30 biggest draft busts in NFL history

21. Rick Mirer, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Coming out of Notre Dame, Mirer was hyped as the next Joe Montana and was expected to turn around a struggling team. Instead, Mirer turned out to be one of the biggest busts in franchise history.

After serving as a backup his freshman season, Mirer set Notre Dame records as a three-year starter from 1990-1992. Mirer’s best season came in 1991, when he threw for over 2,000 yards and accounted for 27 total touchdowns. Upon graduation, Mirer held a Fighting Irish record with 41 passing touchdowns and was second in passing yards.

Mirer went second overall to the Seahawks in the 1993 NFL, a noncontroversial selection at the time. There was some initial success. Mirer threw for nearly 3,000 yards that season and finished second behind college teammate Jerome Bettis in the Rookie of the Year voting.

However, Mirer would suffer a sharp decline in performance soon after. He struggled with interceptions in particular, finishing his career with a TD:INT ratio of 50:76.

Seattle traded Mirer to the Bears in 1997, and he would play only sparingly for the rest of his career for six different teams. The Montana comparisons were always unfair, but the fact is Mirer had a very disappointing career for the No. 2 overall pick.

Next: 20. Kenneth Sims, DE, New England Patriots