Missing on players in the draft is common, even for the Baltimore Ravens, who, more often than not, seem to find diamonds in the rough whenever they're on the clock. Ozzie Newsome is capable of making mistakes, however, and he made a massive draft mistake in 2003 when he traded a first-round pick in the following year's draft to take quarterback Kyle Boller out of California.
Ravens fans groan whenever they hear the name Boller because it truly felt as though he stood in the way of Baltimore adding to its trophy collection in the mid-2000s. The Ravens simply needed an average quarterback to help not lose them games and Boller couldn't even do that during his time in Baltimore.
Why Kyle Boller was the worst draft pick in Ravens history
As mentioned, the Ravens not only spent a first-round pick on Boller in 2003 but they traded a first-round selection in the following year's draft to move up and snag the Golden Bears quarterback. That pick turned into Vince Wilfork, who went on to spend 11 years with the Patriots (the team the Ravens traded with) and helped them win two Super Bowls. That certainly doesn't make the Boller trade look any better, that's for sure.
Giving up a first-round pick for a quarterback isn't crazy and if the guy pans out, it looks like a bargain. That's not what happened here though, sadly.
Boller appeared in 11 games as a rookie in 2003 and made nine starts. The Ravens went 5-4 in those starts but Boller's numbers definitely looked rookie-esque (seven touchdowns versus nine picks). The following year, Boller started all 16 games, which was the only time he'd accomplish this in his pro career. He threw more touchdowns than interceptions (13 vs 11) but the Ravens failed to qualify for the postseason with their 9-7 record.
As the years went on and the Ravens continued to give Boller opportunities, it was clear to the fans that he wasn't going to be the guy the team was hoping he'd be. The Ravens traded for Steve McNair in 2006, which officially relegated Boller from hopeful starter to backup. He finished his Ravens career with 7,846 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 44 interceptions in 53 games and 42 starts.
Fans remember Boller's lousy footwork and fumbling issues during his time with the team and his lack of accuracy and decision making skills made it obvious he was never going to figure it out and lead the team to the promised land. After missing the entire 2008 season due to an injury, Boller hit free agency in 2009, signing with the St. Louis Rams as a backup and spending the 2010 and 2011 seasons with the Oakland Raiders in yet another backup role.
Newsome has mostly made solid moves in the draft during his time as the Ravens' GM but everyone makes mistakes and Kyle Boller is proof that Newsome is not immune to that. Fortunately, Newsome didn't miss with the 18th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, selecting Joe Flacco, who, unlike Boller after going in the first round, transformed into a franchise quarterback and helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl.