BUSTS
5. Lawrence Phillips (Running Back)
Phillips was take 6th overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 1996 NFL Draft. He was snagged highly by the Rams but his career really tanked, and tanked quickly. His career never really got off the ground in the two years he played for the Rams in 1996 and 1997. He played in Miami with the Dolphins in 1997 and ended the NFL career in 1999 with the 49ers. Since then he spent time playing in the CFL. The biggest knock on Phillips was his off the field problems and his character flaws, and that's what got him out of football quickly. Plus the big knock on the Rams for this move was what they did to make room for him on their roster. St. Louis trade Jerome Bettis to the Steelers to make room for Phillips and look what happened there. St. Louis wouldn't get a solid running back in their backfield till Marshall Faulk in 1999.
4. Tim Couch
Couch was taken with the #1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Couch had a few good seasons as quarterback of Cleveland but he wasn't good enough to get the Browns out of their slump and into the playoffs. After his time in Cleveland he played for the Packers in 2003 and then the Jaguars in 2007. He basically just plain fell off the planet and turned out to be a total dud at Quarterback in the NFL.
3. Akili Smith
Smith was taken 3rd overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1999 NFL Draft. What is more surprising is that who went in between him and Tim Couch. The Philadelphia Eagles took Donovan McNabb with the 2nd pick in the draft. Also taken in the opening round at Quarterback were Daunte Culpepper to the Vikings at ten. You also had Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Torry Holt, and Champ Bailey taken after Smith. Despite showing athleticism in his early games, he failed to grasp the Bengals playbook fully, and never established himself with the team. During the four years he was with the Bengals, he would only start in 17 games and throw just five TD passes next to 13 interceptions, eventually leading to his release in 2002, after riding the bench mostly during the previous two years. His career tanked and he was never able to get it back together.
2. Jamarcus Russell
Russell was taken 1st overall in 2007 by the raiders and I bet its a move the Raiders now regret, especially with the guys who were taken in the first round after Russell. They passed on guys like Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch. With Russell the Raiders thought he would be the answer to their prayers at Quarterback and he turned out to be a huge waste. Coming into the draft that year he looked great, but after a long contract dispute at the start of his career, Russell wasn't able to deliver in Oakland. He played three years in the NFL, played horrible and was out of football. For as good as he looked coming out of college, Russell just wasn't able to live up to the hype in the NFL.
1. Ryan Leaf
Leaf went 2nd overall to the Chargers in the 1998 NFL draft, and was picked right after Peyton manning went first to the Colts. Leaf was too much drama and too much of a head case for what he was worth. Leaf related poorly to both the media and his teammates, whom he tended to blame for his poor play. For all the hype lead around him going 2nd in the draft, and all the drama he brought around the team it turned out to be more of a headache than he was worth. Leaf has been sited as by far the biggest flop in the history of the NFL draft and with good reason.
STEALS
5. Zach Thomas (linebacker)
Thomas was picked in the 5th round at 154 overall by the Miami Dolphins in 1996. Granted the 1996 NFL Draft was loaded with talent in the opening round, with the likes of Ray Lewis, Simeon Rice, Joe Horn, Marvin Harrison, and Keyshawn Johnson. Thomas would carve out himself a great career, playing in seven pro bowls and being a 5 time all pro. Plus he was named to the NFL all decade team for the 2000's. What made Thomas so great was that he was just a solid reliable player week in and week out. Zach Thomas has more tackles than any linebacker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, currently ranking fourth all-time behind Randy Gradishar, Jessie Tuggle and Junior Seau. And to show how deep the linebacker position was in the 1996 draft, Ray Lewis went to the Ravens in the opening round of the draft that year. The fact that Miami took a gem in Zach Thomas that late in the draft that year shows that you can find a gem from pretty much anywhere.
4. Shannon Sharpe (Tight End)
Sharpe fell all the way to the 7th round at 192nd overall to the Denver Broncos in the 1990 NFL Draft. Now the 1990 NFL Draft didn't have much to talk about, except for three players: Sharpe, Cortez Kennedy who went to the Seahawks at 3rd, and the Dallas Cowboys taking Emmitt Smith at 17th overall. With Shannon Sharpe, he fell all the way to the 7th round to Denver. IN his career, Sharpe had over 10,000 career receiving yards, won three Super Bowls, was a five time all-pro and eight time pro bowler as a tight end. To put this in perspective, the first tight end taken in the 1990 draft was Eric Green who was taken by the Steelers with the 21st pick in the opening round. Shannon Sharpe a very talented tight end picked late, and turned out to be a good steal for Denver.
3. Terrell Davis (Running Back)
Davis was picked by the Broncos in the 6th round at 196 overall in 1995. With the 199566 draft, there were a few good ball players taken in that draft, such as Warren Sapp, Ty Law, Derrick Brooks and Steve McNair. Even Curtis Martin was taken in the 3rd round by the Patriots. So it was a bit of a surprise when Davis went in the 6th round, but he turned in a good career in seven seasons in the league. The last three years he played in the NFL were filled with injuries due to concussion problems. But the first four years of his career were stellar, rushing for over a thousand yards in every season, and a 2,000 yard year in his 4th year in the league. Davis won two Super Bowls, won the MVP of the 1998 Super Bowl, was a two time offensive player of the year, a three time all pro and three time pro bowler. He may not have had a long career in the NFL but he had a BIG impact in his time in the league.
2. Brett Farve
Farve was taken by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2nd round at 33rd overall in the 1991 draft. Now what makes this such a steal is that at the time of the pick, nobody knew who he was. The selections of Quarterbacks in the 91 draft wasn't all that deep, and by far the best player in that draft turned out to be him. Farve played one year for the Falcons and then got traded to the Packers in 1992, where his career really took off. He played for the Packers from 1992 to 2007, then spent 2008 with the Jets and then 2009 and 2010 with the Vikings. there are several career records that Farve holds the most notable being 297 straight starts. Other records he holds would include Most pass touchdowns (508) Most pass yards (71,838) Most pass completions (6,300) Most pass attempts (10,169) Most pass interceptions (336) Most starts (298) Most wins (186). He won the Super Bowl once, was an eleven time pro bowler, a is time all pro, three time NFL MVP, and five time player of the year. He is a sure fire hall of famer, and is without a doubt the biggest steal of the 1991 draft.
1. Tom Brady
Brady was picked by the Patriots in the 6th round at 199 overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. The 2000 Draft was loaded with plenty of pro bowl players taken in the opening round, and the only quarterback taken in that opening round was Chad Pennnington to the Jets at 18th overall. Aside from Brady, the only other pro bowl quarterback picked in the draft was Marc Bulger to the Saints in that same 6th round. Tom Brady is by far the biggest steal in NFL Draft history. His numbers speak for themselves. Brady has won three Super Bowls, been a two time Super Bowl MVP, 5 time Player of the year, comeback player of the year, three time all pro and eight time pro bowler. Brady has spent his entire career with the Patriots and got his start in the 2001 season after Drew Bledson got hurt, and he has started ever since. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the game today and is without a doubt the biggest steal in the history of the NFL Draft!
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