In this series of sponsored posts, we'll be looking at the ten worst and ten best Atlanta Falcons draft picks of all time. Let's start with the worst. Today's choice is former linebacker Aundray Bruce.
The Aundray Bruce Experiment might have turned out differently had he not been the first pick in the 1988 draft.
Bruce came out of Auburn with the weight of expectations heavy across his shoulders. The team was banking on him bringing his freakish physical talent to bear on unsuspecting running backs and quarterbacks the world over, and for one season it seemed like it would happen.
In 1988, Bruce posted six sacks and started every game, but problems began to manifest immediately. His remaining three years in Atlanta were a sharp downward trend, and the Falcons weren't shy about criticizing him for mental lapses, failure to pick up the playbook and routinely being out of position. By 1990, he was alternating between linebacker and tight end, and not doing well at either. The team lost faith with him, and after four seasons, he was gone.
The Falcons managed Bruce's career poorly, but it's equally true that he lacked motivation and never displayed the prowess that defined his college career. There's guilt on both sides, but it became apparent by his third season that Bruce was never going to become a star. A sobering truth, to say the least.
Given the struggles he overcame, it's sad that Bruce was never able to become the superstar many thought he would be. Bruce was serviceable over the course of an 11-year career, but he never approached the promise that comes attached to the first overall pick, and he was especially forgettable for the Falcons.
Given that, he's our second biggest draft bust of all time. Talk about Bruce here, and check out our sponsored message after the jump.
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