10 biggest Ohio State football NFL Draft busts of all time

Ohio State football NFL Draft bust No. 4: Anthony Gonzalez

2007 NFL Draft, Round 1, Pick 32
Indianapolis Colts, 2007-2011

Ohio State has always had a long line of great receivers. Anthony Gonzalez was part of that lineage. He was a really good player for the Buckeyes. Everyone remembers the huge catch he had in The Game in 2005 to set up a touchdown at the end of the game.

The Colts drafted Gonzalez the year after they won the Super Bowl. Making him the 32nd overall pick and the last first-round pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. He was expected to be the perfect slot receiver alongside Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.

Unfortunately, his knees prevented that from happening. Gonzalez would only play a full season one time, that happening in 2008. He played a total of 40 games for the Colts in five seasons in Indy and totaled just 7 touchdown catches in his career. He never played again after being released from the Colts in 2011.

One thing that always stuck with me about Gonzo was a quote from someone close to the team that told me that “he likes football but he loves getting paid”. That told me that he didn’t attack his rehab very hard and that’s why he fell out of the graces of the coaching staff when he did finally get healthy.

After his playing days were done, Gonzo got into politics. He actually just finished serving his term in the U.S. House of Representatives as a rep from Ohio. It’s just a shame he wasn’t a better football player. The Colts really could’ve used another weapon.

The next guy on this list never got a chance to redeem his bust status.