Much like everything in life, nothing is certain. And despite coming out of college with a pretty stellar reputation and looking as if you might have a promising NFL career, sometimes that just isn’t the case.
The 2022 NFL Draft will this year take place in Las Vegas, so it’s pretty fitting that there will be a lot of teams who will be gambling their future on the players that they draft for their franchises.
Hopefully they’ll be bringing in winners rather than ending up with players like these, whose NFL careers never lived up to the expectation that followed them on draft night.
10. Josh Rosen
Drafted at 10 by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018
This one might seem a little harsh considering he is still in the league where he might have a career renaissance.
But when you consider how high he was drafted, combined with his now infamous quote that there were ‘nine mistakes’ made ahead of him, his status as a backup in the league that has bounced around a few teams doesn’t portray him as someone who was worth the Cardinals trading up for to begin with.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
9. Paxton Lynch
Drafted at 26 by the Denver Broncos in 2016
Being brought in to replace the departing Peyton Manning, Lynch’s numbers in college showed some promise, racking up 8,863 yards and 59 touchdowns, his career in the NFL was over pretty much before it began.
He failed to beat out Trevor Siemian and was never able to establish himself as the main man with the Denver Broncos. Having failed there, he has moved to Pittsburgh and Seattle, but hasn’t played a game since 2017, he now plies his trade with the Michigan Panthers in the USFL.
Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
8. Robert Griffin III
Drafted at 2 by the Washington Redskins in 2012
The second quarterback taken behind Andrew Luck in 2012, RG3 came out of Baylor as a transformative player, someone whose work with both his feet and his arm earned him the 2011 Heisman award.
He brought that talent to the professional game with him, earning 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honours, but it was a case of injuries getting in the way for the quarterback that stunted a promising career.
He was eventually forced out of Washington before trying to get back into the game with the Browns and Ravens, but he was never able to recreate his impressive start to his NFL career.
Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. Credit REUTERS/Gary Cameron
7. Kevin White
Drafted at 7 by the Chicago Bears in 2015
Coming out of West Virginia, White looked to have all the makings of a promising recveiver who was big and physical.
However the stats tell their own story, as after all this time in the league, he has only managed to grab 26 receptions for 323 yards, with injuries playing a major part in his issues.
And whilst he is still in the league now on the roster of the New Orleans Saints, it is going to have to take a rather incredible turnaround for him to be considered anything other than a wasted talent for someone who was taken so high.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White. Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
6. Sam Bradford
Drafted at 1 by the St Louis Rams in 2010
Another player whose college resume screamed the idea that he was destined for good things in the NFL.
Over 8,000 passing yards and 88 touchdowns, the 2008 Heisman trophy winner was ultimately never able to replicate on the big stage, completing less than 60% of his passes in St Louis during his four years before being shipped around the league trying to establish himself once again.
It was injuries that ultimately prevented him from really flourishing, something that had hung over him since his college days.
Whilst Bradford was able to have a reasonable NFL career for the most part, considering how much the Rams paid for him, a record for NFL rookies which stands to this day as a result of the rookie wage scale, he definitely didn’t live up to the hype and honour of a number one draft pick.
St Louis Rams' Sam Bradford. Credit: Action Images / Paul Childs
5. Justin Blackmon
Drafted at 5 by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012
The wide receiver put up some incredibly eye-catching numbers in college with back to back seasons of over 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns as well as back-to-back All-American honours and Fred Biletnikoff awards as the best wide receiver, there was no doubting his talents.
A reasonable rookie season was followed by a decent start to 2013, however he would ultimately never play in the NFL as off the field issues both with the law and the league’s substance abuse policy meant that this goes down as a disastrous pick for the Jags to have made in hindsight.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon. Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
4. Tim Tebow
Drafted at 25 by the Denver Broncos in 2010
Arguably the greatest college quarterback of all time, Tebow came into the league with plenty of hype after his days at Florida, however he ultimately proved that a great college career doesn’t guarantee anything at the professional level.
Whilst there was the brief ‘Tebowmania’ phase during the 2011 season that resulted in the Broncos going on an impressive run and winning a playoff game, the arrival of Peyton Manning put an end to that and Tebow was bounced out.
University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Credit: REUTERS/Scott Audette
3. JaMarcus Russell
Drafted at 1 by the Oakland Raiders in 2007
Another player who had all the attributes to make it in the NFL after a promising college career at LSU that saw him rack up over 6,600 passing yards, he came into the draft possessing a rare combination of size and arm strength.
However attitude problems, such as lying to his coaches about watching game film and keeping in shape meant that it was going to be hard for him to produce at an NFL level.
He failed to put up any sort of impressive numbers and ultimately didn’t last long in the league, despite a number of failed attempts.
What makes the tale even worse, is that one pick after him was Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, the player head coach at the time Lane Kiffin ‘begged’ owner Al Davis to pick.
Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Credit REUTERS/Dave Kaup (UNITED STATES)
2. Johnny Manziel
Drafted at 22 by the Cleveland Browns in 2014
Having burst onto the scene with his emphatic display against Alabama, Manziel was at the peak of college football, becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, Manziel’s issues came more from what happened off the field than on it.
He was notorious for his party lifestyle and also got in trouble with the law, but these red flags weren’t enough to stop the Browns from taking him in the first round. Off-field issues would stay with him into his professional career and he was gone within two seasons, never to be seen in the NFL again.
Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Credit REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)
1. Trent Richardson
Drafted at 3 by the Cleveland Browns in 2012
Looking every bit like a 'sure thing’ heading into the draft, Richardson came into the NFL with an impressive resume. A first-team All-American, Doak Walker Award winner as the nation’s best running back and SEC Offensive Player of the Year, it seemed like he was destined for success.
However after a somewhat impressive rookie year, he wasn’t able to replicate that moving forward and was traded in the early stages of 2013 where he wasn’t able to produce anything like a number 3 pick should have been able to do whilst bouncing around the league.
Alabama running back Trent Richardson Credit REUTERS/Tami Chappell (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)