The NFL Draft is one of the most unpredictable and exciting things to watch in sports. Fans of all 32 teams have high hopes that their team will say the name of someone they desperately want, only to get disappointed when your squad takes an offensive guard. Fortunately for some GMs in the league, the worst NFL Draft mistakes in recent memory set a high bar for failure.
Dolphins Miss on Dion Jordan
Since Mario Williams went number one overall and had a successful career, teams emphasized drafting dynamic pass-rushers to bring down the quarterback. In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins were desperate to recruit someone who could bring down Tom Brady and the Patriots dynasty, trading their first and second-round picks to Oakland for the number three overall pick to nab Dion Jordan.
Poetically, Jordan had the same number of sacks (three) as his draft position in 26 games for Miami. The Dolphins eventually cut ties with Jordan after he failed a physical, ending his disappointing career in South Beach.
Roberto Aguayo Is Wide Right
If Justin Tucker has proven anything for the Baltimore Ravens, an elite kicker’s value is higher than many believe. The Ravens can win games extraordinarily, thanks to Tucker and his booming leg, whereas other teams lose sleep over their shaky kickers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t had a reliable kicker since the days of Martin Gramatica was drilling 50-yard field goals in the early Aughts. So, when the Bucs took Florida State’s Robert Aguayo in the second round, people shook their heads but understood why.
Unfortunately for the Bucs, Aguayo was an utter disaster compared to his college career, only making 22 of his 31 field goals in his rookie campaign before he got cut in the 2017 preseason after demonstrating he was still a liability.
Eagles Get Laughed at With Jalen Reagor
The year 2020 is one that many of us would like to forget, but it’s impossible for the Philadelphia Eagles front office to escape Jalen Reagor’s shadow. During the draft, the Minnesota Vikings brass audibly laughed when Philly drafted Reagor, letting Minnesota’s target, Justin Jefferson, fall into their lap.
We’ve all seen how awesome Justin Jefferson is at the wide receiver position as he continues to break records and make circus catches weekly. But in the ultimate case of irony, Reagor is now a teammate of Jefferson on the Vikings.
Johnny Bust
There’s no debating whether Johnny Manziel was a spectacular quarterback for Texas A&M, considering he was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. Nevertheless, he came into the 2014 NFL Draft with much buzz due to his moxie and playmaking ability.
A team that’s no stranger to having a problem at quarterback, the Cleveland Browns, gambled on Johnny Football, taking him in the first round, although many believed Manziel was a late-round talent. Those naysayers were correct since Manziel finished his tenure in the NFL after two seasons and a pitiful 74.4 quarterback rating.
Ditch Mitch
It’s not as if Mitch Trubisky was a complete scrub. But when you are the first QB in the same draft as Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, you will be the prime example of being a draft bust. It’s a difficult job to nail the top NFL prospects from college football, although the Bears’ front office continues to prove their experts of failing at it.
If you’re a fan of a team that committed one of the worst NFL Draft mistakes in recent memory, our thoughts are with you. Luckily, most of these teams worked their way out of their prior discretions—and then there’s the Bears.