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One NFL draft pick can alter the next decade for a franchise. And, in some cases, a selection thought to be an enormous addition can turn into a whiff, leaving a big hole in the roster construction while draft capital has been wasted.
While it’s far too early to start proclaiming players entering their second seasons as busts or home runs, we also have enough data to determine whether someone is on track to hit their projection or if alarm bells should start ringing.
For the eight players below, there’s still time to get a fine career rolling, but their rookie seasons were underwhelming. And, in the case of one player, the talent is there, but ugly questions have arisen.
8. Terrance Ferguson, TE, Los Angeles Rams
Ferguson was thought to be a great bet for the Rams’ starting tight end job last year, replacing the aging Tyler Higbee. Instead, Ferguson ended up playing only 39% of the snaps while Higbee was given a two-year extension through 2027.
In 14 games, Ferguson caught only 11 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns, a below-average return for a second-round pick. With Higbee returning to Los Angeles, it’s unlikely Ferguson is going to be the starter before his third year at the earliest.
7. Oluwafemi Oladejo, edge, Tennessee Titans
This is more about bad injury luck than it is about the player’s performance. Oladejo played in only six games as a rookie due to fracturing his leg, missing the final 11 games of the year.
Another second-round pick, Oladejo, was playing 61% of the defensive snaps for the Titans before going on injured reserve. In those snaps, Oladejo registered 13 tackles, including two for loss and a pair of quarterback hits.
6. JT Tuimoloau, DE, Indianapolis Colts
There was a thought entering draft season that Tuimoloau could be a first-round pick out of Ohio State. Instead, the Buckeye fell to the second round, where the Colts scooped him up with the idea to pair him opposite defensive end Laiatu Latu.
Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way. In 13 games, Tuimoloau was a part-time player, registering only 215 defensive snaps for the season. In that action, Tuimoloau had 17 tackles with six quarterback hits but is still looking for his first NFL sack.
5. Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers
For years, the Packers have employed a horde of receivers, but none have been capable of taking over a game, including Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and others. When general manager Brian Gutekunst selected Golden with the No. 23 pick in last year’s draft, Golden was thought to be the missing piece in that room.
However, Golden struggled to establish himself. The rookie caught only 29 passes for 361 yards without a touchdown. Now, with Doubs leaving in free agency for the Patriots, Golden should have ample opportunity to showcase his worth by moving up the depth chart.
4. James Pearce Jr., DE, Atlanta Falcons
With Pearce, his being on this list has nothing to do with his on-field performance. After the Falcons traded a future first-round pick to move up and select Pearce out of Tennessee, the rookie edge rusher was a dominant force with 10.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits.
Then, in February, Pearce was arrested and facesthree felonies, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and felony aggravated stalking of his ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson. While the outcome of his legal situation is uncertain, Pearce’s off-field ugliness has cast a pall on his future.
3. Landon Jackson, DE, Buffalo Bills
Jackson was one of three second-round picks for the Bills, with the hope that he’d push for playing time at defensive end alongside Joey Bosa and Gregory Rousseau. Coming from Arkansas, Jackson was never able to establish himself in a quiet rookie campaign.
Jackson played in three games, a healthy scratch throughout 2025. When he played, Jackson saw only 30 defensive snaps and never recorded a stat, making him one of the biggest busts thus far. We’ll see if he gets more run in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 scheme.
2. Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Miami Dolphins
Savaiinaea was brought in to be part of a youth movement along the Dolphins’ offensive line, alongside tackle Patrick Paul and others as foundational pieces moving forward. Yet, while Savaiinaea started all 17 games coming from Arizona, the results were underwhelming.
As a rookie, Savaiinaea ranked 79th out of 79 guards on Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 28.4, including a pass-block grade of 14.1, easily the worst in football. While he should get a second chance to prove himself on the rebuilding Dolphins, there needs to be a significant jump to keep Savaiinaea around long-term.
1. Shemar Stewart, DE, Cincinnati Bengals
Everything about Stewart joining the Bengals has gone poorly. After being selected with the No. 17 pick out of Texas A&M, Stewart didn’t sign for months, missing a portion of Cincinnati’s offseason program before showing up to training camp in late July.
Stewart, 22, ended up appearing in eight games, amassing only four quarterback hits with a sack while playing 53% of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps. With Trey Hendrickson now moving on to the Ravens in free agency, the Bengals desperately need Stewart to become a force up front.
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MATT VERDERAME
Matt Verderame is a national NFL staff writer for Sports Illustrated, writing features, columns and more. Before joining Sports Illustrated in March 2023, Verderame wrote for FanSided and SB Nation. He’s a proud husband to Stephanie and father of two girls, Maisy and Genevieve. In his spare time, Verderame is an avid collector of vintage baseball cards.
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