25 College Stars Who Were Major Flops in the Pros

By Brian Kalchik

25 College Stars Who Flopped in the Pros

Adam Morrison Gonzaga — In college, there have been plenty of athletes who have dominated their respective sports. However, when some took the next step to the pros, they failed to adjust. On the flip side, some athletes who were average in college managed to star in the pros. This list counts down the top 25 college stars who flopped in the pros. With so many to choose from, comment below if your favorite missed the cut.

25. Harold Miner

Harold Miner NBA Draft

25. Harold Miner

Harold Miner NBA Draft — Nicknamed "Baby Jordan" because of his immense talent, Harold Miner was nothing like his new moniker. In his four seasons in the NBA, all he did was win the 1993 and 1995 Slam Dunk Contests. Miner was never a full-time starter in four NBA seasons -- this coming after a junior season at USC in which he put up over 26 points and seven rebounds per game.

24. Hasheem Thabeet

Hasheem Thabeet Connecticut

24. Hasheem Thabeet

Hasheem Thabeet Connecticut — At 7-foot-3, Hasheem Thabeet was a defensive terror in college with the UCONN Huskies. As the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, Thabeet was another big man with no offensive game. In the NBA, Thabeet had trouble defending laterally and the Grizzlies gave up on Thabeet after two seasons. He is now riding the bench with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

23. Marcus Fizer

Marcus Fizer Iowa State

23. Marcus Fizer

Marcus Fizer Iowa State — Marcus Fizer was drafted No. 4 overall by former college coach Tim Floyd and the Chicago Bulls in 2001 after an All-American campaign in which he averaged 22.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Iowa State Cyclones. Despite being built like a power forward, Fizer was never a good rebounder at the NBA level and could not stay on the court, averaging 21 MPG for his six-season career.

22. Shawn Respert

Shawn Respert Michigan State

22. Shawn Respert

Shawn Respert Michigan State — As the Big Ten Player of the Year in 1995, Michigan State's Shawn Respert was selected No. 8 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1995 NBA Draft. The Blazers wisely traded him to Milwaukee, where he played just two seasons with the Bucks. Respert played just four seasons in the NBA and played with four different teams. Long after his playing career ended, Respert revealed that he had stomach cancer.

21. Bo Kimble

Bo Kimble Loyola Marymount

21. Bo Kimble

Bo Kimble Loyola Marymount — Bo Kimble led Loyola Marymount to the Elite Eight following teammate Hank Gathers' tragic death in 1990. He averaged over 35 points per game that season in coach Paul Westhead's up-tempo offense. In the pros, Kimble was the No. 8 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1990 NBA Draft and played just three seasons in the NBA, averaging only 5.5 PPG on 38.6 percent shooting in the NBA.

20. Ed O'Bannon

Ed O''Bannon UCLA

20. Ed O'Bannon

Ed O'Bannon UCLA — After being the big man on every campus following the 1994-95 season -- in which he was named first-team All-American, was the John Wooden Award winner and the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player in a national championship season for UCLA - Ed O'Bannon was selected No. 9 overall by the Nets in the 1995 NBA draft. He only averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 1995-96 for the Nets, and after the 1996-97 season, he was out of the league.

19. Sean May

Sean May UNC

19. Sean May

Sean May UNC — Sean May was a second-team All-American and the 2005 Final Four's Most Outstanding Player following a national title game win over one-loss Illinois. After being selected No. 13 overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2005 NBA Draft, the out-of-shape May was never able to play more than 37 games in a season during his four-year Bobcats career.

18. Heath Shuler

Heath Shuler Tennessee

18. Heath Shuler

Heath Shuler Tennessee — The precursor to Peyton Manning at Tennessee, Heath Shuler led the Volunteers to nine wins as both a junior and a senior. He was the runner-up in the 1993 Heisman race, and the Washington Redskins made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. Shuler started in just 13 games, lost nine of them and threw 19 picks. He was traded to New Orleans and was equally bad.

17. Joey Harrington

Joey Harrington Oregon

17. Joey Harrington

Joey Harrington Oregon — A three-year starter at Oregon, Joey Harrington was the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year in 2001, finished fourth in the Heisman voting and earned a first-team All-American selection. Matt Millen and the Detroit Lions thought they found a franchise quarterback and made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. With Detroit, Harrington won just 33 percent of his starts and posted a 79-85 touchdown-to-interception ratio

16. Charles Rogers

Charles Rogers Michigan State

16. Charles Rogers

Charles Rogers Michigan State — A Biletnikoff winner, All-American and two-time All-Big Ten receiver, Charles Rogers came out of Michigan State in 2003 and was selected No. 2 overall by the Detroit Lions -- one pick behind Andre Johnson. In three seasons (marred by injuries and legal problems), Rogers caught just 36 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns.

15. JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell LSU

15. JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell LSU — JaMarcus Russell was one of the biggest busts in draft history, but he wasn't one of the greatest college football players of all-time. Russell had two fine seasons at LSU, but the Raiders (and mainly Al Davis) drafted him for his measurables rather than his intangibles.

14. Andre Ware

Andre Ware Houston

14. Andre Ware

Andre Ware Houston — Andre Ware was the prototype for quarterback busts who played in the run-and-shoot offense. Drafted No. 7 overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1990 NFL Draft, Ware made just six starts in four seasons and was eventually cut. Ware could not even beat out Rodney Peete and Erik Kramer as Detroit's top quarterback.

13. Pervis Ellison

Pervis Ellison Bullets

13. Pervis Ellison

Pervis Ellison Bullets — The Most Outstanding Player of the 1986 NCAA Tournament, "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison guided Louisville to its second national championship as a freshman. In 1989, the Sacramento Kings made Ellison the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. Ellison didn't even last a full season in Sacramento as he was traded to the Washington Bullets. Ellison had one good year with the Bullets, but was a major flop for the rest of his career.

12. Peter Warrick

Peter Warrick Florida State

12. Peter Warrick

Peter Warrick Florida State — At Florida State, Peter Warrick was a three-time All-ACC player, a two-time All-American, a two-time finalist for the Biletnikoff Award and set a school record with 32 touchdown catches. Drafted No. 7 overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, Warrick had a few decent years with the Bengals, and played in a Super Bowl with Seattle, but he never came close to living up to the numbers he put up in Tallahassee.

11. Brady Quinn

Brady Quinn Notre Dame

11. Brady Quinn

Brady Quinn Notre Dame — As a junior at Notre Dame, Brady Quinn led the Fighting Irish to a Fiesta Bowl appearance. As a senior, Quinn led Notre Dame to the Sugar Bowl. When he left South Bend, Quinn held 36 school passing records at a school that previously had Joe Montana and Joe Theismann. In the 2007 NFL Draft, Quinn fell to the Browns with the No. 22 overall pick, but was traded after three poor seasons. Quinn has been on seven different rosters since 2007.

10. Art Schlichter

Ohio State Helmet

10. Art Schlichter

Ohio State Helmet — A four-year starter at Ohio State, Art Schlichter was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. Instead of being a star, Schlichter earned more lifetime bans by the NFL (1) than wins as an NFL quarterback (0). Because of Schlichter's off-field transgressions, the Colts drafted John Elway No. 1 overall in 1983, then traded him to Denver, prompting the franchise to move out of Baltimore in 1984.

9. Mateen Cleaves

Mateen Cleaves Michigan State

9. Mateen Cleaves

Mateen Cleaves Michigan State — A three-time All-American (second team in 1998 and 2000 and first team in 1999) at Michigan State, Mateen Cleaves never made it in the NBA after being drafted by his home-state Detroit Pistons with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. He could not win the starting job and never played more than 32 games per season after his rookie year. Cleaves played for four different teams in the NBA with no stint being longer than three years.

8. Desmond Howard

Desmond Howard Michigan

8. Desmond Howard

Desmond Howard Michigan — As a wide receiver, Desmond Howard was an enormous bust in the NFL. In 12 seasons, he caught 123 passes. As a kick/punt returner, he was incredible, returning eight kickoffs for scores and winning the Super Bowl XXXI MVP. Howard was drafted No. 4 overall by the Washington Redskins in the 1992 NFL Draft and flopped, playing only three seasons for the Redskins.

7. Lawrence Phillips

Lawrence Phillips Nebraska

7. Lawrence Phillips

Lawrence Phillips Nebraska — Nebraska's Lawrence Phillips became the nation's premier running back in 1994, rushing for 1,722 yards as the Cornhuskers won the national championship. A year later, he was suspended for an alleged domestic assault, but returned to give the Cornhuskers another national championship. Drafted No. 6 overall by the St. Louis Rams, Phillips played just three seasons and was in trouble off the field constantly.

6. Ryan Leaf

Ryan Leaf Washington State

6. Ryan Leaf

Ryan Leaf Washington State — At Washington State, Ryan Leaf had two great seasons for the Cougars, even leading the program to the 1998 Rose Bowl game against Michigan. Drafted No. 2 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft, Leaf was supposed to be better than Peyton Manning, the No. 1 overall pick. Leaf was unable to handle the pressures of being a top draft pick and the Chargers released him after three seasons.

5. Adam Morrison

Adam Morrison Gonzaga

5. Adam Morrison

Adam Morrison Gonzaga — Adam Morrison averaged 28.1 PPG in his junior year at Gonzaga, earning first-team All-American honors, before defecting to the NBA. Drafted No. 3 overall by the then Charlotte Bobcats in the 2006 NBA Draft, Morrison's first season in the NBA was disappointing, averaging 11.8 PPG on just 37 percent shooting. Injuries derailed his career, but he rode the bench during the Los Angeles Lakers' two titles in 2009 and 2010.

4. Jimmer Fredette

Jimmer Fredette BYU

4. Jimmer Fredette

Jimmer Fredette BYU — During his 2010-11 senior season at BYU, Jimmer Fredette was named the National Player of the Year and won the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award, the Adolph Rupp Trophy and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. Drafted No. 10 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, Fredette was immediately traded to Sacramento. With the Kings, Fredette started just seven games and is currently riding the bench for the New Orleans Pelicans.

3. Matt Leinart

Matt Leinart USC

3. Matt Leinart

Matt Leinart USC — Matt Leinart was not as big an NFL bust as some quarterbacks, but he was a much better college quarterback who turned out to be a pretty horrible pro. At USC, Leinart won the Heisman Trophy in 2004 and led the Trojans to two national championship game appearances. Drafted No. 10 overall by the Arizona Cardinals, Leinart had four opportunities to win the Cardinals' starting job in the preseason, failed each time and was eventually cut.

2. Brian Bosworth

Brian Bosworth Oklahoma

2. Brian Bosworth

Brian Bosworth Oklahoma — Drafted first overall in the 1987 Supplementary Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, Brian Bosworth, a.k.a. "The Boz," was an all-conference as a sophomore, an All-American as a junior and senior and remains the only player to win the Butkus Award twice at Oklahoma. In three seasons, the most memorable play he made was being hammered at the goal line by Bo Jackson. Bosworth's career ended after the 1989 season.

1. Archie Griffin

Archie Griffin

1. Archie Griffin

Archie Griffin — The only two-time Heisman Trophy winner in college football history, Archie Griffin had three incredible seasons for Woody Hayes' Buckeyes, amassing over 1,400 yards each season and topping the 100-yard mark in an NCAA record 31 consecutive games. But with the Cincinnati Bengals, Griffin just didn't measure up. During his seven-year career, he scored just seven touchdowns and averaged just 28 yards per game.

Brian Kalchik is a Detroit Lions writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.

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