The 10 biggest FSU football NFL Draft busts of all time
Sammie Smith. 7. player. 59. . RB. Miami Dolphins
No. 7 biggest FSU football NFL Draft bust of all time: Sammie Smith
1989 NFL Draft: Round 1, Pick 9
Miami Dolphins, 1989-1991
Denver Broncos, 1992
Sammie Smith was a dual-sport star at Florida State, both pulverizing defenders for Seminoles football and blazing the track as a track-star. Unfortunately, things unequivocally peaked for Smith in college — with his NFL career being underwhelming and his post-playing career ending up just plain sad.
Smith rushed for less rushing yards for the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos in the NFL (1,881) than he had at Florida State, and after being out of the league following four seasons in the pros, he ended up in serious legal trouble.
Andre Wadsworth. 6. player. 32. . DE. Arizona Cardinals
No. 6 biggest FSU football NFL Draft bust of all time: Andre Wadsworth
1998 NFL Draft: Round 1, Pick 3
Arizona Cardinals, 1998-2000
New York Jets, 2007 (Did not make roster)
Andre Wadsworth had the potential to be the one of the all-time great NFL defensive lineman following an ACC Player of the Year campaign in 1997 — the six-foot-four, 270-pounder was capable of benching 500 pounds and squatting nearly 700 pounds.
The Steelers’ college personnel director at the time, Tom Modrak, was in awe of the Seminoles’ walk-on-turned-superstar. “He’s like a missile when he comes off the ball,” Modrak said (h/t Sports Illustrated). “He can keep his pads low and still run full speed. He’s flexible, and he’s around 280 pounds.”
Wadsworth’s rookie season on the Cardinals — in which he amassed five sacks and 57 tackles — gave hope that he’d deliver on all of the promise. Instead, injuries undid his ensuing two seasons and Wadsworth was soon out of the league.