THE STORY
In the 1999 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals rejected a major trade offer from the New Orleans Saints, who were trying to move up to select running back Ricky Williams. Cincinnati kept the third overall pick and selected quarterback Akili Smith. Smith struggled to establish himself as an NFL starter, starting only 17 games during four seasons with Cincinnati.
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
Cincinnati Bengals
WHY IT MATTERS
The decision is frequently cited among Cincinnati's most costly draft mistakes because the Bengals declined a large package of draft assets in order to select a quarterback who did not become their long-term starter.