When NFL teams struggle and bottom out to the point where they get the No. 1 overall pick, there is a lot of pressure on that selection. That being said, it is also a chance to take a player who will alter the path of your franchise.
Not every first overall pick is created equal. And each era changes the way the executives and teams think about the top pick. For instance, only the truly premium positions have been taken with the No. 1 pick in recent years. The last time the first pick wasn’t a quarterback, offensive tackle or defensive lineman was in 1996, when Keyshawn Johnson was drafted by the Jets.
Still, it is hard to overrate the immense value quarterbacks can have if they succeed at a level you’d expect from a No. 1 pick.
But who are the best first overall picks in the common draft era (since 1967)? Are they quarterbacks, offensive linemen or another position not mentioned? Who has changed their franchise the most and built the success general managers dream about when they send the card up for the first pick?
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Here are the top 10 first overall picks in the common draft era.
Top 10 first overall picks in the common draft era
Selected as the top pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, Vick was a true unicorn with game-breaking speed, seemingly impossible elusiveness and a rocket arm. Early in his career, he was named a Pro Bowler in his first three seasons in which he played at least 10 games. He would end up with four Pro Bowl nods and two top-five MVP finishes across 13 seasons. His 6,109 career rushing yards were the most for a QB before Lamar Jackson entered the league.
9. Orlando Pace
One of the best linemen in the game’s history, Pace was a vital piece of the Rams‘ “Greatest Show on Turf” teams that eventually brought the franchise a title in Super Bowl 34. Perhaps the biggest plus about the sturdy tackle was his consistency. He was named a Pro Bowler in seven straight seasons and played 169 games over 13 seasons before becoming a Hall of Famer in 2016.
8. Earl Campbell
Nobody started their career better than Campbell, who led the league in rushing in each of his first three seasons and took home three straight Offensive Player of the Year awards. During that stretch, he was also named MVP once, and runner-up twice, and earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The punishing running back’s career was a short one, though, playing in just eight NFL seasons. He finished with 9,407 rushing yards and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
7. O.J. Simpson
Though he had a slower start to his career than others on the list, Simpson was electric with the ball in his hands. After not rushing for 1,000 yards in any of his first three seasons, Simpson then hit that mark five years in a row and made five straight All-Pro teams. He also became the first player in NFL history to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a season over that span, putting up an eye-popping 2,003 yards in 14 games in 1973.
When all was said and done, Simpson led the NFL in rushing in four of his 11 seasons and in rushing touchdowns twice. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Manning, selected first overall by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft, was quickly traded to the Giants in a deal that brought Philip Rivers to the Bolts. The rest was history. Eli was a Pro Bowler just four times in his career, but he saved his best play for when it mattered most, delivering perhaps the most iconic Super Bowl win in history when his Giants took down the previously unbeaten Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII. He would capture one more Super Bowl title with the team and retire with over 57,000 yards passing to his name.
5. Troy Aikman
Playing for the most famous franchise in the NFL, Aikman notably helped bring Dallas to the mountaintop multiple times, pushing the team to three titles, while winning Super Bowl MVP once. Over the course of his 12 seasons with the Cowboys, Aikman was named a Pro Bowler six times and won 94 games. He would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
4. Bruce Smith
The best defensive player on the list, Smith was a monster on the field and justified this pick and then some for the Bills. He was an absolute terror for opposing offenses, specifically QBs, racking up 200 sacks in his career. To this day, he is still the only player to reach that number. He was also named a first-team All-Pro eight times, won Defensive Player of the Year two times and had 13(!) double-digit sack seasons.
3. Terry Bradshaw
One of the greatest winners in league history, Bradshaw helped the Steelers earn their championship pedigree. Over his career, Bradshaw guided Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl titles, becoming the first quarterback to claim that many. Since then, that number has only been matched by Joe Montana and surpassed by Tom Brady. Moreover, all Bradshaw did was win, posting a 14-5 playoff mark and leading the Steelers to 107 regular-season victories.
2. John Elway
Taken first overall by the Baltimore Colts in 1983, Elway forced his way out and was shipped to Denver. During his 16-year career, he led the Broncos to 148 wins and, eventually, back-to-back Super Bowls in his final two seasons. He was also named MVP in 1987. And to put a bow on it, he was named a Hall of Famer in 2004, with “The Drive” being the most memorable moment in a career full of them.
1. Peyton Manning
A surprise to no one, Peyton Manning easily claims the top spot on this list for his play and the way he turned the Colts franchise around. At the time, it seemed like an interesting choice whether to take Ryan Leaf or Manning with the first pick, but Bill Polian and Indy made the right call.
By the time his career was over, Manning earned a league-record five NFL MVP awards, was a first-team All-Pro seven times, won two Super Bowls, set the NFL single-season touchdown mark with 55 in 2013 and threw the third-most touchdown passes in NFL history. Oh, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Honorable Mentions:
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