Top 10 biggest Green Bay Packers NFL draft busts of all time

1. Tony Mandarich, OT, Michigan State (1989, No. 2 overall)

There are some good candidates for the No. 1 spot on this list, but Tony Mandarich will forever go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound lineman earned the nickname “The Incredible Bulk” which was featured on Sports Illustrated’s 1989 NFL Draft preview. Three years later, he was featured on the magazine’s cover as “The NFL’s Incredible Bust.”

The Packers selected Mandarich No. 2 overall out of Michigan State as he was seen as a can’t-miss offensive line prospect. However, he played just three failed seasons in Green Bay, eventually blaming steroids and painkillers for his poor performance. While he would revitalize his career a bit with the Colts in the late 1990s, there’s no denying the pick was a failure for the Packers, further exacerbated by the fact that four Hall of Fame players – Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders – were the other picks in the top five that year.