Auburn football: 5 most overrated players in program history

When you are the biggest NFL Draft bust in one of 32 NFL franchises, of course, you’re going to make this list. Linebacker Aundray Bruce had one hell of a game for Auburn vs. the Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech back in 1987. He picked off the Yellow Jackets three times on a nationally televised. This led to the goofy Atlanta Falcons to take him No. 1 overall in 1988.

In four years with the Falcons, Bruce had as many picks as he did in the greatest game of his life vs. Georgia Tech. While he did have his best year in Atlanta uniform in 1991, he spent the final sevens of his NFL career with the Silver and Black. Having an 11-year NFL career on only two franchises is commendable, but Bruce never lived up to the hype of being a top NFL Draft pick.

In college, Bruce was a two-time All-SEC performer, earning All-American status as a senior in 1987, taking home Citrus Bowl MVP in his final college game. While he was billed as the next Lawrence Taylor coming out of the draft, he only had 32 career sacks in the NFL and never more than six in a calendar year.

As with running back Brent Fullwood, it may not have been entirely his fault. The Falcons were a bad team throughout much of the 1980s. Bruce landed in Atlanta right in the midst of the Falcons’ nine-year postseason drought. While he did prove to have staying power in the league, especially with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, people only remember how it didn’t work out in Atlanta.