The Biggest NFL Draft Busts is a opportunity that brings new hope to the NFL fan annually. Men’s football teams envision their next big playmaking wide receiver, dominant pass rusher and superstar QB. But, not all first-round selections make their mark. Injuries can cause some players to have trouble and other issues like pressure, bad choices or bad team situations can cause others to fail. Thus, football talk regarding the greatest NFL busts oftentimes never ends.
It’s an NFL history rich with players that many believed were destined for greatness in college who performed below par before the draft. They received accolades from scouts, forecasts of greatness by analysts, and millions of dollars invested by franchise teams. But too many of them did not take off as hoped to be great players. Some only appeared in a few seasons, others went on the blink from the get-go. The tale of the most NFL lousy draft picks drives home a point to NFL fans: Good college football players don’t always turn into good NFL players.
Why NFL Draft Picks Become Busts
Discussing individual players is pointless if one doesn’t comprehend what accounts for the failure of draft players.Discussing individual players is pointless if one doesn’t comprehend why draft players fail. Evangelism lies in the hands of many teams for months, and yet, football’s anything but predictable. Injury can ruin your lives’ livelihoods in a single night. Also, there are those that don’t perform under pressure but can’t play quick-paced football like in the NFL.
Let’s take a look at the top league busts for each of their common issues:
| Category | What Went Wrong | Famous Examples |
| Injuries | Careers ended or slowed ุจุณุจุจ injuries | Kevin White, Larry Stegent |
| Off-field issues | Suspensions or legal problems | Justin Blackmon, JaMarcus Russell |
| Poor performance | Talent never translated to NFL success | Akili Smith, Ryan Leaf |
| Bad team situation | Weak coaching or poor roster support | David Carr |
| Wrong evaluation | Teams overestimated potential | Tony Mandarich |
| Mental pressure | Could not handle expectations | Ryan Leaf |
All of these all play into the discussion when fans debate the greatest NFL draft busts.
JaMarcus Russell โ One of the Biggest NFL Draft Busts Ever
When it comes to the largest NFL draft busts names such as JaMarcus Russell will always come to mind. He had having an amazing college career at LSU, where he was the 2007 first overall pick of the Las Vegas Raiders. Russell possessed all the tools necessary to be a No.1 thrower: size, strong arm and confidence. A lot of people thought he would be the next in-line for the franchise.
The opposite was true, however, as his NFL career ended in a flash. Through his time with the Raiders, there were many reports of him not having the work ethic and of him not being prepared, focused, etc. His starting record, however, his first overall pick did not materialize โ so he was inconsistent. In addition, the Raiders spent a lot of money on him and their involvement in him was highly embarrassing.
Ryan Leaf vs Peyton Manning: A Historic Mistake
Ryan Leaf was dominated during the 1998 NFL Draft receiving the publicity of one of the hottest quarterback prospects of all time. Indeed, there was much talk that whether he was the first overall or Peyton Manning was the first overall. Manning was picked by the Indianapolis Colts and the Chargers picked Leaf at No. 2.
That would mean an end to NFL history, forever.
Hardy, tough but toughly hit: Leaf’s struggle right from the get-go. Both his injury issues and locker room wrangles and emotional upsets were addressed. Besides, he failed to impress fans week after week on the field. Though Manning turned into one of the all-time great quarterbacks in NFL history, Leaf went onto become one of the worst draft prospects in NFL history.
Tony Mandarich and Unreal Expectations
Why have I just started to feel better now?What made me feel better lately?
Tony Mandarich was coming into the NFL with a lot of hype. He was coined the biggest offensive line prospect by sports magazines. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers as their second overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft with the tacit understanding that he would continue dominating for the next 10 years.
However, Mandarich failed to match the expectations. He neglected to live up to expectations from coaches and more steroid rumors eroded even more of his reputation. But what this did do is give the talent an edge on him. Hall of Famers such as Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders and Derrick Thomas were a part of the same draft.
David Carr and a Failed Situation
David Carr has been mentioned quite a bit about the biggest busts in the NFL draft; however his story does not seem to be the same. Carr was the number one overall pick of the Houston Texans’ inaugural draft in 2002 as face of the new franchise.
Houston didn’t look after Carr and it just wasn’t their fault. He had to play against one of the league’s most susceptibility defense. Consequently, he was overpowered and put on the defensive so often that he lost confidence, went stale and was hampered in his growth. Carr didn’t develop into a franchise quarterback, instead running for his life in most games.
Kevin White: Injuries Destroyed Potential
Kevin White was a future-day prospect when he was picked up by the Chicago Bears in the 2015 NFL Draft. His size, speed and athleticism thrilled fans throughout the league.
Unfortunately, he was injured so badly that it ended his career.
The leg injury was so serious that White could not start his rookie season. In the following two trials more injuries occurred. Each time he came back they were further failures. So he hasn’t built any momentum nor confidence at a professional level at all.
Akili Smith and the Bengalsโ Quarterback Disaster
Athletes at Oregon might have hated Hank Aronson for dropping the ball on Smith, but the team’s star left it too late to make up for that.Maybe Hank Aronson couldn’t keep it together with Smith; whatever the reason, it’s too late for him now. Cincinnati fans had high hopes that he would address the team’s quarterback issues.
But it did not go very well for Smith in the NFL. Felt discomfort playing the offense, and didn’t posses the ability to play the speed of pro defenses. Also, contract conflicts in training camp hindered his development early in his career.
Smith had just five touchdowns to his 13 interceptions in the 4 games he played with the Bengals. As a result, he was another name to inculcate in the greatest NFL draft busts list.
Justin Blackmon: Superstar Talent Wasted
Justin Blackmon might have had the talent to become one of the NFLโs best receivers. He was a standout on defense at OSU and two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award.
They picked him up in 2012 with the Jacksonville Jaguars 5th overall, and he had a very promising rookie season. But eventually His career was derailed on the sidelines. He missed football, due to drug-related punitiveal abuses, but never came back to the pros.
Biggest NFL Draft Busts Still Teach Important Lessons
Today’s NFL teams continue to shape their player prospects on the stories of the greatest NFL draft busts. Today, franchises not only pay more attention to personality, work ethic, leadership, and mental strength than ever before, they also study it. Teams realize that physical ability isn’t a prerequisite to success in the NFL.
What’s more, team members should keep in mind that the draft is a relatively young player in extremely challenging circumstances. Everyone can be affected by pressure, being in the media, injuries and expectations. Some players may lose because of their bad choice of games, but others may just end up in bad luck.
When this happens, the NFL Draft is dramatic and risky. One choice has the power to change the trajectory of a franchise, and another can be an expensive failing for years.
Final Thoughts
Every season the NFL Draft is an event to remember. New stars are worshipped, jerseys are sold and goals embraced. But as experience has shown, not all the very highest prospects are able to thrive. The league features a large number of players who have succeeded where others did not, such as JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf.
No matter how big the NFL draft, winners and losers will remain a part of the discussion of the biggest NFL draft busts. Some people achieve legendary status, others tell tales for generations to come. However, it’s the same type of matters that make the NFL Draft so interesting.
