Biggest Draft Busts of the Past 10 Years: Johnny Manziel and So Many Other QBs

There were plenty of first-round whiffs with quite a few teams striking out selecting signal-callers.

Nothing makes me roll my eyes as much as hearing the people on Love Is Blind say I love you after two days of talking through a wall while holding gold cups from Party City.

It’s not that easy to find love, but there’s often a considerable amount of hope during the talking stage. NFL teams can relate when it comes to the draft, because every first-round pick is destined for greatness. Yeah, sure. Eye roll.

In the past decade, many teams have found out the hard way it takes more than a “come get me” text from a draft prospect in the green room to find success in the first round. Johnny Manziel never wrecked the league as he said he would in the infamous text that the Browns fell for in 2014, but that’s just one of many memorable draft misses from the past 10 drafts.

As you can tell, I enjoy reality TV drama, so I had no issue with revisiting the past 10 drafts to spot the biggest first-round whiffs. It’s kind of like when you do Google searches to see whether the Love Is Blind couples are still together after binging the latest season.

Not many couples have worked out, such as these highlighted draft picks from the past 10 drafts.

2013

The Misses

No. 2. Luke Joeckel, OT, Jaguars

No. 3. Dion Jordan, DE, Dolphins

No. 8. Tavon Austin, WR, Rams

What we know: After a few rocky years, No. 1 pick Eric Fisher developed into a quality Pro Bowl tackle for the Chiefs, saving the 2013 class from having arguably the worst top three in draft history.

Joeckel: He entered the league as a standout All-American left tackle, but the Jaguars started his career at right tackle, the first of many mistakes. Joeckel never found his footing and stepped away from football in 2017.

Jordan: The Raiders aren’t known for making many right decisions when it comes to making first-round picks, but they got it right when they traded their pick to the Dolphins, who received minimal results from Jordan during his first two seasons. Jordan was suspended for the entire 2015 season due to failed drug testing. Stud right tackle Lane Johnson went after Joeckel and Jordan with the No. 4 pick to the Eagles.

Austin: The Rams had Tyreek Hill–like plans for the versatile Austin, who averaged only 38.8 receptions and 337.8 receiving yards per season during five seasons with the Rams.

2014

The Misses

Manziel played in 14 games in his NFL career, finishing with a 2-6 record with 1,675 yards passing, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions :: Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports

No. 3. Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars

No. 8. Justin Gilbert, CB, Browns

No. 22. Johnny Manziel, QB, Browns

What we know: Offensive tackle Greg Robinson was drafted second by the Rams, but they got a pass for taking Aaron Donald with the 13th pick.

Bortles: The first QB taken in 2014, he struggled with turnovers and lost at least 10 games during his first three seasons in the NFL. He helped the Jaguars reach the AFC title game during the ’17 season, but that was largely because of a ferocious Jaguars defense. He hasn’t played in a game since ’19.

Gilbert: He played just two seasons with the Browns and was out of the league by his third season, making only three career starts. Gilbert was drafted a few spots ahead of Donald, Odell Beckham Jr. and Taylor Lewan.

Manziel: He texted the Browns to pick him, but his draft-day wait might have lasted longer than his two-year NFL career.

2015

The Misses

No. 1. Jameis Winston, QB, Buccaneers

No. 2. Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans

No. 7. Kevin White, WR, Bears

What we know: Mariota had a backup stint with the Raiders for starter Derek Carr, who is now being backed up by Winston in New Orleans. That sentence should tell you enough about the careers of Winston and Mariota.

Winston: He has spent the past three years as the backup in New Orleans. He flashed at times as a downfield thrower early in his career, but his aggressive ways led to several mistakes, paving the way for Tom Brady to take his job in Tampa Bay.

Mariota: He returned to No. 2 on the depth chart with the Eagles because he fumbled his second starting opportunity with the Falcons last season.

White: He missed his entire rookie season due to injuries and recorded only 25 catches in four seasons with the Bears. 

2016

The Misses

Wentz hasn't been the same quarterback since suffering a torn ACL against the Rams in 2017 :: Brad Mills/USA Today Sports

No. 2. Carson Wentz, QB, Eagles

No. 15. Corey Coleman, WR, Browns

No. 26. Paxton Lynch, QB, Broncos

What we know: No. 1 pick Jared Goff has been inconsistent on the field, but he’s had a solid career after operating Sean McVay’s explosive offense with the Rams, guiding them to a Super Bowl. Goff reignited his career with the Lions after a sensational 2022 season.

Wentz: He had a promising start to his career, but he hasn’t been the same since a season-ending injury in 2017, which led to the memorable comeback story of Nick Foles, who guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Wentz later lost his job to Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia before failing in Indianapolis and Washington as the starter.

Coleman: He once demanded a trade because he wasn’t getting enough first-team reps with the Browns. He was then never heard from again after bouncing around with five NFL teams.

Lynch: The 6'7" Lynch was one of many tall quarterbacks who struggled with John Elway running the Broncos’ front office.

2017

The Misses

No. 2. Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Bears

No. 3. Solomon Thomas, DL, 49ers

No. 9. John Ross, WR, Bengals

What we know: The Bears infamously traded one spot up to select Trubisky with Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson still on the board.

Trubisky: He made some plays with his legs, but his accuracy issues forced him into becoming a career backup quarterback.

Thomas: Perhaps the Bears feel a little better about taking Trubisky because the 49ers used their pick to select Thomas, who has started only five games since 2019.

Ross: His track-like speed didn’t impress then Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, and he saw only two targets as a rookie. His production picked up the following two seasons, but he never developed into a reliable starter. 

2018

The Misses

Darnold is now in San Francisco after stints with the Jets and Panthers :: Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports

No. 3. Sam Darnold, QB, Jets

No. 10. Josh Rosen, QB, Cardinals

What we know: No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield did enough with the Browns to avoid this dreaded list, but it’s also worth noting he was drafted ahead of quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

Darnold: He endured plenty of losing with the Jets, and it didn’t help he was slow to react to defenses. He lasted only three seasons in New York before two rocky seasons with the Panthers.

Rosen: He had a shorter stint in Arizona because the Cardinals landed the No. 1 pick after his rocky rookie season. They selected Kyler Murray in 2019 and traded Rosen to Miami, where he started his career as an NFL journeyman. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Vita Vea and Daron Payne were the following three picks after the Cardinals took Rosen. 

2019

The Misses

No. 4. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Raiders

No. 10. Devin Bush, LB, Steelers

What we know: Murray, Nick Bosa and Quinnen Williams went top three before many underwhelming first-round selections in this draft. And even Murray has had mixed results.

Ferrell: He disappointed as the first pick of the Mike Mayock–Jon Gruden era with the Raiders. The Clemson product struggled to generate pressure as a starter and later became a rotational player. Picking Ferrell that high received plenty of criticism on draft night, and now Ferrell will get a fresh start with the 49ers.

Bush: He is another top-10 pick who has failed to make an impact as a starter. The Steelers declined his fifth-year option, and he’s now playing for the Seahawks. 

2020

The Misses

No. 3. Jeff Okudah, CB, Lions

No. 8. Isaiah Simmons, LB, Cardinals

What we know: Joe Burrow and Chase Young were the top two picks in the draft and would have been better fits for either of these teams.

Okudah: He’s had a slow start to his career due to injuries and lackluster performances on the field. With the Lions signing cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in free agency, they traded Okudah to the Falcons on Tuesday for a 2023 fifth-round pick.

Simmons: He was viewed as an intriguing Swiss Army knife, but he has struggled to find comfort at one position. Perhaps, eventually, Simmons will develop into a versatile defender, but it doesn’t help Arizona has a new coach in Jonathan Gannon, who might prefer playing a linebacker he drafted.

2021

The Misses

Wilson is likely headed to the bench with the Jets trying to finalize a trade for Aaron Rodgers :: Seth Wenig/AP Photo

No. 2. Zach Wilson, QB, Jets

No. 3. Trey Lance, QB, 49ers

What we know: The Jets and 49ers took two different approaches with their top-three quarterback selections, and neither has been fruitful.

Wilson: He was thrust into a starting role, struggled mightily and rarely corrected his mistakes. Now the Jets are on the verge of making Aaron Rodgers their 2023 starter, leaving Wilson in limbo.

Lance: The 49ers wanted Lance to sit and learn from Jimmy Garoppolo, or simply because he wasn’t ready to play. Lance got his shot last season but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2. Brock Purdy, however, became the 49ers’ new QB1 after impressing in his eight starts last season, which has also left Lance in limbo. But Lance will likely get one more shot to prove the doubters wrong, with Purdy possibly missing the start of the season after undergoing surgery on his throwing arm. 

2022

The Miss?

No. 1. Travon Walker, DE, Jaguars

What we know: The Jaguars advanced to the postseason last year and didn’t need Walker to rush to reach his potential, but there were many first-round picks who had memorable rookie seasons such as Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner, Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson and Aidan Hutchinson.

Walker: It’s way too soon to consider someone a draft miss after one season, but Walker had one of the most disappointing rookie seasons for a No. 1 pick in recent memory. There wasn’t a surefire No. 1 prospect last year, which could explain why the Jaguars took a chance on Walker’s upside, despite his limited production with a stacked Georgia defense. 

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