The NFL Draft is one of the most exciting events on the football calendar, when teams from all over the country scramble to snap up the most exciting college football talent from the previous season.
Past drafts have provided numerous NFL teams with some of their most valuable and best-loved players, but for every success story there have been countless duds. What about those draftees who never fulfilled their potential? Here are five of the worst NFL Draft picks of all time!
Charles Rogers, Detroit Lions, 2003
Who’s that?
Rogers was a Michigan native and Michigan State University star who was drafted second overall by the Lions in 2003.
What went wrong?
Wide receiver Charles Rogers broke all kinds of records in a glittering college career, but it was a poor work ethic that let him down in the NFL, not to mention a string of violations of the league’s substance abuse policy. Rogers wasreleased by the Lions in 2006.
Steve Emtman, Indianapolis Colts, 1992
Who’s that?
A defensive end from Spokane who won the Rose Bowl with the University of Washington, Emtman was drafted first overall by the Colts in 1992.
What went wrong?
Emtman’s story is one of “what might have been?” The plucky defensive end destroyed his knee during his rookie year then tore his patella tendon on his return. Emtman left Indianapolis in 1994 having played only 18 games for the colts in three seasons.
Aundray Bruce, Atlanta Falcons, 1988
Who’s that?
Picked first overall in the 1988 draft, Bruce enjoyed a long, 11-season career, the highlight of which was his role in Atlanta’s playoff team of 1991.
What went wrong?
Despite being impressively lengthy, Bruce’s playing career never really got off the ground. The promising linebacker averaged only 4 starts per season, and his overall record of 32 sacks and only four interceptions in 11 years makes for pretty sorry reading.
Aaron Gibson, Detroit Lions, 1999
Who’s that?
A 6’9” offensive lineman with pace, Gibson represented his high school in both football and track and field.
What went wrong?
Drafted for his strength and stature, 410-pound Gibson turned out to be a little too big. He remains the heaviest player in NFL history and struggled with his weight throughout his career. After missing the entirety of his first season through injury, Gibson’s weight problems began to get the better of him, and he was dropped by the Lions in 2001.
Giovanni Carmazzi, San Francisco 49ers, 2000
Who’s that?
A quarterback from Sacramento, Carmazzi was acquired by the 49ers in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft.
What went wrong?
Carmazzi was a player destined to never have his name mentioned by NBC announcer and Adelphi University alumnus Al Trautwig. The Sacramento-born quarterback never played a game in the NFL, a statistic made even more sour by the fact that he was selected over Tom Brady, who went on to achieve 392 career touchdowns and 143 interceptions with the New England Patriots.
Each new season brings new winners and losers in the draft. Who do you think will soar and who will flop this year? Who have we missed on our list? Let us know!
