The NFL Draft has been dropping deuces in the modern era.

Yeah, so your team sucked last year right? But there was this one team that sucked just a little worse than yours. But hey! You got the number 2 pick right? That’s still good!

NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!

Sure, there are exceptions to the rule. But Since Eric Dickerson, there have been a lot more busts than booms. Really. Let’s count back from 2003, as picks from Robert Gallery on can’t be called anything more than incompletes (though Gallery is rolling down Bust Boulevard in his 6-4).

2003: Charles Rogers (WR-Detroit)

Charles Rogers was an Epic Fail for Matt Millen. For 5 games he had a decent pro career. Then he broke his collarbone. He was out for the year. 2004? Broke his collarbone, out for the year. 2005. SUSPENSION FOR THE MARIJAUNAS! 9 games three starts 14-197-1. 2006? RELEASED! You know he’s an epic bust. But the fact is, despite the fact that his career is tied for the shortest since Paul Duhart in 1945. He’s may not even be a top 3 bust of the #2’s.

2002: Julius Peppers (Carolina)

56 Sacks in 6 seasons (with 2.5 in 2007), three pro bowls, defensive rookie of the year. Exception to the rule.

2001: Leonard Davis (Arizona)

Made his first pro bowl in 2007. A bust in Arizona, because they kept moving him around. But in Dallas? Good Pro. He’s on the fence.

2000: LaVar Arrington (Washington)

He is why Julius Peppers could still become a bust. In his first four years? Three pro bowls. Three years with 90+ tackles. 21.5 sacks, 3 picks, three defensive touchdowns, 10 forced fumbles. And then comes 2004. First, the agents don’t scramble through the contract. Then a knee injury. Then a benching. Then a ruptured achilles tendon. Then a severe Jay Willams styled motorcycle accident. LaVar Arrington is a bust.

1999: Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia)

Not a bust. A bit injury prone, but from 2000-2004 he was the best quarterback that I won’t make a homer observation about in the NFC. 2006 was also a good run for Mr. McNabb. #4 to the good.

1998: Ryan Leaf (San Diego) 

It goes without saying, but suffice it to say that Jay Posner, Junior Seau, Rodney Harrison, those who he played flag football with, know that he wasn’t ready for the world. His dream died on Week 3, he just didn’t know it yet.

1997: Darrell Russell (Oakland)

Here’s the underrated draft bust of all time. On the field? He was dominant in 1999-2000. The problem was he was addicted to a date rape drug. 2001 led to a 4 game suspension and then a suspension for 2002. 2002 held accusations of videotaping a rape of a woman. He resurfaced for a half-season with the Redskins in 2003. He was then banned from the NFL. He died in 2005. He is still a bust.

1996: Kevin Hardy (Jacksonville)

In the grand scheme of the #2 pick, Hardy is kind of like Leonard Davis. Overrated, but not a bust. He had a productive 9 year career. He was a good starter even if his career wasn’t long.

1995: Tony Boselli (Jacksonville)

Short career, but he was on par with Orlando Pace until he hurt his neck. Between his first and last year, he made the Pro Bowl every season. It’s a boom.

1994: Marshall Faulk (Indianapolis)

Goes without saying. He had a grand career. Welcome to the Hall of Fame #1 exception to the rule.

1993: Rick Mirer (Seattle)

1993 proved to be a poor man’s 1998. The more polished QB, in this case Drew Bledsoe went first. The upside play went 2nd. Now Mirer wasn’t out of the league in three years, but he was on seven teams in 12 years. He had a TD-INT ratio of 50 to 76. If Ray Lucas can outplay you? He is a classic bust.

1992: Quentin Coryatt (Indianapolis)

He’s one of the reasons why the Colts got Faulk two years later. Along with Steve Emtman, the Colts got the first two picks in 1992. Emtman went out with several knee injuries. He had five soft years with the Indianapolis Colts, and a year with the Cowboys in 1998 did nothing. Quentin Coryatt is a bust.

1991: Eric Turner (Cleveland)

A Kevin Hardy level player. Productive, a good starter. He had a couple of Pro Bowl years, but he was a productive player, throughout his injury-prone career. How many other safety’s had 159 tackles in a season? None that’s how many.  

1990: Blair Thomas (New York Jets)

He’s a bust. He’s not an epic bust, but he’s a bust nonetheless. Bruce Coslet had this irrational infatuation with Brad Baxter when Blair Thomas was healthy, so he never had the 250-300 carry season. So when he started getting dinged up again? He never had a full season basis. Again, I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve the bust tag. I’m just saying he deserved a full shot.

1989: Tony Mandarich (Green Bay)

How many other people owe Ryan leaf a debt of gratitude for existing? He was an Epic Fail for his three years as a Packer. He came back in 1996 and had three passable years as a starting guard for the Colts. He is the NFL’s Darko Milcic. Flat out.  

1988: Neil Smith (Kansas City)

Another member of the Hall of pretty good. 6 Pro Bowls. 19th in sacks for his career. Led the league in Sacks in 1993. You’re never gonna see him on a national all-time team, but until Kansas City fans try to shame a player into giving up his number? They can hold him in high regard.

1987: Cornelius Bennett (Indianapolis)

Mr. Bennett was a first ballot member of the hall of pretty good. Five pro bowls. An all-decade team. An integral part of the Bills AFC dominace. But he will never make the Hall of Fame. Never ever, never ever make the Hall of Fame.

1986: Tony Casillas (Atlanta)

The epitome of the overrated, but not busty #2 pick. He was able to have a 12 year career where he mostly started. But he was never dominant. He was never spectacular. He was just there. I wouldn’t have him on either list. 

1985: Bill Fralic (Atlanta)

Bill Fralic had an injury shortened career, however, he was named to the 1980’s all decade team. He’s going to be another sort of Boom. A Boom on the Boselli level.

1984: Dean Steinkuhler (Houston)

Six lackluster seasons. Not much dominance. He was not overrated. Steinkuhler was quite the bust.

All in all? In the past ninteen years that you can safely put a bust designation on a player. 9 #2 picks are busts. That means the #2 pick?

A 50-50 shot. Hey Rams fans?

Do you feel lucky?