NFL

Every year, the NFL has its annual draft to see which highly touted collegiate player lands to begin their NFL careers.  A lot happens behind the scenes, where teams trade picks, players, and assets to acquire the draft picks they desire based on scouting data they’ve obtained over the years, and on their attendance at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. Then, when late April comes around, the lights and cameras shine on the NFL, as we watch Roger Goodell call the names of college players on the podium and announces what team drafts them. However, just like the draft, some draft picks make us scratch our heads every time these names are mentioned in conversation, how they flopped at the professional level, and all the trades and assets certain NFL teams give up to draft these guys, only to see them flop and not develop into the star they hoped for. Let’s take a look at 10 NFL Draft Picks that somehow still make zero sense to us, and why they were drafted in the first place. Which draft selection did not make sense for several NFL teams? Buccaneers pick Roberto Aguayo in the second round of the 2016 NFL DraftNov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Roberto Aguayo (19) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports When NFL teams draft a kicker, they usually tend to draft them in the very late rounds of the draft. That wasn’t the case with Roberto Aguayo, who was drafted by the Buccaneers with the 59th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.  Bucs’ general manager Jason Licht traded away third and fourth round picks to the Kansas City Chiefs to move up and acquire the two-time All-American, thinking he was going to be their kicker long-term. With his strong legs and kicking, he brought the Florida State Seminoles. Instead, Aguayo flopped in the league, converting 22 of 31 field goals as a rookie, converting 32 of 34 extra points, and was waived in 2017. Aguayo bounced around the league with brief stints with the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, and New England Patriots, and has a 71 percent field goal percentage. Aguayo was the highest drafted kicker since Mike Nugent back in 2005, but Nugent had a longer career and had a field goal percentage of 81 percent.  This pick will always have our heads scratching on why the Bucs gave up some draft assets to select a kicker that early. Commanders drafting Emmanuel Forbes over Christian Gonzalez in 2023Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (13) warms up before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports The Commanders drafted Forbes with the 16th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping he would become a shutdown corner and keep opposing wide receivers under control.  Then Commanders’ general manager Martin Mayhew referred to Forbes as “the total package.” Instead, Forbes was benched midway through his rookie season, as he had one interception and was bullied by A. J. Brown, who had 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns, in a week eight game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Forbes played in 14 games in his rookie season and started in six of them. He played in six games for the Commanders in 2024 and started in one. Even his photo was roasted by fans in 2024. Forbes was waived by the Commanders and claimed by the Los Angeles Rams, where he has experienced a career resurgence under Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s watch, while the Commanders are stuck in cornerback mediocrity, as they failed to develop Forbes into the cornerback they hoped for. Meanwhile, cornerback Christian Gonzalez was still on the board and taken one pick later by the New England Patriots, and he has become a Pro Bowler, and played very well in Super Bowl LX, even though the Patriots lost that game against the Seattle Seahawks. Raiders drafted Clelin Ferrell at four in 2019Dec 15, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive end Clelin Ferrell (96) jogs off the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports When the Raiders shocked the NFL world by drafting Ferrell with the fourth pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, they thought they were getting an elite edge rusher who would cause havoc against opposing offenses and replicate the production Khalil Mack left behind.  Ferrell did have an okay rookie year, as he had 38 tackles, 4.5 sacks (the most in his career so far), five pass deflections, and a fumble recovery.  However, Ferrell lacked the fierce pass-rush production. He did have 10 sacks in 58 games for the “Silver and Black,” and had to work with multiple defensive coordinators throughout his time with the team, as the Raiders have a coaching turnover problem. Ferrell would eventually get outclassed by Maxx Crosby, who was drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2019 Draft and has become a five-time Pro Bowler. Ferrell has had stints with the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers, and is currently back with the 49ers.  Meanwhile, Devin White (who was picked after Ferrell), Josh Hines-Allen, Rashan Gray, Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Montez Sweat, and Zach Allen have all emerged as defensive Pro Bowlers from that draft. 49ers trade three first-round picks to move up and draft Trey Lance in 2021Dec 19, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) during warmups before the start of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports Lance’s playing time at North Dakota State was limited, but he had 17 starts for the Bison and helped the team win two FCS National Championships. Despite the limited playing time, the 49ers traded away three first-round picks (2021, 2022, and 2023) and a 2022 third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins to draft Lance and make him their next starting quarterback, even though Jimmy Garoppolo was on the roster. Lance was the second-string quarterback behind Garoppolo, and was thrust into starting action after Garoppolo suffered a calf injury in a week four game against the Detroit Lions.  Lance started in two games for the Niners that season and had a 1-1 record as a starter, completing 41 passes for 603 yards, throwing five touchdowns against two interceptions, rushing for 168 yards on 38 carries, and scoring a rushing touchdown. 2022 was much rougher, as Lance went 1-1 as a starter, completed 15 passes for 194 yards, threw an interception, and rushed for 67 yards on 16 carries, as he dealt with a season-ending ankle injury in week two against the Seattle Seahawks. Luckily, Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy emerged and helped the 49ers reach the NFC Championship game. Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the start of the 2023 season, with the 49ers rolling with Purdy as their starting QB.  Drafting Lance made the 49ers look silly, as if they made a bad gamble, but as we mentioned earlier, thankfully, Purdy saved the day and has kept the 49ers afloat in the NFC West. Bears traded up to Draft Mitch Trubisky second overall in 2017Jun 10, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky (10) looks on prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports After finishing the 2016 season with a 3-13 record, the Bears needed a new signal caller to run the offense on the field. They decided to take a massive gamble and traded two third-round picks and a fourth-round pick to the 49ers to move up and draft Trubisky. Trubisky had limited starting time during his collegiate days with the UNC Tar Heels (as he started in one season for them and played 13 games), as the Bears deemed him the best quarterback on the draft board, even though some guy named Patrick Mahomes went eight picks later and became a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs. Trubisky’s time in the “Windy City” felt like a roller coaster ride, as he did show some promise in his sophomore season, leading the team to a division championship, a playoff berth, and making his lone Pro Bowl in 2018. However, his performance regressed after his 2018 season, as inconsistencies piled up, struggles emerged, and opposing defenses took advantage of those struggles.  Trubisky was also a poor fit for then-head coach Matt Nagy’s system, and split the starting role with Nick Foles in 2020, as they helped the Bears reach the playoffs.  Trubisky ended up being a massive disappointment for the Bears, as they cut their losses and released him in 2021, and he has since become a journeyman backup for the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tennessee Titans. Jets drafted Christian Hackenberg in the second round in 2016Oct 9, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New York Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg (5) warms up before playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Normally, when a college football player gets drafted, it’s a huge milestone. When it came to Christian Hackenberg, whom the Jets drafted with the 51st pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, it looked like a safe pickup. However, Hackenburg never played a single snap with the Jets or the NFL and just sat on the bench. Hackenburg was traded to the Raiders in 2018, but never made their final roster. He also had brief stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals, but also never made their final rosters. Hackenburg did play professionally in 2019, as he suited up for the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football.  Hackenburg struggled with the Express, as he completed 32 passes for 277 yards, threw three interceptions against no touchdowns, rushed for 47 yards on nine carries, and scored a rushing touchdown before getting benched in favor of Zach Mettenberger. Jacoby Brissett was taken 40 picks later in the third round, and he’s become a more serviceable backup quarterback in the league.  Hackenburg has since become a quarterbacks coach at Winslow Township High School in New Jersey. Though Hackenburg was an NFL bust, and looking back on the selection doesn’t make sense, the Jets should’ve kept him to provide Sam Darnold with reasonable support before they gave up on him years later. Isaiah Wilson getting drafted 29th overall in 2020Nov 8, 2020; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson (79) warms up before the game against the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports After reaching the 2020 AFC Championship game before getting defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Tennessee Titans decided to draft a new offensive lineman to protect Ryan Tannehill for the upcoming years. They drafted Isaiah Wilson with the 29th pick of the 2020 draft, hoping the former Georgia Bulldog would become a strong and reliable offensive tackle.  Wilson ended up getting into trouble off-the-field, as he was arrested for a DUI during the start of the 2020 season. Wilson was on the COVID list before the start and during the start of the season and wasn’t activated until October of that year. He played in four snaps during his time with the Titans and was suspended for violating team rules in December.  Wilson brought poor production to the Titans, had off-the-field issues, which resulted in him getting traded to the Miami Dolphins, but he never played a single snap for them, as he showed up late to his physical and orientation.  He signed with the New York Giants and made their practice squad in September 2021, and was released in January 2022. Wilson also became a rapper under the stage name GGBowzer and released an EP in 2021, and was suspended for three games in 2023 for an undisclosed reason.  Looking back on this pick, it still has us scratching our heads about why the Titans selected Wilson when offensive guard Robert Hunt went 10 picks later in the second round, and made a Pro Bowl in 2024. Eagles drafting Jalen Reagor one pick before Justin JeffersonPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor (18) celebrates running back a punt return for a touchdown with wide receiver Greg Ward (84) against the Green Bay Packers in the fourth quarter during their football game Sunday, December 6, 2020, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. Apc Packvseagles 1206201126 The 2020 Eagles needed a new speedy wide receiver for Carson Wentz to work with after losing Nelson Agholor in free agency. So they drafted Jalen Reagor with the 21st pick of the draft, hoping he would bring his speed to Philadelphia as he did at TCU. Reagor ended up not panning out for the Eagles, as he caught 64 receptions for 695 yards, scored three touchdowns, and rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries in his two years with the Eagles. Reagor scored a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown in a week 13 game against the Green Bay Packers, but his poor production on offense couldn’t be ignored. He dropped passes, sustained injuries, and muffed two punts in the team’s 2022 Wildcard Round playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Reagor was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 2022, had stints with the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers, and was released by the Bolts after the 2025 season.  All of this could’ve been avoided if the Eagles had drafted Justin Jefferson, who went one pick after Reagor and has become one of the league’s best wide receivers.  Cardinals moving up to draft Josh Rosen in 2018Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen warms-up before playing the Chicago Bears at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Bears Vs Cardinals 2018 Looking to start fresh for the 2018 season, the Cardinals drafted UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen with the 10th pick of the 2018 draft, and he famously said, “There were nine mistakes ahead of me.” When the season started, Rosen was not just bad; he was downright awful, as he struggled against opposing NFL defenses. Rosen completed 217 passes for 2,278 yards, threw 11 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, rushed for 138 yards on 23 carries, fumbled the ball 10 times, and lost five fumbles in his rookie season. The Cardinals cleaned up shop and drafted Kyler Murray in 2019 and shipped Rosen off to the Miami Dolphins via trade. Rosen had brief stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Minnesota Vikings before retiring from the NFL in 2023. Rosen has since become a student at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Raiders drafted Alex Leatherwood in 2021 and released him one year laterSep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tackle Alex Leatherwood sits on the bench during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports Looking to fix their offensive line, the Raiders drafted Alex Leatherwood with the 17th pick of the 2021 draft, even though draft experts had him going later. Leatherwood played at offensive tackle for four games, but struggled and surrendered a league-high 65 pressures.  The Raiders tried everything they could to help Leatherwood by moving him to offensive guard, but they released him before the 2022 season and continued to have offensive line problems. Meanwhile, Christian Darrisaw went six picks later and has emerged as a Pro Bowl standout for the Minnesota Vikings.