patmoran2006
06-07-2010, 08:25 AM
(We’re counting down our list of the best 20 Buffalo Bills draft picks of all-time. Take note- this is not a rundown of the best 20 players. Where the player was drafted is often a major factor in determining his value and ranking. Today is No. 13 our list, Charles Romes)
Charles Romes, CB (12<SUP>th</SUP> Round Pick, 309<SUP>th</SUP> overall in 1977 NFL draft)
In order to appease the naysayers, let’s get this out of the way before proceeding. Arguably for the first time in this series, it’s time to reemphasize this being a series counting down the best 20 draft picks in Buffalo Bills history, not the best 20 players ever drafted by the team.
What’s the disparity between the two? Simple, we’re putting a high significance on the value of the pick (with a few unavoidable exceptions).
Is Charles Romes one of the 20 best players in team history? Absolutely not. In fact he’s not even that close. Had he been an early round selection, there’s no way he’d make the cut. There are at least a handful of Bills corners that’ve had more talent (Nate Clements, Antoine Winfield) and numbers than Romes; but they were drafted in the first round.
Romes went in the twelfth round.
In 1977 the team selected 11 players before finally settling on Romes with the 309<SUP>th</SUP> overall pick. Despite his exceptionally low pedigree and draft status, Romes would go on to play with the Bills for a decade, starting in 137 of 156 games. He had 28 interceptions during his Buffalo career—fourth-most in team history.
As a whole, the Bills 1977 draft class goes down as one of the worst in history. Defensive tackle Phil Dokes was taken with the 12<SUP>th</SUP> overall pick. He’d go on to play all of two seasons, rarely see the field and (literally) accumulate no statistics worth reporting.
Other forgettable picks from the class include Curtis Brown, John Kimbrough, Jimmy Dean, Fred Besana, Neil O’Donhoghue, Ron Pruit, Mike Nelms, Greg Morton and Nate Jackson.
Even the most ardent of Bills fans will have a hard time remembering that collection, with the possible exception of Brown. He managed to total 2,171 yards and nine touchdowns in a six-year career.
Romes was by far the biggest contributor of his class, though you’d be hard-press to have heard of the North Carolina Central grad before he put on a Bills uniform.
He also became one of the era’s more popular players.
One reason is he helped key the Bills lone playoff win for a span that covered 18 years. On the opening kickoff against the New York Jets in a 1981 AFC wild-card game, Romes picked up a fumble and scampered 26 yards for a touchdown on the game’s first play.
Buffalo would go on to win the game, 31-27. It was their first postseason victory since becoming a part of the NFL merger in 1970, and the last the team would enjoy until seven years later in 1988.
One of the few players in the league ever born in France, Romes would team with Mario Clark to form a solid cornerback trio for more than six years.
The first interception of his career in 1978 was perhaps his most memorable, also against the New York Jets; taking back a Richard Todd pass 85 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest return in the league that season.
Romes’ best years statistically would come in his last three years with the team. From 1984-86 he’d have 16 interceptions, including seven in ’85, good for fourth in the NFL.
But for all the longevity and production Romes gave the Bills for 10 years, some older Bills fans may most remember him for the play he didn’t make. Facing the San Diego Chargers in a 1980 wild card game, the Bills were winning on the road, 14-13 with less than three minutes remaining. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts threw an ill-timed pass near midfield that Romes had an opportunity to intercept. He failed to keep the ball in his possession and on the very next play Fouts hit Ron Smith for a 50-yard game-winning score.
Romes would leave the Bills following the 1986 season. The team had already drafted Derrick Burroughs in the first round of the ’85 draft and would take Nate Odomes in the first round of 1987, so clearly the writing was on the wall. He’d play five games with the Chargers in ‘87 before getting released and unsuccessfully trying to catch on with Seattle.
The good far outweighed the bad when it came to Romes, especially considering how few draft picks from the 12<SUP>th</SUP> round pan out into reliable starters. Based on how many players were taken ahead of him and how much he gave the Bills for their investment, Romes sits comfortably on our list.
Previously: #20 Joe Cribbs (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/05/top-20-all-time-bills-draft-picks-joe-cribbs-20/), #19 Jeff Nixon, (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/05/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-jeff-nixon-19/) #18 Bob Chandler (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/05/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-bob-chandler-18/), #17 Nate Odomes (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-nate-odomes-17/) , #16 Fred Smerlas (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-fred-smerlas-16/), #15 Aaron Schobel (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-aaron-schobel-15/), #14 Joe Ferguson (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-joe-ferguson-14/)
Charles Romes, CB (12<SUP>th</SUP> Round Pick, 309<SUP>th</SUP> overall in 1977 NFL draft)
In order to appease the naysayers, let’s get this out of the way before proceeding. Arguably for the first time in this series, it’s time to reemphasize this being a series counting down the best 20 draft picks in Buffalo Bills history, not the best 20 players ever drafted by the team.
What’s the disparity between the two? Simple, we’re putting a high significance on the value of the pick (with a few unavoidable exceptions).
Is Charles Romes one of the 20 best players in team history? Absolutely not. In fact he’s not even that close. Had he been an early round selection, there’s no way he’d make the cut. There are at least a handful of Bills corners that’ve had more talent (Nate Clements, Antoine Winfield) and numbers than Romes; but they were drafted in the first round.
Romes went in the twelfth round.
In 1977 the team selected 11 players before finally settling on Romes with the 309<SUP>th</SUP> overall pick. Despite his exceptionally low pedigree and draft status, Romes would go on to play with the Bills for a decade, starting in 137 of 156 games. He had 28 interceptions during his Buffalo career—fourth-most in team history.
As a whole, the Bills 1977 draft class goes down as one of the worst in history. Defensive tackle Phil Dokes was taken with the 12<SUP>th</SUP> overall pick. He’d go on to play all of two seasons, rarely see the field and (literally) accumulate no statistics worth reporting.
Other forgettable picks from the class include Curtis Brown, John Kimbrough, Jimmy Dean, Fred Besana, Neil O’Donhoghue, Ron Pruit, Mike Nelms, Greg Morton and Nate Jackson.
Even the most ardent of Bills fans will have a hard time remembering that collection, with the possible exception of Brown. He managed to total 2,171 yards and nine touchdowns in a six-year career.
Romes was by far the biggest contributor of his class, though you’d be hard-press to have heard of the North Carolina Central grad before he put on a Bills uniform.
He also became one of the era’s more popular players.
One reason is he helped key the Bills lone playoff win for a span that covered 18 years. On the opening kickoff against the New York Jets in a 1981 AFC wild-card game, Romes picked up a fumble and scampered 26 yards for a touchdown on the game’s first play.
Buffalo would go on to win the game, 31-27. It was their first postseason victory since becoming a part of the NFL merger in 1970, and the last the team would enjoy until seven years later in 1988.
One of the few players in the league ever born in France, Romes would team with Mario Clark to form a solid cornerback trio for more than six years.
The first interception of his career in 1978 was perhaps his most memorable, also against the New York Jets; taking back a Richard Todd pass 85 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest return in the league that season.
Romes’ best years statistically would come in his last three years with the team. From 1984-86 he’d have 16 interceptions, including seven in ’85, good for fourth in the NFL.
But for all the longevity and production Romes gave the Bills for 10 years, some older Bills fans may most remember him for the play he didn’t make. Facing the San Diego Chargers in a 1980 wild card game, the Bills were winning on the road, 14-13 with less than three minutes remaining. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts threw an ill-timed pass near midfield that Romes had an opportunity to intercept. He failed to keep the ball in his possession and on the very next play Fouts hit Ron Smith for a 50-yard game-winning score.
Romes would leave the Bills following the 1986 season. The team had already drafted Derrick Burroughs in the first round of the ’85 draft and would take Nate Odomes in the first round of 1987, so clearly the writing was on the wall. He’d play five games with the Chargers in ‘87 before getting released and unsuccessfully trying to catch on with Seattle.
The good far outweighed the bad when it came to Romes, especially considering how few draft picks from the 12<SUP>th</SUP> round pan out into reliable starters. Based on how many players were taken ahead of him and how much he gave the Bills for their investment, Romes sits comfortably on our list.
Previously: #20 Joe Cribbs (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/05/top-20-all-time-bills-draft-picks-joe-cribbs-20/), #19 Jeff Nixon, (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/05/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-jeff-nixon-19/) #18 Bob Chandler (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/05/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-bob-chandler-18/), #17 Nate Odomes (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-nate-odomes-17/) , #16 Fred Smerlas (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-fred-smerlas-16/), #15 Aaron Schobel (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-aaron-schobel-15/), #14 Joe Ferguson (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/2010/06/top-20-bills-all-time-draft-picks-joe-ferguson-14/)