Tony Mandarich Ante Josip " Tony " Mandarich ( born September 23 , 1966 ) is a former football offensive lineman of the NFL . He was the first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1989 , second overall behind quarterback Troy Aikman , and ahead of the third selection , running back Barry Sanders , the fourth selection , linebacker Derrick Thomas , and the fifth selection , cornerback Deion Sanders . Mandarich is the only player of those five not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame . He is tied with Charles Rogers as the second highest drafted Michigan State player ever ( behind Bubba Smith ) . He is also the highest - drafted Canadian - born player in NFL history . In 1989 , " Sports Illustrated " called him " the best offensive line prospect ever " , but he is now considered one of the biggest busts in NFL history . Football career . Mandarich played his senior year of high school football at Theodore Roosevelt High School ( Kent , Ohio ) . Recruited to Michigan State University by defensive back coach Nick Saban , Mandarich played in the 1988 Rose Bowl , was named as a First - team All - American , an Outland Award finalist and a two - time Big Ten Lineman of the Year . Upon his entry into the 1989 NFL Draft , both scouts and media ( most notably " Sports Illustrated " , which did a cover story on him , nicknaming him " The Incredible Bulk " ) began trumpeting Mandarich as the best offensive line prospect ever , touting his " measurables " , " He weighed 330 , ran the 40 in 4 . 65 seconds , did a standing long jump of 10 ' 3 " , leaped vertically 30 " and bench - pressed 225 pounds an unheard - of 39 times " . He appeared on the cover of " Sports Illustrated " twice and was also a colorful character , illustrated by such instances as challenging then – Heavyweight Boxing Champion Mike Tyson to a fight , missing scheduled public appearances due to being drunk or hungover , his well - documented love of the band Guns N ' Roses ( he had a dog named Axl and also a tattoo of the cross - design from the cover of " Appetite for Destruction " on his arm ) , and referring to Green Bay as " a village " . 1989 NFL Draft . Going into the 1989 draft , Mandarich was considered the best prospect for an offensive linemen ever and a top 5 pick . Unheard of for an offensive lineman , Mandarich was selected 2nd overall by the Green Bay Packers . Drafted as an offensive tackle , Mandarich never lived up to the very high expectations set for him . After a lengthy holdout , which was not settled until one week before the regular season kickoff , he spent most of his first year on the special teams unit . He was also known for having attitude issues . He was quoted " I am not like other players , I am Tony Mandarich , and they have to understand that . If they don ' t like it , that is just the way I am and they are going to learn to like it . " After three seasons of lackluster performance on a four - year contract , Mandarich was cut in 1992 by the Packers citing a non - football injury . Mandarich is often referred to as one of the top 5 bust NFL draft picks of all time , having been drafted second overall and ahead of such to - be NFL stars as Barry Sanders , Derrick Thomas , Deion Sanders , Steve Atwater , Eric Metcalf , and Andre Rison . The September 28 , 1992 , cover of " Sports Illustrated " featuring Mandarich labelled him " The NFL ' s Incredible Bust . " The question of steroid use has been discussed as a possible factor in Mandarich ' s spectacular failure . Mandarich did not admit his steroid use until 2008 . Until then , he publicly blamed his work ethic — in a 2003 " Milwaukee Journal - Sentinel " article : " I wanted to create as much hype as I could for many different reasons — exposure , negotiation leverage , you name it . And it all worked , except the performance wasn ' t there when it was time to play football . " After getting cut by the Packers , he went to Traverse City , Michigan for two years addicted to drugs and alcohol . His family checked him into a rehabilitation clinic on March 23 , 1995 and he became sober . Mandarich returned to football for three years between 1996 and 1998 with the Indianapolis Colts . He had a more successful , if not particularly noteworthy , career with the Colts , and even started all 16 games during the 1997 season before retiring from football in 1998 due to a shoulder injury . Post - football career . After his career was over , he moved back to Canada ; he owned a golf course and remarried his wife Char in 2004 . From September 2004 until September 2005 , Mandarich served as an NFL analyst for The Score TV sports network in Canada . He quit in October 2005 and moved to Arizona . He now runs a photography studio ; he began doing nature photography as a hobby in 1990 . Mandarich has expanded his business , named Mandarich Media Group , to include photography , video production , web design , search engine optimization , and Internet marketing . In September 2008 , Mandarich admitted to using steroids at Michigan State and faking a drug test before the 1988 Rose Bowl . Mandarich has denied using steroids while in the NFL but has admitted to an addiction to alcohol and painkillers while playing for the Packers . Tony had an older brother , John , who was instrumental in his development as an athlete , including sponsoring his younger brother ' s transfer to a stateside high school before Tony ' s senior year . John made his own reputation in professional football in the Canadian Football League . John Mandarich ' s early death from skin cancer is documented in Tony ' s memoir . In the March 2009 issue of " Sports Illustrated " he tells about his use and addiction and about his new book called " My Dirty Little Secrets — Steroids , Alcohol & God . " In that book , Mandarich ascribes his underwhelming performance with the Green Bay Packers to his painkiller addiction , which buffeted his drive and work ethic . His addiction was so powerful he kept syringes in his athletic supporter to have his narcotics supply close at hand . Mandarich goes on to describe his traumatic and triumphant stint in rehab , and his subsequent return to the NFL . " I didn ' t write the book for forgiveness , " Mandarich said . " I wrote the book for explanation and for , hopefully , helping somebody see the light that there is hope for addiction or alcoholism and that you can change and save your life . "