Detroit Lions Draft Busts Since 2001, No. 7: Boss Bailey

Linebacker Boss Bailey is yet another one of Matt Millen's second-round picks that didn't live up to his draft position. The list is quite extensive, and it includes a number of defensive players. One of them is Boss Bailey, and he comes in at No. 7 on the list of the Lions' biggest draft busts since 2001.

Bailey was picked by the Lions with the 34th overall selection in 2003. He was just outside of the first round, but his career with Detroit made it seem like he was just outside of the third or fourth round. While Bailey had an outstanding rookie season, recording 88 tackles and making 16 starts, it was all downhill from there. He missed the entire 2004 season with a knee injury, and he was never really the same after.

Over the course of his final three seasons in Detroit, Bailey started 11, 12 and 12 games. His total tackles for each season over that span were 59 in 2005, 67 in 2006 and 51 in 2007. He signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal with the Broncos in 2008, but Bailey lasted only one season in Denver and hasn't played in the NFL since.

While Bailey showed promise early on in his career, he never lived up to being an almost first-round draft pick.

Previously: No. 10 - Daniel Bullocks, No. 9 - Drew Stanton, No. 8 Ikaika Alama-Francis

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