5 biggest Cleveland Browns first-round busts since 1999
By John Suchan
Cleveland Browns biggest bust in first round No. 4: RB, William Green
William Green was drafted at No. 16 in the 2002 NFL Draft out of Boston College. The Browns have historically had great running backs run through the franchise and that was the hope in drafting Green. While he had a few highlights he only lasted four years in the league and played sparingly his last two years.
He finished playing in 46 games and gained 2,109 yards with nine touchdowns. He had six games where he ran for over 100 yards. While he had highlight games, like the last game of his rookie season, where he went for 178 yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Atlanta Falcons to seal a playoff appearance the following week, his career was a mess.
Green was suspended for the latter part of his second season and then in his fourth and final year, he didn’t see the field after week 7.
Cleveland Browns biggest bust in first round No. 3: QB, Brandon Weeden
The 2012 NFL Draft is one that most Browns fans just want to forget. Brandon Weeden was taken by the team at that semi-famous No. 22 pick. He was going to be that quarterback that would stop the cycle of endless passers that made their way through Berea.
He was a very old player being 28 years of age when he was drafted. He had tried playing professional baseball prior and went to Oklahoma State to play football after his failure at baseball.
Weeden probably should have stuck with baseball. His time in Cleveland lasted 23 games and 20 as the Browns starter. He finished with a 5-15 record and has had some brutal highlights that have stained his career.
He began his career by going 12 for 35 in his debut game in a home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. We should have known it was going to be bad when Weeden got stuck under the American flag before kickoff.