20 NFL Linemen Who Went in Round 1 – But Shouldn’t Have

The NFL Draft is the ultimate test of scouting, strategy, and long-term vision. But every year, teams convince themselves that this lineman is the next anchor of the trenches, only to watch him get pancaked by reality.

Offensive or defensive, some of these guys just never lived up to the hype of a first-round pick. Whether it was injuries, poor fit, or simply not being that good, these linemen left teams wondering, “Why did we use our top pick on that guy?”

20. Danny Watkins

Danny Watkins
YouTube | Philly Sports Network

He was 26 when the Eagles drafted him in the first round. His career fizzled out so fast you’d think he got drafted as a prank.

19. Tyson Alualu

Tyson Alualu
Wikimedia Commons

The Jaguars reached hard for him at tenth overall, and it showed. He carved out a long career, but never played like a top-10 pick.

18. Cedric Ogbuehi

Cedric Ogbuehi
Flickr

The Bengals hoped he’d be a cornerstone at tackle. He ended up being a swing tackle at best.

17. Jarvis Moss

Jarvis Moss
Wikimedia Commons

Denver thought they were drafting a pass-rushing machine. They got a guy with six career sacks and a lot of nothing.

16. Gabe Carimi

Gabe Carimi
Wikimedia Commons

The Bears needed help on the line and thought Carimi would be the answer. Instead, they got a guy who couldn’t stay healthy or productive.

15. Peria Jerry

Peria Jerry
Flickr

Atlanta spent a first-rounder hoping for disruption in the middle. What they got was a quiet interior lineman who made almost no impact.

14. L.J. Collier

YouTube | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Seattle shocked everyone when they took him in the first round. Everyone was still shocked when he barely saw the field.

13. Justin Harrell

Justin Harrell
Wikimedia Commons

Green Bay took him even though he was coming off a torn biceps. The injury turned out to be a preview, not a red flag.

12. Aaron Maybin

Aaron Maybin
Wikimedia Commons

Buffalo drafted him to get after quarterbacks. He ended up struggling to stay on the roster.

11. Ereck Flowers

Ereck Flowers
Flickr

He was supposed to protect the quarterback’s blindside. Instead, he gave fans more blind rage.

10. Robert Nkemdiche

Robert Nkemdiche
Wikimedia Commons

A big name with enormous potential, but the effort never matched. The Cardinals rolled the dice and got snake eyes.

9. Chris Williams

Chris Williams
Wikipedia

Drafted to protect Jay Cutler, he rarely protected anything. Injuries and inconsistency turned him into a bust.

8. Vernon Gholston

Vernon Gholston
YouTube | AllProFootballData

Freak athlete, sure—but with zero sacks in three seasons, he might’ve been better suited for CrossFit than the NFL.

7. Jason Smith

Jason Smith
Wikipedia

The Rams thought they had a franchise left tackle. Instead, they got a guy out of the league in a flash.

6. Marcus Smith

Marcus Smith
YouTube | ICTV 607

Philadelphia reached hard here, and it never worked out. He barely contributed and looked lost from the start.

5. Isaiah Wilson

Isaiah Wilson
Wikimedia Commons

Taken in the first round, out of the league in one year. That pretty much says it all.

4. Tyson Jackson

Tyson Jackson
Wikimedia Commons

Kansas City took him third overall, hoping for dominance. What they got was a defensive end with almost no pass-rushing juice.

3. Andre Dillard

Andre Dillard
Wikimedia Commons

The Eagles moved up for him, thinking they had a future starter. He’s mostly been a backup or a disappointment.

Read More: The 15 Best Offensive Linemen in NFL History

2. Tony Mandarich

Tony Mandarich
YouTube | 95.7 The Game

Dubbed “The Incredible Bulk,” he was all hype and no production—one of the most famous draft whiffs in NFL history.

Read More: Ranking the 15 Best NFL Defensive Linemen of All Time

1. Jonathan Cooper

Jonathan Cooper
Wikimedia Commons

He was the seventh overall pick in 2013 and looked like a can’t-miss guard. He missed, and he missed hard.

Read More: 15 NFL Defensive Linemen Who Hunted Quarterbacks

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