The Cleveland Browns have made more than their fair share of terrible draft picks since being reinstated into the NFL in 1999. Some of them were highly touted prospects who turned out to be busts, while others were simply the wrong move at the wrong time.
Their quarterback selections have drawn the most scrutiny, mainly because the Browns have never found a franchise quarterback in that time. However, some of their less-publicized picks have arguably turned out even worse.
Bleacher Report analyst Kristopher Knox recently named the Browns’ worst draft pick of this century, and he identified cornerback Justin Gilbert, who was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
“The Cleveland Browns have made a plethora of bad picks since returning to the league in 1999. While quarterbacks like Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel and DeShone Kizer were monumental flops, the 2014 selection of Justin Gilbert was somehow even worse. The Oklahoma State product had loads of physical talent, but he never seemed all too interested in developing as a pro. He made only three starts for the Browns and played only 411 defensive snaps in two seasons before he was traded to the rival Steelers. Gilbert spent one season as a special-teamer in Pittsburgh before he was released and subsequently suspended by the NFL for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy,” Knox wrote.
While it may take a lot to wrest this dubious honor away from Manziel, who was the No. 22 overall pick later in that 2014 draft, Gilbert has a strong case, to be sure. Though he did show some flashes as a rookie, including 29 combined tackles, eight passes defended, and an interception returned for a touchdown, plus a 28.3-yard average as a kick returner the following year, he was gone from the team and then out of the league altogether soon after.
Gilbert was suspended for four games after the 2017 season and then received an additional one-year suspension for violating the NFL substance-abuse policy again. He reportedly never applied for reinstatement into the league, and he went on to play arena football.
Interestingly, Manziel was also gone from the Browns following the 2015 season, and he was also suspended for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. The Heisman Trophy winner never played in the NFL again.
The 2014 draft is a particularly notable one for Cleveland, as in selecting Gilbert, they passed on Aaron Donald, Odell Beckham Jr., Zack Martin, and C.J. Mosley, among others. However, they were able to add longtime offensive lineman Joel Bitonio at No. 35 overall, one pick ahead of where Derek Carr was drafted.
Squandering a top 10 pick can set a franchise back years, with Gilbert providing a cautionary tale as the Browns head toward the 2026 NFL Draft.
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