5 Cardinals first-round picks who did not live to expectations
By Sion Fawkes
Wendell Bryant – DL
A two-time Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, Wendell Bryant commanded a dominant Wisconsin defensive line during his college days. The highlight of his career came during the 1999 Rose Bowl Game when he sacked UCLA Bruins quarterback Cade McNown to secure the Badgers a victory.
After a stellar college career, the Cardinals jumped at Bryant and drafted him in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. However, Bryant logged just 44 tackles and 1.5 sacks in three seasons for the Cardinals. Come 2005, the NFL suspended him for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, and he never played again for the Cardinals.
Bryant returned to play professional football in 2009 and 2010 as a member of the United Football League’s Las Vegas Locos and Omaha Nighthawks. Bryant, however, wasn’t the only massive draft bust at defensive line. Most fans will be familiar with the next name on this list.