Fansided

Every NFL team’s biggest draft whiff of all time

By Brad Rowland

SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 24: Ryan Leaf
SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 24: Ryan Leaf /
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Browns quarterback Tim Couch is hauled down by patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel during a game between the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns, won by New England 9-3, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on October 26, 2003. (Photo by Michael Valeri/Getty Images)
Browns quarterback Tim Couch is hauled down by patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel during a game between the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns, won by New England 9-3, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on October 26, 2003. (Photo by Michael Valeri/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Browns – Tim Couch (No. 1 pick, 1999)

There is a reason the Browns are the Browns.

This team has an absolutely brutal draft history, which makes this a lot more difficult than it should be. Courtney Brown (number one pick in 2000) was underwhelming to put it mildly, William Green (number 16 pick in 2002) was an unmitigated disaster at the running back position and the quarterback situation (hi, Brady Quinn) has been, well, a complete disaster.

Oh, did we mention that Johnny Manziel should be in heavy consideration here?

In the end, we decided on Tim Couch, simply because of the hefty price tag. Couch was much better than Manziel or Quinn in terms of production, connecting on 64 touchdown passes (against 67 interceptions) and playing over 62 games (five seasons) at the helm. He was reasonably accurate (60 percent completion rate) and not at all embarrassing as the complete package.

Still, the Browns needed Tim Couch to be a transformational figure for the organization and, to put it mildly, he wasn’t. This is a prime example of a player entering the league with unrealistic expectations, but when number one picks don’t land at the quarterback position, people remember.

Next: Dallas Cowboys

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