We have almost made it to the top of the Arizona Cardinals NFL Draft bust series. Today we have a tie between two players (although, it was my way of squeezing in one more bust near the top after I already made the list).
In review, draft bust number 10 was Cody Brown in 2009. Bust number nine was running back Chuck Levy in 1994. Bust number eight was running back Leeland McElroy in 1996. The Cardinals' seventh biggest bust was receiver Bryant Johnson in 2003. Draft bust number six takes us all the way back to 1990 with RB Anthony Thompson. Biggest bust number five was cornerback Tom Knight and coming in at number four was Thomas Jones.
There is a tie for third biggest bust and both these players were defensive linemen taken very high in the draft -- Wendall Bryant and Andre Wadsworth.
Bryant was taken by the Cardinals with the 12th overall pick in the 2002 draft. He was selected in part because of the hole that was left on the defensive line when Andre Wadsworth was selected as the third pick in the 1998 draft.
Wadsworth was the "can't miss" prospect of the draft that year out of Florida State and he was drafted behind megastar Peyton Manning and ultimate draft flameout Ryan Leaf.
Wadsworth held out in a long contract dispute and missed out on most of the team's season preparation. He played the entire season behind the eight ball and played in all 16 games, logging five sacks. After the 1998 season, his knees failed him. His was not a case of poor work ethic or lack of ability. His body failed him. After the 2000 and three knee surgeries, including the then devastating microfracture surgery that also ended Eric Swann's career, he was let go by the team and he never played again.
He made two comeback attempts years later but never could make it to the final roster.
Wendall Bryant was 12th overall out of Wisconsin and was expected to be a force that could play both tackle and end on the defensive line. Substance abuse was the cause of his NFL demise. He never reached his potential in the least. In three seasons, he amassed 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He was suspended four games for drug abuse in 2004 and tested positive again in 2005 for a third time, which earned him a year long suspension.
He never played in the league again.
Tomorrow's draft bust, the second biggest, was a "Big" bust. Tune in tomorrow for the reveal.
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