The Top 5 All-Time Worst NFL Draft Busts

As spring morphs into summer and the NBA reaches its conclusion, the sporting world begins to turn its attention to the upcoming football season. With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror and less than two months until†training camps open, gridiron junkies are ready for their pigskin fix.

The 2015 football season promises to be full of intrigue as college stars Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota begin their NFL journeys. With that being said, not every high-level draft pick pans out. In fact, many fail on an epic level. Here is TickPick’s list of the top five draft busts in NFL history.

5.) Brian Bosworth

Despite the belief of some that “The Boz” Brian Bosworth could become a generational player for the Seattle Seahawks defense, his turn in the cinematic masterpiece Stone Cold would†ultimately eclipse anything the linebacker accomplished as an NFL player.

In a career that spanned only 22 games, Bosworth recorded four sacks. Still, his tale of going from college superstar to NFL laughing stock to action film star make Bosworth one of the more intriguing personalities in league history.

4.) Charles Rogers

By all accounts, Charles Rogers was the second coming of Randy Moss when the Detroit Lions selected him second overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. Rogers was arguably the best wide receiver in college football and a physical marvel at six-foot-three and over 220 lbs.

Unfortunately, Rogers ended up being the poster boy for a series of bad picks made by the franchise. By 2005, he was out of the league, having appeared in only 15 games, scoring four touchdowns and boasting a lengthy criminal record.

3.) Tony Mandarich

Some might say that Tony Mandarich, selected second overall by the Green Bay Packers 1989 NFL Draft, is the Sam Bowie of his sport. The offensive lineman was selected one spot ahead of arguably the greatest running back of the modern era, Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders. Other players of note taken after Mandarich include Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders.

To his credit, the man who was labeled “The Incredible Bust” by sports Illustrated following three lackluster seasons with Green Bay returned to the NFL in 1996 and was eventually a starter for the Indianapolis Colts.

2.) JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell was a Manning Award winner, SEC Player of the Year and Sugar Bowl MVP for the LSU Tigers. Given that resume, as well as his immense size and athleticism, many felt the Oakland Raiders were drafting the cornerstone of their franchise for the next ten years when the team took him with the top pick in 2007.

Alas, a poor work ethic, off the field issues and inconsistent play saw the physically gifted Russell released by the Raiders after compiling a record of 7-18 as the team’s starter. He later ballooned to nearly 300 lbs. and was arrested for possessing codeine syrup without a prescription.

1.) Ryan Leaf

Without question, the number one draft bust in the history of the NFL has to be the San Diego Chargers selection of Ryan Leaf. The 1998 NFL Draft was a tale of two can’t-miss QBs, Leaf and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Needless to say, one of these things is not like the other.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and at the time, Leaf’s rocket arm and physical potential had some experts rating the former Washington State Cougar better than Manning. Unfortunately, the stuff between the ears ended up being far less impressive for Leaf.

In the end, Leaf completed less than 50-percent of his passes and threw nearly triple the amount of interceptions compared to TDs from ’98 to 2001.†Meanwhile, Manning continues to make his mark in the NFL record books.

Since the end of his NFL career, Leaf has served time in prison.