As NFL fans feel more and more hopeful that their teams' 2009 draft will generate a class of young players that might help form the foundation for multiple championship seasons, it's important to remember that, when it comes to those coveted first-round picks, it's a crapshoot as to whether they'll ever develop into solid contributors. Click here to find out more! In some cases, the failure to fulfill potential occurs with the kind of a thud that sets the franchise back for years, and embarrasses it forever. So let's take a look back at the 10 biggest first-round busts of the past 20 years of NFL drafts. 10. Adam "Pacman" Jones, Titans (No. 6 overall, 2005). Adam "Pacman" Jones would have landed a lot higher on this list if he didn't demonstrate a relatively high degree of talent during his limited time in Tennessee. But, all things considered, the sixth overall pick from four years ago was a train wreck in Nashville, due in large part to a chronic inability to stay out of the wrong places at the wrong times. Ten incidents with law enforcement resulted in a one-year suspension after two NFL seasons. Traded to the Cowboys in 2008, Jones earned another six-game sit after getting into a brouhaha with his babysitter. Several months into NFL unemployment, no team has given him so much as a whiff. Even if he gets another job at the pro level, no one seems to think he'll be a long-term contributor to any organization. 9. Heath Shuler, Redskins (No. 3 overall, 1994). After winning three Super Bowls with three different signal-callers under Joe Gibbs, the Redskins decided in the second year after Gibbs' first retirement to attempt to land a franchise quarterback. They almost got one that year, but in round seven. When Gus Frerotte joined the team. At the top of round one, the Redskins selected Heath Shuler, a supposedly can't-miss prospect from Tennessee. Seven games into his rookie season, Shuler took a seat and Frerotte took the reins. After Shuler's third year in D.C., he was sent packing to the Saints. Two years later, his career was over. 8. Peter Warrick, Bengals (No. 4 overall, 2000). Warrick was viewed as a can't-miss prospect coming out of Florida State. But like so many dominant wideouts at the college level, Warrick couldn't beat bump-and-run coverage when NFL-caliber cornerbacks were doing the bumping and running. After five yawn-inducing years in Cincinnati, Warrick landed in Seattle. After one lackluster season with the Seahawks, Warrick hit the end of the road. And after short stints in the Arena Football League and the CFL, Warrick is now playing in an obscure indoor football league. But, unlike everyone else on this list, at least he's still playing. 7. David Klingler, Bengals (No. 6 overall, 1992). The good news for the Cincinnati Bengals is they made the right call in drafting quarterback Carson Palmer six years ago. The bad news is they kissed a lot of frogs before they got there. One such frog leaped into the NFL from the University of Houston in 1992, when dim-bulb head coach David Shula had a bright idea that it was time to phase out Boomer Esiason, who was only 31 at the time. So David Klingler got the job late in his rookie year, and Esiason was sent packing in the offseason. Two seasons later, Klingler was the former starter, too. 6. Blair Thomas, Jets (No. 2 overall, 1990). Few running backs received more pre-draft hype than Penn State's Blair Thomas. And the Jets didn't hesitate when their turn came following a 4-12 season with the second selection in the '90 draft. Thomas hesitated plenty when the time came to hit the hole and move the chains. He never rushed for more than 728 yards in any one season, and his four-year stint in New York ended when he gained merely 221 yards in 1993. 5. Akili Smith, Bengals (No. 3 overall, 1999). The first-round quarterback class of 1999 was supposed to conjure memories of 1983's collection of fireballers like Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and John Elway. Instead, three of the quintet of Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, Akili Smith, Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown -- all taken in the first 12 picks -- disappointed. Smith was a full-time starter for only one full season. After 2002, Smith was done. 4. Mike Williams, Bills (No. 4 overall, 2002). It would be easy to call quarterback David Carr and/or quarterback Joey Harrington the bust of the class of 2002. And though both are still in the league, each is more likely to be remembered for not fulfilling his promise with the Texans and Lions, respectively. But first-round quarterbacks are a 50-50 proposition; for every one that succeeds, one is reasonably expected to fail. At tackle, however, the chances of getting a 10-year mainstay in the top 10 are much greater. When one of them flames out, it's far more noteworthy. The Bills picked tackle Mike Williams in the spot after Harrington. Like many of these high-profile busts, Williams had four years to stink it up in Buffalo before getting a short-term second chance with a new team. A year later, he was a former NFL player. 3. Charles Rogers, Lions (No. 2 overall, 2003). With the second pick in the 2003 draft, the Lions had to make a decision between two receivers -- Michigan State's Charles Rogers and Miami's Andre Johnson. Even with reports that Rogers had failed the drug test at the Scouting Combine due to an excessively diluted sample, the Lions went with Rogers. And after the fifth game of his rookie year, he busted a collarbone. And in the first game of his second year, he busted the same collarbone. And after a third season that included a four-game suspension for violating the substance abuse policy, the Lions cut the cord on Rogers, and he was never heard from again. Except when getting arrested. 2. Ryan Leaf, Chargers (No. 2 overall, 1998). Eleven years ago, the Colts actually were debating whether to pick Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf. They ended up making the right decision. And the short career of Ryan Leaf demonstrates how right it was. Manning is among the best ever, and Leaf is among the worst. 1. Tony Mandarich, Packers. (No. 2 overall, 1989). Sandwiched in the 1989 draft between Troy Aikman at No. 1 and Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders at No. 3, 4, and 5, respectively, was Tony Mandarich. Mandarich was supposed to be one of the greatest offensive line prospects of all time, the kind of Hall of Famer each of the four men picked around him became. Mandarich failed miserably. Maybe it was because he quit doing steroids once he got to the NFL. Or maybe he lost his fire after he got paid. Either way, the term "colossal draft bust" and "Mandarich" are synonymous in pro football parlance. He's the biggest bust of the past 20 years, and possibly the biggest bust of all time. And if the Colts had opted for Ryan Leaf instead of Peyton Manning, Leaf and Mandarich would have spent one year on the same tea
This article is obviously shit--so lets say this--not including VG, who's the biggest bust ever for the Jets? I say Lam Jones but Johnny Mitchell is up there too.
He absolutely should not be on the list. The list is only concerned with the drafts of the past 20 years (1989-2008). Bosworth was selected in the 1st round of the 1987 supplemental draft.
vince young belongs on that list, but i guess it's too soon for that. how about ron dayne? (sp?). tim couch as someone else said. david carr should be on there too. thats just 4 im sure i could come up with more if i thought about it.
true i just looked it up and seen he wasnt drafted so my fault... but he had all the hype that year and i was like for what
Definitely not Mitchell - he did have a couple of good years. My favorite targets have been Mike Haight and Roger Vick. I think you can also throw in Ron Faurot (courtesy the article posted the other day - I had totally forgotten about him). I think a lot of people would say Blair Thomas.
The fumble in that Monday night Chicago Bears game totally destroyed him. He was never the same player after that game. I don't recall ever seeing a Jets player so affected by an individual game (not including injuries).
I'd have to go with Mike Haight......in fact that whole 1986 draft by the Jets should go down as the worst draft ever by an NFL team. If I remember correctly, the entire draft was cut (except for Haight) at some point during training camp including the second round choice, another lineman by the name of Doug Williams. The Jets went heavy for the OL that year following the pounding O'Brien took in 1985, but the front office didn't do their homework....Haight was woefully weak, couldn't lift much, had blood pressure problems during games played in warm weather, and I'm pretty sure the only reason he survived his first training camp was to save the embarrassment of not having a single draft choice make the team......
We had this discussion in the past, so we should be able to find old posts on the subject. While the 1986 Jets draft was awful, it cannot be the worst of all time when one takes into account the sheer ridiculousness of the Chiefs 1975 draft. Some of the players the Jets drafted in 1986 did play for them. Some of them were at least somewhat successful in adding depth to what was a Jets playoff team that year. On the other hand, the Chiefs drafted 11 players in 1975. Only one played in as many as one NFL game. That player was Morris LaGrand. Who? The Chiefs went 5-9 in 1975 and did not make the playoffs until 1986.
holy jesus h christ i am old!!!!! it never seems that long ago until someone starts talking about the past 20 years and shit you remember isnt mentioned because it was too long ago!!
