30 biggest NFL Draft busts of all time

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PITTSBURGH – DECEMBER 4: Defensive lineman Steve Niehaus #71 of the Seattle Seahawks on the sideline during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on December 4, 1977, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

28. Biggest NFL Draft busts of all-time – Seattle Seahawks DE Steve Niehaus

Draft busts can be magnified when they are among the earliest picks of an expansion franchise. That player is often considered to be a face of the franchise and a building block to future success, something the Seattle Seahawks hoped would be the case with defensive end Steve Niehaus.

Seattle took Niehaus with the second overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft as the first player ever picked by the organization. The early returns were good with Niehaus, who racked up 9.5 sacks in his rookie season to earn NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

That rookie campaign would be a career highlight for Niehaus, who saw his potential go up in smoke thanks to a devastating series of knee injuries. Niehaus lasted just three years in Seattle before the Seahawks moved on and he played one more year for the Minnesota Vikings before hanging up his cleats.

It is a shame that Niehaus ended up on this list since he flashed the talent to be an anchor for the Seahawks’ defense for years as a rookie. Niehaus is a perfect example of how injuries are unpredictable and can sink even the most promising NFL prospects.

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