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

By George Stockburger

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 26: Robert Griffin III (R) from Baylor holds up a jersey as he stands on stage with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after Griffin was selected #2 overall by the Washington Redskins 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)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 26: Robert Griffin III (R) from Baylor holds up a jersey as he stands on stage with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after Griffin was selected #2 overall by the Washington Redskins 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) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 27: Jonathan Baldwin #89 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 27, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 27: Jonathan Baldwin #89 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 27, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

124. . 2011, 26th overall. . Jonathan Baldwin. . team

Players who come out of Aliquippa High School in Pennsylvania are destined for greatness. Mike Ditka, Darrelle Revis, and Ty Law highlight the alumni, and Jonathan Baldwin was thought to be the next guy.

Kansas City was 10-6 under Todd Haley the year before Baldwin was drafted 26th overall. They’d used a second-round pick on Dexter McCluster, and Dwayne Bowe led the league with 15 receiving touchdowns. Jamaal Charles put up over 1,400 rushing yards, but the offense wasn’t much beyond him and Bowe. McCluster only had 21 catches as a rookie and the offense needed one more piece aside from Bowe and Charles.

KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 13: Receiver Jonathan Baldwin #89 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Denver Broncos on November 13, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 13: Receiver Jonathan Baldwin #89 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up before the game against the Denver Broncos on November 13, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Kansas City originally owned the 27th pick, but when the Ravens failed to make their pick in time, the Chiefs ran up to the podium to select Baldwin out of Pittsburgh. It was a win-win for the Chiefs because they’d already traded down with Cleveland to add another third round pick, and now they jumped the Ravens to get a wide receiver.

Baldwin had a 1,100-yard season as a sophomore at Pitt and caught 53 passes his junior year for 822 yards. He felt like the perfect complement to Bowe, but the fit was never there. A preseason fight left Baldwin with a broken wrist, and cost him five games his rookie season. He scored one touchdown on 21 catches with 254 yards that season, and barely matched his totals the next year.

Kansas City and San Francisco would swap recent bust first round picks Baldwin and A.J. Jenkins, and Baldwin played just seven games for the 49ers and never played again.

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