New Orleans Saints: 5 worst NFL Draft picks of all-time

In the late 1990s and the early 2000s, the Georgia Bulldogs were churning out many great defensive linemen prospects including Richard Seymour and Marcus Stroud. Since defensive tackle has always been an elusive position for the Saints to figure out, New Orleans drafted Johnathan Sullivan with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft to hopefully fill that void.

Sullivan would only play three years with the Saints before being traded to the New England Patriots for wide receiver Bethel Johnson in 2006. This trade happened in the same month (June 2006) that Sullivan was arrested for marijuana possession in Atlanta. New England would release him in October of that season.

After being the No. 6 overall pick, Sullivan found himself out of the league within four years. He had 77 career tackles and 1.5 sacks in his time split between New Orleans and New England. Perhaps his 6’3″, 315-pound frame wasn’t enough to hold his own in the NFL at defensive tackle?

While the Saints probably wanted a defensive tackle with their No. 6 overall selection, four of the next five players taken after Sullivan went on to play in Pro Bowls. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross went No. 8 to the Carolina Panthers, defensive tackle Kevin Williams went No. 9 to the Minnesota Vikings, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs went No. 10 to the Baltimore Ravens, and defensive back Marcus Trufant went No. 11 to the Seattle Seahawks.

All four of those players had great success with the teams that drafted them. The same cannot be said for what the Saints got out of Sullivan with their No. 6 pick that year.

Next: 1. RB Ricky Williams, 1999, No. 5 overall