Robertson could never live up to his overall #4 draft selection AP Photo
Dewayne Robertson, pick #4 in the 2003 draft by the New York Jets, has the distinction of being the second bust of the 2003 draft. The first was Charles Rogers at pick #2. Dewayne a DT, who attended the University of Kentucky, skipped his senior season to enter the 2003 draft.
His legacy as a draft bust is confirmed by several non productive years with the Jets, and after one season with the Denver Broncos, Robertson is not an active NFL player. However, to be fair his career may have been cut short by coaching changes as much as his performance.
The main problem for him In New York was that he was undersized to play NT in their 3-4 defensive scheme. He also seemed to have problems consistently tying up blockers.
It is not that Robertson was totally unproductive or often injured. In fact he missed only one game in his first two years. He was just never the dominating figure, the Jets and their fans thought they were drafting. He never had more than 39 tackles in a year, and is sack numbers were equally disappointing.
The one thing he has done well is getting paid, through his first five NFL seasons he pocketed some 26 million dollars. With just two years left on his deal, the Jets had had enough, and first tired to trade him to theCincinnati Bengals.
Robertson and the Bengals could not come to terms on a contract extension, so that trade was nullified and the Jets had to trade him to the Denver Broncos for a conditional late round pick in the 2009 NFL draft. The pick could have ended up being as a high as the second round based on Robertson’s performance in Denver.
The Broncos signed him to a five year extension, but after recording just 18 tackles in 2008 he was cut by new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels. Robertson is currently out of football and since he was a top five pick, which never panned out, we must give this pick a six year grade of a F.
• 2003 Draft news and notes
• 2003 Draft Pick #1 Carson Palmer
• 2003 Draft Pick #2 Charles Rogers
• 2003 Draft Pick #3 Andre Johnson
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