30 biggest NFL Draft busts of all time

7 of 30

PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 16: Quarterback David Klingler of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on from the sideline during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on October 16, 1994, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Bengals 14-10. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

24. Biggest NFL Draft busts of all-time – Cincinnati Bengals QB David Klingler

Finding a franchise quarterback is hard and several teams have had noted difficulty locating an elite signal-caller. One such team is the Cincinnati Bengals, who have placed multiple quarterbacks on this list of biggest NFL Draft busts of all time.

The Bengals thought they had it made when they landed Klingler with the sixth pick in the 1992 draft out of the University of Houston. Klingler rewrote the NCAA record books during his college career, setting the all-time record for touchdown passes in a season with 54, a mark that stood for 16 years.

The prolific offensive performance didn’t follow Klingler to the NFL as he put up mediocre numbers in his first two seasons as Cincinnati’s starter. Klingler lost his starting job in 1995 to Jeff Blake, but his career was essentially over after a major elbow surgery severely impacted his ability to throw.

Several other NFL organizations gave Klingler a chance, including Oakland and Green Bay, but he never became an NFL starter again. Klingler’s failure forced the Bengals to go back to the quarterback well in the draft in a few years, a decision we’ll discuss in due time.

Home/NFL