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NFL Draft: Biggest bust from each franchise’s history

By Hans Themistode

LOS ANGELES, CA - CIRCA 1988:Aundray Bruce of the Atlanta Falcons against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum circa 1988 in Los Angeles,California on November 20th 1988. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - CIRCA 1988:Aundray Bruce of the Atlanta Falcons against the Los Angeles Raiders at the Coliseum circa 1988 in Los Angeles,California on November 20th 1988. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Jim Druckenmiller
Jim Druckenmiller. Mandatory Credit: Todd Warshaw /Allsport /

Biggest NFL Draft bust from San Francisco 49ers history: Jim Druckenmiller, QB

Stats: 

  • 239 passing yards
  • 1 touchdown
  • 4 interceptions
  • 40.4 completion percentage

Even well into his late 30s, quarterback Steve Young was a terrific player. At the age of 37, Young was named to a Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,170 yards and connecting on a career-high 36 touchdowns.

But, for as great as Young was, the San Francisco 49ers knew they had to start looking for his replacement. At the time, quarterback Jim Druckenmiller was quietly building a name for himself at Virginia Tech. In his final year under center, he threw for 2,071 yards, 17 touchdowns and only five interceptions. It seemed like the perfect scenario, Druckenmiller could sit back and learn from an all-timer without the pressure of needing to play right away. With that, they selected him with the 26th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft.

Tabbed as the quarterback of the future, opinions of him quickly changed once he actually played. In four stints of game action in his rookie season, Druckenmiller threw for 239 yards, one touchdown, four interceptions, and a 40.4 completion percentage. After one more season of watching Druckenmiller commit horrendous turnovers and play poorly, the 49ers elected to ship him off to the Miami Dolphins and stuck with their aging quarterback. The Dolphins subsequently cut Druckenmiller and he would never be seen in the NFL again. Instead, he resurfaced in the XFL, proving that he was never cut out for the league to begin with.

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