SI's Biggest draft bust of recent years

[AGrizzlyBaer]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedi.../content.1.html

[jjakq27]

Klingelhoffer, Pa-Jama and YaKillinMe rival the draft busts of the Colts. Somehow they survived and are successful. Enough time has passed. Now it is our turn.

[BengalszoneBilly]

David Klingler

QB, No. 6 overall, Cincinnati Bengals, 1992

At the University of Houston, Klingler threw 54 TDs in a season and six TDs in a quarter. He threw 16 TDs in four whole seasons with the Bengals -- compared with 21 interceptions. Klingler replaced the very popular Boomer Esiason, and after getting sacked 10 times by the Steelers in his first start, he spent most of his Cincy career on the turf.

I think this first game just "shell-shocked" him so bad, he just never recovered. And also why I say the Bengals remembered this, and took appropriate steps to protect Carson to a higher degree. Thank God.

Ki-Jana Carter

RB, No. 1 overall, Cincinnati Bengals, 1995

After running through Grand Canyon-like holes at Penn State, Carter blew out his knee before ever taking a snap in an NFL regular-season game. He came back the next season and played all 16 games, but averaged 2.9 yards per carry. Carter proceeded to injure virtually every major body part in four seasons with Cincy and never became a consistent starter. Although NFL scouts didn't take the lesson to heart, Carter once again proved the Penn State RB jinx.

Oh man. So many simularities goin' on here. It couldn't...it wouldn't strike us twice, could it? Wait...hold on. Please don't answer that!

Akili Smith

No. 3 overall, Cincinnati Bengals, 1998

Smith emerged after one good season at Oregon and almost went No. 1 over Tim Couch and Donovan McNabb. But Smith was destined to be a bust from the beginning. Not only was he selected by the Bengals - a reliable indicator of future flops - he was coached by QB guru Jeff Tedford in college. Tedford-coached quarterbacks -- Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington and Kyle Boller - haven't had much NFL success. Aaron Rodgers is the next Tedford pupil to hit the draft.

Man...that first comment was a cheapshot at Cincy, but I found the Kyle Boller remark to be on the money!

Also did anyone notice how frequently these "busts" were also rookie holdout's? Most likely due to to how high all of these guys went in the draft and then thinking because of just that, they should get more $$$ without proving if they're worth the first dime. This still chaps my hide!