Ten of the worst NFL Draft picks since 2020
The NFL Draft is a high-stakes gamble where teams hope to land franchise-altering talent. Since 2020, we’ve seen incredible successes in the first round; Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase to name but a few.
But for every hit, there seems to have been a miss that has left fans groaning across the league and front offices scrambling.
Ahead of the 2025 event, let’s break down the biggest busts of the past five drafts.
10. Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders (2022, 16th Overall)
The Commanders traded down and selected Jahan Dotson to spark their passing game, but the Penn State star fizzled after a sparky rookie year in Washington. In 29 games with the team that selected him, Dotson amassed 84 catches for 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns — solid, but far below first-round expectations.
Traded to Philadelphia in 2024 for some later-round picks, Dotson’s lack of impact left Washington wanting. Certainly not the worst, but a pick wasted for the Commanders.
9. Isaiah Simmons, LB, Arizona Cardinals (2020, 8th Overall)
Isaiah Simmons played in 50 games for the Cardinals and did rack up close to 100 tackles in back-to-back years, but he was never the same player he was out of Clemson.
Misused, in a similar way to Haason Reddick just a few years before, Simmons never lived up to his potential in Arizona, shipped off to the Giants for the measly 7th rounder; not the return they expected from their premium investment.
8. Damon Arnette, CB, Las Vegas Raiders (2020, 19th Overall)
The Raiders reached for Damon Arnette out of Ohio State, hoping he’d solidify their secondary. Instead, he became a cautionary story and the position is still a huge weakness for the team.
Arnette played just 13 games across two seasons, recording 29 tackles and a meager three passes defended. Off-field issues, including legal troubles and a viral video flaunting firearms, led to his release in 2021.
Arnette is one of the many picks that the Raiders have got woefully wrong in the past few years, but ith players like CeeDee Lamb and Tee Higgins still on the board at that stage, this pick stings even more for a franchise desperate for stability.
7. Treylon Burks, WR, Tennessee Titans (2022, 18th Overall)
Burks might still be a Titan and is entering a prove-it year, so this has the (albeit unlucky) potential to chance. But considering Tennessee traded away A.J. Brown to facilitate this pick, the decision around the selection alone makes this a horrible move.
Taken 18th overall in 2022, Burks has been an injury-hit disaster in his three seasons as a pro, and while he has shown glimpses of potential, he’s alone made 53 receptions and a couple of touchdowns to show for his NFL career thus far. Another wasted pick, considering the talent still available when Titans made their choice and what they ultimately gave up.
6. Jeff Okudah, CB, Detroit Lions (2020, 3rd Overall)
One of the few picks that the Lions has missed on in recent years, things didn’t come close to panning out for star college cornerback Jeff Okudah in Detroit. On top of ineffective play on the field, Okudah battled injuries, which led to him appearing in just 10 games over his first two seasons.
The corner position is still arguably the Lions’ biggest need, and development in that area of their roster has undoubtedly been set back by the poor pick of Okudah.
5. Kadarius Toney, WR, New York Giants (2021, 20th Overall)
Kadarius Toney’s explosive college tape at Florida convinced the Giants to trade down and grab him. Despite showing tremendous promise in his first year in New York, Toney was unable to stay healthy, and his attitude off the field became a problem for the front office.
Despite picking up a Super Bowl ring after joining the Chiefs, Toney’s reputation as a playmaker in the NFL was over before it had even really begun. But more frustratingly, the draft selection is another prime example of front office malpractice for the Giants.
4. Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets (2021, 1st Round, 2nd Overall)
The Jets pinned their hopes on BYU’s Zach Wilson, but the high-flying college star crashed in the NFL. In three seasons with New York, he went 12-21 as a starter, throwing 23 touchdowns against 25 interceptions with a 73.2 passer rating. Poor decision-making and a lack of pocket presence plagued his tenure, leading to his trade to Denver in 2024.
Now in Miami, the Jets have Justin Fields at the helm at QB, a player they passed on to select Wilson all those years ago.
3. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Tennessee Titans (2020, 29th Overall)
The second Titan on the list, Isaiah Wilson’s NFL career was over before it began. Drafted to bolster Tennessee’s offensive line, the Georgia product played just four snaps in his lone game with the Titans. Off-field troubles — COVID-19 protocol violations, a DUI arrest, and team rule breaches —derailed his rookie season.
Traded to the Dolphins in 2021, he was waived days later after showing up late to practice. It is no wonder Wilson is already being considering as one of the biggest busts of all-time, let alone since 2020.
2. Trey Lance, QB, San Francisco 49ers (2021, 3rd Overall)
The 49ers traded a king’s ransom, which included three first-round picks, to shuffle around and move up for Trey Lance, envisioning him as their quarterback of the future. Instead, he played just eight games, throwing five touchdowns and completing 54.9% of his passes.
Injuries and the emergence of Brock Purdy relegated Lance to the bench, and he was traded to Dallas in 2023 for a fourth rounder. A horror move, made even stranger by the fact Lance played so little in college. This was the definition of a boom or bust pick at the time; injuries are partly to blame, but unfortunately for the Niners, Lance will go down as one of the great busts of our time.
1. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Las Vegas Raiders (2020, 12th Overall)
Henry Ruggs III tops our list not just for his on-field output, but for the tragic off-field consequences. The speedy Alabama wideout showed promise with 50 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games. However, his career — and life — unravelled in November 2021 when he caused a fatal car crash while driving drunk, resulting in a prison sentence.
The Raiders lost a first-round talent, and considering CeeDee Lamb picked later in this draft, this pick remains a haunting what-if.
