Who is the Biggest Draft Bust Ever?

If you want to start a great argument with your sports fan buddies, just ask this question:

"So, who is the biggest draft bust ever?"

Lots of names comes to mind immediately. Guys like Todd Marinovich, Lawrence Phillips (eight picks before Eddie George), and even JaMarcus Russell.

I'll throw in a few more.

Jets' fans will certainly remember a guy by the name of Blair Thomas.
But was he the worst? Also taken in the 1990 draft were Jeff George and Andre Ware.

Texans' fans might argue that the selection of Tony Boselli in the expansion draft set them back at least five years (though I'd say picking David Carr didn't help). Do expansion picks even count in this discussion?

Dan McGuire was a pick Seattle would surely like back. He was taken eight picks before Marinovich, making him (in my mind) a bigger bust.

Cinci took David Klingler in '91 with the sixth overall pick. But maybe Akili Smith was a worse choice at No. three overall in '99. How about Ki-Jana Carter in '95 at No. one overall?

Ron Dayne was taken 11th overall in 2000 by the NYG; not so good either.

Detroit's No. 2 overall pick of Charles Rogers was downright dumb, with Andre Johnson still on the board. But they made up for that by taking Harrington with the No. 3 overall in '02 (not so much...ouch).

But the Lions wised up with the Mike Williams pick at  No. 10 overall in '05 (hmm, maybe not). Yet another WR. He was recently cut by the receiver-depleted Titans.

Cleveland took Tim Couch in '99 with the first pick overall, with Donovan McNabb still on the board.

One could argue that Michael Vick or Adam "Pacman" Jones were wasted picks.

Alex Smith set the 49ers back a few years, taken No. one overall in '05. And as it tends to happen, it cost Mike Nolan his coaching job.

Vince Young might be considered a bust, but it's too early to tell. He could be great if Kerry Collins ever decides to lose a game. It's too early to tell with Matt Leinart as well.

The biggest bust overall, in my opinion, is Tony Mandarich...moreso than even the admittedly huge bust that is Ryan Leaf.

Mandarich was taken based on a 'roided up college career—as soon as he went off the 'roids, he was terrible, slow, and injury prone. Mandarich was selected with a guy named Barry Sanders still on the board. That makes him the biggest bust.

When Leaf was taken, at least the Colts were smart enough to have picked Peyton Manning first. Had the Colts taken Leaf, with Manning still on the board, THEN he would be the biggest bust. But right now, it has to be Mandarich.

And if you wanna talk basketball, it has to be Sam Bowie. Taken No. two overall (after Hakeem Olajuwon) in 1984 by the Portland Trailblazers. The third pick that year was a guy named Michael Jordan. Not to mention other guys still on the board included Charles Barkley, John Stockton, and Sam Perkins.

The Blazers' pick is widely considered the biggest bust in the history of all drafts. Almost on par in infamy with the Ruth trade to the Yankees by the Red Sox.

And a footnote to that... in 1983, the Rockets picked Ralph Sampson at No. 1 overall. Possibly a bust in his own right, in hindsight. But they also had the third pick in that draft, and chose Rodney McCray (to the despair of Houstonians), electing not to pick Thurl Bailey, Dale Ellis, or a guy named Clyde Drexler.

If they had chosen Clyde (like the whole city begged them to do), they probably would not have been so awful that year, and would not have gotten the No. one pick the next year to draft Olajuwon. Stupidity paid off in that case.

So tell me, who do YOU think is the biggest draft bust ever?