Fansided

Best player NFL teams passed on in the draft since 2000

By Mike Phillips

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals while playing the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals while playing the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – NOVEMBER 25: Outside Linebacker Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens runs back a fumble for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Oakland Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on November 25, 2018, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – NOVEMBER 25: Outside Linebacker Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens runs back a fumble for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Oakland Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on November 25, 2018, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Carolina Panthers: LB Terrell Suggs (2003 1st Round)

The Panthers are another organization that has done well in the draft and that holds true in 2003. Their pick was offensive tackle Jordan Gross, who went on to make three Pro Bowls in 11 years. Carolina could have had Terrell Suggs, a future Hall-of-Famer who went to Baltimore two picks later.

Chicago Bears: S Troy Polamalu (2003 1st Round)

We’ll stay in the 2003 draft with the Chicago Bears, who whiffed with the 14th pick by taking defensive end Michael Haynes.

The Bears cut Haynes after just three years and passed on the opportunity to take future Hall-of-Famer Troy Polamalu, who transformed the Steelers’ defense into a unit that won a pair of Super Bowls. Not a great outcome if you’re a fan of Da Bears.

Cincinnati Bengals: LB Brian Urlacher (2000 1st Round)

Another future Hall-of-Famer could have wound up in a different place with smarter drafting. The Bengals were in the middle of a run of poor drafting by 2000, when they took wideout Peter Warrick fourth overall.

Warrick never lived up to the hype of his days at Florida State while Urlacher, a college safety who was moved to middle linebacker by the Bears, went on to be one of the best linebackers of his generation.

Cleveland Browns: DT Aaron Donald (2014 1st Round)

We could spend several hours talking about all of the great players the Browns missed in the draft, but 2014 was particularly egregious.

While Justin Gilbert went on to become one of the biggest busts in team history the next nine players taken after him went on to become Pro Bowlers. The most notable of that group is Donald, who has become the best interior defensive lineman in the NFL.

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