Detroit Lions: Six worst first-round draft picks of all-time
By Bob Heyrman
Andre Ware
For the younger audience who may not remember Andre Ware. Just when you think it couldn’t get worse than Harrington, news to you, it does.
The Detroit Lions selected quarterback Andre Ware with the seventh overall pick in 1990. Ware had just won the Heisman Trophy way of the University of Houston. At the time, the Detroit Lions operated with a dynamic offensive weapon in the backfield, maybe you heard of him? Barry Sanders?
Ware was expected to be the perfect compliment to Sanders under center using a run and shoot style of offense. In 1989 Ware threw for a whopping 4699 yards and 46 touchdowns in just eleven games. Think about that for a second. Those are video game numbers.
Ware’s style of play would surely play well in 2020, but in 1990 as you know, it was more of a ground and pound league. With production like that, Ware would undoubtedly be the first overall pick.
At the time, the Detroit Lions had Rodney Peete and Erik Kramer competing for the starting job. Ware’s college success failed to translate to the NFL. Again, part of which, Ware was a bit ahead of his time.
Ware survived in Detroit for just four seasons, only making six career starts. He totaled 1112 passing yards, five touchdowns, and eight interceptions leading the Lions to a 3-3 record completing only 51.6 percent of his pass attempts. A pick that never lived up to the draft hype.