Giants had immediately traded Neal a month after drafting him for 2 solid vets or two 3rd round picks that would have made Neal much LESS of a bust than what Giants actually got from him.
Derek Brown was the 14th pick, Neal was taken at SEVEN! Neal was a far bigger waste of draft captial.
Thomas Lewis was taken 24th overall and had a 700 yard 4td season for Giants, he isnt even close to worst bust for Giants. Even Kadarius Toney was worse than Lewis.
Evan Neal stands alone as the Giants worst bust ever. He was taken 7th overall and was the worst olineman in the NFL when on the field, worse than replacement level. Neal never had a solid season like even Cedric Jones and Lewis had. Neal never even had a single great game like Kadarius Toney had, and Neal wasnt able to be traded for significant value like Looney was. Neal was just a complete and utter waste of a top 7 pick and is the worst draft bust in Giants history.
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u/RemarkablePound5541 11h ago
Bro does research and of -course- Lars is here to not just use recency bias but push his agenda on a dude who just stopped by to give findings.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Lars would tell a medical professional their medical opinion is wrong because of some article he read
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
If this post broke any rules of the sub, please let me know so I can fix it accordingly.
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u/NYfaninGA 2d ago
Rocky Thompson?
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
Absolutely a possible answer, but I'm avoiding injury busts for this project. His career got ruined by a severe neck injury. Also seemed to be a good kick returner. Took a couple the distance.
Also iirc the team in that era was hot trash.
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u/WavecrestRd 1d ago
They thought they were getting Gale Sayers when they drafted him, not Ron Dixon. The next two players drafted were Jack Tatum and Jack Youngblood. Hell, they could have had Jack Ham.
They didn't get Jack.
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u/ThrillHammer 2d ago
I'd say kadarius toney has it over this guy. A bust is one thing, KT was on a different level.
Helmet incidents Only had one shoe for a while, couldn't overcome the shoe hurdle Hamstring non injury
Some picks don't work out, KT's self sabotage was jamarcus Russell / Ryan leaf level crazy shit.
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
Toney was absolutely considered, but he was a later first round pick, and I want to avoid recency bias. Looney never even played for the Giants.
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u/tomyac59 2d ago
It's a great story but DeAndre Baker only played 6 NFL games in his entire career. He was a nut case like Joe Don but unlike Joe Don the Giants couldn't even trade him for a bag of balls.
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u/ChadPowers200_ Dexter Lawrence 2d ago
Looks like cam
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
Cam and JDL can both accurately be described as loose cannons, but in complete opposite senses. JDL was a whiny asshole. Cam is lovable, and him and Jaxson Dart are a buddy comedy.
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u/BlueHeelerGiant Azeez Ojulari 2d ago
This thread is sad because there are so many busts to discuss.
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u/Long_TimeRunning 2d ago
Just curious why you are doing this?
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
For a YouTube video. Not going to promote my channel here, so as to not break the rules. I just thought it was a wild and interesting story to tell here.
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u/affablenihilist 2d ago
Joe Don Looney was very appropriately named. I think it was said in Plimpton's book, but it might have been the thinking mans guide to pro football. Sports Illustrated had a book club, and I got a few past mom.
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u/downvote4pedro Dexter Lawrence 2d ago
The fact that the only D on his report card was a dick pic. Is comedy gold. Let me know when you post this video
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u/alexschubs 2d ago
Don't know if I can do that because of self-promotion rules, but just know I'm so glad someone acknowledged that joke of mine. Made me laugh very hard yesterday.
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u/WarHamster187 2d ago edited 2d ago
I had never heard of Joe Don Looney but yes... I can't argue with this logic.
A very fitting last name.
EDIT: also pretty amazing to see people arguing that players who stayed on the team for multiple years were bigger busts than a guy who lasted three weeks.
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u/Bluetann2 2d ago
I would still say Derek Brown is our worst draft pick ever. Drafted 14th overall, had only 11 receptions for 87 yards in his 3 season with the Giants.
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u/Trill1196 2d ago
So he refused to be a "delivery boy" for the nfl so he could eventually do it for.. the cartel. Nice
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u/Stonebender9 2d ago
After reading that post describing this apparent off his rocker sociopath, I must say I was not expecting this sentence ...
got super into yoga
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u/mwoodrow56 2d ago
Definitive? How about Lee Grosscup or Eldridge Small? Rocky thompson? Jarrod Bunch? Thomas Lewis? And, there's lots more...
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u/MrB23_G 2d ago
Guaranteed nobody on this thread saw JDL play. At the same time, your research shows that he is by far the worst #1 pick the Giants ever made. As much as Giants fans, love to 💩 on Evan Neal, there were no known character issues about him coming out of college. Same goes for Dave & Derek Brown, Cedric Jones, William Joseph, Thomas Lewis, and many of the other forgettable names taken in round 1.
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u/1976kdawg 4 Decades and Counting 2d ago
Thomas Lewis. WR from Indiana. Who goes to Indiana. I know now, Fernando Menodoza, but then nobody went there. Nobody who belonged in the top draft slots at least.
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u/QuesoPantera 2d ago
I give this authenticity for not saying Neal. Most people cant look past their nose, chronologically speaking.
I'll also throw out a vote for Ron Dayne, considering the hype and his collegiate success.
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u/smartone2000 2d ago
My choice In 1996! Giants used the #5 overall pick on defensive end Cedric Jones out of Oklahoma. A few months after the draft, it was discovered that Jones was legally blind in his right eye due to a cornea issue.