New York Jets: The ten plagues of the NFL Draft part I

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Jamal Adams (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Jamal Adams (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Kyle Brady

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This was not a great day in Jets history. In 1995, the draft was still being held at Radio City Music Hall, so naturally a lot of fans of the two local teams showed up. Jets Nation was represented by a large faction of the crowd. They knew that the Jets were picking ninth in the first round and had a chance at a big time player. The crowd was fired up to see their team pick that player.

The player they wanted was Warren Sapp. The Jets needed an impact pass rusher, which sounds very familiar. It was pretty safe at the time that he would be on the board at their turn. Coming out of Miami University he was a dominant player. Everyone dressed in green was ready to hear commissioner Paul Tagliabue announce his name with the ninth pick.

They were chanting, “We want Sapp!” However, they were disappointed when the team selected Kyle Brady, the tight end out of Penn State. He never produced more than 30 receptions, 315 yards and five touchdowns. This is hardly the career of someone who warranted a top-ten selection. Everyone knows how good Sapp became, and that the Jets still don’t have an edge rusher, with an interruption from John Abraham a few years later.

A day that will live in infamy.