Who Busted? Take a look at the biggest draft busts in NFL history.
Robert Griffin III is flirting with the word “bust,” but I’m not ready to put in in that category yet.
The NFL, more so than any other league, seems to have the most players that enter the league with all this hype and potential, and then, they just flame out within the first couple years and are never to be heard from again.
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Obviously, the NFL has more players and more players drafted than any other professional sports league, but I also think there’s more that goes into “busting” for some of the league’s youngest players.
As a country, I think we glorify football players more than any other athletes. Sure, the top NBA players get their endorsements, but the NFL is the most watched sport in the United States, and people legitimately care about their teams and the players on their teams.
College football also doesn’t do anything positive for these kids’ egos. There’s no reason 20- and 21-year-old kids who aren’t even professionals are getting all this love and attention from people just because they’re good at football. It makes them feel like they’re invincible and better than they really are. That leads to a lot of problems, including drug and alcohol abuse and also interceptions.
The NFL is riddled with players who thought they were better than they actually were, and before they knew it, they were out of the league complete. That’s how quickly these things change.
So, who are the 15 biggest draft busts in NFL history?
Proceed to the slides, please.
Next: 15. Matt Leinart
15. Matt Leinart, QB
Okay, so a lot of people don’t consider Matt Leinart to be that big of a draft bust. I’ll prove to you why Leinart is one of the biggest busts of all-time.
When Leinart was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2006, the Cardinals weren’t that good of a team, but they were a capable team. Plus, Leinart had Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin to throw the ball to. Two Hall-of-Fame receivers, and Leinart couldn’t get either of them the ball.
After Leinart was removed as a full-time starter, Kurt Warner led the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2008. TO THE SUPER BOWL! And, Leinart couldn’t even win them any games at all hardly.
Then, Leinart went to Houston, a team with some decent players, including wide receiver Andre Johnson. In Houston, Leinart couldn’t even beat out Matt Schaub for the starting quarterback job.
Leinart had all the talent to be a good quarterback, but I don’t think he gave it a real shot. Those teams he quarterbacked weren’t that bad. He was terrible, though. Ugh… Puke…
Next: 14. Blair Thomas
14. Blair Thomas, RB
Blair Thomas was supposed to be another top running back in the league when the New York Jets drafted him second overall in the 1990 NFL Draft. Ultimately, he was so bad the internet doesn’t even have highlights of him.
Thomas made an impact as a rookie, rushing for 620 yards, but then his career spiraled down from there. Thomas finished his career with 2,236 rushing yards in four seasons.
It’s not that Thomas was that bad, but as the second overall pick, you’ve got to produce. It was clear early on that Thomas was never going to be a No.1 running back in the NFL. He would have been a fine backup if not for a few injuries Thomas could never overcome.
Next: 13. Heath Shuler
13. Heath Shuler, QB
I feel kind of bad for Heath Shuler because he suffered injuries after his third year in the league that stopped him from playing in the NFL. With that said, I don’t feel that bad for him. He stunk as a quarterback, and that’s okay.
As the third pick in the 1994 NFL, the Washington Redskins selected Shuler in hopes that he would turn the franchise back into a winner. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Shuler held out of training camp before signing his rookie contract and then went on to sink Washington’s season two years in a row. After Washington finally made the switch to Gus Frerotte, Frerotte made the Pro Bowl. Ouch town, Shuler.
In his career, Shuler threw for 15 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. DOUBLE OUCH!
Next: 12. Vernon Gholston
12. Vernon Gholston, DE
The New York Jets drafted Vernon Gholston sixth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Spoiler alert: Gholston is out of the league now.
After playing three seasons with the Jets, Gholston never recorded a sack for the Jets, despite playing defensive end and getting playing time on some good defenses. Even if Gholston didn’t try ever, you’d think he could walk into at least one sack. Well, he didn’t.
The Jets released Gholston, and he has yet to find another team.
J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!
Next: 12. Art Schlicter
11. Art Schlicter, QB
Art Schlicter was drafted fourth overall in the 1982 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, but his career went down hill before if it really even started.
Of all things to ruin a career, gambling was the one Art Schlicter blew his career on. It was bad, too, not just your run-of-the-mill slot machines. Schlicter got deep in with the sharks, and to save himself from death or having to throw NFL games, Schlicter turned to the FBI and NFL to help get him out of trouble.
If you have to go to the FBI and your employer to save your life because of gambling debt, you have a serious problem.
Schlicter only played two years in the league and never won a game as a starting quarterback.
Schlicter battled gambling after his NFL career was over. Schlicter was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2012 for a ticket scam, where he promised people tickets in exchange for money. Needless to day, he never gave them any tickets.
Next: 10. Ron Dayne
10. Ron Dayne, RB
The pride of Wisconsin.
There may never be another running back as physically dominant in college football as Ron Dayne was in college. Dayne holds the NCAA Division I rushing record for career yards. In four seasons at Wisconsin, Dayne totaled 1,220 carries, 7, 125 yards, and 71 touchdowns.
With all of that production, Dayne was considered to be one of the best running backs ever, and people expected him to maintain that type of production in the NFL.
Dayne was selected 11th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, but he never was able to replicate or even come close to his success at Wisconsin.
There’s multiple reasons for why Dayne wasn’t successful in the NFL. For one, Dayne’s size and ability to punish tacklers was his main strength. In the NFL, the players are much bigger and stronger, so Dayne wasn’t able to use his main asset as well in the league.
Also, if Dayne were a car, Wisconsin put about 200,000 miles on him before he went to the NFL. That never works out for a running back, but back then, people didn’t fully understand the full concept of wear-and-tear, apparently.
Dayne still played seven seasons in the league and racked up 3,722 yards along with 28 touchdowns. Dayne was never the player people that they thought he’d be out of college, and that was disappointing.
Next: 9. Rick Mirer
9. Rick Mirer, QB
The Seattle Seahawks had ridiculously high hopes for Rick Mirer, the second overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft.
During his first season, Mirer looked like he was going to be a goodNFL quarterback. Mirer threw for 2,833 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie.
Though after that first season, it quickly became apparent the former Notre Dame star would never live up to his hype and potential.
Mirer finished four seasons in Seattle with 41 touchdowns and 56 interceptions. He just never was able to stay comfortable in the pocket and make the right throws down the field. Mirer had all the talent and the arm strength, but he couldn’t take care of the ball.
Mirer hung around in the NFL between 1997-2003, but only as a backup. When he did play, the results were very much the same, interceptions, interceptions, interceptions.
Next: 8. Bruce Pickens
8. Bruce Pickens, CB
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Bruce Pickens third overall from Nebraska in the 1991 NFL draft.
Pickens was supposed to be a lock-down cornerback like he was in college, but it was very apparent that would never be the case.
Pickens played in 48 games for four teams in his four-year career. Pickens never started more than four games in any of his four seasons in the league. Even more disappointing, Pickens only recorded two interceptions. Not so great for the third pick in the draft.
Next: 7. Tony Mandarich
7. Tony Mandarich, OL
Tony Mandarich is easily one of the biggest bust in NFL history. As the second overall pick in the 1989 NFL draft, Mandarich was taken one pick after Troy Aikman, and before Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders, in that order, by the Green Bay Packers.
After a three disastrous seasons with the Packers, Mandarich quit football for two years to get help for drug and alcohol abuse. Mandarich, unliek many other players, was able to make a return to football in 1996. He played three more seasons with the Colts and played in 41 games over three seasons.
While Mandarich deserves credit for getting his life and career turned around, he was still far from the player the Packers thought he would be when they drafted him second overall.
Next: 7. Akili Smith
6. Akili Smith, QB
There’s no denying Akili Smith was one of the most athletic quarterbacks the league has ever seen. Cincinnati took Smith with the third overall pick in the 1999 draft and had very high hopes for their young quarterback.
Out of Oregon, Smith could run as well as any running back in the draft, and he could throw a pretty decent ball. Smith wasn’t the best passer, but his legs and threat to run made up for his lack of arm strength.
The problem for Smith was that he wasn’t mentally tough enough or disciplined to play quarterback in the NFL, and that was apparent from his first snap in the NFL. At the time, his skills also didn’t really translate to the NFL game. He wasn’t a pocket passer and the league was still years away from the spread offense.
If Smith were around today, I don’t doubt he could be a productive player in the right system and scheme that would make reads easy for him.
Ultimately, Smith finished his career with a 3-14 record as a starting quarterback, five touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
Next: 5. Tim Couch
5. Tim Couch, QB
It’s kind of funny to see Tim Couch on ESPN ripping on quarterbacks with his history of being a terrible quarterback in the NFL.
Couch was drafted as the No. 1 pick in the 1999 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns in their first season back in Cleveland.
It’s not all Tim Couch’s fault his career never panned out. He was on some terrible Cleveland Browns teams, and he never had a chance to actually be a successful quarterback, as the story so often goes with quarterbacks.
Couch finished his career with a 22-37 record, 64 touchdowns, and 67 interceptions. He did have one winning seasons with the Browns, though, in 2002. During that season, Couch won five games in the last two minutes and had four game-winning drives in that season.
See, it wasn’t all bad for Couch, but with all the hype surrounding him coming out of Kentucky, he’s still a top five bust in NFL history.
Next: 4. Brian Bosworth
4. Brian Bosworth, LB
Brian Bosworth is the epitome of peaking too early in his football career.
While at Oklahoma, Bosworth was one of the best and most feared linebackers in the country. His larger-than-life personality and crazy attitude also contributed to his persona, which became known around the country as “The Boz.”
The writing was on the wall with Bosworth. There was no way he was going to be able to sustain success in the NFL, not after he’d been suspended multiple times in college for steroid use.
That didn’t matter to the Seattle Seahawks, though. The Seahawks drafted The Boz in the 1987 supplemental draft and signed the biggest rookie contract in league history at the time, a 10-year, $11 million deal. WHY?
After two long, painful seasons of watching Bosworth make a fool of himself in the NFL, The Boz retired from the NFL after a shoulder injury that wouldn’t heal.
Next: 3. Lawrence Phillips
3. Lawrence Phillips, RB
All the red flags were there for a team to pass on Lawrence Phillips with multiple assault charges on his record.
Instead of passing on him, the St. Louis Rams drafted Phillips sixth overall in the 1996 draft and traded Jerome Bettis to the Pittsburgh Steelers because they liked Phillips so much. That might be the worst trade in the history of football.
While playing well in his first two seasons, Phillips’ off-the-field antics started to take their toll on the organization. Phillips was released by the Rams, and his career went downhill from there.
After bouncing around with Miami and playing in Europe, Phillips was signed by the San Francisco 49ers and is most known for missing the block that block on Aeneas Williams that ended Steve Young’s career.
Shortly after, Phillips was out of the NFL for good. He finished his career with 1,453 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in three full seasons.
Next: 2. Ryan Leaf
2. Ryan Leaf, QB
Ryan Lead was almost chosen over Peyton Manning in the 1998 NFL draft, but Indianapolis chose Manning instead.
As we know, Manning’s career and Leaf’s career have gone in polar opposite directions.
Over the course of his career, Leaf was 4-17 as a starting quarterback and threw 14 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. 30!
Leaf was your stereotypical hot-head quarterback. He had an amazing arm and was a monster in the pocket, but he never had the restraint and discipline to make it in the NFL.
I can’t pretend that I know what it’s like to sign a $32 million contract as a 22-year-old, but I know it’s enough money to mess with someone’s head and make them feel invincible. That’s exactly what happened with Leaf. He listened to the hype and thought he was better than he actually was. Leaf never put in the work necessary to be a good NFL quarterback.
Leaf did struggle with injuries, but they are far from the issues of why he was forced to retire.
After everything Leaf’s been through since the NFL with the drugs and the arrests, it’s easy to see Leaf’s problems went far beyond the game of football. It’s a very sad but common reflection of what happens when people reach success when they aren’t mature enough to handle the responsibility that comes along with it.
Next: 1. JaMarcus Russell
1. JaMarcus Russell, QB
JaMarcus Russell is the biggest NFL bust ever and is the only No. 1 pick in the last ten years to be out of the league entirely.
Over his career, Russell had a 7-18 record as a starting quarterback and threw 16 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in threes seasons.
While it’s easy to blame Russell for all of his faults and was a major part of the problem, the Oakland Raiders and his agent should share the blame with Russell.
After Russell was drafted No. 1 to the Raiders in the 2007 draft, Russell held out all of training camp and through the first week of the season before signing a six-year, $68 million contract with $31.5 million guaranteed. That’s a lot of money to get an unproven NFL player, regardless of how good you think he is.
The Raiders gave Russell little incentive to get better when he was making so much money. The Raiders also didn’t give Russell much talent to work with during his first two seasons in the league. The best offensive player the Raiders had in 2007 and 2008 was Justin Fargas! How is anyone supposed to win with Fargas as their best offensive player? I’d be surprised if 50 percent of the people reading this– Non-Raiders fans, of course– even know who Justin Fargas is.
By his third season in the league, Russell had no motivation to be successful. The Raiders were terrible and not getting better. Russell finished the 2009 season as the worst quarterback in the league by basically every measurable statistic.
Russell let himself go after that point, literally, and came to camp in the offseason weighing 300 pounds. At that point, the Raiders released Russell, and he never played in the NFL again.
Of course, I’m not giving excuses for why Russell was terrible, but everyone contributed to the downfall of Russell; the Raiders, his team, his family, and, most of all, himself.
Although Russell is the biggest NFL bust of all-time, he did make his money, more than you and I will ever see in our lifetimes, though. For that, no one can blame him.