NFL Draft 2011: 15 Worst Draft-Day Decisions in NFL History
They say the NFL Draft is an inexact science and while I cannot completely disagree with such a statement there are some ways to avoid massive failures.
There is a reason why certain teams consistently compete at the top of the league and a lot of it has to do with the way they draft.
The Baltimore Ravens are notoriously good in the Draft, Pittsburgh knows what they are doing and the Patriots basically laugh in everyone's face as they trade around the Draft like a bouncy ball in a small room.
As we get ready for the 2011 NFL Draft, one unlike any we have yet to experience due to trade restrictions and a potential rookie wage scale, there are some past decisions that we should take note of as we hope our teams do not make the same mistakes.
Here is a look at 15 of the worst draft-day decisions that we remember.
15. 16 Teams Passing On Randy Moss in 1998
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Before you jump up and down and scream, "Randy Moss went 21 overall you moron!" sit back down, stop formulating the comment you were about to write in an effort to correct me and keep reading.
The 1998 Draft, first round in particular, is the starting point for three very important players in recent NFL history.
At No. 1 overall the Indianapolis Colts drafted Peyton Manning, future Hall of Famer and potentially the best quarterback to ever play the game, instead of Moss. Believe it or not, that was the correct decision.
At No. 4 overall the Oakland Raiders selected Charles Woodson; no fault on the Raiders as Woodson was a once in a decade player. Following the disappointment of the Tuck Rule game and then the Super Bowl loss the following season he just was not the same for them and he rejuvenated his career in Green Bay.
At No. 9 overall the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Fred Taylor and while this one is close, neither Moss nor Taylor have won a Bowl and Taylor was really, really good for the Jaguars; I can't consciously yell at them for that.
Wait, that is only 17 spots, how did 16 teams pass on him? Well, you can now get up and yell at the Cincinnati Bengals who not only passed on him once, but twice.
Other notables drafted before Randy Moss include Ryan Leaf, Andre Wadsworth and Curis Enis (Something tells we will hear from some of these guys again).
Moss would be higher if he ever won anything.
14. Russell Erxleben Drafted No. 11 Overall
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Yeah don't worry, I once wondered who Russell Erxleben was too.
In the first round of the 1979 Draft the New Orleans Saints decided to draft the Texas kicker/punter at No. 11 overall.
Needless to say one should never draft a kicker or punter that high but this was a different time, a different game and the same old Saints (until recently mind you).
He ended up primarily being a punter and was certainly never worth being a first round pick let alone being drafted at all.
He was a three time All-American in college but that still does not excuse the Saints of passing on future Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow, who was selected two picks later.
We may see the Saints again on this list.
13. New York Giants Drafting A Half Blind Defensive End At No. 5 Overall
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It is really hard to defend this pick.
The Giants, who are now notoriously thorough in their pre-Draft process, selected Cedric Jones No. 5 overall in 1996.
Unfortunately it turned out he was blind in his left eye and could not effectively play on the left side.
Jones finished his career with 15 sacks.
Needless to say, 11 of the players the Giants passed on that were selected in the first round became Pro Bowl players including potential Hall of Famers Marvin Harrison and Ray Lewis.
Now that I think about it, I can "see" why the Giants are so thorough now.
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12. Aundray Bruce, OLB, Atlanta Falcons (No. 1 Overall: 1988)
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I will just get this one out of the way.
The Falcons went with Auburn All-American linebacker Aundray Bruce, a.k.a. the next LT (as in Lawrence Taylor, Tomlinson will never be LT) at No.1 overall.
He never panned out; naturally, he signed with Raiders after leaving Atlanta and spent a total of 11 years in the league.
The Falcons passed on future Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Randall McDaniel as well as 13 other Pro Bowlers including Tim Brown and Sterling Sharpe.
It is safe to say the Falcons made a terrible decision here on draft day.
11. Todd Blackledge Going No. 7 Overall in 1983
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You remember the 1983 Draft, the first round in particular, with six Hall of Famers including John Elway (he'll be back), Eric Dickerson, Bruce Matthews, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino and Darrell Green, right?
Well, Elway and Dickerson went first and second overall leaving the Chiefs with the opportunity at FOUR future Hall of Famers at No. 7.
Long story short, the Chiefs selected Blackledge and left Kelly and Marino to Buffalo and Miami; the rest is history.
Ken O'Brien was also selected after Blackledge as was Tony Eason.
Needless to say, Kansas City still wants that pick back 28 years later.
10. Cleveland Browns Restarting Their Franchise With Tim Couch
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The year was 1999, and five quarterbacks were taken in the first 12 picks overall.
Cleveland was just getting back into the league; Tim Couch was supposed to be the guy to do it for them and they left 14 potential Pro Bowlers on the board including quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper.
Couch was the on and off starter for Cleveland before leaving town and the league after five years.
Only two of the first round quarterbacks panned out at all (Cade McNown and Akili Smith I am sorry) but Cleveland left some other really good players on the board as well.
Edgerrin James, Torry Holt, Champ Bailey, Chris McAlister, Jevon Kearse (when he was healthy), Patrick Kerney and oh, Ricky Williams (he'll be back though).
9. Going To The Draft With ANY Uncertainty of Going Early In the First Round
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This cannot be ignored.
It is really, really difficult to watch young college kids sit and stare in the all-important "Green Room" as their peers are selected before them.
Brady Quinn, Aaron Rodgers (he got revenge) and even Matt Leinart waited and waited; it is no fun to see a player shown on camera over and over again by ESPN as they sit and lose millions of guaranteed dollars.
The Draft is unpredictable. It is "an inexact science" and unless you have a guarantee of going really high in the Draft, save yourself (and us) the pain of sitting in the Green Room.
And if your a Jets pick you're going to get booed anyway; better to be at home for that.
8. Mike Ditka Trading The 1999 Draft For Ricky Williams and An ESPN Cover Photo
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This one is intriguing because, YES, trading an entire draft for one player is crazy but it also did not amount to much either way.
Ricky was not the player he should have been in New Orleans and wound up leaving for Miami and two more first round picks.
The best pick the Saints traded away turned into La'Var Arrington though and he did not make it very long anyway (shame, he was pretty darn good too).
New Orleans rolled the dice and missed but in complete retrospect it is not nearly as bad as it could have been (if Ricky left the Saints to "find himself" rather than the Dolphins it would have been much worse).
The Saints left players like Torry Holt, Champ Bailey and Chris McAlister for other teams to have success with and two of those three players won Super Bowls. Ironically the man named "Champ" is the only one without a ring.
7. The Falcons Trading Up For Michael Vick
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The Chargers traded away the No. 1 pick in 2001 for the No. 5 pick, and a third-round pick, a second-round pick in 2002 along with wide receiver Tim Dwight.
This is hard to come down on the Falcons for trading up to get the most electrifying player we have seen in recent memory but he caused some serious damage as well.
Essentially the 2001 Draft's most important players are LaDainian Tomlinson and Vick, both involved with this trade.
The Chargers got Tomlinson at No. 5 overall and while there are a number of other good players in that first round (including Reggie Wayne at No. 30), these are the biggest names.
Vick essentially forced a complete overhaul of the Atlanta franchise while Tomlinson simply teased the Charger fans with great regular season statistics and big sour face on the sideline in the postseason (who knows what it looked like behind that visor).
Neither player has won a Bowl and had both teams gone in different directions they may have been better for it.
6. Mike Mamula "The Workout Warrior"
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Just in time for the 2011 NFL Combine we get the look at one of the biggest "workout warriors" of all-time.
Mike Mamula went crazy at the 1995 Combine in almost every event (including the Wonderlic test) and drove himself high up the Draft board.
The Philadelphia Eagles wanted him bad and they traded up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to get a shot at him.
Mamula was a bust and the Bucs got themselves a defensive tackle by the name of Warren Sapp.
The Combine is not everything kids.
5. St. Louis Selecting Lawrence Phillips No. 7 Overall
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Oh goodness. Well, one pick after the Giants drafted a half-blind Cedric Jones the Rams selected a maniac running back named Lawrence Phillips.
He did not last very long in St. Louis and caused Dick Vermeil to cry at the podium when announcing that they had cut the running back after just one and half seasons together.
Phillips never amounted to anything else in the league then went crazy running people over with his car and beating women.
He is now serving jail time in California.
The worst part of this all, the Rams traded away future Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis to make room for Phillips.
4. Green Bay Packers Selecting Tony Mandarich No. 2 Overall in 1989
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Honestly, all you need to know is three names: Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas, Deion Sanders.
These three players were drafted at picks three, four and five after the Packers selected big Tony Mandarich at No. 2.
Steroids, unfulfilled expectations and the label "top five bust of all-time", now come to mind when speaking of Mandarich.
Barry, Thomas and Neon Deion are all in the Hall of Fame.
3. Baltimore Colts Selecting John Elway No. 1 and Trading Him Away
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John Elway is now making decisions for the team he led to two Super Bowl titles in the late 1990's but he was not always a Bronco.
The Colts decided to take the dual-sport athlete at No. 1 overall in 1983 and he promptly threatened to play baseball if they did not trade him.
Needless to say, they got nothing in return for the Hall of Fame quarterback and missed the opportunity for other Hall of Famers in the very same Draft (refer to No. 11).
Terrible, terrible decision making but fortunately they righted the ship 15 years later ...
2. San Diego Chargers Select Ryan Leaf No. 2 Overall
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The Indianapolis Colts are solely to blame if you ask me.
San Diego traded up to No. 2 overall and selected Ryan Leaf after the Colts finally got it right and drafted Peyton Manning (still needs one more ring to equal Elway in my book but that is another argument) at No. 1 overall.
We all know about Ryan Leaf's disgusting attitude and poor play and I am certainly not going to waste my time or your time writing much about it.
The Chargers passed on players like Charles Woodson, Fred Taylor and Randy Moss to have the moody Leaf for a few seasons.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select Bo Jackson No. 1 in 1986
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Bo Jackson told the woeful Bucs that he would not play for them and they still went ahead and Drafted him.
He refused to sign, never suited up a down in Tampa and was re-entered in the 1987 Draft and selected in the third round by the Oakland Raiders.
Tampa Bay owned the first overall pick that season as well and drafted Vinny Testaverde with it.
The Bucs simply wasted a pick on a guy that they never saw in uniform and if that is not terrible decision making than I do not know what is.
Wes O'Donnell covers the NFL, NCAA, and NFL Draft on a year-round basis. He can be followed on Twitter.
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