@stinkhole said:

There are actually a lot of players on this list that were probably injury "busts". Actually, I also think that Dmitrious Underwood died.

So I am not making any judgment on why they didn't succeed, just that they didn't. Injury, suckage, whatever.

...OK, wrong about Underwood. Here is his deal:

Underwood was selected in the first round (29th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft after his stock rose with his pre-draft workouts. He signed a five-year, $5.3 million contract on August 1, 1999, and walked out of training camp the next day after the first practice and never returned. He forfeited a $1.75 million bonus saying he could not resolve the conflict between playing football and serving his Christian faith.

There was someone though ....maybe not on this list, 1st round pick that died.

OK, checked it out: it was Gaines Adams.:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaines_Adams

@the-gipper said:

Here are the two biggest busts at each draft slot 1 to 32 since the common draft started in 1966:

#1. Jamarcus Russell QB and Kijana Carter RB

2. Ryan Leaf QB and Charles Rogers WR

3. Dick Leftridge RB and Akili Smith QB

4. Art Schlichter QB and Brent Fullwood RB

5. Mike Junkin LB and Trev Alberts LB

6. Rich Campbell QB and Kelly Stouffer QB

7. Reggie Rogers DE and Don Davis DT

8. Larry Stergent RB and Mike Dennis RB

9. Kevin Allen OT and Bubba Bean RB

10. Jamal Reynolds DE and Jim Seymour WR

11. Joe Moore RB and Shawn Knight DE

12. Jim Smith DB and Wendell Bryant DT

13. William Yearby DE and Ray McDonald RB

14. George Amundson RB and Derek Brown TE

15. Huey Richardson LB and Yatil Gree WR

16. Dan McGwire QB and Justin Harrell DT

17. Clyde Duncan WR and David Pollack LB

18. Rocky Thompson RB and Steve Schindler OG

19. Harry Jones RB and Steve Pisarkewiscz QB

20. Jim Detwiler RB and Ken Novak DT

21. Gabe Rivera DT and Clifford Charlton LB

22. Mike Cobb TE and Brady Quinn QB (JMZ top 4, Weeden top 10)

23. Harold Lucas OT and William Anderson DB

24. Leo Hayden RB and Reggie McGrew DT

25. Eldridge Dickey WR and Billy Cannon LB

26. Bill Thomas RB and Ted Gregory DT

27. Gary Butler TE and Robert Shaw OC

28. Marcus Cotton LB and Reggie Bennett WR

29. Dmitrious Underwood DT and Jay Soward WR

30. Gary Beban QB and Andre Johnson OT

31. Butch Allison OT and Bob Slater DT

32. John Lee K and Mike Elkins QB

In the last half of the list there are a lot of unknown names, fair to say? That is what happens when you bust.....you are completely unknown and forgotten (except by the fans of your particular team...like Browns players who are highlighted.)

21. Gabe Rivera

I suppose you can call him a bust...but certainly not in the traditional way a player is deemed a bust. He couldn't use his arms and legs anymore.

A beast in college and a very promising career.

http://www.foxsports.com/southwest/story/promising-football-career-cut-short-for-gabe-rivera-042413

The Steelers passed on hometown hero Dan Marino to draft Rivera. Wow..imagine Marino and Kosar battling it out twice a year during the 80's.

@gftchris said:

Too Right!

It's also less of a 'flame out' outside of the top 5-10, apart from QBs, which is why more people remember Quinn, Weeden, Manziel, Tebow, EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Josh Freeman and so on.