Writer
Recap of the Best Number One Pick for Every Team in NFL Draft History
Now that every team has been covered, who would be the best player ever drafted in the first-round throughout the history of the NFL? There have been so many great ones it’s a very difficult choice. But this would be my list of finalists:
- 1957: Paul Hornung, (Green Bay)
- 1957: Jim Brown (Cleveland)
- 1962: Ernie Davis, (Washington-because of his tragic death, he never got to have a career)
- 1963: Buck Buchanan (Kansas City)
- 1965: Joe Namath (New York Jets)
- 1969: O.J. Simpson (Buffalo)
- 1970: Terry Bradshaw (Pittsburgh)
- 1971: Jim Plunkett (New England)
- 1974: Ed “Too Tall” Jones (Dallas)
- 1976: Lee Roy Selmon (Tampa)
- 1978: Earl Campbell (Houston)
- 1983: John Elway (Baltimore)
- 1984: Steve Young (Tampa)
- 1985: Bruce Smith (Buffalo)
- 1986: Bo Jackson (Tampa)
- 1989: Troy Aikman (Dallas)
- 1996: Keyshawn Johnson (New York Jets)
- 1997: Orlando Pace (St. Louis Rams)
- 1998: Peyton Manning (Indianapolis)
- 2001: Michael Vick (Atlanta)
- 2003: Carson Palmer (Cincinnati)
- 2004: Eli Manning (San Diego)
- 2005: Alex Smith (San Franisco)
- 2009: Matthew Stafford (Detroit)
- 2002: Cam Newton (Carolina)
- 2012: Andrew Luck (Indianapolis)
Of this group, if I had to make a choice, I would probably go with a player that was most athletic because while stats are one thing, I prefer the men on the field that can do many different things in the game. With that said, I still can’t name just one player. How about three of the best? Bo Jackson, O.J. Simpson, and Jim Brown.
Agree? Or Disagree?
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