NFL Draft: 30 worst No. 1 overall picks in league history

NASHVILLE, TN - NOVEMBER 12: Jadeveon Clowney #99 of the Tennessee Titans talks with teammates during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on November 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Colts defeated the Titans 34-17. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

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Alex Smith (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

30 worst No. 1 overall picks in NFL Draft history: 25. QB, Alex Smith

Stats:

35,650 passing yards
199 touchdowns
109 interceptions

Alex Smith is an incredibly nice guy. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has a single bad word to say about him. With that said, he was a bust in the NFL.

Back in 2005, there was legitimate debate surrounding who should be taken with the first overall pick between Alex Smith and all-world quarterback Aaron Rodgers. As you already know, Smith was taken with by the Kansas City Chiefs, while Rodgers fell all the way to number 24.

There’s no question that Rodgers became the better of the two QBs.
Smith struggled mightily in his first year in the league. He started seven games but managed to throw only one touchdown and 11 interceptions. His poor start didn’t last for the majority of his career as Smith got incrementally better year after year. Still, even at his peak, Smith was nothing more than a solid quarterback with a decent but not great arm.

He put together three seasons in which he was selected to the Pro Bowl and made numerous runs in the playoffs. But, it was the reluctance of Smith that hampered him in his time in the league. The former college star at Utah was constantly criticized for dinking and dunking his way up the field as opposed to letting it rip. That, and his inability to push his team to the promised land gives Smith a permanent spot on this list, no matter how likable he was.

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