Not every so-called NFL bust really deserves the label. Some of these players quietly put together solid, dare I say, even impressive careers.
Maybe they didn’t become the franchise saviors fans were promised, but they stuck around, made plays, and even racked up Pro Bowls and Super Bowl rings along the way.
Let’s take a look back at 10 NFL Draft “busts” who were actually WAY BETTER than you think.
Which widely perceived draft busts actually played well in the NFL?
Ted Ginn Jr.: WR, 9th Overall, 2007, Miami Dolphins
To be honest, Miami should’ve known it when they took him, but based on his skill set after coming out of college, Ted Ginn Jr. was never going to be Randy Moss.
But for some reason, when Miami took him ninth overall in 2007, the consensus around the league was that Ginn would be their top option for years to come. But the shifty speedster simply wasn’t that kind of receiver—and that resulted in some fans labeling him a bust almost immediately.
But guess what? Fourteen seasons. Ginn played in the NFL for over a decade, and you don’t stick around that long without bringing something to the table. He wasn’t the polished route runner or red zone threat teams covet, but what Ginn did possess was world-class speed, the kind that made him a constant deep threat and a game-changing return specialist.
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When all was said and done, Ginn totaled 5,742 receiving yards, 33 total touchdowns, and countless special teams highlights. His longevity speaks louder than the NFL bust label ever could.
Glenn Dorsey: DT, 5th Overall, 2008, Kansas City Chiefs
When the Chiefs took Glenn Dorsey fifth overall out of LSU, the hope was that he would essentially develop into Kansas City’s version of Warren Sapp… the dominant type of force on the inside of the defensive line that was capable of terrorizing quarterbacks for the next decade. I
Considering his seven career sacks, that clearly wasn’t the case. But he did manage to turn himself into something else useful on their roster—and his second act with the 49ers: a rock-solid run-stopper.
Obviously, a dependable run-stopper isn’t as sexy as an elite pass-rusher, especially not at fifth overall… But that doesn’t mean that Dorsey was bad. He just wasn’t the flashy sack machine people projected him to be coming out of Baton Rouge.
Over eight seasons, he started 92 games, accumulated 331 tackles, and quietly anchored defensive lines in Kansas City and San Francisco.
He may not have filled the stat sheet with sacks, but Dorsey was the guy eating double teams and making life easier for the linebackers behind him. And trust me, those guys noticed.
Sam Darnold: QB, 3rd Overall, 2018, New York Jets
The early stages of Sam Darnold’s career are like trying to evaluate a race car that’s been driven exclusively on gravel roads.
He was drafted third overall by the Jets—and supposed to be the chosen one… the quarterback who would finally end the Jets eternal quarterback carousel.
Unfortunately, for Jets fans and Darnold alike, he walked into an absolute dumpster fire… One that makes the Jets most recent disasters look like a walk in the park!
And that… of course… was getting thrown to the wolves of Adam Gase’s offense, a depleted roster, and a brutal offensive line.
This combination of factors created a nightmare scenario for Darnold, one that I don’t think it is unfair to say no quarterback would thrive in.
And it wasn’t for a lack of trying… Darnold showed flashes, but the Jets’ dysfunction swallowed him whole—and spit him out in Carolina, where, despite more organizational turmoil, things actually started to look up… briefly.
Darnold led the Panthers to a 4-2 start in 2021 before injuries derailed his season.
He then crash landed in San Francisco and had the chance to actually develop under Kyle Shanahan—a coach known for squeezing every drop of talent from his quarterbacks.
The word on the street at the time was not to be surprised if Darnold’s story still had a few chapters left… and that has proven to be true in spades based on his first year in Minnesota playing for another talented coach in Kevin O’Connell.
Darnold is finally starting to look like the franchise quarterback that Jets fans hoped he would be… and whether it continues for the Vikings or elsewhere, I think it is more than safe to say at this point that Darnold is not an NFL bust that folks feared he was in New York, but rather, another victim of the quarterback meat grinder that is the New York Jets.
Mark Sanchez: QB, 5th Overall, 2009, New York Jets
Yes, Mark Sanchez will forever be remembered for the Butt Fumble. But if you stop there, you’re missing the bigger picture.
Sanchez led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship Games, which, considering the franchise’s track record, is a feat worthy of some serious respect.
No… He wasn’t perfect—and his counting numbers were meh. But Sanchez had ice in his veins when it mattered, and he delivered in more than a few clutch situations for New York during those runs.
His career totals of 15,357 yards and 86 touchdowns are not exactly Hall of Fame caliber, far from it, but they absolutely speak to a nine-year NFL career as a starter and backup—and a guy that doesn’t deserve the NFL bust label that gets slapped on him.
Jets fans might not appreciate it, but a nine-year career out of any player is impressive. Two AFC Championship game appearances are far from bust material.
Also Read: 10 NFL Draft Busts We All Wanted To Be Great
Ricky Williams: RB, 5th Overall, 1999, New Orleans Saints
The perception of Ricky Williams’s career is far from reality due to a couple of different factors.
Firstly, Ricky Williams didn’t ask Mike Ditka to trade an entire draft class for him, but Ditka saw Williams as a generational talent coming out of Texas and bet the house to land him… And when you’re acquired with that level of hype, the odds are already stacked against you.
And if Williams were drafted today, in an era far more forgiving of certain extracurriculars, his career narrative might look a lot different. Instead of controversy, we’d likely be talking about his balance, vision, and power. Despite all of the noise around his career and the extended absences that resulted from it during his prime, Williams’s peaks hold up against some of the best backs of his generation.
Not to mention that as a running back—his career spanned from 1999 to 2011, which is pretty insane when you think about it. Even with him missing a couple of years.
The real shame in it is that the time missed derailed him during his prime… when Williams wasn’t just good; he was dominant.
And over his career, Williams racked up 10,009 rushing yards, posted five 1,000-yard seasons, and led the NFL with an unreal 1,853-yard campaign in 2002. For context, that rushing total in a single season would still stand among the top 20 all-time.
And this a guy that people want to call a bust? Yeah… Okay!
Chris Long: DE, 2nd Overall, 2008 St. Louis Rams
The second overall pick in 2008, Chris Long entered the league with expectations of being the next great franchise pass rusher, in part because of his profile coming out of the draft and his performance in college, but also because of his insane NFL pedigree being part of the Long Family.
And while 54 career sacks might not scream “superstar,” Long’s career was about more than just stats.
In 11 seasons, Long became the definition of a glue guy—and he was a versatile, relentless defender who could play on the edge or shift inside when needed.
His box score might not pop, but Long was consistently one of the most effective run defenders in the league. And when the moment called for it, he was able to deliver on the pass rush.
Exhibit A… Long’s contributions during Philadelphia’s 2017 Super Bowl run. Long not only provided critical depth to the Eagles’ defensive line but also provided veteran presence and leadership in the locker room, which were priceless. He even forced a game-changing fumble in the NFC Championship Game, setting the tone for Philly’s dominant win over Minnesota.
Oh, and let’s not forget, the guy has two Super Bowl rings: one with New England and one with Philly. Long’s role in both runs wasn’t just ceremonial; he was an integral piece of those defenses.
He might not have been J.J. Watt, but Chris Long was never an NFL bust, even if the haters want to try and call him one.
Reggie Bush: RB, 2nd Overall, 2006, New Orleans Saints
When Reggie Bush entered the NFL, the hype was otherworldly. After all, the 2005 Heisman winner out of USC, where they were dominating the college landscape, was supposed to revolutionize the running back position. He was part running back, part receiver, part human joystick.
He was just a little too early for the NFL.
In today’s NFL, Bush would probably be a featured weapon in the mold of Alvin Kamara or Christian McCaffrey, deployed all over the field to exploit matchups.
Bush’s timing was just a little off—and we can’t fault him for that.
Plus, while he didn’t exactly reshape the league the way Marshall Faulk or LaDainian Tomlinson did, Bush still put together a career most players could only dream of.
He rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons later in his career with the Dolphins and Lions, proving he could handle the traditional workload when asked, and finished his playing days with 5,490 rushing yards, 3,598 receiving yards, and 58 total touchdowns.
Oh, and he won a Super Bowl ring in 2009, playing a key role in Sean Payton’s high-powered Saints offense.
Was he the next Barry Sanders? No. But Reggie Bush was far from an NFL bust.
Brandon Graham: DE, 13th Overall, 2010, Philadelphia Eagles
Drafted 13th overall in 2010, Graham was supposed to be the next great Eagles pass rusher to carry the torch, but the early returns were not pretty.
Largely because Graham tore his ACL as a rookie, limiting him to just 13 games.
The whispers turned to screams by his third season, at which point, he had only eight career sacks and the Eagles shifted him to a rotational role.
No shocker here, but in the eyes of Philly fans, Graham wasn’t living up to the billing, especially as Jason Pierre-Paul – taken three picks later – blossomed into a star for the rival Giants.
Slowly but surely, however, Graham began to refine his game, developing into one of the most complete edge rushers in football. By 2016, Graham earned second-team All-Pro honors and became the heart of the Eagles’ defensive line.
And then came Super Bowl LII.
With Tom Brady orchestrating a late-game comeback, Graham delivered the play of the game – a strip-sack of Brady that sealed the Eagles’ first-ever Super Bowl win. In that moment, Graham’s legacy shifted forever.
Since then, Graham has racked up over 70 career sacks and counting, made a Pro Bowl, and solidified his place as a Philadelphia legend—far from the bust that some people still think him to be.
Cedric Benson: RB, 4th Overall, 2005, Chicago Bears
The Bears’ 4th overall pick in 2005 was tagged as a disappointment, but he really did end up having a very solid career.
Cedric Benson’s career is a tale of two halves.
He was supposed to be the next great workhorse back for the Bears but instead spent three forgettable seasons in Chicago, struggling with injuries, inconsistency, and clashing with coaches. The Bears eventually cut ties, and the NFL bust label felt cemented.
But Benson’s story didn’t end there.
After landing in Cincinnati, Benson experienced a full career resurgence. From 2009 to 2011, he rattled off three straight 1,000-yard seasons and became a key figure in the Bengals’ offense. In those three years alone, Benson rushed for over 3,500 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Benson wasn’t the flashiest runner, not the guy to rip off spin moves or highlight-reel jukes, but he was a bruising, no-nonsense back who wore defenses down. By the time he retired, Benson had amassed 6,017 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns—hardly the numbers of a bust.
Alex Smith: QB, 1st Overall, 2005, San Francisco 49ers
If there’s one “draft bust” narrative that deserves to be completely rewritten, it’s Alex Smith’s.
His name was practically synonymous with “bust” for the first six years of his career after the 49ers made Smith the first overall pick in 2005, passing on Aaron Rodgers in the process.
Obviously, it didn’t take long for that decision to haunt them. Smith never turned into Rodgers, but he did escape the bust label that was immediately slapped on him following his rookie season.
It just took time…
And more organizational stability to support him… Because in his first six seasons, Smith had a carousel of offensive coordinators and dealt with constant injuries. The 49ers looked like a dysfunctional mess, and Smith’s inconsistent play made him the face of that failure.
But when Jim Harbaugh arrived in 2011, everything changed, as the coach finally unlocked Smith’s potential—until a concussion midseason opened the door for Colin Kaepernick, and the rest is history.
Instead of sulking, Smith took his talents to Kansas City, where he thrived under Andy Reid. Over five seasons with the Chiefs, Smith threw for over 17,000 yards and 102 touchdowns and led the team to four playoff appearances until he was unseated again by an uber-talented young gun by the name of Patrick Mahomes.
He won’t be a Hall of Famer, but Smith was a good quarterback, a hell of a professional, and far from an NFL bust.
Also Read: 10 NFL Rookies Who Already Look Like Big-Time BUSTS! (2024)
