49ers Top 10 NFL Draft Busts: No. 10 - Dana Hall, Free Safety

by David Fucillo on Apr 4, 2011 1:00 PM PDT in 49ers Year-by-Year

As we approach the 2011 NFL Draft, it's always fun (and often depressing) to look back at the 49ers draft history. SB Nation and Bud Light are teaming up to promote a draft prediction contest (more info on that after the jump) and as part of it I'll be running down the Top 10 Draft Busts and Top 10 Draft Successes since 1990. We'll be running these posts Monday through Friday between now and day two of the NFL Draft. We'll start with the busts and then go through the successes.

Today we're starting at number ten with former 49ers free safety Dana Hall. The 49ers selected Hall out of the University of Washington in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft, 18th overall. Our man smileyman put together a nice little "Where Are They Now?" rundown on Hall that looked at his brief 49ers career. Hall was drafted to be the free safety of the future after Ronnie Lott, but instead he is more known for getting injured and opening the door for Merton Hanks to fill that role. It's safe to say you might see more about Merton Hanks in the coming weeks in this series.

Although Hall was a first round pick, he only signed a three year contract with the 49ers and it was a quickly deteriorating time for him. He started 15 games his rookie season, 7 his second season, and 4 his third season, as he was quickly relegated primarily to special teams by the end. In his limited time with the team he recorded four interceptions and one sack.

As we move forward with this list in the coming days, I focused entirely on first round picks. Second and third round picks can bust out a bit, but first rounders are the ones that can most fairly be qualified as "busts." I'll be honest up front and tell you that Alex Smith is not on this list. The reason I haven't included him is because I still don't know what to qualify him as when it comes to bust status. He was the number one overall pick and has flamed out. However, I chose to NOT include him on our list because the book is not completely written on him with the 49ers. It's such a hard chapter to figure out that I just don't want to write it quite yet. Throw in the fact that expectations were all over the place when he was drafted and he's not quite the pure bust of others.

You can view it as my own ridiculous personal preference. I honestly just wasn't sure how best to consider him in the grand scheme of things so I'm just leaving him off entirely for now.

Are You Smarter Than The Experts?
Correctly predict the first 32 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and you’ll win $10,000,000!
BEST ROUND EVER IN PRIMETIME
Enter at facebook.com/BudLight
Here We Go

Enjoy Responsibly ©2011 Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Bud Light® Beer, St. Louis, MO. ©2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. No Purchase Necessary. Contest open to U.S. residents (except CA) 21+. Contest begins 12AM CDT on 4/1 and ends 5:59:59PM CDT on 4/28. See Official Rules for complete details. Void where prohibited.

Tweet Comment 20 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

first!

Leaving off Alex Smith from this list makes the list meaningless. Alex Smith is already the most expensive draft bust not only in 49er history — he has been ranked as the 29th biggest draft bust in NFL history, behind the likes of Ryan Leaf and Todd Marinovich.

It doesn’t matter what he does from here, or for what team. He has lost the 49ers so many games in six years, thrown so many bad passes, made so many bad decisions, has so many interceptions, and doomed so many coaches to failure, leaving him off this list makes no sense whatsoever.

by Since79 on Apr 4, 2011 1:27 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Smith

At this point I’d rather reserve judgment for after he leaves the 49ers. Consider it holding out for whatever.

by David Fucillo on Apr 4, 2011 1:54 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

not living up to expectations doesn't make a player a bust

Smith has started in 50 games and played in 54 over the past six years, missing around 30 games due to injury, and has viable free agent options if he isn’t signed as a 49er. He didn’t live up to his unreasonably high expecations as the #1 pick, but he’ll likely be some team’s average #1 QB or a solid #2, which is a reasonable career in the NFL.

Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russel were out of the league in 3-4 years and Jim Drunkenmiller, the biggest 49er QB draft bust since 1990, didn’t even last two seasons.

Rashon Woods, Kwame Harris, Mike Rumph now those are draft busts.

by reedkrase on Apr 4, 2011 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Agreed

I would consider Alex more of a disappointment rather than a bust. Ryan Leaf was a bust, Akili Smith was a bust, JaMarcus Russell was a bust, DHB is (going to be) a bust.

Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel. - Yogi Berra

by SoCal As Fan on Apr 4, 2011 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

Great comment sir.

"Blackmail is such an ugly word. I prefer "extortion." The "X" makes it sound cool." - Bender Bending Rodriguez

Eleanor Rigby - "Greatest Song" or "The Greatest Song"?

by jbrown63 on Apr 4, 2011 4:26 PM PDT up reply actions

reserve judgement for after the list is even finished. This is about Dana Hall, not Alex Smith. If this thread turns into another Smith bashing/excusing thread I will just hide this comment. After the list is finished and Alex is not mentioned then please feel free to let ’er rip. Please do not take this as me pointing at you in particular, its just that you gave warring nations weapons

by mcwagner on Apr 4, 2011 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions

How many Danas can the 49ers have?

Dana Hall, Dana Stubblefield, Dana Mclemore before that. Do we have the record?

by mcwagner on Apr 4, 2011 2:35 PM PDT reply actions

I did like Stubblefield though!

Even though Hall will never make the Hall.

Jay Cruise
Chuck Norris Gym Zeolit Arthritis Remedies

by wellnesscoach on Apr 4, 2011 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions

There’s no way Dana Hall can be considered a bust with skills like these.

I have powers that you cannot begin to imagine.

by LondonNiner on Apr 4, 2011 2:49 PM PDT reply actions

*Drummer glares in envy

by mcwagner on Apr 4, 2011 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Anyone remember Reggie McGrew?

People really need to get some perspective. Alex Smith has started something like 50 games and has been a middle of the pack starting QB for the past 2 years. Just because he isn’t a franchise QB as a #1 pick doesn’t make him a bust. It makes him a huge disappointment but not a bust.

Rumph is questionable. He started some games but he wasn’t very good and was quickly out of the league. Kwame Harris started quite a number of games too. He’s at best an average to below average Journeyman lineman. But is he a bust or just a big disappointment? I’d say Kentwan Balmer is a bigger bust for the Niners than Kwame “turnstile” Harris. So was Jim Drunkenmiller. What about Todd Kelly?

by allforfunnplay on Apr 4, 2011 3:14 PM PDT reply actions

This is why Fooch can't write the chapter on Alex Smith yet

Described as middle of the pack starting QB …

by bignerd on Apr 4, 2011 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions

What about Rashaun Woods

So much for being a suitable replacement when TO left

by Justin Heim on Apr 5, 2011 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions

just number 10

i guess we have to see 1-9 to see if smith really doesn’t belong on the list. i’m curious about stokes too. i just think you need to factor in expectations when ranking these guys, bc it’s not just about what you do on the field, if you hung around the league for a few years more than others, it’s about inspiring fans to buy tickets, jerseys, and bobble-heads.

imho, that much money, #1 overall, and local hero, sb winner in the same draft, and goes to the packers instead… i’m sooo bitter, he get’s his own frickin list.

by whanson on Apr 4, 2011 4:21 PM PDT reply actions

Alex Smith is 1-9 on the list

by bignerd on Apr 4, 2011 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions

lol

like i said, he’s own frickin list…

speaking of related lists… do a top ten cringe factor list. that just the slightest mention of a player’s name gets to you. i bet he makes that one, probably second to that addict walsh picked up.

by whanson on Apr 4, 2011 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions