The 2010 NFL Draft's Biggest Potential Busts

On the Google Images page for "NFL Draft Busts," over 241,000 images of Tony Mandarich, Brian Bosworth, Ryan Leaf, and other famous failures populate. Hindsight is 20/20, so today it’s crystal clear why picking Lawrence Phillips was a bad choice, but plenty of first-round prospects are entering the 2010 NFL draft with red flags on their resumes. Players can bust for several different reasons—injuries are their easiest way to flunk out of the NFL. Underachieving is a worse offense for a high draft pick. The toughest case to deal with is the player who does everything right on the field and everything wrong off the field. Here are the top five potential busts from the 2010 NFL Draft Class.

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5. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Combine Stats: 6'4", 236 pounds

I felt much more comfortable about Matt Stafford being the top pick last year than Bradford this year because everyone had picked apart Stafford's game. We knew his flaws, we saw his struggles, and his talent was still overwhelmingly apparent.

With Bradford, just when we got a glimpse of him in less-than-ideal situations, the tape stopped rolling.

Bradford played behind a great offensive line and was surrounded with NFL-caliber weapons when he won the Heisman in 2008. He hardly played with a pass rush in his face until the national championship game, where he continually threw off his back foot when pressured.

This season Bradford looked good against BYU, until his throwing shoulder was injured. He had a decent showing against Baylor, who went 1-7 in Big 12 play but once again struggled with a pass rush against Texas before he was re-injured.

I have to trust Dr. James Andrews and believe his shoulder will recover fine, but I don't have any reason to believe he will start stepping into his throws when pressured.

We've never seen a prolific Oklahoma quarterback come out of the spread and make it in the NFL. Bradford has the tools to be very good behind a very good line, but with limited talent around him he will likely struggle.

With so many questions surrounding Bradford, why aren't more of them being asked?

4. Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

Combine Stats: 6'6", 277 pounds, 4.71, 21 reps

To be fair, Dunlap does have some game tape to support being a first-round pick. He has been effective at multiple spots on the D-line and has made plays on college football's biggest stage.

There is also a lot of film to support that he is lazy and won't thrive in the physical NFL game.

Any on-field questions are only magnified by his in-season DUI, putting his character in question as well.

3. Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

Combine Stats: 6'5", 323 pounds, 5.38, 21 reps

Some may think Bruce Campbell would be up here instead of Davis because Campbell was the one with the hyped combine performance, but it is the lack of performance I am worried about with Davis.

At times Davis looked like a starting left tackle in the NFL, and at times he looked like a gifted but lazy project.

Effort has been a major concern when grading Davis. He shows signs of a player who may get content with a big payday and forgo improving his game.

It was nice to see his explosive 33-inch vertical leap, but events that require sustained effort like the forty and bench were disappointments—or maybe he's just slow and weak.

2. Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois

Combine Stats: 6'1", 219 pounds, 4.48, 20 reps

There is nothing scarier than a first-round wide receiver. Too many times it has been time itself that determines who goes in Round One, not on-field production.

Benn does have some highlight grabs on tape; over the last three years he caught 159 passes for 2,221 yard and seven touchdowns. An alarmingly low number of scores is the first red flag; his 38 receptions this season is the next.

To compare, Darrius Heyward-Bey went for 138, 2,089, and 13 in three years at Maryland. Numbers Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin slapped in two years.

Benn does give you action in the return game and he's effective in rushing situations, but in a talented draft like this, I wouldn't take a player with this much risk in the top 32.

1. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

Combine Stats: 6'5", 270 pounds, 4.69, 19 reps With the prototypical size/speed combo you want in a defensive end, it's no surprise scouts get so excited when they first see Pierre-Paul. When you dig deeper, the rawness of his raw athleticism stands out. JP-P only has one year of Big East experience under his belt, but his 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception were enough to earn All-American honors. His sack total and 45 total tackles aren't overly impressive, but 16.5 tackles for loss speak volumes about his ability to disrupt plays behind the line of scrimmage. For me, the problems start with the fact that Pierre-Paul played opposite the most accomplished defensive end in South Florida history, George Selvie. Game plans were developed to slow the 2007 Big East DPOY, not some JuCo transfer. While Pierre-Paul has an attractive physical makeup, he doesn't have the elite speed of a Simeon Rice or Javon Kearse to get around the edge. Going head-up with tackles, he lacks the upper body strength of Mario Williams and Will Smith. Another knock is that he doesn't have a bag of moves like Dwight Freeney or Julius Peppers. Look at the defensive ends drafted in the first round over the last 10 years—I see more Jamaal Anderson or Jarvis Moss than any of the players I previously mentioned.

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