A Decade of Disappointment: Analyzing the Top 10 NFL Draft Picks Who Didn’t Make the Cut
Every year, the NFL Draft brings excitement and anticipation as teams and fans eagerly await the arrival of new talent. Aspiring professional football players dream of being drafted in the top 10, hoping to make an immediate impact on their new teams. However, history has shown that 4 out of every 10 top draft picks end up disappointing, failing to meet expectations, and leaving their respective teams with regrets. In this article, we’ll take a look at examples from the past decade that highlight the harsh reality of the NFL Draft.
2013 NFL Draft Busts:
- Dion Jordan (#3) – Miami Dolphins
Defensive end Dion Jordan was selected with the third overall pick, expected to become a dominant force on the Dolphins’ defensive line. However, Jordan struggled with injuries and off-field issues, resulting in multiple suspensions. He played just 26 games for the Dolphins before being released in 2017. - Barkevious Mingo (#6) – Cleveland Browns
The Browns selected linebacker Barkevious Mingo with the sixth overall pick, hoping he would bolster their defense. Mingo’s production, however, never matched his draft status, and he played only three seasons in Cleveland before bouncing around the league as a journeyman. - Jonathan Cooper (#7) – Arizona Cardinals
Offensive guard Jonathan Cooper was drafted seventh overall by the Cardinals, expected to solidify their offensive line. Cooper suffered a broken leg during the preseason of his rookie year, which seemed to derail his career. He played only 24 games for the Cardinals before being traded to the New England Patriots in 2016 and never lived up to his top-10 status. - Tavon Austin (#8) – St. Louis Rams
Wide receiver Tavon Austin was selected eighth overall, known for his speed and explosiveness. However, Austin never developed into the game-breaking receiver the Rams envisioned. While he found some success as a gadget player and return specialist, Austin did not make a significant impact as a receiver. - Dee Milliner (#9) – New York Jets
Cornerback Dee Milliner was picked ninth overall by the Jets, expected to become a shutdown corner in their secondary. Milliner’s career, however, was plagued by injuries, limiting him to just 21 games over three seasons. He was released by the Jets in 2016.
2014 NFL Draft Busts:
- Greg Robinson (#2) – St. Louis Rams
Offensive tackle Greg Robinson was selected with the second overall pick, expected to anchor the Rams’ offensive line for years to come. However, Robinson struggled with consistency and penalties throughout his time in St. Louis. The Rams eventually traded him to the Detroit Lions in 2017, where he continued to struggle before being released in 2019. - Blake Bortles (#3) – Jacksonville Jaguars
Quarterback Blake Bortles was drafted third overall by the Jaguars, expected to become the face of their franchise. While Bortles showed flashes of potential, he struggled with turnovers and decision-making, never quite reaching the level of play that warranted a top-three pick. The Jaguars ultimately moved on from Bortles in 2019, and he has since served as a backup for various teams. - Sammy Watkins (#4) – Buffalo Bills
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins was chosen fourth overall by the Bills, expected to become a dominant playmaker for their offense. Despite a promising rookie season, Watkins struggled with injuries throughout his time in Buffalo. The Bills traded him to the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, and Watkins has since become a complementary piece in various offenses, never quite living up to the expectations of being a top-five pick. - Justin Gilbert (#8) – Cleveland Browns
The Browns selected cornerback Justin Gilbert with the eighth overall pick, hoping he would become a lockdown defender in their secondary. Unfortunately, Gilbert’s career was marred by inconsistency and off-field issues. He lasted just two seasons in Cleveland before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was released after a single season. Gilbert was out of the league by 2017.
2015 NFL Draft Busts:
- Carson Wentz (#2) – Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback Marcus Mariota was drafted with the second overall pick by the Titans, expected to become their franchise quarterback. Although Mariota displayed flashes of potential, he struggled with consistency and injuries. The Titans ultimately moved on from Mariota in 2020, and he has since served as a backup. - Dante Fowler (#3) – Jacksonville Jaguars
Defensive end Dante Fowler was selected third overall by the Jaguars, hoping he would become a force on their defensive line. However, Fowler suffered a torn ACL in his first minicamp practice, causing him to miss his entire rookie season. Although he showed some promise in subsequent seasons, Fowler never reached the level of dominance expected of a top-three pick. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and has since played for the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. - Kevin White (#7) – Chicago Bears
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin was selected eighth overall by the Titans and performed well early in his career, earning First-team All-Pro honors as a rookie. Although Conklin experienced some struggles and injuries in subsequent seasons, he found success again with the Cleveland Browns after signing with them in 2020. While Conklin’s career hasn’t been a complete bust, his performance has been inconsistent. - Ereck Flowers (#9) – New York Giants
The Giants chose the offensive tackle Ereck Flowers, who was chosen ninth overall, expected to solidify their offensive line. However, Flowers had difficulties with technique and was eventually moved from the left tackle position to the right tackle. The Giants released Flowers in 2018, and although he found some success with other teams, he never lived up to his top-10 draft status.
2016 NFL Draft Busts:
- Marcus Mariota (#2) – Tennessee Titans
Quarterback Marcus Mariota was drafted with the second overall pick by the Titans, expected to become their franchise quarterback. Although Mariota displayed flashes of potential, he struggled with consistency and injuries. The Titans ultimately moved on from Mariota in 2020, and he has since served as a backup. - Jack Conklin (#8) – Tennessee Titans
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin was selected eighth overall by the Titans and performed well early in his career, earning First-team All-Pro honors as a rookie. Although Conklin experienced some struggles and injuries in subsequent seasons, he found success again with the Cleveland Browns after signing with them in 2020. While Conklin’s career hasn’t been a complete bust, his performance has been inconsistent. - Leonard Floyd (#9) – Chicago Bears
Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was chosen ninth overall by the Bears, expected to become a force on their defense. However, Floyd’s production in Chicago was inconsistent, and he struggled to reach the level of dominance expected from a top-10 pick. After the Bears declined his fifth-year option, Floyd signed with the Los Angeles Rams, where he has since experienced a career resurgence and become a more consistent contributor. - Eli Apple (#10) – New York Giants
Cornerback Eli Apple was drafted tenth overall by the Giants, with hopes that he would develop into a shutdown corner. Apple struggled with inconsistency and off-field issues during his time in New York, and the Giants ultimately traded him to the New Orleans Saints in 2018. Apple has since played for the Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals but has never consistently performed at the level expected of a top-10 pick.
2017 NFL Draft Busts:
- Solomon Thomas (#3) – San Francisco 49ers
Defensive lineman Solomon Thomas was drafted third overall by the 49ers, expected to become a disruptive force on their defensive line. However, Thomas struggled to make an impact during his time in San Francisco consistently. After four seasons with the 49ers, Thomas signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, where he has shown some promise but has yet to reach the level of play expected from a top-three pick. - Corey Davis (#5) – Tennessee Titans
Wide receiver Corey Davis was selected fifth overall by the Titans, expected to become their go-to playmaker on offense. Although Davis has had some productive seasons, he has not consistently performed at the level expected of a top-five pick. After four seasons with the Titans, Davis signed with the New York Jets in 2021, where he has continued to show flashes of potential but has yet to live up to his draft status fully. - Mike Williams (#7) – Los Angeles Chargers
Wide receiver Mike Williams was drafted seventh overall by the Chargers, expected to become a dominant force in their passing game. Williams has shown some promise, particularly in the red zone, but injuries and inconsistency have hampered his overall production. While he has not been a complete bust, Williams has not consistently performed at the level expected of a top-10 pick. - John Ross (#9) – Cincinnati Bengals
Wide receiver John Ross was chosen ninth overall by the Bengals, known for his blazing speed and record-setting 40-yard dash time. However, Ross struggled with injuries and consistency during his time in Cincinnati, never becoming the deep threat the Bengals had envisioned. After four disappointing seasons, Ross signed with the New York Giants in 2021 but has yet to make a significant impact.
2018 NFL Draft Busts:
- Baker Mayfield (#1) – Cleveland Browns
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was drafted first overall by the Browns, and he initially showed promise as the team’s franchise quarterback. Mayfield broke the NFL rookie record for touchdown passes and led the Browns to their first playoff win in over two decades in the 2020 season. However, he has struggled with consistency and injuries, leading to concerns that caused the Browns to trade him to Carolina. After starting 6 games, he was cut, and later signed to finish the season with the Los Angeles Rams. - Sam Darnold (#3) – New York Jets
Quarterback Sam Darnold was selected third overall by the Jets, expected to become the face of the franchise. Darnold struggled with turnovers and decision-making throughout his time in New York, leading to the Jets trading him to the Carolina Panthers in 2021. Darnold has shown some promise in Carolina, but his overall performance has been inconsistent, raising questions about his long-term future as a starting quarterback. - Mike McGlinchey (#9) – San Francisco 49ers
Offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey was drafted ninth overall by the 49ers, expected to be a cornerstone on their offensive line. While McGlinchey has been a solid run blocker, he has struggled in pass protection, leading to concerns about his overall effectiveness as a starting tackle. Though not a complete bust, McGlinchey has not consistently performed at the level expected of a top-10 pick. - Josh Rosen (#10) – Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback Josh Rosen was chosen tenth overall by the Cardinals, expected to become the team’s franchise quarterback. However, Rosen struggled mightily in his rookie season, leading the Cardinals to draft quarterback Kyler Murray with the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. Rosen was traded to the Miami Dolphins, where he failed to secure the starting job. He has since bounced around the league as a backup and practice squad player, making him the most significant bust among the 2018 top 10 picks.
2019 NFL Draft Busts:
- Clelin Ferrell (#4) – Oakland Raiders
Defensive end Clelin Ferrell was drafted fourth overall by the Raiders, expected to become a disruptive force on their defensive line. However, Ferrell has struggled to consistently make an impact in the NFL, leading to concerns about his overall effectiveness. While he has shown some promise, Ferrell has not consistently performed at the level expected of a top-five pick. - T.J. Hockenson (#8) – Detroit Lions
Tight end T.J. Hockenson was drafted eighth overall by the Lions, expected to become a game-changing playmaker for their offense. While Hockenson has shown promise and made the Pro Bowl in his second season, the impact of a tight end on a team’s success is generally less significant than other positions. In 2022 the Lions decided to finally move on from the top 10 pick, sending Hockenson to the in-division rival Minnesota for their 2023 second-round pick and 2024 third-round pick, in exchange for T.J. with a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a conditional 2024 pick in the process. - Ed Oliver (#9) – Buffalo Bills
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver was chosen ninth overall by the Bills, expected to become a dominant force on their defensive line. Oliver has shown flashes of potential but has not consistently performed at the level expected of a top-10 pick. His development is still ongoing, making it difficult to label him a bust at this point in his career. - Devin Bush (#10) – Pittsburgh Steelers
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver was chosen ninth overall by the Bills, expected to become a dominant force on their defensive line. Oliver has shown flashes of potential but has not consistently performed at the level expected of a top-10 pick. His development is still ongoing, making it difficult to label him a bust at this point in his career.
2020 NFL Draft Busts:
- Jeff Okudah (#3) – Detroit Lions
TBA…. - Andrew Thomas (#4) – New York Giants
TBA…. - Isaiah Simmons (#8) – Arizona Cardinals
TBA… - C.J. Henderson (#9) – Jacksonville Jaguars
TBA….
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