The amount of success a player has at the collegiate level is a good indication of what they can achieve in the NFL. However, there are absolutely no guarantees when projecting how a player will perform in the pros, evidenced by a slew of supposed can't-miss prospects who fell well below expectations.
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There have been countless cases where a player struggled to adapt to the speed of the NFL even though their athleticism allowed them to thrive against lesser competition in college. While some of these players flashed the playmaking ability that made them stars in college, they failed to live up to the hype in the pros and became some of the most egregious busts in league history.
10 Ryan Broyles
Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles was the Antonio Brown (in a good way) of college football during his four-year stint with the school. While he may have lacked the ideal traits of other top receivers, the diminutive pass-catcher gave defenses fits every week and finished third on the NCAA's all-time receiving list with over 4,500 yards through the air.
Despite an incredible collegiate career, Broyles got overlooked during the 2012 NFL Draft, and he fell to the Lions in the second round as a result. Detroit would have let him fall much further with the luxury of hindsight, as he only played three years in the league (one more than the top receiver taken in the class, Justin Blackmon), and his game failed to transfer over to the pros.
9 LaMichael James
The University of Oregon featured a slew of running backs who were successful in college, but no one was better than LaMichael James. Despite only playing three years, James sits just outside the top 20 on the NCAA career rushing yards list. He had over 1500 yards every year and increased his yardage output each season.
Many scouts did not believe his game would translate to the pros, which resulted in him falling to the tail end of the second round, when the 49ers ended his fall. That wound up being far too high for the former Oregon standout, as those pre-draft concerns were vindicated when he struggled to adapt to the league and San Francisco did not trust him to carry a heavy load.
8 Trent Richardson
Alabama running back Trent Richardson was a five-star recruit and was lauded as the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. The bruising running back was the most valuable contributor to a Crimson Tide offense that won two National Championships during his three years at the school. His 2011 season was especially incredible, as he won the Doak Walker Award and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.
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The Browns were hoping the 'Bama running back would become the centerpiece of their offense when they selected him with the third overall pick in 2012. However, he failed to live up to that billing, as he only spent one underwhelming season in Cleveland before they shipped him to Indianapolis two games into his sophomore year.
7 Tavon Austin
West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin lacked the size of a typical number one pass-catcher. Nevertheless, his rare versatility allowed him to stress defenses on the ground, through the air, and in the return game in college. He was one of the most electric playmakers in NCAA history.
The Rams were so enamored with the versatile athlete that they moved up eight spots in the 2013 draft to acquire his services. They would quickly regret that decision, as Austin could no longer rely on his world-class speed and struggled to replicate his collegiate success. While the Jeff Fisher regime was reluctant to give up on the West Virginia product, he got completely phased out of the offense once Sean McVay entered the fold.
6 Brian Bosworth
Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth is one of the best linebackers in college football history and is the only player who received the Butkus Award twice. On the other hand, he is also one of the most polarizing players in NCAA history. He tested positive for steroid use and was outspoken in his belief that college players should be able to make money by promoting themselves.
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Bosworth sent letters of disinterest to the teams he did not want to play for ahead of the 1987 Supplemental Draft, but Seattle's copy apparently got lost in the mail, as they selected him in the first round anyway. He agreed to play for the team after signing the most lucrative rookie contract in league history (a 10-year deal worth $11 million). However, Seattle probably wishes he hadn't, as he only played two seasons before suffering a career-ending shoulder injury.
5 Vince Young
This entry might be controversial, as Vince Young was a lightning rod during his rookie season in 2006 and was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, it is fair to say that the former Texas University standout fell well short of expectations following one of the most outstanding collegiate careers in NCAA history.
However, he got the last laugh after leading the Trojans to a National Championship Rose Bowl victory over USC with one of the best individual performances in college football history. Unfortunately, it is fair to say that was the highlight of his football career, as he failed to replicate the success after being selected by the Titans with the third pick in 2006. The signal-caller showed flashes of the playmaking talent that made him a star in college but struggled with consistency and finished with more interceptions than touchdowns during his six-year career.
4 Tony Mandarich
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© RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
The top-five of the 1989 NFL Draft featured Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Derrick Thomas, and... Tony Mandarich? The Packers' decision to take the mountainous Michigan State tackle with the second pick over the likes of the players listed above wound up being the most egregious mistake in the team's history.
However, the pick made sense, as Mandarich was considered the best offensive line prospect ever. Nevertheless, Mandarich lost all of his luster shortly after joining the team, as he failed to push around NFL linemen the way he had against lesser competition in school.
3 Ron Dayne
Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne, who stood 5'10" and weighed around 250 pounds, may have lacked the typical size of other standout backs, but that did not prevent him from outperforming them. The 1999 Heisman Trophy winner received a slew of accolades throughout his collegiate career and is the NCAA's all-time rushing leader with over 7,100 yards.
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The Giants selected the bruising runner with the 11th pick of the 2000 draft, and they hoped he would form a lethal thunder and lightning combination with Tiki Barber. However, it quickly became clear Dayne was not going to live up to those expectations, as he struggled to remain in shape and was held under four-yards-per-attempt each season with the Giants.
2 Tim Tebow
It would probably come as no surprise to learn Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was the SEC's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns after his collegiate career. However, it might be slightly more alarming that the dual-threat was also the conference's leader in passing efficiency. He became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and was named an All-American during his final three years with the Gators.
Despite being one of the most prolific quarterbacks in college football history, many doubted his ability to recreate the success in the pros, and he was one of the most polarizing draft prospects in recent memory. The signal-caller found the perfect landing spot with the Broncos, who selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft. Tebow found some unorthodox success in his sophomore campaign, including a wacky Wild Card victory over Pittsburgh, but failed to become a reliable starter and completed less than 50% of his passes in his three-year career.
1 Johnny Manziel
The legend of Johnny Manziel was born in 2012 when the Texas A&M standout took college football by storm with one of the most prolific seasons in NCAA history. The signal-caller (who became the first freshman Heisman Trophy winner) displayed a rare knack for making something out of nothing during his two years with the Aggies, and defenses rarely had an answer for his incredible dual-threat ability.
During the 2014 draft, Manziel texted Browns' quarterback coach Dowell Loggains that he wanted to "wreck the league" in Cleveland, who proceeded to trade up in the first round for the polarizing playmaker. They quickly regretted the decision, as he became just another quarterback who failed in Cleveland. He only played two years in the NFL before trying his hand at nearly every other noteworthy football league this side of the XFL.
