Rod Woodson’s Hall Induction Stirs Memory of Lions ‘87 Draft Blunder of (egads!) Reggie Rogers
Open Mike | by Mike O'Hara | 08.7.2009/10:55AM
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This weekend’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies adds another stab in the memory banks for Lions fans who have suffered through the team’s draft errors.
They didn’t all begin in this decade. Far from it.
When Rod Woodson takes the podium in Canton, it doesn’t take much imagination to think he could have spent the bulk of his career with the Lions, instead of beginning it in Pittsburgh.
The Lions were guilty of oversight – or plain myopia – when they made their first pick in the 1987 draft. They wanted a big defensive linemen and used the seventh pick overall to draft Reggie Rogers, a defensive end from the University of Washington.
The next three players drafted all were on defense and had careers that were longer and superior to Rogers. Linebacker Shane Conlan of Penn State went to Buffalo at No. 8.
Jerome Brown, a massive and talented defensive tackle from Miami (Fla.) went to Philadelphia at No. 9.
And at No. 10 sat one of the most versatile and talented performers in the draft – Rod Woodson, a cornerback and All-American hurdler from Purdue. The Steelers drafted Woodson.
Conlan played nine NFL seasons, the first six wit the Bills, and was voted to three Pro Bowls.
Brown started every game for five seasons and made two Pro Bowls. He was a team leader in Philly. Tragically, he was killed in an auto accident after the 1991 season.
Woodson the prize of the 1987 draft. He played 17 seasons, starting his career at cornerback for the Steelers and finishing as a safety in Oakland. He had 71 career interceptions, returning 12 for TDs.
And then there was Reggie Rogers. He played in 11 games in two seasons with the Lions and had one sack. In 1988, he was involved in a late-night accident near the Silverdome. Three young men were killed, and Rogers sustained a broken neck.
Rogers convicted of a drunk-driving offense and served time in prison. He was finished in Detroit.
He played briefly again in the NFL – four games over two seasons for Buffalo.
Rogers had size and ability. He also had problems off the field, which surfaced almost immediately in his pro career, and he lacked a strong work ethic.
By passing Conlan, Brown and Woodson was a first-round blunder in every way imaginable for the Lions, but nothing stood out more than not taking Woodson – especially when the Lions secondary was stocked with the likes of Duane Galloway, Raphael Cherry and James Griffin.
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