Nine Players You Forgot Were Picked #1 Overall (since 1969):

The NFL Draft is approaching swiftly, even without the collective bargaining agreement being settled, it's time to rouse Mel Kiper and bring him out for his one evening of fame.  It is a night when people choose to watch something that is about as exciting on television as Scrubs after J.D. left.

I'm just happy to be mentioned

 However, there are a few people who you've probably forgotten were #1 Overall selections...but how?  The NFL Draft is such a big deal.  We had Bradford and Stafford and....oh shit:

#9 Ki-Jana Carter, RB Penn State, 1995:
Mostly famous for having the name Ki-Jana, Kenneth Leonard Carter was taken first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995.  He left college after his junior year because Coach Joe Paterno told him he had too bright of a future in the NFL to stay in college any longer.  He rushed for nearly 1,600 yards that junior year.  He was signed by the Bengals at the highest contract ever for a rookie and was expected to became the next Barry Sanders, who was still active at the time, but nonetheless.
What Happened?:
On his third carry from scrimmage in his first NFL PRESEASON game, Ka-Jana tore his ACL....yeah.  He never recovered from the injury and racked up less rushing yards in his career than that junior year of college.  It is a sad story for Ka-Jana, but a reminder to all athletes and everyone that even when you are supposed to be the surest of things, God may decide you are better off as an entrepreneur and tear you ACL, ruining your career...or may be it was just by chance.


#8 O.J. Simpson, RB USC, 1969:
The more elderly of my millions of readers probably recognize O.J. Simpson for being a number one overall pick, but everyone born after 1980 remembers him only for his illegal escapes (allegedly).  However, Simpson was at one time thought to be perhaps the greatest running back of both the college and pro games.  He made differences, carrying the ball for the USC Trojans and Buffalo Bills.
What Happened?:
Often getting arrested for murder doesn't help your public image; although, Simpson was never found guilty.  The people have never forgotten this, and the book released by Mike Gilbert entitled "How I Helped O.J. Get Away with Murder: The Shocking Inside Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret and Remorse" probably didn't help that.  Nor, however, did the other trials, including the latest one involving a robbery in Las Vegas in which Simpson was found guilty.   He is now serving his sentence as Nevada Department of Corrections's inmate #1027820 at the Lovelock Correctional Center.

#7 Jake Long, OT Michigan, 2008:
The oft forgotten 2008 #1 overall pick was one of the best #1 overalls in the 2000's.  He has completely anchored the Dolphins defensive line after they took him #1.  Long made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2010 and this season.  As a linemen, that's about all you can hang your hat on since the NFL fails to reward them in anyway.  I mean they'll never win the Heisman, but at least College Football has the common decency to create the Rimington and Best OL awards.
What Happened?:
It's pretty basic, he's a linemen.  Jake Long didn't get accused of murder or tear his ACL, he simply plays at a position that doesn't get any hype.  He is playing maybe the most important position in football since it is his job to keep a Quarterback healthy and on his feet (see the movie The Blindside opening scene).  Long will probably end up being the best #1 overall pick of the 2000's, but also maybe the most forgettable.

#6 Ed "Too-Tall" Jones, DT Tennessee State, 1974
Let's just get this out of the way for you people...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW4jsfqx7fE.  Yes, that Ed "Too-Tall" Jones.  He is officially 6'9" and unofficially had 109 career sacks since sacks weren't an official stat until 1982.  He played 15 solid years for the Dallas Cowboys and made a living being "too tall".  Unfortunately today he is more renowned for his Geico commercial than his being the #1 overall pick or even being a professional football player.  I'll admit, when I first saw the Geico commercial I said, "Is he a basketball player?"  Luckily I rebounded and remembered (Googled) who Ed Jones really was.
What Happened?:
Perhaps the biggest mystery on this list is Ed "Too-Tall" Jones.  He had a solid NFL career, but is never remembered for being the #1 overall pick.  In fact, he didn't even get a picture on his Wikipedia page.  Ed Jones just seemed to fade into nothingness, perhaps it was the fact that he was too tall, but that is circumstantial to say the least.  It might having something to due with the Geico guy's hair.  We'll never know, for now, we'll blame it on the fact that Ed "Too-Tall" Jones was simply just too tall.
 
#5 Drew Bledsoe, QB Washington State, 1993:
Drew Bledsoe was a #1 overall pick?  Hells to the nah, he was mediocre at best in the NFL....but he he had a record setting career at Washington State.  He might be the best Quarterback ever to come out of Pullman, in fact he definitely was.  He made the Cougars relevant which is something that fewer people can say than, "Look at my Super Bowl Ring!".
What Happened?:
Have you ever heard of Tom Brady? Tony Romo? Bill Parcels?  Well you are probably thinking that these three men were the bane of Bledsoe, but hold the phone, someone else actually was the ending of Bledsoe's stardom in New England, ushered in the Brady era, brought home a Pats Dynasty, and turned Bill Belichick into a genius....enter Mo Lewis.  Lewis hit Bledsoe in 2001 and injured his shoulder.  A greenhorn at the time, Tom Brady was forced to fill the role.  So New England, if you want a hero, don't look at Brady or Belichick because they never did as much for the Patriots as Mo Lewis and his decimation of Bledsoe's $103 million dollar 10-year contract.

You're welcome, Boston

#4 Mario Williams, DE NC State, 2006:
It is nice when a team makes the experts look absolutely ridiculous.  Do you remember who else was considered to be great during the 2006 draft?  Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, and Jay Cutler were all supposed to compete for the #1 overall selection.  ESPN slobbered over Reggie Bush like David Letterman does with a new co-worker, yet here we are four seasons later and it is none other than Mario Williams who has been arguably the most prized pick of the 2006 first round, only truly competing with A.J. Hawk, Haloti Ngata, and D'Brickashaw (yeah, I know) Ferguson.  Williams is a 2-time pro bowler and has 48 sacks in 5 seasons.
What Happened?:
Simply overshadowed by other players at the beginning, Williams was always expected to be a bust at number one so he slowly but surely moved out of the public eye as Vince Young won Rookie of the Year, Reggie Bush flopped at #2, Matt Leinart never received any playing time, and Jay Cutler took to crying.  Williams was simply never a big deal in the media and thus didn't get the recognition of other #1's, but maybe even more significantly, he never flopped and so he kept away from negative publicity.  He wen along and took care of business and the other names around his carried more weight and star power, so he was ignored proving being ignored is sometimes better than being Reggie Bush.

#3 Bo Jackson, RB Auburn, 1986: 
Considered by many to be the closest thing the world will ever come to a real life Superman, Bo Jackson was both a Football and Baseball star at Auburn.  Most people recognize him as a player for the Oakland Raiders, his only ever NFL team, but Jackson actually was drafted twice and your mind just exploded.  Jackson joined the Raiders as a seventh round draft pick in 1987.  He had already signed a baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals, but owner Al Davis being the keen and always frugal owner basically said, "F**k Baseball" thinking Jackson wouldn't be able to resist the limelight of the NFL.  He was an all-star in the MLB and a pro bowler in the NFL which is okay.
What Happened?:
If you haven't found out in the first segment of the Bo Jackson section of this article, Bo liked baseball.  He liked it enough to figuratively hold up a middle finger to being the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft to play some college ball.  Also contributing was the fact he never played a down or even signed a contract as the #1 overall pick and is better known as being a seventh rounder a year later...go figure.

#2 David Carr, QB Fresno State, 2002:
Who?  No one really remembers David Carr.  He played at a relatively irrelevant college and was drafted by an extremely irrelevant expansion team and had an irrelevant NFL career.  Carr was a standout college Quarterback, throwing for 4,830 yards and 46 touchdowns his senior year at Fresno.  He is mediocre height at 6'3" and has average arm strength.  He had an average NFL career, having his best year in 2004 with the Texans.
What Happened?:
If I had to describe David Carr's career, it would be "Sacked".  He was sacked 76 times in his rookie year and never recovered.  The constant battering of Carr never helped his cause, but neither did the role of being a first QB for an expansion team.  The Texans were starting out with zilch and Carr was expected to be some sort of hero.  He never even had a chance.  Don't call him a bust, call him a victim.

Although he was on Sports Illustrated's cover

#1 Michael Vick, QB Virginia Tech, 2001
Michael Vick is the best running QB ever.  He has eclipsed 1,000 yards and was the toast of Atlanta whilst he piloted the Falcons.  Now he is the toast of Philadelphia as he pilots the Eagles, who knew Michael Vick would be doing so much piloting?  Essentially Vick has regained all the fame and ability that had once escaped him.  He became a MVP candidate until Tom Brady went Super-Saiyan, but I mean he wasn't really taken #1 overall was he?  Seeing as how the basis for this article has been about #1 overall picks I have decided not to mindfuck you on the last player, he was indeed taken #1 overall in 2001 .  This is more of a people had forgotten than they still forget.  I mean Vick went to prison, everyone knows that.  He misses about two years of NFL season and everyone figured he would come back and be some like that old guy from the Snicker's commercial...the one after Betty White who says, "That hurt!"...alrighty.
What Happened?:
Vick was arrested in April 2007 for having dogs fight.  He was sent to jail for 2 years and in that span Donte Stallworth killed a guy driving drunk and was arrested, convicted, and released.  However, on the note of Vick, he attempted to make a comeback to the NFL, but two years away made everyone forget he was a #1 overall pick, except apparently Andy Reid and Philly who decided to give him a chance.  I think it worked out.  Let's all clap for Andy Reid.