NFL Draft 2022: 5 disastrous picks made by teams on draft day
The NFL Draft is an annual opportunity for teams to improve their rosters and build on their futures. High draft picks are almost always expected to make a huge impact, but it doesn't always work out that way. Here are five players from NFL history who were selected with a high pick on draft day but turned out to be complete disasters.
5 NFL Draft picks who were major disappointments
#1 - Ryan Leaf, San Diego Chargers
When the Indianapolis Colts selected Peyton Manning with the first overall pick of the 1999 NFL Draft, many "experts" believed they had made a huge mistake. Those same experts believed they should have selected Ryan Leaf instead, but they couldn't have been more wrong.
Former NFL QB Ryan Leaf tells @CartonRoberts how being labeled a "bust" affected his mental health on.sny.tv/kt7qaYa https://t.co/4qArBnQm2s
Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, winning five NFL MVP awards and two Super Bowl rings. Leaf is considered one of the biggest busts in NFL Draft history, having been selected with the second overall pick by the San Diego Chargers. Leaf lasted just 18 games in the NFL, posting a 4-14 record while throwing just 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.
#2 - Charles Rodgers, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions made a bold move in the 2003 NFL Draft by selecting wide receiver Charles Rodgers as the second overall pick. Rodgers was considered a huge gamble, but the Lions went for it anyway. It didn't work out well for them as Rodgers was able to appear in just 15 games in his entire career.
Rodgers lasted just three seasons in the NFL and accumulated a disappointing 36 total receptions. He missed a ton of time due to multiple collar bone injuries, as well as violating the league's substance abuse policy.