Peyton Manning is the perfect reminder of the power of a No. 1 NFL Draft pick.

But top selections rarely become the best players and there have been some serious busts in league history.

JaMarcus Russell had a huge arm but it quickly went downhill after he went No. 1Credit: Getty
While Tony Mandarich is widely considered to be the biggest bust of all time, the former Green Bay offensive lineman was a No. 2 pick in 1989.

Ryan Leaf, another huge draft bust, was taken second in 1998, one spot behind Manning.

When it comes to the biggest bust as a No. 1 pick, that award is reserved for a quarterback who was supposed to be a franchise-changer but ended up barely playing for the franchise that drafted him.

“The skill level he has is certainly John Elway-like,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said.

And 17 years later, Russell is almost forgotten by NFL fans, despite receiving a huge $61 million contract.

“It has been a long time and I am happy that everything is finally over and I get a chance to be a football player again,” said Russell, after a tense holdout finally ended.

At the time, the former LSU QB signed the richest rookie deal in NFL history.

Russell fell out of favor with the Raiders and slid down the depth chartCredit: Getty

His weight became an issue in the pros while his off-the-field issues mountedCredit: Getty
But it never went right for the 6ft 6in and 265lb Russell in the pros and, in many ways, things only got worse.

Russell’s lengthy holdout forced him to miss critical practice time.

As a result, he only played in four games (one start) as a rookie with the Raiders in 2007.

His stats were also off target. Russell only completed 54.5 per cent of his passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Turnover problems plagued the ex-Tiger — Russell finished his NFL career with more picks (23) than TDs (18) — and he completed less than 50 percent of his pass attempts during his last year in the pros.

But off-the-field issues were even more problematic.

Russell regularly appeared overweight — he reportedly approached 300 pounds — while questions lingered about his willingness to study the Raiders’ playbook.

The former No. 1 pick quickly fell out of favor in Oakland, falling down the depth chart and struggling to stay on the field.

Russell’s football career peaked in college at LSUCredit: Getty
From 2007-09, Russell went 7-18 as a starter.

During his final season in the pros, he threw 11 interceptions compared to just three TDs.

A year later, Russell was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance – codeine syrup.

Russell also told ESPN in 2010 that he had tested positive for codeine after becoming the Raiders’ No. 1 pick, and acknowledged using codeine without a prescription.

The former LSU star attempted to find his way back into the NFL and make a come back, but a path never materialized.

He had let the Raiders down, then become untouchable across the league.

The 38-year-old only played three seasons in the pros and is still considered to be the worst No. 1 pick of all time.