Fansided

30 biggest NFL Draft busts of all time

By Mike Phillips

SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 24: Ryan Leaf
SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 24: Ryan Leaf /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 30
Next
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 12: Art Schlichter #10 of the Baltimore Colts drops back to pass against the New England Patriots during an NFL football game September 12, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Schlichter played for the Colts from 1982-85. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 12: Art Schlichter #10 of the Baltimore Colts drops back to pass against the New England Patriots during an NFL football game September 12, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Schlichter played for the Colts from 1982-85. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

29. Biggest NFL Draft busts of all-time – Baltimore Colts QB Art Schlichter

The list of biggest NFL Draft busts is littered with quarterbacks and one guy who often falls under the radar is Art Schlichter. A dual-threat quarterback at Ohio State, Schlichter was a strong choice for the Baltimore Colts in the 1984 draft, where he went fourth overall.

The hype around Schlichter was intense since he was a personal favorite of legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes, who made Schlichter the last quarterback he ever coached. There was never a question of ability with Schlichter, who had all the talent in the world, but he was done in by a serious gambling addiction.

Schlichter gambled away his entire signing bonus by the middle of his rookie season and got himself suspended by the NFL for 13 months. After the completion of his suspension, Schlichter returned but was cut by the Colts after he admitted that he gambled anyway during the suspension.

The Buffalo Bills gave Schlichter a second chance but the rug got pulled out from under him when the USFL collapsed, allowing Buffalo to hand the job to Jim Kelly instead. Schlichter ended up out of the NFL after that, surfacing briefly in the Arena Football League, but his gambling addiction ruined what could have been a very promising career.

Home/NFL