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10 biggest NFL draft busts in Tennessee football history

The Tennessee Volunteers have produced many legendary players into the NFL, but a few early draft picks had careers that didn't pan out after leaving Knoxville.

By Josh Yourish

Tennessee sophomore quarterback Heath Shuler (21)
Tennessee sophomore quarterback Heath Shuler (21) / Rex Perry / The Tennessean / USA TODAY
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. . No. 7 overall. 1991. Charles McRae, OT. player. Charles McRae. Charles McRae, OT. 5. 48

Like Toles, McRae changed positions at Tennessee, but he switched from the defensive line to the offensive line for his final two seasons in Knoxville. He became an All-SEC offensive tackle and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers grabbed him in the top 10 of the 1991 NFL Draft. 

McRae was taken just one pick ahead of his teammate and fellow offensive tackle Antone Davis who went No. 9 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles. 

McRae put together a six-year NFL career, with five of them coming in Tampa Bay, but he only started 39 of his 84 career games and eventually moved inside from tackle to left guard. McRae signed in Oakland for 1996, but only played one game for the Raiders before his NFL career came to an end. 

McRae certainly didn’t have the fifth worst career on this list, but the expectations were very high as the No. 7 overall pick, so that earns him a spot as the fifth biggest bust in Tennessee football history. 

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