NFL Draft 2011: The 10 Worst Draft Picks in NFL History

The 2011 NFL Draft starts this Thursday and concludes on Saturday—at the moment, there are no sweeter words in the English language.

By now, all of sports-conscious America is desperately anticipating the king of all non-events.

There are millions of misguided souls who actually enjoy the NFL Draft (can you imagine?) and their anticipation needs no explanation.

However, even those of us who loathe the hullabaloo over what is essentially a made-for-television spectacle can't wait for 2011's awkward version to kick off. The sooner it starts, the sooner it ends and the sooner we get our sweet release. Mel Kiper can recede back into whatever techno-cave he slithers from every year and start studying for the next go-around while the incessant mock drafts can be banished from the face of the Internet.

Peace and quiet will finally prevail.

That is, for at least a week or two before the NFL's year-round assault on the senses thunders back into action.

Somewhere tucked in there is a clue about which way I lean on the issue.

Nevertheless, the NFL Draft is an undeniable wave of hysteria that sweeps across the entire country each April. If you're a hardcore football fan, this is one of the best weekends of your year and for good reason. Even casual fans got nuts for the three days of reality programming during which young men's lives are made and broken before our very eyes. Not to mention the organizational futures that rise and fall with the fortunes of their picks.

The optimists in the room see nothing but the possibility of greatness.

While I get to write about the broken and fallen.

Rules of Engagement

As part of my eternal quest to vanquish the mighty windmill, let me remind you that "worst" is NOT synonymous with "biggest bust."

One thing I really dislike about the draft is how the masses turn on the team that drafts the monster everyone wanted, but who doesn't pan out. In my mind, that's not so much bad execution as bad luck—if there's some 6'5" 250-pound superfreak who tore through a major conference in college football and then litters the combine floor with jawbones, why wouldn't you draft him?

Furthermore, why wouldn't anyone draft him?

Then, this mythical player goes tits up and everyone acts as if the franchise that ultimately pulled the trigger should've known better.

Granted, there are times (as we'll see) when all the criticism in the aforementioned scenario is totally justifiable. They are just the exceptions rather than the rule.

So what follows is a list of players whose careers were faint shadows of pre-draft expectations, but the real gruesome selections are the disasters an insider could have and should have seen coming.

Dishonorable Mention

Before we get to the genuine train wrecks, let's take a look at a few choices that were just good enough to avoid top 10 infamy:

A. Kansas City Chiefs Take Todd Blackledge (QB, Penn St.) at No. 7 in 1983

This falls into the "nobody's fault" category of horrible selections since Blackledge had a stellar college career against major-league competition and didn't destroy himself once he got in the League. Nevertheless, the '83 iteration was the NFL's answer to the 2003 NBA Draft. Still, when you have a modest career despite being taken ahead of football luminaries like Bruce Matthews (who's still contributing his talents), Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Darrell Green and Richard Dent, well, you deserve at least a mention on these lists.

B. Indianapolis Colts Take Steve Emtman (DT, Washington) at No. 1 and Quentin Coryatt (LB, Texas &M) at No. 2 in 1992

Emtman got hurt and Coryatt fizzled without being awful; those things happen. But the Colts had the first and second pick in the (admittedly weak) draft, but got nary a Pro Bowl to show for them.

C. New Orleans Saints Take Russell Erxleben (K/P, Texas) at No. 11 in 1979 (seriously)

For those who don't believe an NFL franchise would actually take a kicker/punter just outside the top 10 of the first round in a draft that counted, here's the proof. That's absurd even before you notice that Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow went at No. 13 and some chump named Joe Montana dropped all the way to the third round.

No. 10: Philadelphia Eagles Select Kevin Allen (T, Indiana) at No. 9 in 1985

How bad did Kevin Allen screw up his football career?

I can't even find a picture of him in a Philadelphia Eagles' uniform, let alone a video. Consequently, I've taken pity on the Iggle fans and cued up a highlight reel of a draft pick that went considerably more to plan (though not perfectly).

Alas, I'll ruin all that Philly goodwill by giving you Allen's infamous rap sheet.

After being a top 10 selection in the 1985 NFL Draft, Kevin hopped on the crowded 80's cocaine train and road it right out of the League. He spent a single season with the Eagles before sexual assault charges and a three-year prison stint earned him a ban from the sport that once heralded him as a premier talent.

No. 9: Green Bay Packers Take Tony Mandarich (OL, Michigan St.) at No. 2 in 1989

As you can see from the video, Tony Mandarich was literally the next big thing when he entered the 1989 NFL Draft. Sports Illustrated can't be blamed for the colossal mess that Mandarich eventually became, but I think we can all agree things like "The Incredible Bulk" cover spread and touting him as the "best offensive line prospect ever" didn't help.

Remember, Tony was a 22-year-old man-child while SI's editors were not.

The rest of the story, however, is all on Mandarich.

Though his career eventually morphed into something serviceable, the transformation happened in Indianapolis for the Colts, not in Green Bay for the Packers. His time in Wisconsin was marred by on-field mediocrity and off-field nonsense.

Nor does it help that he went No. 2 in a draft that saw the other top five picks—Troy Aikman (No. 1), Barry Sanders (No. 3), Derrick Thomas (No. 4) and Deion Sanders (No. 5)—land in Canton after historic careers.

No. 8: Detroit Lions Take Charles Rogers (WR, Michigan St.) at No. 2 in 2003

I cut Charles Rogers a little slack because he actually started off pretty well in his rookie season before breaking his collarbone in practice. Then he broke the collarbone again on the first play of the next campaign. That's a healthy bit of misfortune at a very critical juncture.

Rogers clearly had maturity issues and nothing complicates those like a ton of money with plenty of free time in which to use it.

And complicate things is precisely what Charles did.

He violated the League's substance-abuse policy three times, got suspended and never really recovered. As it stands, the would-be star drafted ahead of All Pros like Andre Johnson, Troy Polamalu and Nnamdi Asomugha (to name a few) has 36 career receptions and four touchdowns.

Sweet.

No. 7: Chicago Bears Take Curtis Enis (RB, Penn St.) at No. 5 in 1998

D.J. Dozier, Blair Thomas and Ki-Jana Carter were all stars at Penn State for the Nittany Lions and all three were busts in the NFL.

That didn't stop the Chicago Bears from going right back to the well in 1998 to grab Curtis Enis with the fifth overall selection. True, injuries slowed him down just like they did Carter, but—after the failures of the previous trio—injuries aren't much of a shield.

Furthermore, I haven't seen too many more underwhelming highlight reels than the one attached.

In the face of all that, sirens should've been going off, screaming "SYSTEM BACK! SYSTEM BACK!"

Yet the Bears made the call despite that, which was very un-Ditka-like (Ricky Williams never happened).

For good measure, Enis went a little nuts after retiring at the age of 24. All-in-all, a worthy inclusion.

No. 6: Baltimore Colts Take Art Schlichter (QB, Ohio St.) at No. 4 in 1982

Another combination of being in the wrong place at the wrong time ... with a massive gambling addiction to grease the wheels of demise.

Art Schlichter was drafted with the fourth overall pick by the Baltimore Colts after an outstanding career as an Ohio State Buckeye. What's more, he was selected without a hint of reserve because of his squeaky clean collegiate image.

Whoops.

By all accounts, a massive and serious addiction to gambling started dragging Schlichter down the minute he entered the NFL. Eventually, the 1982 work stoppage cost him the distraction of the game and chaos ensued (sound familiar)?

The shamed QB rolled up felony after felony instead of touchdowns and is currently facing yet another felonious charge, stemming from the theft of over $1 million (according to Wikipedia).

So I guess you can credit ol' Art with being consistent, which is something.

No. 5: Tennessee Titans Take Adam Jones (CB, West Virginia) at No. 6 in 2005

Welcome to the rarefied-yet-noxious air.

The top five are all princes of humanity as well as legendary football players (sense the sarcasm) and nobody can usher in the garbage better than Adam "Pacman" Jones.

Despite character concerns that surfaced while he was still playing collegiate ball for the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Tennessee Titans rolled the dice on Jones with the sixth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

And they regretted the roll almost every day until they made Pacman a memory in 2008.

The most notorious incident is the strip club shooting discussed in the video above, but that was far from Adam's only flirtation with the law. Numerous off-field arrests and the Las Vegas shooting earned Pacman a year-long suspension from the NFL, yet didn't effectively reach him.

The cementhead made a stir by participating in a professional wrestling event while also starting up his own rap label, both of which decisions were, in a word, brilliant.

But not as brilliant as Jerry Jones' faith in Pacman as demonstrated by the Dallas Cowboys to willingly acquire the troubled athlete. Needless to say, the stroke of genius didn't pan out.

No. 4: Oakland Raiders Take JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU) at No. 1 in 2007

The arrogance slathered across JaMarcus Russell's face makes that video pretty tough to watch. The experience is only saved by the deliciously ironic nuggets scattered throughout the seven minutes.

Suffice it to say, the JaMarcus Russell story didn't follow the script written for that segment.

It got off to a rocky start when the big boy held out for even more money than the astronomical sum for which he was already slated. It then devolved into a morass of bad attitude, poor work ethic and general stupidity.

The only thing that saves Russell from climbing higher (or lower depending on your perspective) on this list is the fact that there were few voices of opposition or skepticism when JaMarcus went No. 1. Regardless of what revisionists will try to tell you given the benefit of hindsight, the entire NFL was drooling over the prospects of a youngster with the size, strength, speed and arm boasted by the former LSU Tiger.

Too bad it was all held together by a 10-cent brain.

And codeine syrup, apparently. Lots of codeine syrup.

No. 3: San Diego Chargers Take Ryan Leaf (QB, Washington St.) at No. 2 in 1998

Ryan Leaf's story is so famous, it barely needs recounting—even kids who reached consciousness after the 1998 NFL Draft probably know it well.

That's what happens when you're inextricably connected to Peyton Manning. Dude sets a quick pace.

Of course, that doesn't stop us from repeating at every chance, mainly because of the gigantic donkey Ryan Leaf proved himself to be during his short stint in the NFL. Like JaMarcus Russell before (on this list) and after him, the former Washington State Cougar had millions of dollars worth of physical talent bankrupted by a few pennies worth of brain power.

The quarterback was the poster boy of premature celebration—he rode into the NFL as if he'd already won a few Superbowl rings, alienated just about everyone who came in contact with him and was vomited back out once he'd exhausted the numerous chances that come with first-round genetics.

Only the comparative triviality of his crimes and his indirect help in landing LaDainian Tomlinson for the San Diego Chargers keep him from one of the top two spots.

No. 2: St. Louis Rams Take Lawrence Phillips (RB, Nebraska) at No. 6 in 1996

It takes a real horror story to keep Lawrence Phillips from being the worst draft pick of all time. Luckily for Larry, we've got one waiting for us.

But first, let's deal with Phillips and the St. Louis Rams, the irresponsible franchise that drafted him at No. 6 overall in the 1996 NFL Draft.

The physical gifts bestowed about Phillips could not be questioned, but like so many of his neighbors, it was the void between his ears that scuttled the running back. Even while still in college at Nebraska, his volatility surfaced when he was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend—not your garden-variety youthful indiscretion.

Nevertheless, the Rams not only decided to draft the red flag in cleats, but they also moved future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis to the Pittsburgh Steelers in order to free up playing time.

Uh, good call.

Phillips went on to be a problem on the field for the Rams and an even bigger one for the San Francisco 49ers' Steve Young (thanks for the non-memories, Larry).

Sadly, the only thing more constant than Phillips' struggles on the gridiron were his more serious offenses away from it. At one time, Lawrence Phillips seemed destined for football greatness rather than a cozy prison cell, but that's where he'll be for the next few decades.

No. 1: Carolina Panthers Take Rae Carruth (CB, Colorado) at No. 27 in 1997

Some will argue Rae Carruth, the football player, doesn't deserve to be dubbed the worst draft pick in the history of the NFL.

After all, the former Colorado Buffalo wasn't selected until the end of the first round and he actually made the NFL's All-Rookie team after his first year playing wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers. Additionally, there weren't any ostensible hints at his subsequent criminal activity that should've scared off the Panthers.

All reasonable points and all easily defeated by the sheer evil he helped perpetrate against Cherica Adams and his unborn son. You don't get any mulligans when you conspire to kill an innocent woman and your own child.

Especially when you deny it, implicitly ducking any culpability for the heinous act and heaping deception onto the malice already inflicted.

Nope, if you don't deserve to be breathing oxygen for atrocities committed during your playing career, you are easily the worst draft pick in the history of the NFL.