| New Orleans Saints First Round Draft Choices in the NFL Draft Discover the team's top draft choices on a yearly basis and find out what school they came from and the impact they made on the Saints Franchise whether boom or bust! |
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In 1967, their first season, the Saints made the worst draft decision in franchise history.
The Saints had traded the No. 1 over-all pick in the draft to Baltimore for backup quarterback Gary Cuozzo, and the
Saints had another No. 1 pick, the 26th over-all.
They selected running back Les Kelley of Alabama, who never got on track. He battled a knee injury and measles
during training camp and failed to carry the ball or make an official catch all season. A year later coach Tom Fears
moved him to linebacker. He played sparingly the next three years before being cut in 1969. Linebacker Willie
Lanier (Chiefs) and defensive back Lem Barney (Lions) were on the board when Kelley was picked.
"Kelley should have never been a high draft choice," said Fears.
The Kelley's selection highlights both the failure and curse of the draft.. There are no guarantees, even at the top
of the first round. Every decision has the potential to either elevate or haunt a team for years to come.
Kelley ranks No. 1 on the list of all-time Saints draft busts, but there are other strong candidates to fill out the top
five.
2. Shawn Knight. The Saints needed a defensive end and picked Knight with the 11th over-all selection in 1987.
Knight reported late to camp because of contract negotiations and fell out of favor with the coaches. He had bad
feet and his development was retarded from the start. He failed top get a sack while a Saint.
"The drafting of Knight was a mistake," said GM Jim Finks.
3. Larry Burton. The Saints needed a wide receiver with speed and selected tack star Larry Burton of Purdue with
the seventh over-all selection in 1975.
He had a track athlete's mentality. Almost from Day 1 he was hobbled by minor pains and strains in his legs (Done
Stallworth had similar problems). He also had shaky hands.
Burton lasted three years without catching more than 19 passes in a season. He was waived in 1978. He had 9.3
speed and ll.5 hands.
The Saints had traded the No. 1 over-all pick in the draft to Baltimore for backup quarterback Gary Cuozzo, and the
Saints had another No. 1 pick, the 26th over-all.
They selected running back Les Kelley of Alabama, who never got on track. He battled a knee injury and measles
during training camp and failed to carry the ball or make an official catch all season. A year later coach Tom Fears
moved him to linebacker. He played sparingly the next three years before being cut in 1969. Linebacker Willie
Lanier (Chiefs) and defensive back Lem Barney (Lions) were on the board when Kelley was picked.
"Kelley should have never been a high draft choice," said Fears.
The Kelley's selection highlights both the failure and curse of the draft.. There are no guarantees, even at the top
of the first round. Every decision has the potential to either elevate or haunt a team for years to come.
Kelley ranks No. 1 on the list of all-time Saints draft busts, but there are other strong candidates to fill out the top
five.
2. Shawn Knight. The Saints needed a defensive end and picked Knight with the 11th over-all selection in 1987.
Knight reported late to camp because of contract negotiations and fell out of favor with the coaches. He had bad
feet and his development was retarded from the start. He failed top get a sack while a Saint.
"The drafting of Knight was a mistake," said GM Jim Finks.
3. Larry Burton. The Saints needed a wide receiver with speed and selected tack star Larry Burton of Purdue with
the seventh over-all selection in 1975.
He had a track athlete's mentality. Almost from Day 1 he was hobbled by minor pains and strains in his legs (Done
Stallworth had similar problems). He also had shaky hands.
Burton lasted three years without catching more than 19 passes in a season. He was waived in 1978. He had 9.3
speed and ll.5 hands.
4. Russell Erxleben. Saints coach Dick Nolan thought he was a special teams star in strong-legged kicker-punter
Erxleben from Texas with the 11th over-all pick in the 1979 draft. At Texas, Erxleben had kicked 11 field goals of
more than 50 yards and three that covered more than 60 yards. He was the second-highest drafted kicker-punter in
NFL history. Two picks later, San Diego picked tight end Kellen Winslow.
Erxleben told Nolan and couldn't take the pressure of kicking field goals after he missed a 34-yarder against the
49ers. He attempted only eight field goals in five season with the Saints.
After retiring from the NFL, he became a financial investor in foreign exchange trading. He was investigated by the
IRS and pleaded guilty to for securities fraud. He was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay a total
of $28 million in restitution and a $1 million fine.
5. Joe Campbell. The Saints thought they were getting just what they wanted when they drafted All-America
defensive end Joe Campbell with the No. 7 over-all selection in the 1977 draft. But Campbell couldn't control his
temper and his emotional flareups resulted in countless fights at practice and in games. He couldn't get along with
the coaching staff and was traded to Oakland in 1981 for a sixth-round draft choice.
"All he was doing was getting in fights and getting kicked out of games," said coach Dick Nolan.
Erxleben from Texas with the 11th over-all pick in the 1979 draft. At Texas, Erxleben had kicked 11 field goals of
more than 50 yards and three that covered more than 60 yards. He was the second-highest drafted kicker-punter in
NFL history. Two picks later, San Diego picked tight end Kellen Winslow.
Erxleben told Nolan and couldn't take the pressure of kicking field goals after he missed a 34-yarder against the
49ers. He attempted only eight field goals in five season with the Saints.
After retiring from the NFL, he became a financial investor in foreign exchange trading. He was investigated by the
IRS and pleaded guilty to for securities fraud. He was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay a total
of $28 million in restitution and a $1 million fine.
5. Joe Campbell. The Saints thought they were getting just what they wanted when they drafted All-America
defensive end Joe Campbell with the No. 7 over-all selection in the 1977 draft. But Campbell couldn't control his
temper and his emotional flareups resulted in countless fights at practice and in games. He couldn't get along with
the coaching staff and was traded to Oakland in 1981 for a sixth-round draft choice.
"All he was doing was getting in fights and getting kicked out of games," said coach Dick Nolan.
Johnathan Sullivan must be placed in a draft bust category by himself because he took the Saints for $16 million in
three seasons.
The Saints selected Sullivan, a defensive tackle from Georgia, with the 6th over-all pick in 2003. They traded up
with Arizona to get this pick. The Saints also gave up two No. 1 draft choices to the Cardinals. They also traded
second-round draft choices and the Saints received the Arizona fourth-round pick.
Sullivan was president of the "Heavy Lunch Bunch" and his weight sometimes was more than 350 pounds. One
road game, he was spotted dining in the media area. He was inactive for that game.
In three seasons with the Saints he had 1.5 sacks and forced a fumble in 36 games before ignominiously dealt to
New England for one of its draft busts, wide receiver Bethel Johnson. Sullivan was released later in the 3005
season.
Sullivan was satisfied with taking all millions he pocketed from the Saints to the bank in Griffin, Ga. The money took
away his desire to continue his football career.
Other first-round draft busts could join this group: Alvin Toles, Lindsay Scott, Wesley Carroll, Vaughn Dunbar and
Royce Smith.
three seasons.
The Saints selected Sullivan, a defensive tackle from Georgia, with the 6th over-all pick in 2003. They traded up
with Arizona to get this pick. The Saints also gave up two No. 1 draft choices to the Cardinals. They also traded
second-round draft choices and the Saints received the Arizona fourth-round pick.
Sullivan was president of the "Heavy Lunch Bunch" and his weight sometimes was more than 350 pounds. One
road game, he was spotted dining in the media area. He was inactive for that game.
In three seasons with the Saints he had 1.5 sacks and forced a fumble in 36 games before ignominiously dealt to
New England for one of its draft busts, wide receiver Bethel Johnson. Sullivan was released later in the 3005
season.
Sullivan was satisfied with taking all millions he pocketed from the Saints to the bank in Griffin, Ga. The money took
away his desire to continue his football career.
Other first-round draft busts could join this group: Alvin Toles, Lindsay Scott, Wesley Carroll, Vaughn Dunbar and
Royce Smith.
| New Orleans Saints First Round Draft Busts |
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