30 biggest draft busts in NFL history

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St. Louis Rams running back Lawrence Phillips carries the ball through a hole during a game against the Atlanta Falcons on November 10, 1996 in St. Louis. The Rams won the game 59-16. (Photo by Paul Nisely/Sporting News via Getty Images) /

4. Lawrence Phillips, RB, St. Louis Rams

Off-field problems meant Phillips was never able to take advantage of his elite talent.

Phillips only started one full season as the primary running back at Nebraska, but made the most of it. The Cornhuskers won the 1994 National Championship behind Phillips’ 1,722 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Phillips was well on his way to an even better season in 1995 before getting arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Still, head coach Tom Osborne did not kick Phillips off the team permanently, and his huge numbers in the five games he played caught the eye of NFL teams. The Rams selected Phillips sixth overall in the 1996 draft. He arrived with huge expectations after the team traded Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis to make room for him.

Phillips’ character issues didn’t go away, and it soon became very clear the Rams made a mistake. After an unproductive rookie season, Phillips was cut the next season due to numerous arrests that resulted in a combined 23 days in jail.

Two other teams gave Phillips a chance, but he couldn’t stay out of trouble and never accumulated more than 677 yards or eight touchdowns in a single season. Phillips moved on to the AFL and CFL in 2001, recording 1,453 career yards.

Phillips was sentenced to 25 years in jail in 2009 for multiple assault and domestic violence charges. He was later charged with the murder of his cellmate, and was found dead of a suspected suicide earlier this year.

Next: 3. JaMarcus Russell, QB, Oakland Raiders

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