ESPN's top 50 busts in NFL Draft history

In terms of ultimately not living up to expectations, Heath Shuler is absolutely top 4, maybe higher.

In terms of a true bust, I think he is undeservedly trashed a little too much by the media.

1. The only season Shuler was a healthy starter, he started 8 games and threw 10 TD's and 11 INT's. Not good, but I've seen much worse. For comparison, Shuler's career TD to INT ratio and completion percentage were comparable to Vince Young's 2007 season.

2. Shuler only played for abysmal teams with no surrounding talent his entire career. An eventual Pro Bowl QB beat him out for the starting job in Washington which lead to his trade to arguably the worst team in the NFL at the time, the Saints.

3. Injury forced Shuler into early retirement.

Again, expectations were ultimately not met, but I don't know if he deserves the ridicule he receives.
 
surprised boz isn't on there. i know his was injury related, but if my memory serves me correctly, he was the highest paid defensive player in the history of the league at over 1mm a year at the time.
 
And look how many players Charlie Casserly has on that list. Brilliant move by the Texans to hire that guy. I agree Heath Shuler is way too high. Sure the guy was a bust all things considered, but he is not the 4th worst player given draft position.
 
Cannot believe that they did not have Kenneth Simms in their top 50. Wasn't he the No. 1 pick in the entire draft that year and was out of the league in a couple of years?
 
By far biggest bust ever is Mandarich. If only who the Packers _did not_ draft. Aikman was #1, Mandarich #2.... Barry Sanders #3, Derrick Thomas #4, Deion Sanders #5.

Had Derrick Thomas not died too early then that is 3 sure-fire Hall of Famers (and not sleepers in the draft either) that the Packers passed over for Mandarich.
 
I agree that Mandavich should be in the top 50 and am surprised. He was drafted No. 2 but everyone was sure he was going to be a great offensive lineman in the NFL.

I disagreed with having Maurice Clarrett on the list because everyone knew he was a risk and Denver only took a chance and drafted him last in the third round.
 
Yeah, everybody knew (even Denver) that Clarett didn't even have a 50/50 shot at playing a single down of NFL football. They took him on the slim chance that he was a top 5 pick talent whose troubles let him slide to the third round.

Clarett shouldn't be considered a bust. He was more like a scratch off lottery ticket. You shouldn't expect to win, but if you do, a dollar is a small price to pay.
 
My first thought also was of Kenneth Sims. No.1 pick in 1982.

According to: The Link

he played 8 years, 0 Pro Bowls.

Just 4 years earlier, the Oilers picked Earl No. 1.

8 years, 5 Pro Bowls.

Wow.
 
Was it just me or did anyone else notice how many "busts" were drafted to the Bengals? Are they a cursed team or are they really bad at doing their homework?
 
Farve was not drafted by Green Bay...Atlanta if I remember correctly.

I'm sure Walsh would have taken the 'Boyz to those same Super Bowls though
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I'm 42 now and would have had a much more precise list 10-15 years ago.

#7 "Lam" Jones is way to high at over 16 yds/catch. I don't remember any good Jets QBs sicne Pretty Boy Joe N.

# 10 Neb QB is before my time, but how in the H... can you pick a Neb QB to the NFL in 1970? They didn't start throwing until after the year 2000!!!!!

#11 beat us in the Sugar Bowl, right? Drukenmiller
I was a Drunkbum that night too.

Didn't Stouffer play in Dallas...maybe in the strike year?

#28 Mandarich should be MUCH higher!!!!!!!!

#31 Marinovich was only a Soph and should have kept his *** in school...had a drug problem though, right? Wow shat a waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#42 Akili Smith wow 1999...seemed like yesterday he was drafted maybe 2002 or 03. But 1999???

What about Steve Walsh(even though he was a Sup. draft choice), The Boz, the other LB after LaVar from Penn St.? Who gives a .... anyway

K. Simms kicked but a couple of years in NE but was hurt too, right?

Nobody remembers who comes in second, so God Bless and keep your head high!
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Agreed TNLonghorn, but also Detroit and Cleveland. Seems these 3 teams are a death bed for college stars. One would think that with getting the 1-8 top draft pick year after year, it would yield some better results.
 
the best bet ever was John Unitas, whom Pittsburg cut and Baltimore got for a fifty cent phone call.

Biggest bust lists are a nice way for brain dead journalists to fill up a column. Why pound people who failed to live up to others' expectations? Aside from cruelty, that is.

And one final thought: why not a list of "sports journalists" who have a consistent record of speculating accurately? Wouldn't take a full column.

When Cassius Clay (Ali) fought Sonny Liston, the wise old men of the press all picked Liston to kill the kid. The only person at ringside who predicted an Ali victory----some guy named Marciano.
 
Derek Brown and David LaFleur make the list, but no Ken MacAfee? MacAfee was selected 7th overall by the Niners in 1978. Was all world TE in college at Notre Dame (and against us in '78 Cotton Bowl), but played only two seasons in the NFL.
 
Cedric Benson may well go down as Rashaan Salaam Volume II.

Salaam and Benson are both kinda tweener backs -- strong enough to run through arm tackles and fast enough to get the corner in college, but not the NFL.
 
Kenneth Sims had injury issues as I recall, among which was a broken leg. So a lot of his problems I think were related to that.

And Ag, to be a bust in the draft, people have to actually EXPECT you to be good.
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