Lofty expectations inherently accompany prospects selected early in the NFL Draft.
The path of each top pick remains unpredictable, individually influenced by a litany of incalculable factors ranging from coaching and team fit to personal development and injuries.
Some overcome the initial pressure and develop into cornerstone players and league stars, while many others fail to immediately meet the intense scrutiny and are promptly labeled as “busts” if their careers do not perfectly align with their draft position.
Here are four recent draft busts looking to defy the doubters and finally reach NFL stardom in 2025.
Atlanta’s selection of “generational” tight end Kyle Pitts fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft generated considerable debate, foreshadowing a professional career marked by both flashes of brilliance and notable inconsistency.
Despite questions surrounding the high draft capital allocated to a tight end, Pitts quickly demonstrated his elite receiving talent, culminating in a Pro Bowl selection during his rookie campaign in which he totaled an impressive 1,026 receiving yards on 68 receptions.
However, subsequent seasons have seen the talented pass-catcher battle a multitude of injuries and experience a significant dip in production, failing to replicate his initial statistical output amidst evolving offensive schemes and personnel changes.
As Pitts prepares for a pivotal contract year in 2025, his personal performance will be closely scrutinized as he attempts to reclaim his rookie form and solidify his status as one of the league’s top tight ends.
Chosen by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Javonte Williams demonstrated immediate potential during his rookie season, gaining notice for his elite tackle-breaking ability and shiftiness in the open-field en route to 1,219 total yards with 7 touchdowns.
His trajectory was significantly altered by a catastrophic knee injury suffered early in 2022 , which heavily limited his effectiveness upon his return the following year and beyond as he navigated a lengthy recovery process.
As the primary third-down back last season with Denver, Williams compiled 513 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns, while adding 52 receptions for another 346 yards through the air.
Now with a fresh start and a chance to be the lead-back on the Dallas Cowboys, the primary question for Williams entering 2025 revolves around whether the once-punishing rusher can showcase his signature pre-injury explosiveness and contribute consistently at a high level for his new team.
Selected with the draft pick acquired in the trade that sent receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, Treylon Burks has encountered significant setbacks during his tenure with the Tennessee Titans.
Expected to step into a prominent role as a rookie, Burks instead had issues with his conditioning and couldn’t consistently produce on the field. His overall development and availability have been hampered by a series of recurring injuries since entering the league, leaving his future with the team uncertain heading into the upcoming season.
After totaling just under seven hundred receiving yards and only one touchdown over his first three NFL seasons, Tennessee declined to pick up the fifth-year option of the 2022 first-round pick.
Entering a contract year while working his way back from major knee surgery, Burks is competing for snaps and a roster spot with several new additions. The former sixteenth overall pick is on his last chance to prove that he can stay healthy and become a meaningful contributor for the Titans new look-offense in 2025.
Taken with the twentieth overall selection by the Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kenny Pickett struggled greatly with consistency and injuries over two seasons as the primary signal-caller in Pittsburgh. After being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, he won a Super Bowl as the backup to starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Pickett started one game for Philadelphia last season and appeared in five total contests in relief of Hurts, throwing for 291 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception on the year.
This offseason the Eagles traded Pickett to the Cleveland Browns, where he will compete for the starting role with veteran Joe Flacco as well as rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. With so much competition in the QB room, if the former-first rounder doesn’t take firm hold of the job in training camp and preseason, he may not even make the Browns final roster.
The immense pressure placed on top draft picks often results in them disappointing initial expectations. Thrust into the spotlight with immediate demands, these athletes constantly grapple with the weight of living up to significant hype and many find the transition to the professional ranks much more challenging than anticipated.
While some eventually navigate this whirlwind to forge successful careers and ascend to elite status, others falter under the burden, their early promise fading as quickly as it emerged.
Navigating this early career pressure ultimately determines whether a player achieves lasting prominence or merely becomes another historical footnote.
Will these players buck the bust label for good in 2025?
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