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Re-Drafting Every NFL Team's Worst Draft Pick of the Century
The 2026 NFL draft is now only days away. While fans should be excited about their teams' chances of adding a difference-maker, it's important to remember that teams don't always get it right.
In fact, teams often get picks wrong despite funneling countless money and man-hours into the predraft process. The problem is that predicting how a player will perform in the NFL remains an inexact science.
But with the power of hindsight, it's easy to identify the players whom teams should have drafted instead of their biggest busts. That's what we'll do here.
We'll examine each team's biggest draft miss since the year 2000, why that player failed to pan out, and who would have been the right fit in retrospect. Factors like production, positional value, individual accolades and team construction were all considered here.
Arizona Cardinals
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Original Pick: DT Robert Nkemdiche at No. 29 overall (2016)
New Pick: DT Chris Jones (No. 37 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs)
In 2016, the Arizona Cardinals took a chance on Mississippi defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche late in the first round. While Nkemdiche was widely considered a physically elite prospect, he entered the draft with questionable production and character concerns.
"Scouting community has serious concerns about his personal character and work ethic," NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein wrote ahead of the draft.
Unfortunately, Nkemdiche's issues followed him to Arizona. He recorded only 44 tackles and 4.5 sacks in three seasons with the Cardinals and was released after showing up to training camp out of shape in 2019. Nkemdiche spent two more seasons in the NFL but never played up to his draft status.
Given a do-over, the Cardinals could snag defensive tackle Chris Jones, who went 37th overall to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016. The seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro has become the star interior defender that Nkemdiche was supposed to be.
Atlanta Falcons
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Original Pick: Edge Takkarist McKinley at No. 26 overall (2017)
New Pick: Edge T.J. Watt (No. 30 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers)
To be fair, the Atlanta Falcons haven't had many first-round misses this century. Edge-rusher Takkarist McKinley was the team's biggest whiff, and he recorded 13.0 sacks over his first two seasons.
However, McKinley's production dipped after his sophomore campaign. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2019 and was released during the 2020 season after requesting a trade out of Atlanta.
McKinley appeared in 22 games after leaving the Falcons but hasn't played since 2024. Making his 2017 selection look worse is the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers landed edge-rusher T.J. Watt a few picks later.
Watt, an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, would be a logical target for Atlanta—and a few other teams—in a 2017 re-draft.
Baltimore Ravens
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Original Pick: QB Kyle Boller at No. 19 overall (2003)
New Pick: WR Anquan Boldin (No. 54 overall by the Arizona Cardinals)
To say that the Baltimore Ravens' 2023 gamble on Kyle Boller didn't pay off would be an understatement. Baltimore traded a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 first-round pick to take the Cal product 19th overall, and it got little in return for its investment.
Even then, the move felt risky. Boller completed less than 50 percent of his passes in three of his collegiate seasons and completed just 53.4 percent of his passes as a senior in 2002. While he possessed elite arm strength, he was unpolished as a pocket passer.
At the time, the hope was that Boller would evolve enough to turn a team with a dominant defense into a contender. Unfortunately, it never happened.
Though Boller went 9-7 as a starter in 2004, he was limited to nine games the following season due to injuries. He was replaced by veteran Steve McNair in 2005.
In all, Boller went 20-22 as Baltimore's starter and never appeared in a playoff game.
Instead of trading up for Boller, the Ravens could have used the 41st pick on wideout Anquan Boldin, who amassed 13,779 receiving yards during his 14-year NFL career and eventually made his way to Baltimore in 2010.
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Buffalo Bills
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Original Pick: Edge Aaron Maybin at No. 11 overall (2009)
New Pick: Edge Brian Orakpo (No. 13 overall by the Washington Commanders)
The good news for the Buffalo Bills is that their 2009 first round wasn't a total bust. Buffalo used the 28th overall pick on center Eric Wood, who went on to start 120 games for the franchise over nine years.
However, the Bills missed on 11th overall pick Aaron Maybin.
A one-year starter at Penn State, Maybin was considered a talented but raw prospect leading up to the 2009 draft. The Bills took a chance that backfired.
Maybin recorded just 25 tackles for the Bills, never logged a sack with the franchise and was waived after only two seasons.
Instead, Buffalo could have taken Texas edge-rusher Brian Orakpo, who was selected two picks later. He had 11 sacks during his rookie season alone, finished with 66 career sacks, and made four Pro Bowls.
Carolina Panthers
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Original Pick: OT Jeff Otah at No. 19 overall (2008)
New Pick: OT Duane Brown (No. 26 overall by the Houston Texans)
The Carolina Panthers traded up to take Pittsburgh offensive tackle Jeff Otah 19th overall in the 2008 draft. The move cost Carolina second- and fourth-round picks in the 2008 draft, plus a 2009 first-rounder.
Initially, the selection of Otah looked wise. He slotted in at right tackle, while former right tackle Jordan Gross became a Pro Bowler on the left side. However, ongoing knee issues quickly derailed Otah's career.
While Otah started 25 games over his first two seasons, he made just four starts in 2011 and didn't play again after that.
Carolina could have taken Duane Brown instead, keeping Gross on the right side. The Virginia Tech product went on to have a 16-year career that included 218 starts, five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro selections (including one first-team nod in 2012).
Chicago Bears
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Original Pick: WR Kevin White at No. 7 overall (2015)
New Pick: WR Tyler Lockett (No. 69 overall by the Seattle Seahawks)
To be fair to the Chicago Bears, several teams struck out on wide receivers early in the 2015 draft. DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor, Breshad Perriman, Phillip Dorsett, Devin Smith and Dorial Green-Beckham were other receivers drafted in Round 1 or early in Round 2 who went on to underwhelm.
The Bears also couldn't have predicted the injury issues that would plague the abbreviated career of seventh overall pick Kevin White. Still, he was a massive disappointment who dealt with multiple injuries, including a fractured fibula and a shoulder fracture.
The West Virginia product appeared in only 14 games across four seasons with the Bears and finished his Chicago tenure with a mere 285 receiving yards and not a single receiving touchdown.
If the Bears were determined to get a receiver, they could have taken Kansas State's Tyler Lockett. The third-round pick was still playing in 2025 and has amassed 8,885 yards and 62 touchdowns to date.
Cincinnati Bengals
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Original Pick: WR John Ross at No. 9 overall (2017)
New Pick: QB Patrick Mahomes (No. 10th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs)
After a lengthy stretch as a playoff contender with Andy Dalton at quarterback, the Cincinnati Bengals missed the postseason in 2016. They became enamored with the speed of Washington receiver John Ross and snagged him with the ninth overall pick, hoping he'd help jump-start the offense.
Ross, who had modest college production before his 2016 season, set a then-record at the combine by running a 4.22-second 40-yard dash.
The problem was that while Ross was fast, he never quite learned how to play receiver in the NFL. He lasted just four seasons in Cincinnati, last played in 2024, and still hasn't totaled 1,000 receiving yards as a pro.
One pick after Ross, the Kansas City Chiefs grabbed quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has already had a Hall of Fame-worthy career.
The Bengals weren't necessarily in the quarterback market at the time, but Dalton lasted just three more seasons in Cincinnati before the franchise pivoted to Joe Burrow.
Cleveland Browns
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Original Pick: CB Justin Gilbert at No. 8 overall (2014)
New Pick: DT Aaron Donald (No. 13 overall by the St. Louis Rams)
The Cleveland Browns have made a plethora of bad picks since returning to the league in 1999. While quarterbacks like Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel and DeShone Kizer were monumental flops, the 2014 selection of Justin Gilbert was somehow even worse.
The Oklahoma State product had loads of physical talent, but he never seemed all too interested in developing as a pro. He made only three starts for the Browns and played only 411 defensive snaps in two seasons before he was traded to the rival Steelers.
Gilbert spent one season as a special-teamer in Pittsburgh before he was released and subsequently suspended by the NFL for a violation of the league's substance abuse policy.
The Browns could have picked just about anybody else after trading down from No. 4 to No. 8 and gotten more value than they got from Gilbert. Future first-ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald would be a prime target in a re-draft.
Dallas Cowboys
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Original Pick: Edge Taco Charlton at No. 28 overall (2017)
New Pick: Edge T.J. Watt (No. 30 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers)
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2017 draft looking for pass-rushing help. With the 28th pick, they settled on Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton.
Charlton was an intriguing prospect despite having inconsistent production with the Wolverines. He had tremendous size (6'6", 277 lbs) and was an all-Big Ten selection in his final collegiate season.
Still, picking Charlton late in Round 1 meant passing on T.J. Watt, whom the Steelers selected two picks later. Watt has gone on to have a Hall of Fame-caliber career with 115.0 sacks, eight Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro selections.
Charlton recorded four sacks in two seasons with the Cowboys before he was waived early in the 2019 season. He recorded five sacks with the Miami Dolphins that season, but he was out of the NFL by 2023.
Denver Broncos
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Original Pick: QB Paxton Lynch at No. 26 overall (2016)
New Pick: QB Dak Prescott (No. 135 overall by the Dallas Cowboys)
The Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning at quarterback in the 2015 season. However, Manning retired following the win, and Denver entered the 2016 draft needing a long-term answer behind center.
Ironically, the Broncos and Cowboys both tried to make a move up to select Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch. Denver won the bidding war, sending the 31st pick and a third-rounder to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for the 26th pick and the chance to draft Lynch.
The move was a bust for the Broncos. Lynch started just four games over two seasons in Denver, and he never appeared in a regular-season game after his release.
Meanwhile, Dallas stumbled into Dak Prescott in the fourth round. The four-time Pro Bowler remains the Cowboys' franchise quarterback in 2026 and would be an easy choice for Denver in a re-draft.
Detroit Lions
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Original Pick: WR Charles Rogers at No. 2 overall (2003)
New Pick: WR Andre Johnson (No. 3 overall by the Houston Texans)
While the Detroit Lions have changed their fortunes for the better recently, they regularly whiffed on early draft picks at the start of the century. They had a particularly difficult time finding good receivers in the first round before stumbling into Calvin Johnson in 2007.
Charles Rogers, Roy Williams and Mike Williams were all top-10 picks who could be considered massive busts. Rogers was the biggest bust of the bunch due to draft position and expectations.
The Michigan State product was supposed to give Detroit a long-term No. 1 receiver to pair with quarterback 2002 first-round pick Joey Harrington. However, a series of clavicle injuries and substance abuse violations limited him to only 15 games in three seasons with the Lions before his release.
The Lions kept throwing darts at the receiver position with little success—Roy Williams at least had one Pro Bowl campaign with Detroit—before finding Johnson. Things might have been much different had the Lions taken Andre Johnson instead of Rogers.
Johnson, who went third overall to the Houston Texans, racked up seven Pro Bowls and 14,185 receiving yards during his Hall of Fame career.
Green Bay Packers
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Original Pick: DE Jamal Reynolds at No. 10 overall (2001)
New Pick: WR Reggie Wayne (No. 30 overall by the Indianapolis Colts)
The Green Bay Packers were still in the prime years of the Brett Favre era in 2001, but they were looking to end a two-year playoff drought. In that year's draft, they used the 10th overall pick on Florida State defensive lineman Jamal Reynolds.
At the time, Reynolds seemed like a safe selection. He had recorded 12 sacks and 58 tackles during his final collegiate season and was a unanimous first-team All-American.
However, Reynolds struggled to stay productive and on the field as a pro.
Lingering knee and back injuries prevented him from reaching his physical ceiling, while the emergence of 2000 fifth-round pick Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila limited his opportunities. In all, Reynolds appeared in only 18 games over three seasons with the Packers and never played in the NFL again following his release.
The Packers tried to trade Reynolds to the Indianapolis Colts in 2004, but the deal was declared void due to a failed physical.
Ironically, Green Bay could have poached future Colts star Reggie Wayne during the 2001 draft. Doing so could have given the Packers a premier receiver to pair with Favre and future star Donald Driver.
Houston Texans
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Original Pick: DT Amobi Okoye at No. 10 overall (2007)
New Pick: CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall by the New York Jets)
The Texans took a big risk in the 2007 draft, using the 10th overall pick on Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye. At just 19 years and 10 months old, he was the youngest player ever selected in the modern NFL draft.
However, Okoye didn't develop into the perennial All-Pro that Houston had hoped it was getting. He recorded 11 sacks and 138 tackles in four seasons with the Texans before he was released.
Making the selection feel worse in retrospect is the fact that the 2007 draft featured multiple Hall of Famers, including linebacker Patrick Willis and cornerback Darrell Revis, who were selected after Okoye was drafted.
In a re-draft, we'd pair Houston with Revis. Having him on the back end and 2006 first-round pick Mario Williams rushing the passer would have given Houston the foundation of a prolific defense.
Indianapolis Colts
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Original Pick: DE Björn Werner at No. 24 overall (2013)
New Pick: WR DeAndre Hopkins (No. 27 overall by the Houston Texans)
In 2013, the Colts were looking to build off a playoff appearance and take the proverbial next step with second-year quarterback Andrew Luck. Looking to bolster their defense, the Colts took Florida State edge-rusher Björn Werner with the 24th overall pick.
While Werner tallied an impressive 13 sacks in his final college season, he had an underwhelming combine performance that probably should have served as a red flag. He failed to replicate his collegiate success as a pro, recording just 6.5 sacks in three seasons in Indy.
Werner was inactive for the 2014 AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. He was relegated to a rotational role the following season and was waived in March 2016.
In a re-draft, the Colts could snag wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who went three picks later to the rival Texans. The Clemson product would have given Luck a reliable, go-to No. 1 receiver—the kind they tried to get two years later when they drafted Phillip Dorsett in Round 1.
Hopkins just wrapped his 13th season and has compiled 13,295 receiving yards, 85 touchdowns and five Pro Bowl appearances.
Jacksonville Jaguars
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Original Pick: WR Justin Blackmon at No. 5 overall (2012)
New Pick: LB Luke Kuechly (No. 9 overall by the Carolina Panthers)
A year after trading up to draft Blaine Gabbert 10th overall, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to take wide receiver Justin Blackmon fifth overall. Neither player had a long and successful career with the Jags, but Blackmon's NFL tenure was over in a flash.
The Oklahoma State product was viewed as an elite receiver prospect, and Jacksonville parted with a fourth-round pick to move up two spots and secure him. However, the two-time Biletnikoff winner failed to replicate his college success in the NFL due to suspensions.
Blackmon had 865 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a rookie, which was a promising start. However, he was suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy at the start of his sophomore campaign and was suspended indefinitely after four 2013 appearances. He was never formally reinstated by the NFL.
While the Jaguars couldn't have predicted Blackmon's career being so brief when they drafted him, they'd undoubtedly make a different decision in a re-draft. Linebacker Luke Kuechly, who was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, would be a safe choice.
Kansas City Chiefs
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Original Pick: DT Ryan Sims at No. 6 overall (2002)
New Pick: Edge Dwight Freeney (No. 11 overall by the Indianapolis Colts)
The Kansas City Chiefs have had some notable draft hits over the years, but they had a big miss with defensive tackle Ryan Sims in 2002.
The Chiefs traded up to take the former North Carolina standout sixth overall. Securing the selection cost Kansas City the eighth overall pick, a third-round pick and a 2003 sixth-round pick.
In return for their investment, the Chiefs did get five seasons out of Sims. However, he never made the substantial impact he was expected to make.
Sims recorded just 76 tackles and five sacks for Kansas City before he was traded away for a seventh-round selection.
In a re-draft, the Chiefs could steal pass-rusher Dwight Freeney without spending the extra draft capital to move up. Freeney played for 16 seasons and racked up 125.5 sacks en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Las Vegas Raiders
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Original Pick: QB JaMarcus Russell at No. 1 overall (2007)
New Pick: OT Joe Thomas (No. 3 overall by the Cleveland Browns)
With the Las Vegas Raiders likely to take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, fans hope that history won't repeat itself. The last time the Raiders took a signal-caller at the top of the draft, it was one of the biggest misses in recent memory.
In 2007, the Raiders opted for LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell. The 2006 Manning Award winner had a 6'6" frame, incredible arm strength and a track record of generating big plays in college. However, he was also unpolished and never developed as a pro.
Russell made just one start as a rookie, started 15 games as a sophomore and was benched before the end of his third season. In all, he started 25 games, posted a 65.2 passer rating and was released in 2010.
The two players drafted directly after Russell, wide receiver Calvin Johnson and offensive tackle Joe Thomas, became first-ballot Hall of Famers. Either would be a slam-dunk pick for Las Vegas in a re-draft.
We'd probably opt for Thomas, who could have anchored the Raiders' offensive line for more than a decade.
Los Angeles Chargers
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Original Pick: CB Sammy Davis at No. 30 overall (2003)
New Pick: CB Nnamdi Asomugha (No. 31 overall by the Oakland Raiders)
The then-San Diego Chargers made a couple of blunders during the 2003 draft, culminating in the selection of Texas A&M cornerback Sammy Davis.
First, the Chargers traded down from the 15th spot, picking up the 30th and 62nd picks in the process. While that's decent value, they passed on future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, who was selected with the very next pick.
Then, the Chargers used the 30th pick on Davis, who had a good but not great collegiate career. His pro career was even more underwhelming, and he made just 30 starts in San Diego before the Chargers traded him to the San Francisco 49ers.
Instead of taking Davis, the Chargers could have taken cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who landed with the rival Raiders with the following selection. During his 11-year career, he was selected to three Pro Bowls and received two first-team All-Pro nods.
Los Angeles Rams
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Original Pick: OT Greg Robinson at No. 2 overall (2014)
New Pick: OT Jake Matthews (No. 6 overall by the Atlanta Falcons)
In 2014, the then-St. Louis Rams used the second overall pick on Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson. The belief was that Robinson would anchor the offensive line and be the franchise left tackle that 2009 second overall pick Jason Smith failed to be.
Neither tackle proved to be franchise-caliber, and both lasted a mere three seasons. It's entirely fair to debate which was more disappointing.
While the 2009 draft wasn't exactly loaded with premier left tackles, though, the Rams passed on a pretty good one in 2014 to take Robinson.
Four picks after Robinson was selected, the Falcons snapped up Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews. While Matthews has only made one Pro Bowl in his career, he's started 196 games across 12 seasons and is still going strong.
Robinson started 42 games for the Rams before he was traded for a sixth-round pick.
The Rams did land Aaron Donald with the 13th pick in the 2014 draft, and they could simply grab him at No. 2 in a re-draft. We'll assume they don't have to take him early, though, and go with Matthews instead.
Miami Dolphins
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Original Pick: Edge Dion Jordan at No. 3 overall (2013)
New Pick: OT Lane Johnson (No. 4 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles)
Plenty of teams missed in the 2013 draft. However, the Dolphins missed harder than most after trading up and parting with a second-round pick to select Oregon edge-defender Dion Jordan.
Jordan wasn't a particularly polished pass-rusher, but he had a great blend of size (6'6", 284 lbs) and athleticism. Having shown solid coverage skills in college, he seemed like a high-floor prospect who would be a solid every-down defender. at worst.
Unfortunately, staying on the field proved to be a problem for Johnson. He was suspended multiple times for violating the league's substance abuse policy and was suspended for the entire 2015 season. When he returned in 2016, knee issues led to a failed physical and Jordan's release.
In all, Miami got just two years, 26 games and three sacks out of Jordan.
The Dolphins could have opted for offensive tackle Lane Johnson instead. He was taken one pick later by the Philadelphia Eagles, has appeared in six Pro Bowls and is set to play again in 2026.
Minnesota Vikings
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Original Pick: WR Troy Williamson at No. 7 overall (2005)
New Pick: WR Roddy White (No. 27 overall by the Atlanta Falcons)
Troy Williamson was always going to have a difficult time meeting the expectations of Minnesota Vikings fans. That's because the 2005 first-rounder was selected with the pick that Minnesota received in the Randy Moss trade.
By the time he was dealt, Moss had accumulated five Pro Bowls and six 1,000-yard seasons in seven years. Williamson, who possesses 4.32 speed, was supposed to step in and be Minnesota's new difference-making receiver.
Unfortunately, Williamson's elite speed didn't compensate for his inconsistent catching. He recorded just 1,067 receiving yards and three touchdowns in three seasons before the Vikings traded him to the Jaguars for a fifth-round pick.
Since Minnesota was eyeing receivers in 2005, it would probably snap up Roddy White in a do-over. White spent 11 seasons with the Falcons and tallied four Pro Bowls, 10,863 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns before calling it a career.
New England Patriots
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Original Pick: WR N'Keal Harry at No. 32 overall (2019)
New Pick: WR A.J. Brown (No. 51 overall by the Tennessee Titans)
For as fruitful as the Bill Belichick era was for New England, it included its fair share of questionable draft picks. Chad Jackson, Ras-I Dowling, Cyrus Jones and Cole Strange are just a few early draft picks who disappointed as pros.
However, 2019 first-round pick N'Keal Harry was the biggest mistake of them all, both because of what he failed to accomplish and because of who the Patriots passed over to get him.
The Arizona State product lasted three seasons in New England and provided just 598 yards and four touchdowns before he was traded to Chicago.
By selecting Harry at the tail end of Round 1, the Patriots passed on Pro Bowl receivers like Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf. Given that New England is now being linked to Brown in trade rumors, we'd expect that the Patriots would be happy to land him in a re-draft.
New Orleans Saints
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Original Pick: DT Johnathan Sullivan at No. 6 overall (2003)
New Pick: DT Kevin Williams (No. 9 overall by the Minnesota Vikings)
Entering the 2003 draft, the New Orleans Saints were desperate to improve their defensive front. Believing they could do so by adding Georgia defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan, they traded up to grab him with the sixth overall pick.
Moving up from No. 17 to No. 6 was a costly move for New Orleans. In exchange for the sixth, 37th and 102nd picks, New Orleans gave up the 17th, 18th and 54th picks.
What the Saints got in return for the move was disappointing.
Sullivan struggled with his conditioning and was demoted after making 12 starts as a rookie. He started just four games in 2004 and none in 2005. He was traded in 2006 but never again played in the NFL.
If the Saints were set on getting a defensive tackle in a re-draft, they could grab Kevin Williams, though they still would have to trade up to do so. Williams, who played in the NFL for 13 seasons, was a six-time Pro Bowler and a five-time first-team All-Pro.
New York Giants
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Original Pick: OT Ereck Flowers at No. 9 overall (2015)
New Pick: RB Todd Gurley (No. 10 overall by the St. Louis Rams)
In 2015, the New York Giants used the ninth overall pick on Miami offensive tackle Ereck Flowers, hoping to anchor the left side of their offensive line. Though New York spent multiple years trying to make it work with Flowers, it simply never did.
Flowers regularly picked up penalties while struggling with technique issues in pass protection. The Giants allowed him to work through his struggles for three seasons, but they moved him to right tackle in 2018. After he struggled there and the Giants couldn't find a trade partner, they released Flowers.
While the Giants might opt for a different lineman in a re-draft such as D.J. Humphries or Andrus Peat, it's intriguing to imagine how things might have turned out had they drafted running back Todd Gurley.
Gurley didn't have a long heyday, but he was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro in his first four seasons. He could have given New York a top-tier running game to pair with the final years of Eli Manning's career—something the Giants tried to accomplish with Saquon Barkley three years later.
New York Jets
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Original Pick: Edge Vernon Gholston at No. 6 overall (2008)
New Pick: QB Joe Flacco (No. 18 overall by the Baltimore Ravens)
Vernon Gholston is widely considered one of the NFL's biggest busts of this century, and for good reason. While he was productive at Ohio State (86 tackles, 22.5 sacks in 2006 and 2007), he was drafted highly after wowing scouts at the combine.
Gholston ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash and logged 37 bench-press reps at 6'3" and 266 pounds in Indianapolis.
The Jets snapped up Gholston with the sixth pick in the 2008 draft, but they quickly realized that he wasn't going to meet his athletic potential. Gholston only lasted three seasons in New York before he was released, tallying just 42 tackles and no sacks.
In a re-draft, the Jets could grab Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco, who went to the Ravens a dozen picks later.
New York traded for Brett Favre a few months after the draft. Favre only lasted one season with the Jets, who have been searching for quarterback stability ever since.
Flacco, who won a Super Bowl following the 2012 season, has thrown for 48,176 career yards and just started 10 games between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns in 2025.
Philadelphia Eagles
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Original Pick: WR Jalen Reagor at No. 21 overall (2020)
New Pick: WR Justin Jefferson (No. 22 overall by the Minnesota Vikings)
Looking to add a No. 1-caliber receiver in 2020, the Eagles used the 21st overall pick on TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor. Even then, it was viewed as a questionable choice, as Reagor was coming off a down year (611 yards) and underwhelmed at the scouting combine with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash.
In retrospect, selecting Reagor one spot before the Vikings took LSU receiver Justin Jefferson was a massive mistake.
Jefferson has gone on to establish himself as a top-five wideout, if not the best pass-catcher in the league. With 8,480 receiving yards, four Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro nods and one Offensive Player of the Year award in six seasons, Jefferson is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
Reagor, meanwhile, lasted just two years in Philly, giving the Eagles 695 receiving yards before he was traded to Minnesota for fifth- and seventh-round picks. It's safe to say that the Eagles would gladly take Jefferson over Reagor in a re-draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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Original Pick: LB Jarvis Jones at No. 17 Overall (2013)
New Pick: CB Darius Slay (No. 36 overall by the Detroit Lions)
The Steelers haven't had many first-round misses this century, but most would argue that they whiffed on 2013 selection Jarvis Jones. The Georgia standout was expected to provide a disruptive pass-rushing presence on the perimeter but never developed into one.
Jones did last four years in Pittsburgh but missed over half of 2014 with a wrist injury. Despite starting 35 of his 50 games, he never recorded more than two sacks in a single season.
The Steelers declined Jones' fifth-year option, and after he was released in 2017, he never played in the NFL again.
While the 2013 draft wasn't particularly deep, the Steelers could have scooped up cornerback Darius Slay.
Slay, who retired earlier this offseason, eventually made his way to Pittsburgh in 2025. His NFL career lasted 13 seasons and included 176 starts, six Pro Bowls, and one first-team All-Pro nod.
San Francisco 49ers
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Original Pick: QB Trey Lance at No. 3 overall (2021)
New Pick: Edge Micah Parsons (No. 12 overall by the Dallas Cowboys)
The San Francisco 49ers' 2021 selection of Trey Lance was so bad that if the team hadn't stumbled into Brock Purdy a year later, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan might have both gotten fired.
The entire process of drafting Lance was a risky gamble. San Francisco traded the 12th overall pick in the draft along with first- and third-round picks in 2022 and a 2023 first-round pick to move up to No. 3 overall. The 49ers made the move while looking for a quarterback but without knowing which ones would still be on the board at No. 3.
Shanahan and Lynch settled on Lance, a one-year starter at North Dakota State, who possessed elite athletic upside but limited experience against quality competition. The gamble did not pay off.
Lance failed to unseat Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie, and he suffered a season-ending ankle fracture after two starts in 2022. Purdy cemented himself as the starter by the end of Lance's sophomore year, and Lance was traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in 2023.
San Francisco could have saved its draft capital, stayed at No. 12, and grabbed All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons instead. While the 49ers had a top-tier edge rusher in 2019 first-round pick Nick Bosa, they've lacked a high-end complement to him ever since he was drafted.
Seattle Seahawks
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Original Pick: DT Malik McDowell at No. 35 overall (2017)
New Pick: S Budda Baker (No. 36 overall by the Arizona Cardinals)
The Seattle Seahawks' 2009 selection of Aaron Curry with the fourth overall pick was bad in retrospect, but at least Curry started for a few seasons before he was traded. Malik McDowell, whom the Seahawks selected with a second-round pick in 2017, never saw the field for Seattle at all.
The former Michigan State standout was injured in an ATV crash, which caused him to miss his rookie season. After multiple arrests, he was released by the Seahawks and spent 11 months in prison. He returned to spend one season as a starter with the Browns but never played a down for the team that drafted him.
Making the McDowell pick seem even worse is the fact that Seattle traded down multiple times before selecting him. Had they stayed in the No. 26 spot, they could have snagged pass-rusher T.J. Watt.
Even if the Seahawks had executed their three trades down from No. 26 to No. 35, they could have scooped up safety Budda Baker ahead of what proved to be Kam Chancellor's final season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Original Pick: K Roberto Aguayo at No. 59 overall (2016)
New Pick: G Joe Thuney (No. 78 overall by the New England Patriots)
The majority of misses featured here have involved first-round picks because first-round prospects are widely expected to be impactful additions. When they aren't, it's glaring.
However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2016 second-round miss that involved a kicker was equally striking.
The Buccaneers traded third- and fourth-round picks to move up to the 59th overall pick, which they spent on Florida State kicker Roberto Aguayo. The 2013 Lou Groza winner was supposed to give Tampa's kicking game some much-needed stability, but his tenure was anything but stable.
Aguayo made only 71 percent of his field-goal attempts and 94.1 percent of his extra points as a rookie and was waived after just one season. Aguayo hasn't appeared in an NFL game since.
In a re-draft, the Bucs could opt to keep their third-round pick (74th overall) and snap up guard Joe Thuney instead. Thuney is still a high-level starter and has been a first-team All-Pro in each of the past three seasons.
Tennessee Titans
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Original Pick: QB Jake Locker at No. 8 overall (2011)
New Pick: Edge J.J. Watt (No. 11 overall by Houston Texans)
Jake Locker certainly wasn't the only bad quarterback drafted in 2011. After Cam Newton went No. 1 overall, Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder came off the board within the first 12 picks.
The Tennessee Titans made Locker the second quarterback off the board even though he never looked like a composed and polished passer at Washington. He did flash an elite combination of size (6'2", 231 lbs), speed (4.58-second 40-yard dash) and athleticism, but he relied heavily on his scrambling ability and battled numerous injuries in college.
Unfortunately, Locker never became a consistent or reliable passer in the NFL. He went 9-14 as a starter with a 79.0 passer rating in his four seasons with the Titans and opted to retire in 2015.
In a re-draft, Tennessee could scoop up three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and keep him away from the rival Texans instead.
Washington Commanders
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Original Pick: CB Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall (2023)
New Pick: CB Christian Gonzalez (No. 17 overall by the New England Patriots)
The Washington Commanders founded a new regime when they hired coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters in 2024. Their last pick of the previous era was a whopper of a mistake.
Looking to improve a defense that ranked 29th in pass defense the previous season, Washington snapped up Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes with the 16th overall pick. It was a questionable pick even then, as Forbes was a fast (4.35-second 40-yard dash) but rail-thin (6'1", 166 lbs) defender who had a very questionable NFL outlook.
Forbes lasted less than two full seasons in Washington and was waived in November 2024. He has since reemerged as a capable contributor for the Rams, but Washington passed on players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jack Campbell and Sam LaPorta to take him.
Given the Commanders' need for secondary help, they'd have been wise to grab Christian Gonzalez, who was selected with the 17th pick and has since established himself as a Pro Bowler.
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