Football fans are no doubt already getting excited to see the players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft suit up for their favorite teams. Though they may not know much about the players their teams draft, fans probably assume that if the draftee played for a top-tier college football team like Georgia, Alabama, or Notre Dame, then the player ought to be pretty good – though this is not necessarily the case.
Many players who were selected early on in the NFL Draft and who were thought to have all the skills and mentality needed to succeed in the pros have turned out to be busts. In the modern NFL, hundreds of first-round picks have struggled and quickly washed out of the league – many of which came from just a handful of schools.
To determine the colleges with the most first-round NFL Draft busts, 24/7 Tempo reviewed every first-round draft pick since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 using data from Pro Football Reference. Drafted players that made minimal contributions in the NFL were sorted by the school they attended. The biggest bust was determined to be the player who contributed the least to their team, relative to their draft position.
Many of the schools on this list are among the biggest powerhouses in college football. These programs have produced dozens of top-tier NFL players selected in all rounds of the draft, but the more players these schools send to the NFL, the more likely it is that a number of them will not pan out.
Some of the busts simply had bad luck – their careers were derailed by injuries or other circumstances beyond their control. Others never found their footing in the NFL and struggled to meet the demands of being a pro football player. A handful struggled with off-the-field issues, like substance abuse problems that made it impossible for them to meet their potential. These are the most disappointing draft picks of all time.
19. Houston
> First round draft busts since 1970: 5
> Total draft picks since 1970: 107
> Biggest draft bust: QB Andre Ware
> Andre Ware draft details: Pick #7 by the Detroit Lions in 1990
18. Colorado
> First round draft busts since 1970: 5
> Total draft picks since 1970: 189
> Biggest draft bust: DT Leonard Renfro
> Leonard Renfro draft details: Pick #24 by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1993
17. Missouri
> First round draft busts since 1970: 5
> Total draft picks since 1970: 117
> Biggest draft bust: QB Steve Pisarkiewicz
> Steve Pisarkiewicz draft details: Pick #19 by the St. Louis Rams in 1977
16. Wisconsin
> First round draft busts since 1970: 6
> Total draft picks since 1970: 166
> Biggest draft bust: DT Wendell Bryant
> Wendell Bryant draft details: Pick #12 by the Arizona Cardinals in 2002
15. UCLA
> First round draft busts since 1970: 6
> Total draft picks since 1970: 215
> Biggest draft bust: QB Josh Rosen
> Josh Rosen draft details: Pick #10 by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018
14. Notre Dame
> First round draft busts since 1970: 6
> Total draft picks since 1970: 258
> Biggest draft bust: QB Brady Quinn
> Brady Quinn draft details: Pick #22 by the Cleveland Browns in 2007
13. Oklahoma St.
> First round draft busts since 1970: 6
> Total draft picks since 1970: 93
> Biggest draft bust: WR Rashaun Woods
> Rashaun Woods draft details: Pick #31 by the San Francisco 49ers in 2004
12. Georgia
> First round draft busts since 1970: 7
> Total draft picks since 1970: 205
> Biggest draft bust: LB David Pollack
> David Pollack draft details: Pick #17 by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2005
11. Michigan
> First round draft busts since 1970: 7
> Total draft picks since 1970: 242
> Biggest draft bust: T Trezelle Jenkins
> Trezelle Jenkins draft details: Pick #31 by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1995
10. Michigan St.
> First round draft busts since 1970: 7
> Total draft picks since 1970: 175
> Biggest draft bust: TE Mike Cobb
> Mike Cobb draft details: Pick #22 by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1977
9. Florida St.
> First round draft busts since 1970: 8
> Total draft picks since 1970: 232
> Biggest draft bust: DE Jamal Reynolds
> Jamal Reynolds draft details: Pick #10 by the Green Bay Packers in 2001
8. USC
> First round draft busts since 1970: 8
> Total draft picks since 1970: 314
> Biggest draft bust: WR R. Jay Soward
> R. Jay Soward draft details: Pick #29 by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2000
7. Texas A&M
> First round draft busts since 1970: 8
> Total draft picks since 1970: 196
> Biggest draft bust: RB Larry Stegent
> Larry Stegent draft details: Pick #8 by the St. Louis Rams in 1970
6. Penn St.
> First round draft busts since 1970: 8
> Total draft picks since 1970: 261
> Biggest draft bust: T Andre Johnson
> Andre Johnson draft details: Pick #30 by the Washington Commanders in 1996
5. Miami (FL)
> First round draft busts since 1970: 9
> Total draft picks since 1970: 265
> Biggest draft bust: WR Yatil Green
> Yatil Green draft details: Pick #15 by the Miami Dolphins in 1997
4. Tennessee
> First round draft busts since 1970: 9
> Total draft picks since 1970: 231
> Biggest draft bust: WR Clyde Duncan
> Clyde Duncan draft details: Pick #17 by the St. Louis Rams in 1984
3. Ohio St.
> First round draft busts since 1970: 10
> Total draft picks since 1970: 289
> Biggest draft bust: LB Craig Powell
> Craig Powell draft details: Pick #30 by the Cleveland Browns in 1995
2. Nebraska
> First round draft busts since 1970: 11
> Total draft picks since 1970: 271
> Biggest draft bust: DB Bruce Pickens
> Bruce Pickens draft details: Pick #3 by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991
1. Florida
> First round draft busts since 1970: 11
> Total draft picks since 1970: 244
> Biggest draft bust: LB Huey Richardson
> Huey Richardson draft details: Pick #15 by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1991