NFL Draft: Every team’s biggest first round bust of last ten years

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 26: Justin Blackmon (R) from Oklahoma State holds up a jersey as he stands on stage with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after he was selected #5 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 26, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

team. 52. . 2012, 5th overall. . Justin Blackmon.

Few athletes have ever thrown away their talent like Justin Blackmon has in the last five years.

Jacksonville’s receiving corp in 2011 was disappointing at best with Mike Thomas leading the team with 44 catches and running back Maurice Jones-Drew right behind him. Jason Hill and Jones-Drew led the team with three receiving touchdowns and Hill led the team with 36.7 yards per game.

Another weapon was needed for Blaine Gabbert, who had just been taken in the first round.

Blackmon was a superstar at Oklahoma State, earning two All-Americans and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year award in 2010. He had two seasons with at least 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, and led college football with 20 receiving touchdowns in his junior year.

BAGSHOT, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Wide receiver Justin Blackmon (R) of Jacksonville Jaguars and quarter back Chad Henne take part in a training session at Pennyhill Park Hotel ahead of Sunday’s NFL match at Wembley Stadium between Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers on October 25, 2013 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

When Jacksonville took him fifth overall, they had to surrender a fourth-round pick to Tampa Bay to move up two spots. The Bucs took Mark Barron after Dallas jumped them for Mo Claiborne, and packaged the fourth round pick to move up for Doug Martin in the first round.

Blackmon came into Jacksonville as the number one guy, and he produced like it, scoring five touchdowns with 865 yards for the Jaguars. It looked like the perfect match for Jacksonville early on to build their offense behind Blackmon and Gabbert.

Prior to training camp in 2013, the NFL suspended Blackmon four games for violating the substance abuse policy. Blackmon played four games that season before being suspended under the same policy a second time, leading to an indefinite ban from the NFL.

He’s been denied reinstatement into the league, and a DUI in 2015 won’t help his cause should he reapply for reinstatement.

Twenty games over two years and indefinite banishment from the league? Sounds like one of the biggest busts of all-time.

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