With NFL draft season upon us, let’s take a look back at the best all-time picks for each slot in the first round.
32. Logan Mankins, 2005
For nearly a decade, Mankins was one of the best offensive guards in the NFL. The Fresno State product was a seven-time Pro Bowler and made New England’s 2000s All-Decade team.
31. Greg Olsen, 2007
Olsen, who was drafted by the Bears and joined the Panthers in 2011, has been one of the league’s most reliable tight ends. From 2014 to 2016, the former Miami star topped 1,000 yards three straight years and made the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons.
30. Reggie Wayne, 2001
Marvin Harrison had gaudier numbers, but Wayne was spectacular, too. The Colts receiver (14,345 yards, 82 TDs) was a six-time Pro Bowler who caught a touchdown pass from Peyton Manning in Indianapolis’ win over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
29. Nick Mangold, 2006
Mangold had a stellar 11-year career with the Jets. The center was a seven-time Pro Bowler for New York. He was a key member of a squad that advanced to the AFC championship game twice under coach Rex Ryan.
28. Derrick Brooks, 1995
For more than a decade, Linebacker Derrick Brooks was a force for the Buccaneers. He recorded at least 101 tackles in 12 of his 14 NFL seasons and made the Pro Bowl 11 times. The five-time first-team All-Pro and 2002 Defensive Player of the Year was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. (Note: Cornerback Darrell Green, the 28th pick in the 1983 draft, also deserves recognition here.)
27. Dan Marino, 1983
One of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, the future Hall of Famer somehow lasted until the 27th pick of the NFL draft. The Dolphins star went on to make nine Pro Bowls and shatter nearly every single passing record in an era when defenses still ruled.
26. Ray Lewis, 1996
One of the best linebackers ever, Lewis made 13 Pro Bowls, was a seven-time first-team All-Pro, and in 2000 anchored the Super Bowl-winning Ravens defense, one of the best ever.
25. Stanley Morgan, 1977
The receiver was one of the best deep threats of his era. For three straight seasons starting in 1979, he led the NFL in yards per reception. Morgan made four Pro Bowls and finished his 14-year career with 10,716 receiving yards and 72 touchdowns.
24. Ed Reed, 2002
With apologies to Aaron Rodgers (2005), Reed is the best player to be taken with the 24th pick of the NFL draft. The nine-time Pro Bowler, five-time first-team All-Pro, and Super Bowl champ (XLVII) might be the best safety of all-time.
23. Ray Guy, 1973
Ty Law (1995) gets some consideration in this spot, but Guy is the best punter ever. The only punter in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Guy was a seven-time Pro Bowler, six-time first-team All-Pro, and helped the Raiders win three championships.
22. Demaryius Thomas, 2010
From 2012 to 2016, the receiver made five straight Pro Bowls. In 2015, the former Georgia Tech star helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50.
21. Randy Moss, 1998
Jerry Rice is the best NFL receiver of all-time. Moss is second best. The blazingly fast Vikings star made six Pro Bowls, was a four-time first-team All-Pro, and retired with 156 career touchdown catches. In 2007, he set a single-season record with 23 receiving TDs.
20. Jack Youngblood, 1971
The Rams defensive end, regarded as one of the toughest NFL players ever, made seven Pro Bowls and was a five-time first-team All-Pro. Youngblood was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
19. Marvin Harrison, 1996
Peyton Manning’s favorite target, Harrison piled up big numbers as a Colt. The Hall of Famer made eight Pro Bowls, was a three-time first-team All-Pro, and retired with 128 receiving touchdowns.
18. Art Monk, 1980
Monk was a key member of Washington’s three Super Bowl-winning teams in the ’80s and early ’90s. The receiver, a star at Syracuse, made three straight Pro Bowls from 1984 to 1986 and led the NFL in receptions in ’84.
17. Emmitt Smith, 1990
A three-time Super Bowl champion with the Cowboys, Smith is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher (18,355 yards). The eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro was named MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII.
16. Jerry Rice, 1985
Rice is not only the best receiver of all-time, he may be the best player in NFL history. The three-time Super Bowl champ made 13 Pro Bowls and was a 10-time first-team All-Pro. He’s still the NFL record holder in career receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), receiving touchdowns (197), and total touchdowns (208).
15. Alan Page, 1967
The heart of the Vikings’ Purple People Eaters defense in the 1970s, Page made nine Pro Bowls and was a six-time first-team All-Pro. The 1971 NFL MVP helped Minnesota reach four Super Bowls in the ’70s. After his playing career, the Pro Football Hall of Famer became a judge, eventually serving on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
14. Darrelle Revis, 2007
Quarterback Jim Kelly, the 14th pick in the 1983 draft, had an outstanding career. But he wasn’t as dominant as Revis. A seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, the shutdown cornerback blanketed the NFL’s top receivers for a decade.
13. Tony Gonzalez, 1997
Gonzalez revolutionized his position. He made 14 Pro Bowls, was a six-time first-team All-Pro, and retired in 2013 with a handful of NFL records. Among tight ends, he has the most receptions (1,325) and receiving yards (15,127) and is second in touchdowns (111). (Franco Harris, the 13th pick in the 1972 draft, also deserves mention here.)
12. Warren Sapp, 1995
Joe Namath, the 12th pick in the 1965 draft, is a legend. But Sapp was freakishly dominant. The Hall of Fame defensive tackle, a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, piled up 96.5 sacks during his 13-year NFL career and helped the Bucs beat the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
11. Frank Gifford, 1952
In the 1950s and ’60s, the late Frank Gifford was a legendary halfback and receiver for the Giants. The eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro was the league’s MVP in 1956, the same year he helped New York win a championship. (Fellow Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, the 11th pick in the 1988 draft, also deserves recognition.)
10. Rod Woodson, 1987
Woodson, who played cornerback and safety, is one of the greatest defensive backs in the history of the NFL. Over 17 NFL seasons, he made 11 Pro Bowls, was a six-time first-team All-Pro, piled up 71 interceptions (third most ever), and 12 INT return touchdowns (most ever). He also was a member of the Super Bowl-winning 2000 Ravens.
9. Bruce Matthews, 1983
If Matthews wasn’t the best offensive lineman of all-time—and he might’ve been—he was certainly the most versatile. The 14-time Pro Bowler and nine-time first-team All-Pro played all the positions on the line. He spent the entirety of his 19 NFL seasons with the Oilers/Titans franchise and never missed a game because of an injury.
8. Ronnie Lott, 1981
In the 1980s, the hard-hitting Lott, a cornerback and later a safety, anchored the underrated dynastic 49ers defense. The 10-time Pro Bowler and eight-time first-team All-Pro amassed 63 interceptions in his 14-season Hall of Fame career.
7. Adrian Peterson, 2007
While Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey, the seventh pick in the 1999 draft, had a spectacular NFL career, Adrian Peterson has been downright dominant. The running back, a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, was the league’s best running back for a decade. He has three rushing titles and was the NFL MVP in 2012.
6. Jim Brown, 1957
Jim Brown’s dominance shouldn’t be understated. The nine-time Pro Bowler and eight-time first-team All-Pro won eight rushing titles, led the league in rushing touchdowns five times, was named NFL MVP three times, and led the Browns to a championship in 1964.
5. Deion Sanders, 1989
One of the most electrifying players in NFL history, Sanders was perhaps the best cornerback ever. He made eight Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro eight times, was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1994, won two Super Bowls, and piled up 53 career interceptions, nine of which he returned for touchdowns. Sanders also was a stellar return man and late in his career occasionally played receiver.
4. Walter Payton, 1975
Jonathan Ogden (1996), John Hannah (1973), and Joe Greene (1969) are all worthy candidates in this slot, but Payton edges them all. The nine-time Pro Bowl, seven-time first-team All-Pro running back was, when he retired after the 1987 season, the NFL’s career rushing leader (16,726 yards).
3. Barry Sanders, 1989
In only 10 NFL seasons, Sanders racked up 15,269 rushing yards, the third most of all-time. His 5.0 yards per carry was higher than Emmitt Smith (4.2) and Walter Payton (4.4). The 10-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro was the league’s MVP in 1997.
2. Lawrence Taylor, 1981
Considered the best pass rusher in NFL history, Taylor was a 10-time Pro Bowler and eight-time first-team All-Pro. The two-time Super Bowl champion amassed 132.5 sacks, was the league MVP in 1986, and won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award three times.
1. Peyton Manning, 1998
Manning’s résumé is impeccable. The 14-time Pro Bowler and seven-time first-team All-Pro won two Super Bowls, five MVP awards, and holds several NFL records, including most career touchdown passes (539), most passing TDs in a season (55), and most passing yards in a season (5,477).
