The Top 10 Most Unsuccessful Draft Picks in NFL History

While the NFL draft often produces great stories of success, it can just as easily become a breeding ground for draft busts. In this article, we will take a look at the Most Unsuccessful Draft Picks in NFL History and evaluate their career with the team they were drafted by as well examine why they failed.

1. JaMarcus Russell, QB (Drafted 1st overall in 2007 by the Oakland Raiders)

The Oakland Raiders drafted JaMarcus Russell with the 1st overall pick in 2007, but his NFL career has been largely disappointing. Russell never came close to measuring up, and his struggles as a quarterback continue to identify him among the biggest draft busts in history despite incredibly high expectations. Russell was noted having a bad work ethic and never studying the playbook he was given by the team for OTAs.

2. Derrick Harvey, DE (Drafted 8th overall in 2008 by the Jacksonville Jaguars)

Top Bust #3: DE Derrick Harvey — Jacksonville Jaguars (2008 NFL Draft) The 8th overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft was that of EDGE rusher Derrick Harvey, who failed to impress as a member of the Jacksonville jaguars. Unfortunately, Harvey did not meet his high expectations and he was soon out of the league.

3. Maurice Clarett, RB (Drafted in the third round of the 2005 draft by the Denver Broncos)

While Maurice Clarett had more than his share of off-field concerns and wasn't NFL-ready yet physically, those problems hardly seem insurmountable a decade later. Clarett was the third round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2005 but never played a down due to physical and character issues.

4. Jason Smith, OT (Drafted 2nd overall in 2009 by the St. Louis Rams)

Certainly a physical beast out of Baylor, but his selection as the 2nd overall pick in 2009 failed to materialize. The worst draft pick in NFL history if you count just 26 starts for Smith and terrible play when he did see the field as both a pass protector and run blocker. 

5. Charles Rogers, WR (Drafted 2nd overall in 2003 by the Detroit Lions)

Charles Rogers, who had a productive college career, is considered one of the league's biggest busts because his NFL career was hampered by injuries and off-field problems. His 36 receptions, 440 yards and four touchdowns was far from overwhelming for a player who came in as the No. 2 pick of the draft by Detroit.

6. Ryan Leaf, QB (Drafted 2nd overall in 1998 by the San Diego Chargers)

Leaf's NFL career was derailed by poor play as well as off-field troubles. He only started for 18 games, but despite being considered a lock to go after the first two quarterbacks in his draft class) and going 4-14 before he was dumped by the team that drafted him. Leaf has now became a major success hosting a podcast and discusses his past failures in the NFL.

7. Justin Gilbert, CB (Drafted 8th overall in 2014 by the Cleveland Browns)

The Browns picked Justin Gilbert 8th overall in the 2014 draft, but he never made a splash with Cleveland, recording just 23 appearances for the franchise over two years. Another first-rounder another bust with the Browns and that failure led to a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

8. Tim Couch, QB (Drafted 1st overall in 1999 by the Cleveland Browns)

None of them worked out when Tim Couch was taken No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 1999. Even if you'd thought he was capable of being a legitimate QB, his NFL career would have classified him as one of the most epic first-round busts in history.

9. Trent Richardson, RB (Drafted 3rd overall in 2012 by the Cleveland Browns)

Apr 22, 2014; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson (33) practices during minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility. Rich hauled in with him higher expectations than he met during his career, even exceeding them. Trent went on the play in the AAF where his career was short lived.

10. David Klingler, QB (Drafted 6th overall in 1992 by the Cincinnati Bengals)

The 6th draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1992, David Klingler provided little success some thought was destined for him from his selection. But despite coming in as a quarterback, Klingler was a less-than-impressive player—making him one of the worst draft picks in NFL history.

Projections Mean Nothing

These are some of the highest expectations players in NFL history, except none of them met the standards hoped for, leaving a dark cloud over all and labeling each as one of the biggest busted prospects ever. Both their play and personal lives led to them being considered two of the biggest draft busts in history, offering a warning signal for names to come.

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