Notes: Detroit Lions have 4 of the biggest 100 busts in NFL history

It’s every general manager’s nightmare right around this time of year. The dreaded NFL draft bust.

Now more than ever, teams are built through the NFL Draft. With free agent contracts skyrocketing, the cost-controlled rookie wage scale makes draft picks even more valuable than the young talent that comes with it. Squandering opportunities in the draft is a good way to set your franchise back years and get yourself fired.

The Detroit Lions are no stranger to the NFL Draft bust. However, in USA TODAY’s top 100 draft busts of all time list, the Lions only made the list four times. Here are the four and where they ranked:

• #34 - 2003 - WR Charles Rogers
• #57 - 2002 - QB Joey Harrington
• #63 - 1990 - QB Andre Ware
• #76 - 2005 - WR Mike Williams

While the Lions don’t appear all that often on the list, they also exhibit a cautionary tale. Three of the biggest draft busts of all time came from 2002 to 2005, all during the time in which Matt Millen was the team’s general manager. Three years after that Mike Williams pick, the Lions became the first team to go 0-16. That is no coincidence.

• Tuesday, the NFL announced 23 pro prospects will attend the NFL Draft in Nashville:

• If you’re digging all the of the Brian Burns hype, Nate Atkins of MLive has a nice profile on the Florida State edge defender.

• Have a sad, Detroit sports fans:

• Is there a realistic chance Kentucky EDGE Josh Allen falls to the Lions? Scott Warheit of Lions Wire runs through all seven teams picking prior to Detroit and weighs the likelihood of Allen making it past their pick.

• In case you’re looking to get excited about the Tom Savage signing... I have nothing for you:

• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free press dropped his latest mock, and T.J. Hockenson was the Lions’ pick at eight overall.