Jets NFL Draft: Ranking NY's worst draft picks over the past 10 years feat. Sam Darnold

The New York Jets have had some poor seasons over the last few years. Even while the team's management is not solely liable, it's still noteworthy that some of their draft choices were not the most desirable.

The Jets have selected poorly in the draft. Here, let's discuss the team's top 5 worst selections in the last ten years.

Listing Jets' worst draft picks in the last decade

#5. S Calvin Pryor - First-round pick (2014)

Calvin Pryor was selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft by the New York Jets after playing collegiate football at Louisville. Pryor had a brief and essentially insignificant career as a professional football player after being chosen 18th overall in the draft.

Pryor had three unsuccessful seasons with the Jets. He wilted out of the league after departing the Jets in 2016, not living up to expectations despite plenty of opportunities to improve.

Pryor only recorded 0.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions during his professional career.

#4. WR ArDarius Stewart - Third round pick (2017)

The New York Jets selected ArDarius Stewart in the third round of the 2017 draft. However, in October 2018, the receiver was released from the team following his two-game ban at the beginning of the season for breaking the league's performance-enhancing policy. Stewart only recorded six catches for 82 yards in 15 games as a rookie before he was cleared to leave the team.

Stewart played with the Washington Commanders and the Las Vegas Raiders after he was cut by the Jets. He has also played for the BC Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL.

#3. QB Christian Hackenberg - Second round pick (2016)

Christian Hackenberg never saw action as a passer in an NFL regular season game despite being chosen in the second round of the 2016 draft.

According to rumors, the Jets kept Hackenberg on their depth chart on purpose to prevent him from ever throwing an NFL pass as they were worried about how awful he would perform.

Hackenberg completed 59 passes for 531 yards in six preseason games over the course of two seasons with the Jets, which puts his awful performance into perspective. He threw three touchdowns and four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. He was sacked on 10 different occasions and also fumbled on six occasions.

#2. LB Darron Lee - First-round pick (2016)

Darron Lee's impressive collegiate career helped the Ohio State football team win a national championship in 2014, and the New York Jets selected him as their first-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

Lee's debut season was a mixed bag with the Jets. However, he finished the season as a starter despite missing a few games due to an injury. He had an improved season in 2017, finishing with 94 tackles and three sacks.

Due to Lee's late-season four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2018, the Jets finally chose not to retain him long-term. He became a free agent following New York's refusal to activate his fifth-year option in the offseason.

#1. QB Sam Darnold - First-round pick (2018)

Nobody was shocked in 2021 when the Jets selected quarterback Zach Wilson to replace Sam Darnold.

The Jets drafted the QB with the third overall choice in 2018, but he had a difficult time with the team, only throwing 54 touchdowns to 52 interceptions in 50 games, 49 of which were starts.

The Jets had to give up three picks in the second round to move up just three positions in the draft to select Darnold, which made this even more awful for their fans.