Revisiting the Biggest Draft Bust in Each NFL Team's History

With the surprises come the disappointments. Such is the intrigue of the NFL draft.

There has already been a look at each club’s biggest steal in this process. So it’s only fair to point out a franchise’s most regrettable selection—all 32 of these in the first round. Again, this dates back to 1967 and the first common draft between the NFL and AFL.

You may notice a few players who went on to bigger and better things with another team. That doesn’t prevent them from being a bust for their original franchise.

Injuries are one thing. The inability to play or even show up is another. There will be a few extra disappointments listed as well, but there’s certainly no honor in being mentioned in this piece.

Arizona Cardinals: QB Kelly Stouffer

Joseph Patronite/Getty Images

Year: 1987

Overall Selection: 6

School: Colorado State

The Cardinals' final year calling the city of St. Louis home was 1987, a year in which they owned the sixth overall pick. It wound up being used on a player who never performed for the franchise.

An ugly holdout by Colorado State quarterback Kelly Stouffer, which cost him his entire rookie campaign, would result in him being traded to the Seattle Seahawks (details courtesy of the New York Times) in 1988.

His NFL career would last four years and a total of 22 games in the Pacific Northwest. He finished with a 5-11 record as a starter, throwing seven touchdown passes and 19 interceptions.

Atlanta Falcons: RB Joe Profit

Year: 1971

Overall Selection: 7

School: Louisiana-Monroe

Take a glance at the video included with this piece. It’s former Atlanta Falcons running back Joe Profit interviewing Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Theismann.

It’s worth noting that both players were selected in the 1971 draft. Only six players were picked ahead of the product from Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe), while Theismann was the 99th overall selection (fourth round) by the Miami Dolphins.

Three seasons with the Falcons added up to 15 games, 197 yards rushing and three touchdowns. That’s what you would call a deficit. He would also spend one season with the New Orleans Saints and ran for 274 yards in eight contests with the club.

As for Theismann, 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins (after a stint in the Canadian Football League) resulted in two Super Bowl appearances and a NFL title in 1982.

Baltimore Ravens: QB Kyle Boller

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Year: 2003

Overall Selection: 19

School: California

Ozzie Newsome’s tenure as general manager of the Baltimore Ravens has been enormously successful. He rarely misses when it comes to a first-round selection.

Unfortunately, University of California signal-caller Kyle Boller proved to be one of those miscues. The first-round pick would play eight seasons in the league. But his five-year stint with the team that drafted him was anything but scintillating.

With the Ravens, he would play in 53 games and make 42 starts. Boller completed just 56.9 percent of his throws and threw for 45 scores compared to 44 interceptions. He was sacked 102 times in those contests and lost 19 of his 26 fumbles.

After missing the 2008 season with a shoulder injury (his last with the Ravens), the former Golden Bear wrapped up his disappointing career via shorts stints with the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders.

Buffalo Bills: DE Aaron Maybin

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Year: 2009

Overall Selection: 11

School: Penn State

The Buffalo Bills got little and nothing from defensive end Aaron Maybin, the 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft.

Little was 24 tackles and one forced fumble in 27 games. Nothing was zero sacks in those two seasons.

There would be no year three with the club. But the former Nittany Lion star remained in the AFC East. Maybin would wind up with the New York Jets in 2011. Under then-head coach Rex Ryan, he wound up leading the club with six sacks.

Unfortunately but true to form, Maybin’s NFL career would end one year later with the Green and White. His final stat line read one tackle and zero sacks in eight games.

Carolina Panthers: CB Rashard Anderson

ERIK PEREL/Getty Images

Year: 2000

Overall Selection: 23

School: Jackson State

Cornerback Rashard Anderson’s NFL career lasted two seasons—all with the Carolina Panthers.

After playing in 12 games during his rookie campaign, the former Jackson State product made 15 appearances, including nine starts, in 2001.

It all added up to 66 tackles, one interception, two fumble recoveries and six passes defensed in 27 games.

More than a decade ago, ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli gave us the lowdown on Anderson’s off-the-field problem. He would miss all of 2002 for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and that was followed by an indefinite suspension.

Despite being reinstated by the league in 2004, Anderson’s days with the Panthers and the NFL would come to an end.

Chicago Bears: QB Cade McNown

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Year: 1999

Overall Selection: 12

School: UCLA

This is the first of two appearances by the unfabled quarterback class of 1999. It was a draft in which the first three selections would be used on the position. In order of appearance, there was Tim Couch (Cleveland Browns), Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles) and Akili Smith (Cincinnati Bengals).

Minnesota opted for Daunte Culpepper at No. 11 while the Chicago Bears wrapped up the unprecedented run by grabbing UCLA’s Cade McNown with the 12th overall selection.

Ouch.

A total of 25 games (15 starts) saw him throw for 3,111 yards. But there were just 16 touchdown passes compared to 25 turnovers while McNown was sacked 45 times.

In August 2001, the disappointing performer was dealt to the Miami Dolphins (recapped by Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times). Less than a year later (via the New York Times), McNown was sent to the San Francisco 49ers for a conditional seventh-round draft choice in 2003. But he never threw a pass for either of those clubs.

Cincinnati Bengals: QB Akili Smith

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Year: 1999

Overall Selection: 3

School: Oregon

Back to 1999 and a draft class that saw five quarterbacks chosen in the first 12 picks.

After the Cleveland Browns went for Kentucky’s Tim Couch and the Philadelphia Eagles chose Syracuse’s Donovan McNabb, Oregon’s Akili Smith was the Cincinnati Bengals’ selection at No. 3.

Three proved to be an ironic number because that’s how many wins the former Duck managed in 17 starts with the franchise. In four seasons with the Bengals, Smith played in 22 games and failed to complete at least half (46.6 percent) of his passes. He threw for only five scores and was picked off 13 times. The 6’3”, 220-pound signal-caller was sacked 59 times and lost eight of his 19 fumbles.

Needless to say, Smith was gone after the 2002 season, bringing an end to an error.

Cleveland Browns: QB Brady Quinn

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Year: 2007

Overall Selection: 22

School: Notre Dame

To be totally fair, the focus here is on the Cleveland Browns that returned to the NFL as an expansion team in 1999. It’s been a franchise that has struggled, to say the least.

One of the biggest issues has been an attempt to find a quarterback. In 2007, they used the third overall selection in the draft to protect whoever would be throwing the football. Left tackle Joe Thomas has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his nine seasons.

As for the quarterback, the team used a second pick in the first round on Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn. He proved to be a 22 (as in overall selection) that never really caught on. He would play in 14 games and make only a dozen starts (3-9 record).

While Quinn wound up with more touchdown passes (10) than interceptions (nine), he obviously wasn’t the team’s future at the position. In 2010, the Browns dealt him to the Denver Broncos. Over the next four seasons, he would be on four different rosters but only saw action with the Kansas City Chiefs (10 games) in 2012.

In both 2012 and 2014, the Browns used the 22nd overall pick in the draft on two quarterbacks who didn’t pan out. Four years ago it was Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden, now a member of the Houston Texans. The second was Johnny Manziel, whose overall failures are discussed by John Branch of the New York Times.

Dallas Cowboys: LB Bobby Carpenter

Donna McWilliam/Associated Press

Year: 2006

Overall Selection: 18

School: Ohio State

In what proved to be Bill Parcells’ final season and draft with the Dallas Cowboys, the Hall of Famer failed to nail the team’s first-round pick in 2006.

In four seasons with the Cowboys, Ohio State linebacker Bobby Carpenter didn’t build much of a resume. He would play in 58 games and make only three starts. The former Buckeye managed just 3.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and less than 100 tackles.

Tight end David LaFleur—a personal choice of quarterback Troy Aikman as documented by Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram—could have been the choice here as well. The 22nd overall selection in 1997 totaled just 85 receptions for 729 yards and 12 touchdowns in four seasons with the club.

Denver Broncos: WR Marcus Nash

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Year: 1998

Overall Selection: 30

School: Tennessee

Following the team’s 31-24 Super Bowl XXXII surprise of the Green Bay Packers, the Denver Broncos logically had the final pick in the first round of the 1998 draft.

The club fared much better in the big game than they did with their selection. The franchise opted for University of Tennessee wide receiver Marcus Nash. His stay in Denver lasted just over a year.

Nash totaled four receptions for 76 yards and zero touchdowns in eight contests as a rookie. After two games in 1999, he was sent to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for running back John Avery. He never played for his new team and later that year suited up for the Baltimore Ravens for one contest.

But it is worth a mention that Nash would eventually put up mind-boggling numbers in the Arena Football League. In six seasons with three teams from 2003-08, he totaled 661 catches for 8,113 yards and 192 touchdowns. He also scored eight times on the ground.

Detroit Lions: WR Charles Rogers

DUANE BURLESON/Associated Press

Year: 2003

Overall Selection: 2

School: Michigan State

Can one play turn you into a first-round draft choice? Ask South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who gained lots of notoriety after leveling Michigan running back Vincent Smith in the 2013 Outback Bowl.

Just over a decade earlier, Michigan State wide receiver Charles Rogers made an amazing grab in the back of the end zone against Notre Dame that would have gone viral in today’s world of social media.

In 2003, the Detroit Lions opted for the former Spartan with the second overall selection in the draft. Over the course of three seasons, he played in a mere 15 games and totaled only 36 catches for 440 yards and four scores.

Talk about a mega-disappointment.

But things would get a lot worse for Rogers, as documented by Andy Hoag of MLive.com in January 2013.

Green Bay Packers: T Tony Mandarich

Mike Powell/Getty Images

Year: 1989

Overall Selection: 2

School: Michigan State

Talk about sticking out like a sore thumb. Take a look at the first five selections in the 1989 NFL draft.

The Dallas Cowboys grabbed quarterback Troy Aikman at No. 1. In order, that pick was followed by the Green Bay Packers (tackle Tony Mandarich), Detroit Lions (running back Barry Sanders), Kansas City Chiefs (linebacker Derrick Thomas) and Atlanta Falcons (cornerback Deion Sanders).

Four of those men are enshrined in Canton, Ohio. Mandarich is the exception on that amazing list, despite an unprecedented media buildup.

Roughly seven years ago, ESPN’s Kory Kozak caught up with the “The Incredible Bulk” (courtesy of the April 24, 1989, cover of Sports Illustrated, in a piece penned by Rick Telander). As for his days with the Packers, he lasted three seasons and played in 45 games—making a combined 31 starts. He was gone after the 1991 campaign.

Five years later, Mandarich resurfaced with the Indianapolis Colts, spent three seasons with the club at right tackle and right guard and played respectable football.

Houston Texans: DT Travis Johnson

Bill Baptist/Getty Images

Year: 2005

Overall Selection: 16

School: Florida State

Just as was the case with the biggest draft steal for every NFL franchise, there’s not much history when it comes to the Houston Texans.

It’s also far too early to label outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney as a bust. The first overall pick in the 2014 draft did show some promise this past season. He totaled 40 tackles, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and six passes defensed in 13 outings.

In four seasons and 54 games with the Texans, defensive tackle Travis Johnson averaged less than two tackles per contest. He knocked down eight passes but managed only a pair of sacks and one interception. In 2009, he was dealt to the San Diego Chargers and spent two mediocre years with that team.

Indianapolis Colts: QB Art Schlichter

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Year: 1982

Overall Selection: 4

School: Ohio State

During the 1980s, only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (45-106-1) sported a worse win-loss record than the Colts (54-97-1). The team’s failure to land a reliable quarterback had a lot to do with those issues.

It wasn’t for a lack of opportunity. One year before the then-Baltimore Colts selected future Hall of Famer John Elway first overall in 1983, the franchise made Ohio State signal-caller Art Schlichter the fourth overall pick.

As is well-known, Elway never played for the franchise. Meanwhile, the former Buckeye’s tenure with the club spanned four years but lasted only 13 games. He was 0-6 as a starter, completed only 45 percent and threw for three scores compared to 11 interceptions.

After a rookie campaign in which he appeared in only three of the team’s nine games, Schlichter was suspended by the league for all of 1983 for gambling (documented here by Dave Anderson of the New York Times). All six of his starts came after the club had moved to Indianapolis in 1984. He was cut five games into the 1985 season.

Via ESPN, the last word on Schlichter came in 2012 when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for yet another indiscretion.

Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Derrick Harvey

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Year: 2008

Overall Selection: 8

School: Florida

The last time the Jacksonville Jaguars reached the postseason or even posted a winning record was 2007. That year, the club finished 11-5 and advanced to the AFC divisional round.

Off that year, the franchise was aggressive in the draft. It orchestrated a trade that saw them move from the 26th spot in the first round to eighth overall. Their target was University of Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey. Then-head coach Jack Del Rio would get his man.

But this former Gator lacked the bite needed to succeed in the league. His time in Jacksonville added up to three seasons (47 games) and his sack total matched his selection number (eight). He was released in July 2011 and eventually signed with the Denver Broncos, where he totaled zero sacks in five games with the club.

Kansas City Chiefs: DT Ryan Sims

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Year: 2002

Overall Selection: 6

School: North Carolina

Can a nine-year veteran actually be considered a bust?

He can when only five players were selected ahead of him and the performer goes on to average less than one sack per season during his career in the league.

The Kansas City Chiefs used the sixth overall pick in 2002 on North Carolina defensive tackle Ryan Sims. In five seasons with the franchise, he made 36 starts, totaled five sacks and picked off one pass.

It was off to Tampa in 2007. The former Tar Heel managed a mere 3.5 sacks in four years (46 games) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It all adds up to 8.5 sacks in 105 career contests. Disappointing, to say the least.

Los Angeles Rams: RB Lawrence Phillips

L.G. PATTERSON/Associated Press

Year: 1996

Overall Selection: 6

School: Nebraska

In January, Josh Peter of USA Today had the somber news regarding former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips. Serving a sentence at Kern Valley State Prison, he was found dead in his cell. The sixth overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft by the then-St. Louis Rams, the former University of Nebraska star would have turned 41 years old on May 12.

In two seasons and 25 games with the team that selected him, he totaled 1,326 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns. Phillips would also see action with the Miami Dolphins and the San Francisco 49ers and also enjoyed a tour of duty in the now-defunct NFL Europe.

The 6’0”, 212-pound running back’s issues away from the field were well-documented throughout the years. The news of his passing brought an end to a very sad story involving an extremely talented but troubled young man.

Miami Dolphins: DE Dion Jordan

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Year: 2013

Overall Selection: 3

School: Oregon

Disappointments such as defensive end Dion Jordan are but one of numerous reasons the Miami Dolphins haven’t enjoyed a winning campaign since 2008.

In 2013, the franchise orchestrated a deal with the Oakland Raiders on the first night of the draft and moved up to the third spot. The club grabbed the talented pass-rusher, who figured to fit in with the likes of Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon.

As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games, totaled two sacks and also knocked down a pair of passes. But over the next two seasons, the 6’6”, 248-pound specimen has spent more time off the field than on it.

A year ago, Marc Sessler of NFL.com had the news of Jordan’s season-long suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He missed the first four games of 2014 after violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Will he play in 2016? Dave George of the Palm Beach Post has the latest on a player currently eligible for reinstatement by Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Minnesota Vikings: WR Troy Williamson

Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

Year: 2005

Overall Selection: 7

School: South Carolina

The first overall pick in the 2005 draft was quarterback Alex Smith. He just wrapped up his 11th season in the league, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to the playoffs.

Six selections later that year, the Minnesota Vikings opted for South Carolina wideout Troy Williamson. Three seasons added up to 39 games, 79 catches (for 1,067 yards) and three touchdowns.

In February 2008 (via Spotrac), the receiver was dealt to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round draft choice. He managed just eight grabs for 64 yards and one score in two years (10 games) with his new club. Williamson was out of the league by 2010.

New England Patriots: CB Chris Canty

JOHN MOTTERN/Getty Images

Year: 1997

Overall Selection: 29

School: Kansas State

In 1997, the New England Patriots were coming off their second Super Bowl appearance. But head coach Bill Parcells was no longer with the team, so the club would have to do their grocery shopping without him being part of the organization.

The club’s first-round choice that year was cornerback Chris Canty. His stay in Foxborough lasted just two seasons and featured only one interception, two fumble recoveries and three sacks in 32 games. In June 1999, the former Kansas State standout was released by the Pats.

Canty would latch on with Seattle in 1999 and played for both the Seahawks and New Orleans Saints in 2000. He picked off three passes in his first season in the Pacific Northwest, but his NFL career lasted just four years.

New Orleans Saints: DT Johnathan Sullivan

BILL HABER/Associated Press

Year: 2003

Overall Selection: 6

School: Georgia

In 2011, Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune had the lowdown on the disappointing career of New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan.

The numbers are embarrassing when you consider that the team traded up to the sixth spot to select the former Georgia Bulldog. He would last three seasons in the Crescent City, playing in only 36 games and making just a dozen starts. Sullivan came away with a combined 77 tackles and 1.5 sacks before being dealt to the New England Patriots in 2006.

He failed to make the team, bringing an abrupt end to a very disappointing career.

New York Giants: DT William Joseph

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Year: 2003

Overall Selection: 25

School: Miami (Florida)

Once again, the focus is on the 2003 draft. It was a year in which a record 11 defensive linemen were chosen in the first round.

The next-to-last name on that list of 11 was University of Miami standout William Joseph. In four seasons with the New York Giants, he played in 55 games (17 starts) and totaled a mere seven sacks. He spent 2007 on injured reserve and would join the Oakland Raiders one year later. The former Hurricane did little in two seasons and 16 games with the Silver and Black.

But things only got worse for Joseph after his playing days were over. Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald reported in 2012 that the defensive tackle had a run-in with the law that cost him dearly.

New York Jets: OLB Vernon Gholston

Al Pereira/Getty Images

Year: 2008

Overall Selection: 6

School: Ohio State

What happened?

Coming out of college, Vernon Gholston appeared to be the real deal when it came to chasing down opposing quarterbacks.

It never came to pass for the one-time Ohio State star. In three seasons and 45 regular-season games for the New York Jets, the 6’3”, 260-pound defender totaled 42 tackles. But he also finished his stay with the franchise without a sack, forced fumble or a knocked-down pass.

Let go by the Jets, Gholston attempted a comeback with the Chicago Bears in 2011. But he failed to make the team and hasn’t been heard from since in terms of the game.

Oakland Raiders: QB JaMarcus Russell

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Year: 2007

Overall Selection: 1

School: LSU

In some circles, he’s been dubbed the biggest bust in NFL history.

Is that in regards to the disappointment or the dimensions of former LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell?

The first overall pick in 2007 stood at 6’6” and 260 pounds. Standing wasn’t something he got accustomed to in his playing days with the Silver and Black. In 31 games with the team, he managed a dismal 7-18 record as a starter and was sacked a combined 70 times.

Russell totaled more than twice as many turnovers (38) than touchdown passes (18) during his brief career. He was picked off 23 times and lost 15 of his 25 fumbles.

The disappointing pro attempted an NFL comeback back in 2013 that fell short. Now Mark Inabinett of AL.com has the full story on Russell’s latest attempt to return to the league (courtesy of a recent interview with Sports Illustrated).

There’s a lot to be said about failure...as well as perseverance. Stay tuned.

Philadelphia Eagles: T Kevin Allen

Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press

Year: 1985

Overall Selection: 9

School: Indiana

The old college try was given when it came to finding guard Kevin Allen in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform.

The best that could be done was a shot of the former Indiana University star cooling off at training camp 30 years ago at West Chester University.

In 1985, the Birds made Allen a top-10 selection. He wound up playing in all 16 games as a rookie and made four starts for the club.

But that’s all the football we would see out of the 6’5”, 285-pound performer. In 1992, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel had the lowdown on what went wrong for Allen.

In 1997, the Eagles used a first-round pick on University of Virginia defensive end Jon Harris. His less-than-impressive career would make him a candidate for this list as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers: DE/LB Huey Richardson

George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Year: 1991

Overall Selection: 15

School: Florida

In 1991, the Pittsburgh Steelers were well over a decade removed from their fourth Super Bowl title.

But the head coach that season was still Chuck Noll. The Black and Gold would finish 7-9 and it proved to be the final campaign for the Hall of Fame sideline leader.

That year, the club made University of Florida defensive end Huey Richardson a first-round pick. The pass-rushing specialist appeared perfectly suited at outside linebacker for the team’s 3-4 defense. His NFL career would consist of three teams, 16 games and zero sacks.

After playing in only five games as a rookie, Richardson was cut by the club during head coach Bill Cowher’s debut season with the franchise in 1992. That year, he totaled a combined 11 appearances with the Washington Redskins and New York Jets and failed to make any kind of an impact.

San Diego Chargers: QB Ryan Leaf

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Year: 1998

Overall Selection: 2

School: Washington State

Quarterback Peyton Manning just wrapped up a fabled NFL career with a Super Bowl championship.

Ryan Leaf’s days in the league ended a long time ago.

It’s sometimes hard to believe that these two performers were the No. 1 and No. 2 picks, respectively, in the 1998 draft.

No player in league history has thrown for more yards and connected for more touchdown passes than Manning. Few players have been vilified more than Leaf. His disappointing career included just two seasons with the San Diego Chargers (1998 and 2000), as he missed all of 1999 with a shoulder injury.

The numbers are unimaginably bad. He played a total of 21 games, completed just 48 percent of his throws, connected for 13 touchdowns and was picked off 33 times. Leaf totaled 20 fumbles (10 lost) and was sacked 53 times.

He attempted to resurrect his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2001, but the comeback lasted only four games. The 6’5”, 235-pound physical specimen threw one touchdown pass and committed five turnovers with the club.

In January 2014, Doug Farrar of SI.com offered some more insight into the career of Leaf, who the Bolts gave up so much to get (via Pro Sports Transactions) nearly 20 years ago.

San Francisco 49ers: WR A.J. Jenkins

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Year: 2012

Overall Selection: 30

School: Illinois

There was temptation to call this a flat-footed tie between the pair of wide receiver washouts for the San Francisco 49ers.

In 2004, the club used the 31st pick in the draft on Oklahoma State’s Rashaun Woods. As a rookie, he played in 14 games and caught seven passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. One season later, he totaled zero receptions in an injury-shortened campaign. In 2006, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers but didn’t make the team.

But Woods was clearly outdone by University of Illinois wideout A.J. Jenkins. The 30th overall selection in 2012 played in only three games with the Super Bowl XLVII-bound Niners. He was targeted just once all season and failed to make the catch.

In 2013 (via Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com), Jenkins was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs for wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, that team’s first-round pick in 2011. The former Niner played in 25 games for his new club over two seasons but totaled only 17 catches for 223 yards and zero scores.

Seattle Seahawks: LB Aaron Curry

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Year: 2009

Overall Selection: 4

School: Wake Forest

Only three players were selected ahead of Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry in the 2009 draft. He came into the league with a lot of hype.

After four seasons, he went out with a whimper instead of a bang. He started 30 of the 35 contests he played for the Seattle Seahawks. The former Demon Deacon totaled 158 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries.

However, five games into 2011, the disappointing defender was traded to the Oakland Raiders in 2011 for a seventh-round draft choice.

“I knew I could do it,” Curry told Tom Pedulla of the New York Times in 2013 during a failed comeback attempt with the New York Giants. “I knew I would do it. At the time, I wasn’t motivated to do it. Football wasn’t my top priority, to be honest.”

“I think earlier in my career I was real selfish and self-centered,” added the 2008 Butkus Award winner. “I was more about me than the Seahawks.”

Curry fared far worse with the Silver and Black. In his two seasons with the team, he played in 13 games and totaled only 46 stops and zero sacks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Keith McCants

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Year: 1990

Overall Selection: 4

School: Alabama

By the end of the 1989 NFL season, every team wanted their own Derrick Thomas. The extraordinary pass-rushing specialist was the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year and was on his way to a Hall of Fame career. In 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs he totaled 126.5 sacks and 41 forced fumbles. The former University of Alabama product earned nine Pro Bowl invitations as well.

Thomas was the fourth overall pick in the 1989 draft. Coincidentally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Crimson Tide linebacker Keith McCants the fourth selection in 1990.

That’s where the similarities end. In 47 games with the club over three seasons, the 6’3”, 235-pound defender racked up a mere 12 quarterback traps. He spent his final days in the league with the Houston Oilers and Arizona Cardinals. When it was all said and done, McCants played in 88 games, totaling 13.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries and one interception.

In February 2015, Mark Inabinett of AL.com had the latest on a once-promising performer whose NFL career never lived up to its lofty billing.

Tennessee Titans: CB Andre Woolfolk

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Year: 2003

Overall Selection: 28

School: Oklahoma

In 2003, the Tennessee Titans were coming off a season in which they came within one victory of reaching Super Bowl XXXVII. The team looked to fortify its secondary that April and opted for a former wide receiver-turned-cornerback in the first round.

"Whoever takes me is betting on my potential," University of Oklahoma defender Andre Woolfolk told Mike Baldwin of the Oklahoman 13 years ago. “I can't wait to see how it plays out. This is the time everybody involved in the draft has been waiting for. Heck, I like the whole process. I'm wide open. I really don't care where I end up."

He ended up in Nashville but it proved to be a short stay with the organization.

While injuries did play somewhat of a part during his career, Woolfolk struggled when healthy due to his lack of experience on defense. He would play in only 39 games and make 12 starts in four seasons for the Titans, totaling just three interceptions with the franchise.

Washington Redskins: T Andre Johnson

Year: 1996

Overall Selection: 30

School: Penn State

Dating back to 1967, the Washington Redskins have selected only 26 players in the first round in 49 common drafts. So the list of possible disappointments for this franchise is shorter than most.

Some footage is enclosed of then-Penn State offensive tackle Andre Johnson performing against the Ohio State Buckeyes in 1994.

Unfortunately, there are no pictures of Johnson playing for the Washington Redskins. The 30th overall selection in 1996 was cut loose by the franchise in 1997. Eventually he would see the field for the Detroit Lions for three games in 1998, but it all added up to a career that never really got started.

Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro-Football-Reference and ESPN.com. Additional statistical support was provided by NFL.com.