Joey Harrington (Oregon)
Joey Harrington was an absolute monster in his senior season at the University of Oregon — finishing the season with 34 touchdowns compared to just 6 interceptions. Harrington carved up the Colorado defense to the tune of 350 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Fiesta Bowl. After this stellar performance the Lions selected Harrington with the #3 pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. But there were early warning signs that Harrington’s career in Detroit was destined for failure.
According to team sources, team president Matt Millen drafted Harrington despite the fact that head coach Steve Mariucci was completely opposed to the pick. In 81 career NFL games, Harrington threw just 79 touchdowns and 85 interceptions. By drafting Harrington, the Lions passed on two future Hall of Famers, Dwight Freeney and Ed Reed. Since retiring in 2009, Harrington has served as an analyst for Fox Sports, and occasionally covers games for Oregon, his alma-mater. Then there’s his music. One of Harrington’s nicknames is “Piano Man,” referring to the fact that he is an accomplished jazz pianist who has performed with artists such as Jason Mraz, blues Traveler, and Third Eye Blind.