30 biggest draft busts in NFL history

11. Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Perhaps no No. 1 overall pick was as snake-bitten as Carter, whose pro career was cut far too short due to injuries.

Another productive college running back from Penn State, Carter was nearly unstoppable in his sophomore and junior years in Happy Valley. In 1994, Carter rushed for 1,539 yards and 23 touchdowns, earning him consensus All-American status. Overall, Carter averaged a whopping 7.2 yards per carry in his college career.

Carter’s 5-10, 226 pound frame gave him a very physical style that could overpower defenders. With a huge need at running back, the Bengals didn’t have to think very hard about selecting Carter first overall in the 1995 draft.

Unfortunately, Cincinnati never really got to see Carter at his best. Carter tore a knee ligament on the third carry of his first preseason game and missed the entire 1995 season. It was the first of a long series of injuries that limited his career.

In seven seasons, Carter appeared in just 59 games with 14 starts and finished his career with 1,114 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. A dislocated kneecap in 1999 ended Carter’s tenure with the Bengals, and he retired in 2004 after brief stints with two other teams.

Injuries were unfair to Carter, but the Bengals never got the franchise cornerstone running back they envisioned. Cincinnati has to wonder what could have been if Carter didn’t injure his knee that first preseason.

Next: 10. Akili Smith, QB, Cincinnati Bengals