Every NFL Team's Biggest Draft Bust of All Time - One Pick for All 32 Teams

July 14, 2026

Every NFL Team's Biggest Draft Bust of All Time. Read RotoBaller's rankings for Every NFL Team's Biggest Draft Bust of All Time including Trey Lance, Josh Rosen, and more.

With training camp just days away, let's take a look back at some of the most infamous selections in NFL draft history. While many of these names were viewed as "can't miss" prospects, they fell far short of expectations and left their teams as major disappointments.

In this article, we'll name every NFL team's biggest draft bust.

Let's dive in!

Arizona Cardinals

Josh Rosen, 10th Overall, First Round, 2018 NFL Draft

The first round of the 2018 NFL Draft was a fertile ground for quarterbacks. In a round that produced Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, the Arizona Cardinals somehow came away with Josh Rosen. Talk about a raw deal.

In Arizona's defense, all those QBs with the exception of Jackson were gone by the time they selected UCLA's Rosen with the 10th overall pick, but the remorse of overlooking Jackson - who went to Baltimore with the final pick of the first round - must still linger for the Cardinals. Rosen was so bad that he only last one year in Arizona, which is almost unheard of for a QB selected with the 10th overall pick.

Atlanta Falcons

Aundray Bruce, 1st Overall, First Round, 1988 NFL Draft

A bone-crushing linebacker out of Auburn, Aundray Bruce would put together a respectable NFL career, though only four seasons of it would be spent with the Falcons. A common theme of this list isn't just players who don't live up to expectations, but the true opportunity cost of selecting one player ahead of another.

For example, Atlanta selected Bruce with the first overall pick of the 1988 NFL Draft, which means they left future Hall of Famers like Tim Brown, Sterling Sharpe, and Michael Irvin on the board.

Baltimore Ravens

Kyle Boller, 19th Overall, First Round, 2003 NFL Draft

The Ravens are an organization that's know for making sharp draft picks. However, no organization is perfect, and that was certainly the case when Baltimore made the decision to trade up in the 2003 NFL Draft to select quarterback Kyle Boller with the 19th overall pick.

By all accounts a good teammate and a hard worker, Boller possessed a canon for an arm but little accuracy or awareness. His time with the Ravens was marked by injuries and ineffectiveness with the 2004 campaign - a season where he threw for just 13 TDs in 16 games - being the high watermark.

Buffalo Bills

Mike Williams (OL), 4th Overall, First Round, 2002 NFL Draft

Following an All-American career at the University of Texas, Mike Williams was deemed a can't-miss prospect that was supposed to anchor the Buffalo offensive line for years to come. The Bills selected Williams with the fourth overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft, ahead of players such as Bryant McKinnie, Dwight Freeney, Albert Haynesworth, and Ed Reed.

To call Williams a disappointment would be an understatement, as the Bills tried moving him all over the offensive line before finally giving up on their failed high draft choice by releasing him in 2006.

Carolina Panthers

Rae Carruth, 27th Overall, First Round, 1997 NFL Draft

Sometimes a pick isn't the worst in franchise history just because a player failed to produce on the field. I'm sure Carolina would like to completely wipe the name Rae Carruth from their history books due to the heinous acts the 1997 first-round pick committed off the football field.

Carruth was an All-Rookie team performer during his first pro season, but in 2001 he was found guilty of conspiring the murder of his then-girlfriend Cherica Adams, who was pregnant with his child. Carruth would ultimately serve 18 years in prison for his role in the brutal crime.

Chicago Bears

Mitchell Trubisky, 2nd Overall, First Round, 2017 NFL Draft

In search of a replacement for Jay Cutler, Bears GM Ryan Pace moved up from third to second in the 2017 NFL Draft to select North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. In the words of Julia Robert in Pretty Woman, "Big mistake. Huge.".

Not only was Trubisky shaky from the get go in Chicago, but the Bears selected him over both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. It will be a draft that will always live in infamy for long-suffering Bears fans.

Cincinnati Bengals

Akili Smith, 3rd Overall, First Round, 1999 NFL Draft

Of all the teams in the NFL, the Bengals have the rather dubious distinction of having perhaps the most high-profile draft busts to sort through. Ki-Jana Carter and David Klingler are just a couple of many Bengals busts worth (dis)honorable mention, but we'll give the crown to Akili Smith.

Cincinnati reportedly turned down a "Godfather" trade offer from the New Orleans Saints - who were desperate to move up and select Ricky Williams - ahead of the 1999 NFL Draft in order to stand pat with the third overall pick and take Smith. Bad choice, as Smith was highly criticized for his lack of work ethic while starting only 17 games and throwing just five TD passes in his four years with the Bengals.

Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel, 22nd Overall, First Round, 2014 NFL Draft

Johnny Football was an honest-to-goodness cultural phenomenon during his collegiate career at Texas A&M. The first freshman to ever win the Heisman Trophy, Manziel electric style of play led to huge statistical tallies against college competition.

While many pro scouts were on the fence about Manziel's NFL prospects, Cleveland traded up to grab the controversial superstar with the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. They likely began to regret the decision quickly afterward, as Manziel proved to be undisciplined off the field and ineffective on it. The Browns cut ties with the disgraced Manziel after just two seasons and he never returned to the NFL.

Johnny Manziel pic.twitter.com/z8EYQsPRYC

— NFL (@NFL) May 17, 2024

Dallas Cowboys

Bobby Carpenter, 18th Overall, First Round, 2006 NFL Draft

The No. 18 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter came with a lot of high hopes after he was a third-team All-American for the Buckeyes. He didn’t live up to those hopes, though, recording 3.5 sacks in his four seasons with the Cowboys. He started just three of his 58 games with the franchise and averaged 18 solo tackles per season.

Carpenter might have been a decent special teamer, but he failed to live up to his expectations as a first-round pick.

Denver Broncos

Paxton Lynch, 26th Overall, First Round, 2016 NFL Draft

It's bad enough when a team completely whiffs on a first-round pick. The miss is amplified even more when it's a quarterback. Things are even worse when it's a quarterback that you traded valuable draft capital to move up and select. The Denver Broncos hit the trifecta with Paxton Lynch, a physical specimen out of Memphis. With Peyton Manning retiring, the Broncos needed a replacement under center.

They were so sure that Lynch was the answer that they dealt a first and round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in order to move up and select him with the 26th overall pick of the 2016 draft. Lynch was so bad that he only managed to make four career starts across his two seasons in Denver.

Detroit Lions

Charles Rogers, 2nd Overall, First Round, 2003 NFL Draft

It seemed like a match made in heaven for the Detroit Lions to draft the Saginaw native with the second overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. Sadly, his NFL stint was a disaster. The 2002 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner and unanimous All-American played only 15 games in three seasons. Rogers’ rookie season lasted only five games after suffering a collar bone injury after a hit by cornerback Dre Bly in practice. As it turned out, he failed to recover from that injury, both physically and mentally.

The two-time All-Big Ten player missed four games in 2005 due to the NFL's substance abuse policy. The Lions released him, and no other team acquired his services. He finished his pro career with 440 yards and four touchdowns. His life ended tragically in November 2019 at 39 years old due to liver failure triggered by opioid addiction.

Green Bay Packers

Tony Mandarich, 2nd Overall, First Round, 1989 NFL Draft

Sports Illustrated propelled him to heroic proportions after featuring him on their cover as “The Incredible Bulk.” The magazine hailed the offensive lineman from Michigan State as the best prospect ever because of his ungodly measurables, like running the 40-yard dash at 4.6 seconds despite weighing over 300 pounds and a 30-inch vertical leap.

Thinking they had hit the jackpot, the Green Bay Packers took him with the second overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. Sadly, attitude problems and sub-par performances saw him exiting the NFL after four seasons.

In addition to the never-before-seen hype that he failed to live up to, Mandarich stands out as one of the biggest busts in history due to the fact that every other player selected in the top five of his draft became Pro Football Hall of Famers - Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and Deion Sanders.

Houston Texans

David Carr, 1st Overall, First Round, 2002 NFL Draft

Poor David Carr never really had a chance, so it almost isn't fair to judge him too harshly. That said, Carr was selected with the first overall pick of the 2002 NFL Draft and came nowhere close to being the franchise QB the then-expansion Houston Texans were hoping for. Playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the history of the league, Carr took so many hits during his first few NFL seasons that he basically developed on-field PTSD.

Indianapolis Colts

Tev Alberts, 5th Overall, First Round, 1994 NFL Draft

Say what you will about infamous Colts busts Jeff George and Steve Emtman, but they at least had talent. George was surrounded by a horrible team, while Emtman made the NFL All-Rookie team before suffering multiple devastating injuries. Alberts dealt with some injuries of his own, but he just never seemed to be an NFL-caliber player even when healthy - certainly not one worth the fifth overall pick in the draft.

He recorded just 69 tackles and four sacks before washing out from the Colts after only three seasons.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Justin Blackmon, 5th Overall, First Round, 2012 NFL Draft

What makes Justin Blackmon different than many of the busts on this list is that he undoubtedly had the talent to become a star in the NFL, but just couldn't overcome his off-the-field issues in order to actually play. Jacksonville traded up to take Blackmon with the fifth overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft in April and he promptly was arrested for DUI in June. Despite that trouble, the former Oklahoma State star put together a dazzling rookie campaign with 865 yards and five TDs.

Unfortunately, that would be the high point of Blackmon's career, as he would play just in just four more NFL games after his rookie season due to alcohol and substance abuse issues that led to multiple suspensions from the league.

Kansas City Chiefs

Todd Blackledge, 7th Overall, First Round, 1983 NFL Draft

Younger NFL fans probably think the Kansas City Chiefs can do no wrong, but that wasn't always the case for the franchise that's developed into a dynasty over the past decade. Things weren't always so rosy in KC and the Chiefs' decision to select quarterback Todd Blackledge with the seventh overall pick of the 1983 NFL Draft was undoubtedly a huge setback.

Most now know Blackledge as a popular college football broadcaster, but after a great collegiate playing career at Penn State, he flamed out hard as a pro, starting only 24 of a possible 40 games in his five years with the Chiefs. What makes this pick so much worse than your average bust is that Blackledge was selected ahead of not only Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, but also Tony Eason and Ken O'Brien, in a draft that remains legendary for its QB talent.

Las Vegas Raiders

JaMarcus Russell, 1st Overall, First Round, 2007 NFL Draft

Not only the biggest bust in Raiders history, JaMarcus Russell is in the conversation as the biggest bust in the history of the NFL. He had a physical skill set that made Raiders owner Al Davis drool, but many scouts warned of his poor work ethic and like of drive off the field.

As it turned out, the naysayers were right. Following a long contract holdout, Russell was never in very good physical condition and reportedly didn't bother with trying to learn the playbook. He never completed at more than 60 percent of his passes in any of his three NFL seasons. Worst yet, taken in consecutive picks after Russell were Hall of Famers Calvin Johnson and Joe Thomas.

Los Angeles Chargers

Ryan Leaf, 2nd Overall, First Round, 1998 NFL Draft

Going back to the days of the San Diego Chargers, when the organization made one of the biggest draft blunders in NFL history. Along with the aforementioned JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf is in the conversation as not only the biggest bust in a franchise's history, but as one of the biggest draft disappointments in the history of the league.

After a college career at Washington State in which he showcased physical tools that had many calling him the next John Elway and ranking him equal to or ahead of fellow 1998 draftee, Peyton Manning, Leaf unraveled quickly at the pro level. He started just 18 games in three years with a Chargers organization that traded two first-round picks in order to move up and secure his services.

Leaf lasted just four seasons in the NFL before dealing with serious drug issues in his post playing days.

Los Angeles Rams

Lawrence Phillips, 6th Overall Pick, First Round, 1996 NFL Draft

The St. Louis Rams selected Phillips with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. It was a disastrous decision because after a controversial career at Nebraska where he was accused of multiple crimes and suspended, Phillips continued to make headlines for the wrong reasons at the NFL level.

Unable to stay out of trouble, Phillips was released by the Rams before the end of his second pro season. Following his playing days, Phillips was sentenced to 31 years in prison in 2008 and took his own life in 2016.

Miami Dolphins

Dion Jordan, 3rd Overall, First Round, 2013 NFL Draft

Miami moved up to the third spot in the 2013 NFL Draft in a deal with the Raiders, a pick which they used to select Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan. To say it was a swing and a miss for the 'Fins is an understatement. After an underwhelming rookie season, Jordan missed six games in 2014 for twice violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, and missed the entire 2015 season for a third violation.

After sitting out 2016 due to injury, Jordan was released by Miami in 2017.

Minnesota Vikings

Dimitrius Underwood, 29th Overall, First Round, 1999 NFL Draft

In one of the wildest developments in the history of a first-round pick, following the 1999 NFL Draft, Dimitrius Underwood signed a five-year, $5.3 million contract with the Vikings on August 1 and promptly left the team after the first practice of training camp on August 2.

Underwood forfeited a $1.75 million signing bonus after saying he couldn't resolve the conflict between playing football and serving his Christian faith. Minnesota waived him less than two weeks later. Underwood was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had brief stints with the Dolphins and Cowboys.

New England Patriots

Chris Singleton, 8th Overall, First Round, 1990 NFL Draft

In the 1990 NFL Draft, the Patriots elected to trade the third overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks in order to have the eight and tenth overall picks of the first round. Unfortunately for New England, the pick they traded away became Cortez Kennedy, while their selections were used on Chris Singleton and Ray Agnew. In a first round that included three future Hall of Famers - Kennedy, Junior Seau, and Emmitt Smith - the Pats somehow completely whiffed on two picks inside the top 10.

New Orleans Saints

Russell Erxleben, 11th Overall, First Round, 1979 NFL Draft

The Saints have made plenty of draft blunders, such as trading an entire draft for Ricky Williams, but none is as bizarre as the organization's decision to select Russell Erxleben with the 11th overall (!) pick of the 1979 NFL Draft. Why was this pick so strange? Well, because Erxleben was a punter!

According to NFL lore, the thrifty franchise thought they would save money by paying one player to be both their punter and kicker, while also opening up a roster spot for a position player. Needless to say, it was a disaster, as Erxleben couldn't win even win the Saints' kicking job and turned out to be only a painfully-average punter during his time in New Orleans.

New York Giants

Eli Apple, 10th Overall, First Round, 2016 NFL Draft

When a player only spends two seasons with the team that drafted him 10th overall, you know things aren't pretty. Apple's stay with the Giants was short and his brief stays with teams has been a recurring theme throughout his career. His Giants teammate Landon Collins called him "a cancer" in 2017, and New York suspended him for a violation of team rules in his second season before moving on from him completely the following year.

New York Jets

Zach Wilson, 2nd Overall, First Round, 2021 NFL Draft

The Jets have had no shortage of draft busts in their history, but Zach Wilson is the most recent - and biggest - miss for Gang Green. New York selected the BYU product second overall based on his dazzling performance during the COVID-impacted 2020 college season. The problem? Wilson faced tissue-soft competition and had never shown that he was a big-time NFL prospect before that year.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Reagor - 21st Overall, First Round, 2020 NFL Draft

While in a vacuum, Jalen Reagor has been a certified bust, what makes things so much worse is who was selected one pick after Reagor in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. With the Philadelphia Eagles in desperate need of wide receiver help going into the 2020 draft, two strong options were still available to them with the 21st pick...Jalen Reagor and Justin Jefferson. They chose wrong.

Philadelphia infamously selected Reagor over Jefferson, with Minnesota grabbing JJ with the very next pick. It's a choice that still infuriates Eagles fans and one GM Howie Roseman would surely love to have back. Jefferson has gone on to become a legitimate superstar who's displayed generational talent, while Reagor lasted just two seasons in Philly before being traded to the Vikings for a seventh-round pick. Reagor was cut by Minnesota after just a year on the team.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Jarvis Jones, 17th Overall, First Round, 2013 NFL Draft

In all fairness to the Steelers, their consistent performance year-in and year-out often leads to them picking in the mid-to-late first round, which means a lesser shot at can't-miss type prospects. That said, Georgia's Jarvis Jones was viewed as just that after two All-American campaigns during his college career. Unfortunately, that production never translated to the NFL level, as Jones started just 35 games for Pittsburgh across his four-year stay with the Steelers.

San Francisco 49ers

Trey Lance, 3rd Overall, First Round, 2021 NFL Draft

We've seen teams swing and miss on QBs in the draft, but whoa, Trey Lance was a big swing and a big miss by the normally sharp San Francisco 49ers. The Niners gave up a haul to move up to the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, a pick that they spent on the athletically gifted Lance, a QB that seemed to be a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan's offensive system, but who had only played 19 total games collegiately at North Dakota State.

San Francisco traded first-round picks in the 2021, 2022, & 2023 NFL Drafts - as well as a 2022 third-rounder - for the right to select Lance. Unfortunately for the Niners, after spending 2021 behind Jimmy Garoppolo on the depth chart, their prized pick suffered a season-ending ankle injury just two games into the 2022 season, which paved the way for current Niners starter Brock Purdy to impress the organization.

The team finally cut their losses, trading Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a conditional fourth-round draft pick.

This shot of #49ers Trey Lance hitting Deebo Samuel for a touchdown is pure art

via @ConvoEnt | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/RcDecPgiFg

— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) January 4, 2022

Seattle Seahawks

Dan McGwire, 16th Overall, First Round, 1991 NFL Draft

The lanky McGwire was the first QB selected in the 1991 NFL Draft - a draft that it must be noted featured Brett Favre. To say the San Diego State product was a bust for the Seahawks would be an understatement. McGwire was so underwhelming that he couldn't even get on the field. He started just five games across his four years in Seattle, throwing for just 745 yards and two TDs in 12 total games during his entire tenure with the Seahawks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bo Jackson, 1st Overall, First Round, 1986 NFL Draft

No one is going to argue that Bo Jackson wasn't worthy of being the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, but the Bucs had to know they were completely wasting this pick. Following a disastrous pre-draft meeting with Jackson, a fiasco through which the Bucs cost Jackson his final year of college baseball eligibility, Tampa Bay was notified that Bo would not be playing for their organization. The Bucs still used the first overall pick on the two-sport superstar, which led Jackson to playing baseball for the Kansas City Royals and re-entering the NFL Draft in 1987.

Tennessee Titans

Isaiah Wilson, 29th Overall, First Round, 2020 NFL Draft

The Titans have certainly missed on higher draft picks - shoutout Jake Locker - but none have failed as spectacularly as Isaiah Wilson, a talented but troubled offensive lineman that Tennessee selected with the 29th overall pick of the first round in 2020.

A five-star high school recruit and legit stud at the University of Georgia, Wilson had all the physical tools needed to be a long-term offensive line solution for Tennessee. Unfortunately, his rookie season included a contract holdout, several trips to the COVID list, multiple arrests, and a suspension. Wilson was so off the planet that the Titans simply cut their losses after he played just four garbage time snaps in his one year with the team, shipping him to Miami for practically nothing in return.

Washington Commanders

Chase Young, 2nd Overall, First Round, 2020 NFL Draft

Yes, Young was named the 2020 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, the "can't miss" generational prospect that the Washington Commanders drafted with the second overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft didn't do much else for the Commanders. We can place a lot of blame on injuries. Since playing 15 games as a rookie, Young played in only 12 games across 2021 and 2022.

Washington was so tired of Young's disappearing act - and expiring rookie contract - that they traded him to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round draft pick at the 2023 NFL trade deadline.

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