Top 5 Worst Draft Picks - 2002 NFL Draft

Part 3 of my series ranking the five worst first round draft picks in each NFL Draft since 2000. The top 6 picks of the 2002 draft includes five legitimate busts and one player that has looked dominant at times but has also gone through major bouts of inconsistency. While #2 overall pick Julius Peppers may be the best player selected in the top 10, it's hard to decide who deserves the title of worst. Let's grind this one out.

5. Wendall Bryant, Defensive Tackle, #12 Overall Pick, Arizona Cardinals - Bryant led a short NFL career, playing just 3 years and starting only 9 games for the Cardinals. Bryant played just 3 games in his final season and finished his brief career with 1.5 sacks, certainly not the production a team is seeking with the #12 overall pick. Players selected later: WR Donte Stallworth (#13), TE Jeremy Shockey (#14), DT Albert Haynesworth (#15).


4. William Green, Running Back, #16 Overall Pick, Cleveland Browns - The Browns really should have seen the writing on the wall before drafting Green, but his potential and physical tools overshadowed his multiple suspensions for marijuana in college. After a decent rookie campaign, Green had a tumultuous second season that was cut short by a four game suspension for a drunk driving and marijuana arrest. While suspended, Green was stabbed in the back (yes, literally) by his fiancee and suspended for the remainder of the season "for treatment purposes." He would return and have an ineffective year in 2004, including getting ejected before a game against the Steelers for fighting with Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter. He finally had an injury-riddled final season in 2005 and was released prior to the 2006 season. Players selected later: WR Javon Walker (#20), S Ed Reed (#24), CB Lito Sheppard (#26).

3. Patrick Ramsey, Quarterback, #32 Overall Pick, Washington Redskins - The first selection of the Steve Spurrier era in Washington, Ramsey was a record-setting college QB expected to light up the NFL. Unfortunately, Spurrier's system simply didn't translate into the NFL and Ramsey was the poster child for its failure, nearly leading the league in sacks in his only full year as starter in 2003. When Joe Gibbs returned to the team as head coach in 2004, Ramsey was moved in and out of the lineup due to injuries and ineffectiveness of Mark Brunell, whom Gibbs traded for upon his return. Ramsey was finally dealt to the New York Jets prior to 2006, and spent that season backing up Chad Pennington before moving on to backup Jay Cutler in Denver in 2007. Players selected later: C LeCharles Bentley (#44), RB Clinton Portis (#51), QB David Garrard (#108).

2. Joey Harrington, Quarterback, #3 Overall Pick, Detroit Lions - In a first round, and really a draft altogether, that saw poor quality at the quarterback position, Harrington earns the #2 spot. Named the starter prior to his rookie season, Harrington would start every game of his first two years in the league and post NFL record lows of yards per attempt each season, the two lowest totals since 1960. Harrington's ineffectiveness would eventually lead to his benching in the 2005 season for veteran journeyman Jeff Garcia. Later in the year, with the team still struggling offensively, Harrington would return to the starting role and play decently enough, although it wouldn't be enough to keep him in Detroit. He was traded to Miami following the 2005 season and spent the year as a backup/replacement for Dolphins starter Daunte Culpepper who spent much of the year injured. A roller-coaster 2006 season, including a game where he compiled a rating of 107.4 and a game with a rating of 0.0, Harrington was released and eventually signed with the Atlanta Falcons to back up Michael Vick. When Vick was suspended and imprisoned, Harrington was thrust into the starting role but was too inconsistent and ended up splitting time with former Jaguar QB Byron Leftwich. Harrington has signed to return to Atlanta in 2008. Players selected later: OT Bryant McKinnie (#7), S Roy Williams (#8), DT John Henderson (#9).

1. David Carr, Quarterback, #1 Overall Pick, Houston Texans - David Carr's failure to be the franchise quarterback for the expansion Texans helped the team become the least successful expansion team in NFL history, although the blame is certainly not entirely his. Carr was seemingly doomed to fail from the beginning as the franchise never built an adequate offensive line (starting with their #1 expansion draft pick, left tackle Tony Bosselli, who never played a down for the team) and made numerous questionable personnel moves in its first few years. Carr's struggles on the field were compounded with a confidence and cockiness that consistently rubbed the fans the wrong way, earning him little respect among the fan base despite the praise his "talent" received from NFL insiders. When The Texans replaced their first coach Dom Capers in 2006 following a 2-14 2005 season, new coach Gary Kubiak agreed to an option in Carr's contract worth an additional two years, a big mistake. Carr would go on to struggle again in 2006 and lead the Texans to another 6-10 record while further alienating fans, prompting the team to cut him after the season and trade for a new QB. Carr would sign on with Panthers as a backup in 2007, but he would again find the fans' bad graces and even lose the backup job to undrafted rookie Matt Moore. Carr also gained the not-so-flattering nickname "Mr. Mittens" for wearing alternating white and black gloves on both hands during home and away games. Carr was signed to be a backup for the New York Giants in 2008. Players selected later: DE Julius Peppers (#2), OT Bryant McKinnie (#7), S Roy Williams (#8).

Next up: 2003 and the birth of the Lions Wide Receiver fetish.