With the 2019 draft just two weeks away, what better teaser for celebrating the league's future than by looking back at the biggest misses during the annual 'Player Selection Meeting'?
CLOSE Nate Davis reveals three of the 100 biggest draft busts in NFL history according to USA TODAY Sports. USA TODAY Sports
Some words about the methodology: This ranking and analysis are certainly interspersed with opinion. But I tried not to view these wayward picks in a vacuum — taking into account what teams sacrificed to choose a player, either in terms of trade currency or whom they opted not to select, when evaluating each bust. Some deals themselves are included since many prevented teams from enlisting superior options.
NEWSLETTERSThank you! You're almost signed up for SportsKeep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration.More newsletters2. OT Tony Mandarich, 2nd overall 1989, Packers: The Sports Illustrated cover boy deemed "The Incredible Bulk" prior to the draft — he had uncommon athleticism and size for the position at the time — was labeled "The NFL's Incredible Bust" only three years later.
7. Colts' decision to draft John Elway No. 1 in 1983: His talent obviously justified the selection, but team brass should have taken Elway seriously when he threatened to play baseball rather than for Baltimore. In the end, he launched his Hall of Fame career in Denver, while the Colts were left with OT Chris Hinton, backup QB Mark Herrmann, a first-round pick in 1984 and, in a year's time, a one-way ticket to Indianapolis.
11. RB Bo Jackson, 1st overall 1986, Buccaneers: Don't get it twisted — this isn't a dig at a guy who might truly be a "once in a lifetime" talent. Instead, interpret it as a dig at a long-feckless franchise that chose to squander its pick even though Bo 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 took Jackson anyway ...
16. QB Art Schlichter, 4th overall 1982, Colts: On the field, he was horrendous . Off the field, he was worse, his gambling problems leading to his suspension for the 1983 season and, later, prison. Schlichter's issues also forced Baltimore into its ill-advised Elway pick the next year. 20. DT Steve Niehaus, 2nd overall 1976, Seahawks: Seattle's first ever draft selection didn't turn out nearly as well as Tampa Bay's after the Bucs landed future Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon at No. 1.
24. OLB Vernon Gholston, 6th overall 2008, Jets: He played 45 games for New York. He registered nary a sack. 28. QB Sam Bradford, 1st overall 2010, Rams: He's never been a bad player, and many forget he was the offensive rookie of the year. But his injury history at Oklahoma was predictive. The six players selected after Bradford? Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Trent Williams, Eric Berry, Russell Okung and Joe Haden with Earl Thomas off the board at No. 14.
32. QB Brady Quinn, 22nd overall 2007, Browns: Not only did he add to Cleveland's litany of quarterback washouts, he cost the Browns a first- and second-round pick in order to trade up for him. 36. DE Andre Wadsworth, 3rd overall 1998, Cardinals: Often forgotten in the aftermath of the Manning-Leaf debate atop that draft. But some scouts considered Wadsworth a better prospect than both quarterbacks. Knee injuries sapped his vast potential after just three seasons. Charles Woodson was picked right after Wadsworth.
40. Raiders' 2011 trade for QB Carson Palmer: Oakland gave up a first and second rounder to pry the former No. 1 pick out of Cincinnati and quasi-retirement. A three-time Pro Bowler, Palmer was just 8-16 in 1½ seasons with the Silver & Black and was shipped to Arizona — where he reverted to star form — for the net gain of a Round 6 choice in 2013.
44. Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien: If you drafted a quarterback in the first round of the 1983 draft, you had a 50% shot at getting a Hall of Famer — John Elway, Jim Kelly or Dan Marino. Otherwise, you got one of these guys, all taken with Marino still available. 48. Cowboys' 2000 trade for WR Joey Galloway: In one of owner Jerry Jones' most notorious moves, Dallas sent two first rounders to Seattle for the speedy receiver. Galloway averaged fewer than 50 receiving yards per game in four years in Big D, while the Seahawks snagged future MVP Shaun Alexander.
52. QB Jake Locker, 8th overall 2011, Titans: Aside from quarterbacks not named Cam Newton, this was an epic draft. Tennessee didn't get a crack at Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson or Julio Jones, but could've taken Tyron Smith, J.J. Watt, Robert Quinn, Mike Pouncey, Ryan Kerrigan, Cam Jordan or Mark Ingram instead of Locker.
56. OT Jason Smith, 2nd overall 2009, Rams: Like RG3 and Coleman, another hugely disappointing Baylor product. Smith wasn't part of a great draft, but St. Louis obviously would have been better off with Clay Matthews, Alex Mack or Brian Orakpo. 60. Packers' 2001 pre-draft trade: That March, Green Bay shipped backup QB Matt Hasselbeck to Seattle for a third rounder and a first-round swap, which allowed the Pack to move from 17th to 10th. The Seahawks netted a Pro Bowl passer and Hall of Fame-caliber guard . The Packers got DE Jamal Reynolds at No. 10 and LB Torrance Marshall, who started twice in four years.
64. QB Tim Tebow, 25th overall 2010, Broncos: He was magical in 2011, but the pixie dust quickly faded. No one but then-Denver coach Josh McDaniels seemed to think the Florida star was worth a Round 1 selection, yet McDaniels surrendered second-, third- and fourth-round picks to move into the back of the first round for the Heisman winner, who took his final regular-season snap with the Jets in 2012.
67. Jets' 2000 draft: A series of trades, including packing Keyshawn Johnson off to Tampa Bay, gave New York FOUR first-round picks. With the exception of Anthony Becht, the team got productive players in Chad Pennington, Shaun Ellis and John Abraham. But they failed to form a foundation that would challenge the rising dynasty in New England, which got some guy named Brady that year in Round 6.
71. CB Bruce Pickens, 3rd overall 1991, Falcons: Even though he'd be the guy to pick on in order to avoid throwing near Deion Sanders, Pickens managed just two INTs in his career. At least Atlanta was able to obtain a mulligan first rounder in 1992 — if you consider trading Pickens' draftmate, Brett Favre, a reasonable move ... which then-coach Jerry Glanville did.
75. QB Todd Marinovich, 24th overall 1991, Raiders: "Robo QB" wasn't very good. The Silver & Black also should have taken Favre. 79. Patriots second rounders under Bill Belichick: New England gets deserved credit for its ability to manipulate the board and constantly accrue draft capital. But Belichick and Co. have a pretty ugly track record in Round 2: Ron Brace, Darius Butler, Jermaine Cunningham, Aaron Dobson, Marquise Hill, Ras-I Dowling, Chad Jackson, Bethel Johnson, Jordan Richards and Terrence Wheatley among the notable misfires.
83. K Sebastian Janikowski, 17th overall 2000, Raiders: You can't shade his longevity or powerful leg. But then-Oakland owner Al Davis was likely the only executive who would make this kind of move, a preview to the Silver & Black's long, dark decline in the 21st century. The two players picked after Sea Bass were a solid quarterback and future MVP .
87. Talent evaluators not affiliated with Pittsburgh in 1974: That draft produced five Hall of Famers, including Raiders TE Dave Casper. The Steelers selected the other four throughout the process . Especially negligent were those running the Oilers, who initially owned the top pick. They traded it and the 53rd overall to Dallas — the Cowboys took DE Ed "Too Tall" Jones and QB Danny White, respectively — in exchange for Tody Smith and Billy Parks.
92. WR Kevin Dyson, 16th overall 1998, Titans: He was a serviceable player for five years in Nashville. But you gotta think Randy Moss, plucked five spots later, would have gotten that extra yard to tie Super Bowl XXXIV on the final play of regulation against the Greatest Show on Turf Rams. 96. QB Jim Plunkett, 1st overall 1971, Patriots: Yes, he won two Super Bowls ... many years later while with the Raiders. But how would history have been different had New England opted for Archie Manning or Dan Pastorini, quarterbacks taken second and third overall, respectively, before proceeding with their own checkered careers? Hall of Famers John Riggins, Jack Youngblood, Jack Ham or Dan Dierdorf obviously would have worked out better than the 1970 Heisman winner.
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