Every NFL team’s biggest draft whiff of all time
By Brad Rowland
Indianapolis Colts – Trev Alberts (No. 5 pick, 1994)
Trev Alberts is better known, at least by younger folks, as a former ESPN college football analyst, but he actually beats two legendary quarterback picks for this honor. The Colts invested the top overall pick in John Elway in 1983 before being forced (by Elway’s camp) to deal him away, and that entire situation was a mess for the then-Baltimore franchise. Just a few years late, the Colts picked the enigma that was Jeff George with the number one overall pick, and after a tumultuous stint, that didn’t pan out either.
Alberts was worse.
The former Nebraska linebacker was a reach at number five overall to begin with, and his brief NFL career showed why. Alberts lasted only three (!) seasons in the NFL. During that time, he contributed only 49 tackles and four sacks while appearing in 29 games for the Colts.
That is unspeakably awful production for a top five pick, and because there was no injury to blame it on, the pick looks even worse. There is no question those quarterback blunders receive more attention, but this was an all-time whiff by any measure.
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