Top Draft Busts of the Modern Era

With the number one pick, the Browns had their choice of two of what would become the biggest quarterback busts of all time, Tim Couch and Akili Smith, and eventually took the Heisman trophy finalist Couch. While Couch made 62 starts with the Browns in comparison to Smith's 17 with the Bengals, his numbers were entirely mediocre. Couch threw for a miserable 11,571 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 67 interceptions in five injury-plagued seasons. After being released at the end of the 2003 season, he attempted several comebacks but failed in each of them. His decline culminated when he tested positive for steroids and HGH in August 2007.