NFL Draft busts: The five worst picks in NFL history

With the 2026 NFL Draft on the proverbial doorstep, the discussion around the biggest draft busts is back in the spotlight, and one of the candidates for that list has brought the conversation to the fore himself.

JaMarcus Russell, the first player selected in the 2007 NFL Draft, has been speaking out this week, pushing back on people who attach the label to his name.

It got us thinking about who really deserves the title. Here are our top five draft busts in NFL history.

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5. Vernon Gholston, Edge - New York Jets, 2008 (Pick 6)

Everything about Gholston suggested he would become an NFL star.

At 6'3" and 266lbs, he ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash, hit 37 reps on the bench press, and posted a 35.5-inch vertical at the combine.

He was not simply a workout warrior, either. In his final year at Ohio State, he racked up 14 sacks and was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award, handed out annually to the nation's top defensive end.

The Jets took him sixth overall in 2008, confident that he would terrorise opposition offenses. Three seasons, 45 games and zero sacks later, they clearly regretted the decision.

4. Zach Wilson, QB - New York Jets, 2021 (Pick 2)

Wilson was a one-year wonder in college, but what a season it was.

The BYU product threw 32 touchdowns and only three interceptions, ranking second in the FBS with a 73.5% completion percentage, and also ran for 10 touchdowns.

For all that promise, the warning signs were there from the start, including Wilson's limited body of work, questionable decision-making, and a tendency to wilt under pressure.

The Jets overlooked those concerns in what proved to be an overrated QB class, before watching the youngster go from supposed franchise saviour to backup journeyman.

Now a backup for the Saints, Wilson has thrown 23 touchdowns, 25 interceptions, and never finished a season with a quarterback rating above 77.2.

3. Trey Lance, QB - San Francisco 49ers, 2021 (Pick 3)

Gregory Shamus / Staff

So confident in Lance's upside, the 49ers traded three first-round picks to move up to draft him third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, taking him ahead of Micah Parsons and Patrick Surtain II.

By betting the house on a quarterback who had played one full college season, it goes down as one of the worst front-office decisions of the modern era.

The fact that Brock Purdy - Mr. Irrelevant - came in and proved to be the superior player speaks volumes, and likely saved the 49ers from more embarrassment.

Could Lance yet revive his career? It's not impossible, but he needs someone else to be injured to even get his chance.

Either way, he remains one of the worst picks in memory, as much for what it cost to move up and select him as for his lack of career production since.

2. JaMarcus Russell, QB - Oakland Raiders, 2007 (Pick 1)

Russell had the size and arm strength to dominate at the pro level. When the Raiders selected him first overall and signed him to a deal worth up to $68 million, he was supposed to be the next big thing.

To suggest he fell short of those expectations would be a huge understatement.

He played three seasons, finished with a 7-18 record, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, and was released in 2010.

In a league famed for giving players second and third chances, it speaks volumes that no team signed Russell again.

1. Ryan Leaf, QB - San Diego Chargers, 1998 (Pick 2)

You'll find other articles that list Russell at No. 1, but it's hard to argue against the idea that Leaf remains the gold standard for NFL busts.

In the buildup to the 1998 NFL Draft, with the first overall selection, the Colts struggled to separate Peyton Manning from Ryan Leaf.

One of those players went on to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the best quarterbacks in football history.

The other posted a 4-17 record as a starter, threw for only 14 touchdowns and a whopping 36 interceptions, and was out of the league by 2002.

Leaf remains the benchmark and the name against which every other bust is measured. He was such a disaster that it's tough to imagine any player ever knocking him off the top spot.