What Are The Worst Draft Picks in NFL History?

[Say Hey Kid]

JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders - No. 1, 2007 - Notable players passed over: Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson
Bo Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - No. 1 overall, 1986
Tom Cousineau, Buffalo Bills - No. 1 overall, 1979
Ryan Leaf, San Diego Chargers - No. 2 overall, 1998
Akili Smith, Cincinnati Bengals - No. 3 overall, 1999
Heath Shuler, Washington Redskins - No. 3 overall, 1994
Art Schlichter, Baltimore Colts - No. 4 overall, 1982
Mike Junkin, Cleveland Browns - No. 5 overall, 1987
Vernon Gholston, New York Jets - No. 6 overall, 2008
Rich Campbell, Green Bay Packers - No. 6 overall, 1981
Reggie Rogers, Detroit Lions - No. 7 overall, 1987
Russell Erxleben, New Orleans Saints - No. 11 overall, 1979

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[What the Faulk]

How do you define worst? Worst at the time, or worst in hindsight? In hindsight, guys like Aaron Curry were *huge* busts, and no one after they changed the contract rules can really compare, since the penalty for missing was far less.

 

[Ozamataz Buckshank]

Jadaveon Clowney is looking like a pretty disastrous pick these days
Sam Bradford has been horrible for a first overall pick. At least with Jamarcus he flamed out quickly and the Raiders moved on from him, the Rams stuck with Bradford for 5 seasons before they realized he's a marginal QB and traded him.

The Carson Wentz pick is going to go down in history as a horrible move as well. Trading up to get a guy who won't be a top tier QB.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

...The Carson Wentz pick is going to go down in history as a horrible move as well. Trading up to get a guy who won't be a top tier QB.

Agreed. Half the QBs taken top 2 after 1971 have been busts. If I had the 12th and 13th picks I would have taken Tunsil and if my doctors cleared him, Jack.

 

[ChiGuySez]

Tony Mandrich, Brian Bosworth, JaMarcus Russell. Let me check the Bears drafting and anyone from Penn State.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Mandarich turned into a solid NFL player though. Ryan Leaf or JaMarcus Russell top the list for me. Bosworth was on his way to being an elite player but injuries killed his career.

 

[m9]

I'll vote for the two that jump out to me since I've been studying the draft in 1999.

2007 - Jamaal Anderson ATL #7. Overdrafted to begin with, but he was chosen over a group of guys including Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch, Darrell Revis, and Lawrence Timmins. All of those guys went in the next handful of picks.

But Akili Smith takes the cake for me. Picking the third QB at 3rd overall was always a red flag, but Akili Smith just wasn't a good pick anyway. Add to that they could have traded for the Ricky Williams package and it gets even worse. But the top-rated skill guy was Champ Bailey and they passed on him too.. along with Torry Holt and Edgerrin James. Even the next QB on the board, Dante Culpepper, would have been far better.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I'm with m9 on Akili Smith. That's one that was baffling even in that moment and made even more so by the Saints trade that eventually went down. That was a brutal misfire by the Bengals.

As a Buffalo Bills fan, I can't be in this thread and not mention Aaron Maybin. It was such a boneheaded pick at the time even before he took any snaps and proved be far more useless than anyone could imagine. Bills passed on Brian Orakpo (who was projected to go top 10 but slid) to take Maybin. Gets me riled up to this day.

 

[ChiGuySez]

Penn State running backs Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Ennis.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Ryan Leaf was such a disaster in every aspect (On the field , In lockerroom , Off the field , Post NFL Career , etc)

Its hard to argue anyone else over him

And when that draft occurred the thinking was both Colts and Chargers were landing franchise QB's... We know how that worked out for both team

 

[Shesty31]

As a Jets fan.. um where do I start? Speaking recent picks Gholston was a disaster and Milliner is looking terrible too. We seem to be much better at drafting late in the first round (Wilkerson, Mangold) vs early on for some reason.

 

[Hasbro]

As a Jets fan.. um where do I start?.

Post this video:

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

They need to update that video

Its really unfair though to Ken O'Brien there ,, He was not a bad QB and it wasn't like Marino was a sure fire QB prospect to be better

-- The Sapp part is my favorite from that video --

 

[Shesty31]

Post this video:

Seen that video before, makes me cringe everytime

 

[Gene Parmesan]

Penn State running backs Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Ennis.

Ki-Jana destroyed his knee and never recovered. Unfair to call him a bust.

Dan McGwire is another QB bust. David Klingler I considered but he was another guy whose career was ruined due to an injury. Had shoulder surgery in 1994 and he could barely throw a ball 35 yards after that.

 

[Trap Jesus]

It's easy to find picks that were bad in hindsight. There are a ton of QBs that get taken high and don't pan out because it's a very difficult position to play at the highest level.

I remember being very weary of the Troy Williamson pick when it was made. That turned out to be right. Just a straight up bad pick, both at the time and in hindsight.

Sidenote: when I was looking over the last few drafts I just realized how incredible the top half of the first round of the 2011 draft was. It seems like almost everybody was nailing their picks.

 

[ChiGuySez]

Andre Ware. Heisman winner.

 

[GKJ]

JaFailcus Russell is the guy because literally everyone knew he was going to be a huge bust and the Raiders still did the Raider thing

 

[MurrayBannerman]

It's easy to find picks that were bad in hindsight. There are a ton of QBs that get taken high and don't pan out because it's a very difficult position to play at the highest level.

I remember being very weary of the Troy Williamson pick when it was made. That turned out to be right. Just a straight up bad pick, both at the time and in hindsight.

Sidenote: when I was looking over the last few drafts I just realized how incredible the top half of the first round of the 2011 draft was. It seems like almost everybody was nailing their picks.

Troy Williamson was studly in Madden though.

 

[sigma six]

I was thinking of Dan Mcguire myself, he was pretty brutal--although at least he wasn't taken in the top ten. Makes that pill a little easier to swallow.

How do you define worst? Worst at the time, or worst in hindsight? In hindsight, guys like Aaron Curry were *huge* busts, and no one after they changed the contract rules can really compare, since the penalty for missing was far less.

The Curry pick turned out so badly I think it should be on that list either way. Just awful.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

JaFailcus Russell is the guy because literally everyone knew he was going to be a huge bust and the Raiders still did the Raider thing

Everyone not named Mel Kiper



"Skill level is John Elway like"

Ki-Jana destroyed his knee and never recovered. Unfair to call him a bust.

Dan McGwire is another QB bust. David Klingler I considered but he was another guy whose career was ruined due to an injury. Had shoulder surgery in 1994 and he could barely throw a ball 35 yards after that.

By that logic its not fair to call Enis a bust either as he was always hurt and had to retire after 3 years in NFL because of knee

 

[ChiGuySez]

Andre Ware. Heisman winner.

Failed in the NFL and CFL. 2 time loser.

 

[GKJ]

Russell definitely had talent. He wasn't wrong to claim otherwise. Elway-like was a bit far though

 

[Hasbro]

Russell definitely had the talent. He wasn't wrong to say it.

And the Raiders were the worst possible place for him to go with his 'tude.

 

[Babe Ruth]

I'm with m9 on Akili Smith. That's one that was baffling even in that moment..

Akili Smith was a colossal (but predictable) bust. He completed 5 TD passes in a 4 year big league career.

Seems Smith has been largely forgotten, but my opinion, he deserves equal consideration with Russell as an unfortunate & historic first round bust.

It's become a contemporary tradition for draft 'experts' to declare any & every dual-threat, mobile quarterback (at the college level) as the new NFL game-changer.. even tho pocket passers keep winning the majority of Super Bowls.. Manning Brothers, Brady, Flacco, etc