Splitting his ten-year career evenly between the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks Cliff Avril slowly got better season by season to the point that at the end of his Lions run he was considered by some sportswriters to be a potential Pro Bowler but that was not meant to be for him in the Motor City.  Avril had an 11 Sack season in 2011 and was a half a sack away from double digits in 2012 on a team that did not win a single game.

Chris Johnson had an incredible three-year start (2008-10) in the National Football League where he was named a Pro Bowl each year and provided the Tennessee Titans with the potent running attack that every NFL team salivates for.  The former East Carolina Pirate’s best year was his sophomore campaign (2009) where he would vault into rarified air with a 2,000 Rushing Yard season, which was not only NFL leading but would also see him finish atop the leaderboard in Rushing Attempts, Rushing Yards/Game, Touches and Yards From Scrimmage. 

Carson Palmer was the 2002 Heisman Trophy winner and the USC Quarterback was considered a can’t miss prospect in the NFL.  Palmer would be drafted first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals and the organization would take their time with the pivot as they did not play him in his rookie season choosing to start him in 2004 and in 2005 he was a Pro Bowl Selection who was second in the NFL in Completions, fourth in Passing Yards and he led all Quarterbacks in Touchdown Passes while taking the Bengals to the playoffs, though he would suffer a severe injury in the playoffs.

A First Round Pick from USC, Brian Cushing would play nine seasons professionally for the Houston Texans where he would be a Pro Bowl Selection as a rookie and win the coveted Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.  That would be his highwater mark as he would suffer a suspension due to PED use, a change from Inside to Outside Linebacker and a torn ACL but Cushing still had a solid career where he played in started in 104 Games.  At the time of his retirement he was the leading tackler in Houston Texan history.