NFL Draft: 30 worst first-round picks of the 21st century

Vince Young was one of the reasons the 2005 NCAA Championship game between Texas and USC became an instant classic. The other reason was all the talent on the other side of the ball for the Trojans.

Running backs Reggie Bush and LenDale White formed one of the best backfield tandems in college football. Even with as beloved as they were, quarterback Matt Leinart was the guy that held it all together.

Leinart was a lock to be the top pick in 2005, but returned for his senior season which ended with the loss in the Rose Bowl in January of 2006. Not only did Leinart lose in that game, but he also saw his draft stock drop some, as he ended up falling to pick No. 10.

Once the Arizona Cardinals landed him, it seemed like he would be the face of their franchise. That never happened, as he was unable to earn the trust of the coaching staff. He ended up watching Kurt Warner lead a career resurgence.

When he did get on the field (usually due to injury), he wouldn’t impress. Leinart was 7-10 as the starter for Arizona and never threw more touchdowns than interceptions in any season while with the Cardinals.

He later found his way to the Houston Texans as a backup before spending a season with the Oakland Raiders. In 2013, Leinart tried unsuccessfully to make the Buffalo Bills and ended up leaving the game for good.