Now we arrive at the mother of all draft busts, Ryan Leaf. He amassed nearly 4,000 passing yards in his senior year at Washington State, a higher total than he achieved in his entire NFL career. The choice in the 1998 NFL Draft was simple. Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning. At the time, the Colts seriously considered Leaf, but decided on Manning, though think of how history could've panned out had they opted for Leaf instead. He fell to second overall and landed in San Diego totalling a winning record of 4-17 as a starter, throwing 14 TDs, a figure dwarfed by an unbelievable 30 interceptions. Leaf simply allowed the rockstar lifestyle to rush his system as he crashed out of the league with arrests, alcohol and drug problems. He was jailed for a spell, but has now been released, though it's unclear whether he'll be able to put his life back together. Draft Day is coming, NFL teams beware.
What Culture contributor. NCTJ accredited Sports Journalist. Regret-filled Sunderland AFC season ticket holder. Optimism-filled NFL fan. Lover of all things Game Of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead & more.
