Realistically, the NFL Draft is a shot in the dark. Looking back, who are the Kansas City Chiefs’ top 10 draft busts of all time?
The Kansas City Chiefs have a long and storied history, from former owner Lamar Hunt’s heavy involvement in the creation and structuring of the league in its early years to playing in the first Super Bowl and winning the fourth. They haven’t been back to the promised land in some time, but the tea leaves say the time is coming.
The Chiefs have had a number of extraordinary players come through 1 Arrowhead Drive. It’s a legendary list of players like quarterback Len Dawson, who commanded arguably the greatest stretch of Kansas City Chiefs’ teams in the organization’s history, and pass rusher Derrick Thomas, who was one of the linchpins of the great defenses the Chiefs had in the 1990s playing under head coach Marty Schottenheimer.
The list also includes legends like Tony Gonzalez who, while not playing on consistently great or even good teams, was consistently great himself. He will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2019 and richly deserves it for his play. Simply put, there is a long list of great Chiefs’ players throughout the years. They didn’t necessarily win championships, but they were great nonetheless.
That said, there have been some extreme disappointments along the way. The Chiefs have had their share of high profile draft busts throughout the years. For context, a draft bust is usually a player who was drafted in the first round. They came into the league with significant hype about what they could do on the gridiron for their new team, only to fall short of those expectations.
Who are the biggest misses in Chiefs draft history? The Chiefs have employed some great general managers and some short-lived ones, so who is responsible for the biggest draft bust?
I have subjectively selected 10 notable players to rank from the Chiefs’ list of first round draft picks. I have also selected three honorable mentions, who do not quite fit the overall criteria. I have added some layers of additional, simple criteria so we can effectively analyze from first to last who are the top 10 draft busts in Chiefs’ history.
Here is a brief explanation of the criteria. Each player, based on their overall draft number, will receive a pick impact score. This will be a negative score calculated by subtracting 32, for total picks in the first round, from their personal pick number. This factor emphasizes how valuable each pick is, and the expectations that come along with it, the higher it is in the draft.
The next factors are a little simpler. Each player will receive 10 points for playing through their rookie contract, 10 points for achieving a second contract from the team, 10 points for a Pro Bowl selection, 20 points for an All Pro selection, and lastly one point for each game they started for the team. You may ask, how can a draft bust make the Pro Bowl or All Pro team? Keep reading and you will see why.
The player with the lowest score, and thus the lowest value to the team, will be considered the biggest bust out of the 10 and vice versa.
Note, this is not an indictment on them as a person or even really a player for that matter. Objectively, they had incredibly successful football careers. They simply fell short of lofty expectations.
Eric Fisher
The Chiefs selected offensive tackle Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan with the first pick overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. It was only the second time in the history of the Chiefs’ franchise that they had the first overall pick. For comparison, the other occurrence was in 1963 when the Chiefs selected defensive tackle Junious “Buck” Buchanan with the first overall pick. Buchanan went on to have a storied NFL career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Fisher was an athletic standout at offensive tackle at Central Michigan. What’s more, Central Michigan has a pretty notable history of producing some great NFL players. While it is a mid-major program, and thus the level of competition is slightly lower, Fisher looked like the next on that list with potential for a great NFL career.
Adding to his college production and athleticism on tape was a stellar performance at the NFL Combine. At 6’7″ and 306 pounds Fisher ran a 5.05 second forty-yard dash, cranked out 27 reps on the bench press, ran a 7.59 second three-cone drill, and ran a 4.22 second 20-yard shuttle. These were all great numbers, and most assumed with NFL coaching Fisher was a great prospect.
To be fair to Fisher, part of the reason he went first overall was due to the fact that the 2013 NFL Draft was a little weaker in the first round than your typical draft. There weren’t any clear cut franchise quarterbacks available, with only EJ Manuel going in the first round. Unfortunately, Manuel didn’t have a great career and never lived up to his status as a first round pick.
If you look through the rest of the first rounders that year, there are a handful who have been moderately to very successful including Deandre Hopkins, Ezekiel Ansah, and Sheldon Richardson. However, in comparison to most, Fisher was probably still the most surefire pick at that spot.
Ultimately, the fact that Fisher made this list as an honorable mention may surprise people. He has actually had what most would think is a solid career with the Chiefs. He’s been relatively successful, in that he has stayed with the team into his second contract and started 90 of 94 games that he’s played in—a fixture on the offensive line since he entered the NFL.
So this isn’t necessarily an indictment on him as a player, athlete or person. He’s even had some pretty positive years on the left side of the Chiefs’ offensive line. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus he’s graded “Above Average” to “Good” in almost all categories throughout his career.
The problem with Eric Fisher is that he was the first pick overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. With the status of first pick overall comes a heavy set of expectations. These expectations are generally unfair, but they are expectations nonetheless. The list that usually comes to mind includes a number of All Pro nominations, Pro Bowls, and just overall incredible play.
Based on these factors, here is a look at how Fisher scored according to my criteria:
As you can see, Fisher received a negative score of 32 for being the first overall pick. This is the biggest strike against him. Which, in all fairness, he has no control over. It happened nonetheless.
His biggest positives, different from most of the members on this list, is that he has played through his rookie contract and received a second contract from the team. He has also started the majority of the games which he has been a Chief and has been invited to one Pro Bowl. All in all, of all the players on this list, he has had the most memorable Chiefs’ career. If not for being the first pick overall, he likely wouldn’t even make this list as an honorable mention.
CRITERIA SCORE: 88
Marcus Peters
The Chiefs selected cornerback Marcus Peters out of Washington with the 18th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Now, did Marcus Peters have a great career with the Chiefs? It’s arguable he absolutely did. He was electric his rookie year in 2015, tallying 8 interceptions, 2 returned for touchdowns, and 26 pass breakups. Those are crazy numbers for a rookie corner in the NFL. He was actually one of my favorite players on the defense for quite some time.
Peters makes this list of draft busts as an honorable mention solely because he was a first-round pick that didn’t make it through his rookie deal with the team. On top of this, it was somewhat of an acrimonious split. This fits in the criteria because, while the Chiefs seemed to get great value for him his first few years they ultimately received a second-round pick for him. For a player who was compared to Dale Carter after his rookie year, this is far less value than they should have gotten.
Based on these factors, here is a look at how Peters scored according my criteria:
As you can see, coming in at the 18th pick, Peters received a negative scored of -14 for pick impact. He received a large number of points for his two Pro Bowls and one All Pro selection. Given the number of games he started for the Chiefs and his overall point total, you’ll see he would have fared decently well if he had been included in the official top 10.
CRITERIA SCORE: 71
Tanoh Kpassagnon
This is a personal one for me. He’s an honorable mention on this list of draft busts because he doesn’t technically fit the criteria. The Chiefs drafted defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon out of Villanova with the 59th overall pick in the second round, after all. But, second round picks are still incredibly valuable picks. The Chiefs probably reached quite a bit for this player, and he hasn’t seemed to develop into even a semi-productive rotational player. Only time will tell, but usually developmental players don’t get a ton of time if they don’t actually develop.
I remember sitting on my couch watching the draft when they picked Tanoh Kpassagnon in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. I’ll be honest, even though he came from the FCS ranks I was excited. When you watched his film, it looked like he had the makings of a physically dominant NFL athlete. Kpassagnon is a physical freak, and the way he dominated FCS lineman was fun to watch.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t seemed to develop. It’s starting to look more and more like the Chiefs wasted this pick.
Based on these factors, here is a look at how Kpassagnon scored according to my criteria:
As you can see, because he was the 59th pick in the draft he actually had a positive score of 27. Based on his lack of other scores, the only reason Kpassagnon isn’t on the official list is because he was a second-round pick.
CRITERIA SCORE: 28
10. Dee Ford
The Chiefs selected defensive lineman Dee Ford out of Auburn with the 23rd pick overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. I’ll be frank, if you look at the picks after Dee Ford going all the way through the second round, there aren’t very many players that stick out as having become major contributors on the NFL level. With that said, I remember where I was when the Chiefs drafted Ford.
I think I remember it well because it was such a head scratcher. Ford was a defensive end out of Auburn, who presumably would be playing outside linebacker at his size. The question was, the Chiefs had both Tamba Hali and Justin Houston, so when would Ford ever see snaps. It’s not that Ford couldn’t develop, but you usually expect a first-round pick to be as close to an instant starter as you can find in the draft. Regardless, the Chiefs saw something in Ford and pulled the trigger.
To his credit, Ford was a fine college player while at Auburn. Specifically, in his final year at Auburn in 2013 he had 14.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. He was First-Team All-SEC and even recorded two sacks against Florida State in the BCS National Championship game.
Adding to his stellar senior season, Ford posted impressive numbers at his Auburn Pro Day. Most notably, at 6’2″ and 252 pounds Ford posted a blazing forty-yard dash time of 4.52 seconds. On top of this, he cranked out 29 reps on the bench press. These numbers backed up the sentiment that Ford could be a physical presence and had incredible speed off the edge.
Following the draft, some Chiefs’ pundits compared his burst to the likes of Derrick Thomas. From an athletic perspective, he seemed to fit the mold of a traditional 3-4 outside linebacker. The Chiefs were likely looking to replace Tamba Hali down the road, and Dee Ford was their replacement.
Unfortunately, for the team and for Ford, he took a significant amount of time to develop. In his first year with the team, he posted seven tackles, one-and-a-half sacks, and one tackle for loss. These were not exactly the numbers fans were hoping for from their first-round pick.
It took awhile for things to get better. It wasn’t until Ford’s third year with the team that he started to showcase some dynamic ability. In his third year he had 38 total tackles, 10 sacks, and 12 tackles for loss. However, back injuries derailed his progress and he missed most of the following year before ultimately having extremely invasive back surgery.
Following this successful back surgery, he returned in 2018 to set career highs in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss. Finally, in his fifth year with the team he began to showcase the potential the Chiefs saw when they drafted him. However, with 2019’s switch from a 3-4 defensive scheme to a 4-3 defensive scheme, there was no longer a need for Ford and he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers.
Based on these factors, here is a look at how Ford scored according to my criteria:
Ford checks in at number ten on this list of draft busts for a couple reasons. He’s not a traditional bust, in that he provided some valuable play in the final years of his contract. His biggest positive was his great year in 2018 that landed him his first Pro Bowl. But the expectations for a first-round pick are higher than being productive in the final year of their rookie deal.
I’ll point out that Ford received 10 points for a second contract. While he did not actually play on a second contract for the team, this accounts for the fact that Ford was signed to the franchise tag. This ended up allowing the Chiefs to obtain a second round pick for Ford in their trade with the 49ers.
CRITERIA SCORE: 62
9. Glenn Dorsey
The Chiefs selected defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey out of LSU with the fifth pick overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Some other notable names taken after Dorsey include Jonathan Stewart by the Carolina Panthers, Branden Albert by our very own Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Flacco by the Baltimore Ravens, and Aqib Talib by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dorsey went as high as he did because he was an absolute force during his time at LSU. He was a two-time All-SEC and All-American recipient in 2006 and 2007. Specifically, all in 2007, he was the winner of the SEC defensive player of the year, the Lombardi Award, the Outland Trophy, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and the Lott Trophy.
Simply put, he was an incredibly decorated athlete and one of the most dominant players in college football.
Adding to his college performance, Dorsey posted great athletic measurements at his LSU Pro Day. At 6’2″ and 316 pounds he ran a 5.13 second 40-yard dash, cranked out 27 reps on the bench press, and had a 25.5 inch vertical. College production along with great athleticism made NFL scouts salivate and made Dorsey a surefire top pick. In many evaluators eyes Dorsey was the most NFL ready prospect in the entire draft.
So, the Chiefs’ pulled the trigger. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, while Dorsey was not a terrible NFL player by any stretch, he never quite lived up to his incredible college performance and the expectations that performance had created.
Throughout his five-year career with the Chiefs, he averaged less than one sack, 47 tackles, and four tackles for loss. These aren’t awful numbers, but the huge expectations that came with the drafting of Dorsey never ended up becoming reality.
Based on these factors, here is a look at how Dorsey scored according to my criteria:
Dorsey is number nine on this list of draft busts in part because he was a solid starter for the Chiefs. While he was a top-five pick, and received a negative score of 27 due to the high impact expected, he started 78 games for the team. He wasn’t anywhere close to the player he was in college, but he was a reliable starter for the team for five years.
CRITERIA SCORE: 61
8. Tyson Jackson
The Chiefs selected defensive lineman Tyson Jackson out of LSU with the third overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Some of the most notable players selected after him in the first round were Michael Crabtree by the San Francisco 49ers, Jeremy Maclin by the Philadelphia Eagles, and Clay Matthews by the Green Bay Packers and more. Looking back, there were multiple long-time NFL starters to be found.
Jackson was a very productive college player at LSU. In both his sophomore and senior seasons, he was named Second Team All-SEC. Overall, he started 38 of his 53 games at LSU, recording 121 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, and 17 sacks. This isn’t crazy production, but it was enough to get teams excited about him.
Adding to his productive years in college, Jackson was a very good athlete. At the 2009 NFL Combine, at 6’4″ and 295 pounds Jackson ran a 5.00 second forty-yard dash, posted a 28.5 inch vertical, ran a 7.64 second three-cone drill, and ran a 4.80 second 20-yard shuttle.
It’s likely that his athleticism at his size is what pushed him up teams’ draft boards, but it did not end up translating as well as the Chiefs had hoped. In Jackson’s five years with the team he averaged 40 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and less than two sacks. These are not terrible numbers, but far less than what the team expected from their number three overall pick.
Based on these factors, here’s how Jackson scored according to my criteria:
Tyson Jackson is number eight on this list of draft busts for a couple reasons. Because he was chosen so highly, Jackson received a very large impact score of negative 28. What’s more, his only real positives were that he made it through his rookie contract and started 55 games for the team. He definitely fell short of the expectations the team had when they drafted him.
CRITERIA SCORE: 37
7. Ryan Sims
The Chiefs selected defensive lineman Ryan Sims out of North Carolina with the sixth overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Some of the most notable players selected after him in the first round were Roy Williams by the Dallas Cowboys, Dwight Freeney by the Indianapolis Colts, Albert Haynesworth by the Tennessee Titans, and Ed Reed by the Baltimore Ravens. It was a pretty loaded first round, making the expected impact of pick number six even higher.
Ryan Sims played in the shadow of Julius Peppers during his time at North Carolina. In fact, Peppers was just four selections before Sims in the 2002 NFL Draft. However, in Sims final year at North Carolina he began to make a name for himself tallying 51 tackles and five sacks.
These aren’t jaw dropping numbers, but it’s likely teams believed he’d have more statistical production if he weren’t lined up next to the best defensive player in the draft. Most fans will remember, Peppers went on to have a spectacular career in the NFL.
On top of this decent production, Sims showed good athleticism. At the 2002 NFL Combine, at 6’4″ and 311 pounds, Sims ran a 5.09 second 40-yard dash and hit 27 reps on the bench press. Before the advent of advanced analytics in sports, the forty-yard dash was the primary barometer for athleticism from the combine, and this helped Sims’ case.
Sims’ time was enough to impress scouts across the league and it’s likely why he moved up draft boards. This never translated to much during his time in the league. During his five years with the Chiefs, his numbers were abysmal. He averaged only 15 total tackles, one sack, and three tackles for loss. These numbers are not only not sufficient for a top first-round pick, they aren’t even really sufficient for a player that’s drafted.
Based on these factors, here’s how Sims scored according to my criteria:
Ryan Sims checks in at number seven on this list of draft busts. He had almost no positives during his five year career with the Chiefs to justify how highly he was picked. That’s not to say he didn’t have a successful football career, relative to the average person. However, this was easily one of the worst draft picks of the Carl Peterson era.
CRITERIA SCORE: 20
6. Todd Blackledge
The Chiefs selected quarterback Todd Blackledge out of Penn State with the seventh overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft. This is one of the most notable picks in Chiefs’ history, as Blackledge was the last quarterback the organization drafted in the first round before Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft. For those keeping track, that’s 34 years.
Another reason this particular pick is so notable, aside from the impact first round quarterbacks historically have on a franchise’s fortunes, is the number of Hall of Famers the Chiefs passed on to choose Blackledge. Some of the most notable players selected after him in the first round, just to name a few, were Bruce Matthews by the Houston Oilers, Jim Kelly by the Buffalo Bills, Dan Marino by the Miami Dolphins, and Darrell Green by the Washington Redskins. Obviously, given the Chiefs could have had Dan Marino very easily and potentially won several Super Bowls, this one stings.
Blackledge was drafted as high as he was for good reason. He was a very successful quarterback at Penn State, going 31-5 and leading the Nittany Lions to a national championship in his final season with the team. That season he threw for over 2,200 yards and 22 touchdowns. Those aren’t gaudy numbers by today’s standards, but back in the 1980s that was a very good season for a college quarterback. On top of this, that same season he won the Davey O’Brien Award as the best quarterback in college football and finished sixth in the Heisman voting.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, given who they could have had in his place, these winning ways did not translate at all to the pros. In his five seasons with the team, Blackledge barely saw the field relative to what you’d expect from such a high selection. He didn’t make a single start his first year. In total, per season he averaged less than five games started, 50 percent completions, 902 yards passing, four touchdowns, and six interceptions.
In truth, this pick was a complete disaster. It clearly hit the organization hard, as they only had one winning season the rest of the decade. Based on all these factors, here’s how Blackledge graded according to my criteria:
Blackledge checks in at number six on this list of draft busts, but there’s a legitimate argument to be made that Blackledge is the biggest bust in Chiefs’ history. He has virtually no positives as a player for the organization. If he weren’t a quarterback drafted so highly, it’s likely he wouldn’t have even made it through his rookie deal. Add to that the Chiefs easily could have drafted a Hall of Fame quarterback in Dan Marino, and it adds some pretty serious salt to the wound.
CRITERIA SCORE: 13
*Blackledge was drafted #7 overall in a first round with only 28 picks
5. Jon Baldwin
The Chiefs selected wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin out of Pittsburgh with the 26th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. This particular draft was not very strong, especially considering where the Chiefs picked. However, the Chiefs could have grabbed either Torrey Smith or Randall Cobb, both chosen later on in the second, but Baldwin was a tantalizing athletic prospect.
Baldwin was a productive receiver in college playing in 39 games, catching 128 passes, amassing 2,337 yards and 18 touchdowns. He did not win any specific awards, but was always near the top of the Big East in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Baldwin is the stereotypical player who you draft on potential. Yes, his college career wasn’t fantastic but he was an enormous receiver with good athleticism. In fact, at the 2011 NFL Combine he was a top performer, running a 4.50 second forty-yard dash, with a 42″ vertical, a 7.07 second three-cone drill, and a 4.34 second 20-yard shuttle. A player with his size and that athleticism would naturally have had scouts salivating at the thought of his potential.
How incredibly wrong they were. Baldwin would never even come close to being a consistently productive player in the NFL. In his two years with the Chiefs, he started 10 games, caught 41 passes, amassed 579 yards and and two touchdowns. It was extremely clear early on that he would not be able to, or didn’t have the drive to, translate his incredible size and athleticism to the NFL level. Following his second year with the team, the Chiefs traded Baldwin to the San Francisco 49ers.
Based on these factors, here’s how Baldwin scored according to my criteria:
Baldwin checking in at number five on the Chiefs’ list of draft busts is an enigma. He seemed to have all of the athletic talent in the world, but wasn’t able to put it all together. His level of inability at the pro ranks isn’t uncommon across the board, but is for players drafted so highly.
CRITERIA SCORE: 4
4. Sylvester Morris
The Chiefs selected wide receiver Sylvester Morris out of Jackson State with the 21st pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. If you look at the picks after Sylvester Morris going all the way through the second round, there were a handful of players who had quality NFL careers. That said, it’s understandable why the Chiefs went with Morris with the 21st pick.
Morris played his college ball for the Division I-AA program Jackson State Tigers, now classified as an FCS program. The Tigers were a middle of the pack DI-AA program, but had winning seasons each year Morris was on the team.
So, Morris came from a good program, but was arguably a developmental prospect. What made him a tempting prospect was his size and athleticism. Morris had great size for a receiver at 6’3″ and 216 pounds. What’s more, he was a pretty good athlete. At the 2000 NFL Combine, Morris ran a 4.60 second forty-yard dash, ran a 7.06 second three-cone drill, and ran a 4.17 second 20-yard shuttle. His size and shiftiness made him a promising NFL receiver.
What’s unique is that Morris actually had a pretty productive rookie year. In his only year with the team, he started 14 games, caught 48 passes, amassed 678 yards and caught 3 touchdown passes. He was a productive player and looked to be just beginning a promising career.
Unfortunately, while he was technically on the team for four years he was only able to play in one of them. Morris sustained repeated knee injuries that completely derailed his career in Kansas City. As such, he never played for the team after the 2001 season.
Based on these factors, here’s how Morris scored according to my criteria:
Morris checks in at number four on this list of draft busts for one primary reason. While he looked to have a promising beginning to his career, serious injuries completely derailed it. It’s unfortunate, as he only barely preceded the great years of offense the Chiefs displayed in the early 2000s. It’s easy to imagine he might have had a long successful career catching passes from Trent Green alongside players like Tony Gonzalez, Priest Holmes, and Eddie Kennison.
CRITERIA SCORE: 3
3. Percy Snow
The Chiefs selected linebacker Percy Snow out of Michigan State with the 13th pick overall in the 1990 NFL Draft. The 1990 NFL Draft had three Hall of Famers in the first round including Cortez Kennedy, Junior Seau, and Emmitt Smith. Emmitt Smith was drafted four picks after Snow at 17th overall by the Dallas Cowboys. Some other notable players drafted after Snow include Tony Bennett by the Green Bay Packers and Steve Broussard by the Atlanta Falcons.
You can hardly fault the Chiefs for taking Snow with such a high pick. Snow was a great defensive player at Michigan State. In fact, his final year with the team he was a consensus All-American, won the Dick Butkus award as the nation’s most outstanding linebacker, and won the Vince Lombardi award as the nation’s best lineman. He’s one of only two players in college football history who have won both the Butkus award and Lombardi award in the same season.
Probably the most unfortunate part of the Percy Snow saga is that he had a very promising rookie season. With two sacks and one interception, he was named to the NFL’s 1990 All Rookie team. For all intents and purposes, the Chiefs looked to have nailed their first pick of this draft and Snow appeared poised to become a major contributor on one of the league’s ascending defenses.
Unfortunately, this was not to be. Following his rookie season, during the Chiefs’ 1991 training camp, Snow was involved in a moped accident. After injuring his knee in this accident, he was never able to regain form. He would miss all of the following season and only start one game for the Chiefs in 1992. After the 1992 season, the Chiefs parted ways with Snow.
Based on these factors, here’s how Snow scored according to my criteria:
Snow’s tale is an unfortunate one. He was highly drafted because he was highly talented. All signs pointed to him having a great career, especially given he would have been a part of a great stretch of Chiefs’ defenses. He ties for number four on this list of draft busts largely for reasons out of his control, but they are reasons nonetheless.
CRITERIA SCORE: 3
*Snow was drafted 13th overall in a first round with only 25 picks
2. Trezelle Jenkins
The Chiefs selected offensive lineman Trezelle Jenkins out of Michigan with the 31st pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. The first round had multiple Hall of Famers, including Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, but the players picked in close proximity to Jenkins didn’t end up having spectacular careers. So, the Chiefs get somewhat of a pass for this pick.
Jenkins was part of a quality stretch at the University of Michigan. As a consistent anchor to their offensive line at left tackle, he started in 28 games during his time at Michigan which included a Rose Bowl win his sophomore season.
Jenkins was a significant miss for the Chiefs. Not only did the team not get a consistent player to anchor their offensive line, they didn’t even get a player who saw the field. In Jenkins entire three-year NFL career, all with the Chiefs, he only suited up in nine games. Of these nine games, he only started one.
Based on these factors, here’s how Jenkins scored according to my criteria:
Trezelle Jenkins checks in at number two on this list of draft busts with a fitting score of zero. Whatever the reason, he had absolutely no impact for a Chiefs’ team that needed him.
CRITERIA SCORE: 0
1. Gale Sayers
The Chiefs selected running back Gale Sayers out of Kansas fifth overall in the 1965 AFL Draft. Nicknamed the “Kansas Comet,” Sayers was an extraordinary athlete for his time. One of his most famous quotes was “Give me 18 inches of daylight, that’s all I need,” which essentially meant if the offensive line could give him even a small opening he could and likely would take it the distance. He was an extraordinarily gifted player for his time, and it’s understandable why the Chiefs thought him valuable enough to pick so highly.
In his three years in college playing for the Jayhawks, Sayers played in 30 games, amassed 2,675 yards rushing, 398 yards receiving and 18 total touchdowns. He was number one in rushing yards his final two years in the Big 8, number one in yards per attempt in all three years in the Big 8, and a consensus All-American in his final two years with the team.
What’s unique about Sayers being on this list is that he actually went on to have a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. He was one of the best running backs of his time, and arguably, of all time. In fact, had injuries not derailed him, he may actually be in the conversation for best running back of all time. The problem here is, he never suited up for the Chiefs.
See, Sayers was also drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL Draft. The NFL AFL merger didn’t happen until the next year, 1966. So, in this circumstance, Sayers had a choice to make. The Chiefs offered him a bigger contract to come play in Kansas City, but the Bears were a part of the more established NFL. Since the NFL was more established, whereas the AFL was still an upstart, Sayers went with the established league and chose the Bears.
Based on these factors, here’s how Sayers scored according to my criteria:
Was Gale Sayers a bust in the traditional sense? Absolutely not. He went on to have an incredible, albeit short career with the Chicago Bears. He was eventually enshrined in Canton as part of the 1977 Hall of Fame class. He checks in at number one for Chiefs’ draft busts solely because he never played a down for the team. It’s a shame, as he would have been another great name to adorn the Chiefs’ Ring of Honor if he had.
CRITERIA SCORE: -3
*Sayers was drafted fifth overall in a first round with only eight picks
The NFL Draft is a shot in the dark. Even with today’s level of advanced analytics and refined grading techniques, even can’t miss prospects do in fact miss from time to time. NFL teams have yet to find the perfect formula for evaluating prospects.
The Kansas City Chiefs, with their long history of great individual players, are no exception to this imperfection. Like every other team, in all of sports, they have their own personal list of draft busts. Here’s a recap of that list:
Now, don’t mistake this as an indictment on these players. In reality, every single player on this list was extremely successful at their craft and competed at the highest level. That’s something most people never achieve.
These players simply fell prey to unforgiving expectations. So, we remember them as draft busts instead of the fantastic college players and athletes they were, but such is life.