Ravens' Top Ten Biggest Draft Busts: #1

Being at the top of any list earns notoriety, be it for something good or something bad. Being at the top of the list of the Baltimore Ravens Top Ten Biggest Draft Busts is not good. Unfortunately, the honor here may be decided by the writer of this story, but ultimately the production, or dare we sy, the lack of it, "earned" this spot for WR Travis Taylor.

Taylor was the tenth overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. This was the same draft that the Ravens selected RB Jamal Lewis with the fifth overall pick. Unfortunately for the Ravens as well as Taylor, he didn't have anywhere near the success that Lewis had in his NFL career. While many skeptics might say that Taylor never really had an NFL-caliber QB throwing to him, he also played for five other NFL teams in his underachieving nine year pro football career.

In addition to his 312 receptions for 4,017 yards and 22 receiving touchdowns, Taylor does get to wear a Super Bowl ring, having been a rookie on the Ravens 2001 team that beat the New York Giants in Tampa, Florida in Super Bowl 35. Unfortunately, Taylor was not a major contributor to that offense, finishing his rookie season with only 28 receptions for 278 yards in nine games.

Taylor's best season was in 2002, when he had 61 catches for 869 yards and six TD receptions. After lackluster seasons in 2003 and 2004, he was released and then floundered around the NFL for six more years, although he had but one reception in his last four seasons combined. A far cry from the University of Florida, where he compiled 72 receptions for 1,150 yards and 15 touchdowns. In addition, he came up huge in the biggest games f his collegiate career, with seven catches for 159 yards and two TDs in the 1999 Orange Bowl, where he also earned the game's MVP Trophy. The following season, he caught 11 passes for 156 yards and three TDs in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl.

However, he never seemed to make the transition to the pro game, and had the reputation of dropping passes, especially in key situations. Being the #10 pick in the NFL Draft, one would think that meant you were getting a player that would lead your team to success. In Taylor's case, the team never got a whiff of what they were expecting, although he came to the team with the size and speed that had Ravens fans drooling, thinking they finally had that star receiver to complement the dominant running game that along with the formidable defense, led the team to the NFL Championship his rookie season.

That was just not going to be the fairy-tale story that the Ravens, their fans and especially Travis hoped it would end up being written as. Thus, Taylor heads up this list as the #1 Biggest Draft Bust in Baltimore Ravens history. Congratulations, Travis?

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