Draft Bust Extravaganza!

So I was having a conversation with the roommate the other regarding quarterbacks who ended up as draft busts which got me thinking about who the biggest busts were of the past five years. But going through those drafts, checking stats and taking into account health and coaching changes proved to be more work than I cared to do at that current moment. So I have decided to take the glamor positions and name the top three busts from those positions.

Quarterback:
3. Matt Leinhart (# 10 overall, 2006 draft)
The consummate winner in college, once he got to the pros however…not so much. You can argue with the fact he didn’t get a real shot there, that he had injury problems. You can’t argue with the fact he was released and there had to be a reason more teammates didn’t fight for him.

2. Brady Quinn (# 21 overall, 2007 draft)
Maybe not the biggest winner in college but his senior year he flourished under Charlie Weiss and rocketed up draft charts. While he slipped on draft day the expectations to be what Aaron Rodgers has become today were all over the place. Too bad his inaccurate throws to mediocre receivers didn’t look as good in Cleveland as they did against teams like Bowling Green.

1. Jamarcus Russell (#1 overall, 2007 draft)
Do I need to even explain this one? Lazy, bloated and unmovable. And that just describes his contract.


Running Back:
3. Felix Jones ( #22 Overall, 2008 draft)
Darren Mcfadden’s backfield mate at the university of Arkansas was supposed to revitalize a stagnant Cowboys running game. He currently sits at number 3 on the depth chart behind Tashard Choice and Marion Barber and is rarely healthy enough to make an impact.

2. Donald Brown (#27 overall, 2009 draft)
This pick was going to extend the career of Peyton Manning as it would bring more balance to the Colt’s offense. Peyton slings the ball more now than at any point in his career. Just sayin’

1. Cadillac Williams (#5 overall, 2005 draft)
It pains me to call him a bust as he has been one of my favorite players since his days of ripping up my beloved Mississippi State as a member of the Auburn Tigers. Great speed but tough enough to go between the tackles the Cadillac has been stalled by injuries that have left him a shell of himself.

Wide Receiver:
3. Troy Williamson (# 7 overall, 2005 draft)
Next Randy Moss? More like next David Terrell.

2. Ted Ginn, Jr (#9 overall, 2007 draft)
A dynamic kick returner whose dazzling speed overshadowed his mediocre ability to get off the line against the press and tendency to drop passes. Still though if he was say a 4th round pick he would have been a steal.

1. Matt Jones (#21 overall, 2005 draft)
A freakish athlete with no focus. The talent was there but the drive was not. He appeared to be more worried about scoring coke than he was about touchdowns.

Defensive Backs:
3. Tye Hill (#15 overall, 2006 draft)
Injuries. That’s why he is on the list. Back to back seasons ending on the injured reserve essentially robbed him of the speed and athleticism needed to play corner.

2. Carlos Rogers (#9 overall, 2005 draft)
A flash in the pan season at Auburn and a great workout at the combine actually had people thinking he was the next great shut down corner in the vein of Rod Woodson or Darrell Green. He was not.

1. Adam “Pac-Man” Jones (#6 overall, 2005 draft)
Outside of Antrelle Rolle and Dominique Foxworth this draft was awful for corners. No one epitomized this more than Pac-Man, here is a guy who is the top bust not due to talent or injuries but off the field troubles. If he had an ounce of common sense the kid could have been Deion Sanders 2.0.


Well there you have it, some of the most heart breaking and disappointing players out there. Now allow me to present some steals of the past five drafts. Feel free to leave more if you care.
QB- Matt Cassell (2005 draft, #230 overall)
RB- Lagarette Blount (2010 draft, undrafted)
WR- Miles Austin (2006 draft undrafted)
WR- Marques Colston (2006 draft, #252)
DB- Jim Leonhard (2005 draft, undrafted)
DB- DJ Moore (2009 draft, #119)