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

Philadelphia has been relatively successful in the first round over the last decade, finding Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox, Lane Johnson, and Brandon Graham, among others. Two picks stand out as the worst not just in the last 10 years, but in all of Eagles NFL Draft history, Danny Watkins and Marcus Smith.

Neither felt like a slam dunk pick at the time, and as the years have rolled on they look worse every time you look. Watkins surpassed Smith since the former Louisville defensive lineman got a legitimate shot to play in another town, unlike Watkins who played one game for another franchise.

Philadelphia took Watkins out of Baylor at the age of 27, which in itself was a red flag. A native of Canada, Watkins was drafted fourth overall in the CFL Draft in 2010, but hadn’t played any football in high school, opting for hockey and rugby. He started at Butte College studying Fire Studies hoping to be a firefighter, but his football tape at Butte caught the eye of Division I teams.

Todd Herremans and Max Jean-Gilles were the starting guards in Philadelphia at the time, but Watkins was drafted to start at right guard and protect Michael Vick, a tall task for someone with only a couple years worth of football experience and the ultimate goal of being a firefighter.

Watkins struggled early in Philadelphia and didn’t play the first three weeks before ultimately getting 12 starts as a rookie. He played 11 games the next season before being cut in 2013.

Pictures later emerged showing Watkins FIGHTING FIRES as an unofficial member of the Philadelphia Fire Department and still under contract with the Eagles. Watkins simply never loved football and, God bless him, would rather fight fires than defensive linemen.