Even as we prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, there's time to take a look at the worst NFL Draft picks in 2023.
In fairness, it's probably too early to call anyone drafted last year a complete bust. But it's a good reminder that anyone can go from a highly-rated prospect to one of the biggest NFL Draft busts ever in a short time.
Worst draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft
So who are the players who were well recruited last year but fell flat on their faces as starters? These are the players who will be considered the biggest mistakes of the recent NFL Draft unless they can turn things around in 2024.
Again, there is still time for these players to turn things around, but the pressure is on because here are the worst NFL Draft picks in 2023.
Bryce Young, Panthers
First of all, we're not saying that Bryce Young is a complete failure. He clearly wasn't set up to succeed as a starter in Carolina. But the Panthers had the first overall pick and chose Young over CJ Stroud.
Just look at what Stroud did as a rookie; It looks like he will spend 10+ years as an NFL quarterback.
Obviously we can't say the same about Young at this point. Given that, it's hard not to say that Carolina made a mistake and taking Young over Stroud is one of the worst picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Emmanuel Forbes, Leaders
Oddly enough, Emmanuel Forbes looked good through the first few weeks of the season. But this initial success did not last long. By Week 5, Forbes was sitting on the bench and needed a little time to regain his starting job.
During the season, Forbes also missed some games due to injury and was ejected due to a helmet-to-helmet hit. Calling his rookie campaign uneven is probably giving him too much credit. While there is some hope for him to turn things around, the Leaders drafted Forbes with Christian Gonzalez, Deonte Banks, and Joey Porter, making this a poor choice.
Will McDonald IV, Jets
Not surprisingly, the Jets appear to have made a poor choice in the draft, using the 15th overall pick in 2023 on Will McDonald IV. On his defense, McDonald was playing behind some talented linemen.
However, the three-time First-Team All-Big 12 selection was expected to have more than three sacks. Although there were some encouraging moments from McDonald, he never played more than 20 snaps in a game, a sign that he wasn't ready to contribute.
And perhaps just as important, the Jets traded for Haason Reddick earlier this offseason, a sign that they don't expect McDonald to take a big step forward in 2024.
Quentin Johnston, Chargers
In college, Quentin Johnston was a two-time First-Team All-Big 12 selection and played a huge role in TCU's run to the College Football Playoff in 2022. But he fell flat on his face as a starter despite having a proven quarterback in Justin Herbert. He has the ball.
Johnston averaged just 11.3 yards per catch, struggled to create separation from NFL corners, and also had some costly drops. He finished the season with just two touchdowns and only one game in which Johnston had more than 55 receiving yards. With Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison selected right after Johnston, it's clear the Chargers made a bad decision.
Tyree Wilson, Raiders
At first glance, Terry Wilson seems like someone who could eventually become one of the greatest busts of all time. He'll probably reach Aaron Maybin levels of being a bust. As a top-10 player and first-team All-American at Texas Tech, the Raiders expected an immediate impact from Wilson.
Instead, they got a player who couldn't even force his way into the starting lineup for a team that finished 8-9. Wilson has compiled just 29 tackles and 3.5 sacks through 14 games and has rarely shown signs of being a player worthy of a top-10 selection.
