1998: Sam Cowart
This is one that will turn the stomach of Bills fans. Buffalo was unsatisfied with their quarterback situation and decided that Jacksonville Jaguars backup Rob Johnson would be the player to revive the franchise and bring the team back to the good ol’ days.
The Bills traded two picks, their first-round and fourth-round selections, for Johnson. The Bills needed up giving the ninth-overall pick to Jacksonville. The Jaguars selected running back Fred Taylor.
Meanwhile, Johnson was a sort of train wreck for the Bills. Buffalo had to deal with the fact that the quarterback that they signed a five-year contract worth $25 million (big bucks in the last millennium) was struggling to outperform a CFL MVP, Doug Flutie.
The pick:
Buffalo ended up picking Florida State middle linebacker Sam Cowart with the 39th overall. Cowart played only four seasons in Buffalo, but he did find success in his short time in Western New York. In 2000, he was named to the Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro. He missed the final four games after injuring his ankle. In 2001, he tore his Achilles tendon in the first game of the season. He then moved on from the Bills via free agency following the season.