Top 5 Michigan State football NFL Draft busts
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No. 3: WR Charles Rogers
The NFL has always loved taking big risks on talented wide receivers. But when the Detroit Lions took Charles Rogers with the second pick of the 2003 NFL Draft, they believed they were getting a sure thing.
In college, Rogers was unstoppable. In just two seasons, he caught 135 passes for 2,821 yards and 27 TDs. He was also a two-time All-Big 10 selection and the 2002 Biltenikoff Award winner as the nation's top WR.
However, life in the NFL wasn't as charmed. First of all, injuries such as a broken clavicle suffered in both 2003 and 2004 slowed his development. Then, in 2005 he was suspended for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. That led to his release in 2006.
Playing only three seasons in the NFL, he managed just 36 catches for 440 yards and 4 TDs. What's more, in 2008, a judge ruled that Rogers had to repay the Lions $8.5 million (however he never paid that sum back after filing for bankruptcy).
Talented wide receivers will always get a shot given the prevalence of the passing game in the modern game. Rogers got his shot but didn't make the most of it after a run of bad luck on the injury front caused him to deal with early adversity. As a result, he'll forever be remembered as a bust.