Every NFL team’s biggest draft whiff of all time

SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 24: Ryan Leaf
SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 24: Ryan Leaf /
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NEW ORLEANS – 2005: Johnathan Sullivan of the New Orleans Saints poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS – 2005: Johnathan Sullivan of the New Orleans Saints poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Getty Images) /

New Orleans Saints – Johnathan Sullivan (No. 6 pick, 2003)

I don’t really get it.

Many Saints fans would tell you that Ricky Williams deserves a place on this list. I find that preposterous. Williams was regularly effective and occasionally electrifying during his brief stint in New Orleans. The real issue was that the team mistakenly gave away the farm to acquire him. That, in short, is not Williams’ fault.

As for the biggest whiff, it is Johnathan Sullivan. It may not even be close.

The former Georgia defensive tackle played only three (!) seasons in the NFL despite being the sixth overall pick, and he didn’t have any injury problems. He was just that bad when he played.

Sullivan contributed 56 tackles and 1.5 sacks during his brief time with the Saints (36 games and 16 starts), and from the beginning, he did not appear to be worthy of this lofty draft position. Sullivan failed to latch on anywhere after being traded in 2006, and the body of work he left behind was far too limited for a healthy and talented first round pick.

Oh, and leave Archie Manning alone, too. His teammates were horrid.

Next: New York Giants