13 Biggest NFL Draft Busts, Ranked

If an NFL team heads into the season with less-than-stellar football odds to win the Super Bowl, chances are they might be picking toward the top of the draft. 

In the case of 2025, the No. 1 overall pick belongs to the Tennessee Titans.

Today, there’s NFL betting that can be done on who they’ll select and more.

However, certain players are drafted with promise and hope to lead their franchise to a title, but it simply doesn’t work out. 

Below are my 13 biggest draft busts in NFL history. 

13 Biggest Draft Busts in NFL History, Ranked

Greatest Draft Busts in NFL History

1. JaMarcus Russell — Oakland Raiders

His career started with a holdout, and from there, he went on to go 7-18 as a starter, throwing 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. 

It even reached a point where the Raiders believed he wasn’t watching game film. 

So, they sent him home with a blank DVD and asked him about blitz packages. He said they were good, but, of course, the DVD was blank. 

This was a complete and utter disaster. 

Even more so, he left the NFL with more than $39 million. 

2. Ryan Leaf — San Diego Chargers

Drafted No. 2 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft behind Peyton Manning, Leaf appeared in just 18 games for the Chargers, going 4-14. He missed the entire 1999 season with a shoulder injury. 

As a rookie, he went 3-6 and completed 45.3% of his passes for 1,289 yards, two touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. 

Leaf had massive off-field and maturity issues, which he acknowledges today. 

3. Akili Smith — Cincinnati Bengals

The 1999 NFL Draft was special because the New Orleans Saints traded their entire draft to take running back Ricky Williams at No. 5 overall. 

Why does that matter with Smith? Well, the Bengals had a chance to move out in exchange for the Saints entire 1999 draft class, along with a first and third-round selection in 2000. 

They opted for Smith, who made 17 starts for the Bengals, went 3-14, and had just five touchdowns to 13 interceptions. 

4. Lawrence Phillips — St. Louis Rams

Despite Phillips’s well-known off-field issues, the Rams took him No. 6 overall in the 1996 NFL Draft and also traded away eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis. 

He appeared in just 25 games with the Rams, rushing 376 times for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

The Rams released him during the 1997 season due to his missing practices and other team activities. 

Later, after he was out of the NFL, he was sentenced to 31 years in prison for assault. While in prison, he also murdered his cellmate. 

While that happened after the NFL, it illustrates that the warning signs were there for the Rams at No. 6 overall in 1996. 

5. Charles Rogers — Detroit Lions

Taken No. 2 overall in the 2003 NFL Draft, Rogers caught just 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns across three seasons. 

He dealt with numerous injuries, including a broken collarbone, and was suspended by the NFL in 2005 for failed drug tests. 

The Lions later sued Rogers for his $10 million signing bonus, which he never paid back. 

6. Tony Mandarich — Green Bay Packers

Mandarich, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, also known as “The Incredible Bulk,” simply didn’t pan out in the NFL. To make matters worse, he was drafted ahead of guys like Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders. 

He later admitted to using steroids in college. He said he was addicted to painkillers and alcohol while in the NFL. 

He appeared in 45 games during his three seasons with the Packers but was consistently overwhelmed. 

Mandarich was out of the league after the 1991 season until the start of 1996, when he caught on with the Colts. He was serviceable but never came close to living up to his expectations. 

7. Johnny Manziel — Cleveland Browns

While Manziel wasn’t drafted until No. 22 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, the hype surrounding him heading into the NFL could only be measured as “11 out of 10.” 

Unfortunately, he was a massive bust. 

Across two seasons with the Browns, Manziel went 2-6 as a starter, completed 57.0% of his passes, and had seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Manziel dealt with off-field and personal issues, including substance abuse, domestic violence allegations, and more. 

8. Vernon Gholston — New York Jets

Most known for being just one of two players to record a sack against Michigan tackle Jake Long, Gholston had high hopes coming into the NFL. He was a dominating physical presence, tying the NFL Scouting Combine bench press record with 37 reps. 

However, after coming into the league, he failed to see the field much and didn’t record a single sack in the NFL. 

9. Justin Gilbert — Cleveland Browns

Gilbert was drafted 14 spots ahead of Manzel in that same 2014 draft. 

Gilbert played just 412 snaps with the Browns before being traded for a sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

As a rookie, he started just two games, and later, teammates would rip him for a poor attitude. 

Former teammate Andrew Hawkins later said, “Justin wasn’t a bad dude, just seemed like it was all too much for him at that time in his life.” 

Gilbert was eventually suspended for four games for violating the substance abuse policy. 

10. Justin Blackmon — Jacksonville Jaguars

After seeing 132 targets and catching 64 passes for 865 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, Blackmon’s career quickly went downhill. 

He was suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the substance abuse policy. He was suspended again midseason for the same reason indefinitely. 

Blackmon applied for reinstatement, but dealt with more issues, including an arrest and DUI. 

In his final NFL game, he saw 10 targets and caught four passes for 31 yards. 

What started out promising came to a screeching halt.

11. Trent Richardson — Cleveland Browns

Some may say Richardson had a good rookie season before flaming out, but I disagree. 

He was given 267 carries and ran for 950 yards and 11 touchdowns. Yes, the touchdowns were there, but he averaged just 3.6 yards per attempt. 

It was a total disaster from there, especially after being traded to the Colts for a first-round pick. 

He finished his career with 347 carries for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns. 

Richardson looked the part, but his vision and ability to burst through a hole simply weren’t there, and he was definitely not worthy of a No. 3 overall pick. 

12. Trey Lance — San Francisco 49ers

I have some sympathy for this one, but whenever you trade away three first-round picks to draft a guy No. 3 overall, and he makes just four starts for you, that’s a bust in the truest sense of the word. 

After going No. 3 overall, Lance joined the 49ers. He was behind Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart and managed to get two starts under his belt, throwing five touchdowns and two interceptions, along with a rushing touchdown. 

Heading into the 2022 season, it was Lance’s job. 

Week 1 was against the Chicago Bears in some of the worst weather, and the 49ers lost 19-10. 

Then, in Week 2, Lance was hurt against the Seattle Seahawks and missed the rest of the season. 

Good news for the 49ers: In 2022, they drafted Brock Purdy with the last pick. He eventually found the field, and the rest is history. 

Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, went 0-1 in one start, and recently signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

13. Zach Wilson — New York Jets

After a massive pre-draft process, including legendary throws at his pro day, Wilson was selected by the Jets as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, one pick ahead of Lance. 

Wilson went 12-21 as the Jets starter and had 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. 

He was also once asked at a press conference if he let his defense down after the Jets lost to the New England Patriots 10-3, and he had just 77 passing yards. 

His answer? One word: No. 

That’s it, no accountability, nothing. 

Wilson is now a backup with the Miami Dolphins. 

Who Is the Biggest Draft Bust in NFL History?

JaMarcus Russell is the biggest draft bust in NFL history.