1. QB Ryan Leaf, 2nd overall 1998, Chargers
2. OT Tony Mandarich, 2nd overall 1989, Packers
-Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, Deion Sanders followed
3. QB JaMarcus Russell, 1st overall 2007, Raiders
-Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch,
Darrelle Revis followed
4. QB Jeff George, 1st overall 1990, Colts
5. RB Lawrence Phillips, 6th overall 1996, Rams
6. Jets' decisions to trade down in 1997
-dropped from No. 1 to No. 6, passing on Orlando Pace
-dropped from No.6 to No. 8, passing on Walter Jones
-passed on Tony Gonzalez
-all for James Farrior
7. Colts' decision to draft John Elway No. 1 in 1983
8. QB Robert Griffin III, 2nd overall 2012, Redskins
9. Rams' haul for Robert Griffin III
-of Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead, Rokevious Watkins,
Alec Ogletree, Stedman Bailey, Zac Stacy and Greg Robinson only
Brockers remains on the team from the haul that the Rams received.
10. OLB Aundray Bruce, 1st overall 1988, Falcons
11. RB Bo Jackson, 1st overall 1986, Buccaneers
-Jackson had vowed never to play in Tampa, believing the team
deliberately cost him his baseball eligibility at Auburn while trying
to strongarm him into a football-only career. The Bucs selected him
anyway.
12. OT Robert Gallery, 2nd overall 2004, Raiders
13. RB Blair Thomas, 2nd overall 1990, Jets
14. Bills' decision to draft Tom Cousineau No. 1 in 1979
-This was probably the pick that introduced me to the idea of a
"draft bust."
15. Seahawks' decision to trade down in 1977
-The Seahawks gifted the Cowboys, already one of the strongest teams
in the league, Tony Dorsett. The Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1977.
16. QB Art Schlichter, 4th overall 1982, Colts
17. QB Jack Thompson, 3rd overall 1979, Bengals
18. DE Dion Jordan, 3rd overall 2013, Dolphins
19. WR Johnny "Lam" Jones, 2nd overall 1980, Jets
20. DT Steve Niehaus, 2nd overall 1976, Seahawks
21. Buccaneers' decision to trade down in 1978
-The trade handed Earl Campbell to the Oilers.
22. P Russell Erxleben, 11th overall 1979, Saints
23. K Steve Little, 15th overall 1978, Cardinals
24. OLB Vernon Gholston, 6th overall 2008, Jets
25. QB Kelly Stouffer, 6th overall 1987, Cardinals
26. WR Troy Williamson, 7th overall 2005, Vikings
-The sad thing about this pick was that I liked it at the time. As soon as
games were played I saw that every catch was a challenge for
Williamson.
27. TE Kyle Brady, 9th overall 1995, Jets
28. QB Sam Bradford, 1st overall 2010, Rams
29. Browns' haul for Julio Jones
-This trade was Jones for NT Phil Taylor, WR Greg Little, FB Owen
Marecic and QB Brandon Weeden. Advantage Falcons.
30. Browns' 2012 draft
-Nothing good came of this draft. The Browns even sent four picks to
Minnesota to move up one spot to take Trent Richardson.
31. Browns' 2014 draft
-Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel in the first.
32. QB Brady Quinn, 22nd overall 2007, Browns
-These were dark drafting days in Cleveland.
33. QB Akili Smith, 3rd overall 1999, Bengals
34. WR Charles Rogers, 2nd overall 2003, Lions
35. QB Heath Shuler, 3rd overall 1994, Redskins
36. DE Andre Wadsworth, 3rd overall 1998, Cardinals
37. QB Rick Mirer, 2nd overall 1993, Seahawks
38. Bears' 1997 trade for QB Rick Mirer
39. DE Mike Mamula, 7th overall 1995, Eagles
40. Raiders' 2011 trade for QB Carson Palmer
41. Colts' 1992 draft
-The Colts had the first two picks in the draft.
1. DT Steve Emtman
2. LB Quentin Coryatt
Injuries dismantled Emtman's career.
Saddling a player or a draft pick with the bust tag isn't really fair to
the player or the team. I believe that Emtman would've been a beast
if he'd had better luck with injuries.
42. RB Ki-Jana Carter, 1st overall 1995, Bengals
43. DT Dan "Big Daddy" Dan Wilkinson, 1st overall 1994, Bengals
44. Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien
-If these three hadn't been part of a draft that included John Elway,
Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino perhaps history would be more kind.
Eason did get his team to a Super Bowl.
45. DT Gabe Rivera, 21st overall 1983, Steelers
-I hope that this pick made the list more for Marino still being on
the board when it was made than the car accident that left Rivera
paralyzed.
46. Bears' first-round running backs
-Brad Muster (23rd overall pick, 1994)
-Rashaan Salaam (21st in 1995)
-Curtis Enis (5th in 1998)
-Cedric Benson (4th in 2005)
-Neal Anderson (27th in 1986) was pretty good for a little while.
-It's tough to replace Walter Payton.
47. RB Leroy Keyes, 3rd overall 1969, Eagles
-The Steelers selected Joe Greene with the next pick.
48. Cowboys' 2000 trade for WR Joey Galloway
-Two first rounders for Galloway. Ouch.
-The Seahawks selected Shaun Alexander with one of the picks.
-Perhaps this one-sided deal balanced out the Dorsett deal.
49. QB Steve Spurrier, 3rd overall 1967, 49ers
50. QB J.P. Losman, 22nd overall 2004, Bills
***
Nate Davis selected 100 draft day blunders. I only have the stomach for 50. Besides, the Vikings selection of Christian Ponder with the 12th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft checked in at #53.
Congratulations to Davis on a fun, interesting, and scary study of many of the worst draft day decisions ever made.
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