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For every NFL superstar, there are dozens of pro football players who never live up to the hype heaped on them at the start of their careers. After every NFL Draft, every team and their fans hope that the rookie they pick would deliver on the potential they showed in college. But that is not always the case.
While some rookies flourish on the big stage, like Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, John Elway and Ndamukong Suh, others end up flaming out of the league. On that note, let's take a look at the top ten NFL players who were tipped for big things but turned out to be busts.
#1 Ryan Leaf, San Diego Chargers
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Former San Diego Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf is arguably one of the most infamous NFL busts in league history. Leaf was selected by the Chargers with the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
However, the QB's pro career started poorly and did not improve. In the three NFL seasons he spent with the Chargers, Leaf went 4-14 and only started 18 games. He was released by San Diego at the end of the 2000 season.
The Cowboys signed Leaf in 2001, but he again struggled and was quickly out of the league. During his brief NFL career, Leaf played 25 games and threw for 3,666 yards and 14 touchdowns with 36 interceptions.
#2 JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders
It's easy to say in hindsight that JaMarcus Russell was never going to make it in the NFL. He was lazy, didn’t like to study or watch film and didn’t seem particularly interested in football itself.
However, Russell was a physical marvel at 6' 5" and 265 pounds and had an absolute rocket of an arm. Oakland Raiders' electric owner Al Davis fell in love with the LSU quarterback and drafted him no. 1 overall in 2007.
In his three years in the NFL, though, Russell, the Raiders quarterback, played 31 games, passing for 4,803 yards, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
#3 Akili Smith, Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals really believed in rookie quarterback Akili Smith. So much so that they turned down multiple draft picks from the New Orleans Saints to move out of their no. 3 position in the 1999 NFL Draft.
Smith jumped up the NFL draft board after throwing 32 touchdowns for Oregon in 1998. The Bengals picked him with the third overall pick in the draft, and there were high hopes that they had finally found their next franchise QB.
During his four years in Cincinnati, though, Smith started just 17 games and went 3-14. He completed under 50% of his passes and threw 13 interceptions to just five touchdowns.
#4 Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns
When Alabama running back Trent Richardson declared for the NFL Draft in 2012, he was projected to be the top rusher drafted. That was because Richardson had an amazing college career, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt and 35 touchdowns in three seasons.
The Cleveland Browns drafted him third overall in the draft, but from that point, things rapidly went downhill for the running back in the NFL. Richardson struggled to make any impact for the Browns and was traded to the Colts in 2013. By 2014, he was out of the NFL after averaging only 3.3 yards per run during his career.
#5 Tony Mandarich, Green Bay Packers
Tony Mandarich was one of the most hyped prospects to ever enter the NFL when he did so back in 1989. The Green Bay Packers picked him second overall in the 1989 NFL Draft. The giant offensive tackle, however, was never able to live up to his hype and was released after four years with the Packers.
#6 Tim Couch, Cleveland Browns
The Kentucky quarterback had an outstanding college career, which led to him being picked first overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Sadly, Tim Couch never lived up to his potential due to injuries and inconsistent performances during his five seasons in Cleveland. One bright spot in his career was leading the Browns to the NFL playoffs in 2002, though.
Couch threw for 11,131 yards and 64 touchdowns with 67 interceptions during his short NFL career.
#7 Dwayne Haskins, Washington Football Team
Unlike the other players on this list, the 24-year-old quarterback still has time to turn his NFL career around. Haskins was drafted 15th overall by the Washington Football Team in 2019 after a stellar season at Ohio State University.
But inconsistent play and off-field drama has marred his time in the nation's capital. Haskins played a total of 16 games during his time in Washington, where he threw for 2,804 yards and 12 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. He was cut last season by Washington and is currently signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
#8 Vernon Gholston, New York Jets
Vernon Gholston recorded 14 sacks for Ohio State in 2007, which bolstered his NFL draft stock. The New York Jets picked him with the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Gholston signed a massive rookie contract that he never lived up to, though. During his three seasons in the Big Apple, he registered zero sacks. He went on to try his luck at multiple other NFL franchises but never played another game after being cut by the Jets in 2010.
#9 Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns
Johnny Manziel was a media sensation during his time at Texas A&M University. The controversial quarterback was drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
Despite all the hype surrounding Manziel, he could never perform on an NFL field, though. During his two seasons in Cleveland, he played just 15 games, passing for 1,675 yards and seven touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Off-field incidents and a lack of maturity helped scuttle whatever NFL career he could have had.
#10 Courtney Brown, Cleveland Browns
Yet another Cleveland Browns' draft pick makes this list. Defensive end Courtney Brown was the no. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Brown had an outstanding college career at Penn State, registering 33 sacks and 70 tackles for a loss.
Unfortunately for the Browns, the big DE could not replicate his college form in the NFL. In five seasons in Cleveland, he recorded just 17 sacks and six forced fumbles.
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