Biggest NFL Draft busts

As NFL Draft day draws near, anxious owners, general managers and coaches review their big boards, recheck their evaluations, make last-second phone calls…and hope for the best.

Careers are made and broken by how well they separate the future stars from the busts-to-be. A spectacular whiff can doom the selector to years of merciless ridicule.

Some picks are so spectacularly bad that they set an enduring standard for inept talent evaluation. With another draft on the horizon, here’s our list of some of the worst selections ever:

1. Ryan Leaf, QB, Washington St. No. 2 1998 (San Diego): Threw more hissy fits than touchdown passes (13) in a forgettable career. At the time, many talent evaluators considered Leaf a better prospect than Peyton Manning. No one will admit it now.

2.  Brian Bosworth, LB, Oklahoma, 1st round of 1987 supplemental draft (Seattle): Great college player, a dud as a pro. Endured a short and generally undistinguished career. Best remembered for being pancaked by Bo Jackson on Monday Night Football.

3. Tony Mandarich, OT, Michigan St. No. 2 overall, 1989 (Green Bay):
Lasted just three years and never approached the hype, later admitting that steroid use in college had inflated both his weight and his draft status. Twisting the knife for the Packers: With the No. 3 pick, the Lions grabbed Barry Sanders.

4. Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky, No. 1 1999 (Cleveland): When you think “system guy,” Couch is one of the originals. He put up big numbers in Hal Mumme’s pass-happy Kentucky offense but lacked the arm strength to adapt to a pro offense. A whopping 104 turnovers (67 interceptions, 37 fumbles) in five seasons sealed his fate.

5. Akili Smith, QB Oregon, No. 3 in 1999 (Cincinnati): Drafted two spots after Couch, Smith continued a big year for quarterback busts. Too small, not enough arm, funny release. After four years with the Bengals, he flunked out in later trials with the Packers and Bucks.

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