There is one last season to go before the calendar turns to a new year that will bring on a new decade. However, the NFL Drafts of the 2010s are done. What player was the best selected by each team in the first round?
Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Peterson
Patrick Peterson was the fifth overall pick by Arizona out of LSU in 2011. The shutdown corner has been an eight-time Pro Bowler and is one of the top defensive backs of this generation.
Atlanta Falcons: Julio Jones
An absolute gem of a wide receiver is what the Atlanta Falcons got when they traded up to the sixth slot to select Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones. The Falcons sent five draft picks to the Browns for the slot to grab Jones, who has three 100-catch seasons on what will surely be a Hall of Fame career.
Baltimore Ravens: C.J. Mosley
C.J. Mosley came to Baltimore from Alabama with the 17th overall pick in 2014. He made four Pro Bowls as a Raven. Baltimore will be looking to fill a huge gap in its linebacking corps as Mosley took the free-agent route to the New York Jets. In the long run, Lamar Jackson could give Mosley a run for the money for this nod, but not now.
Buffalo Bills: Stephon Gilmore
The Bills made the right call when they drafted Stephen Gilmore out of South Carolina 10th overall in 2012. Unfortunately for Buffalo, they saw Gilmore sign with arch-rival New England before the 2017 season. He already has a Super Bowl ring as a Patriot.
Carolina Panthers: Luke Kuechly
The Carolina Panthers landed a stellar leader and linebacker when they drafted Luke Kuechly out of Boston College with the ninth pick in 2012. The six-time Pro Bowler was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.
Chicago Bears: Kyle Fuller
Kyle Fuller came to the Bears with the 14th overall selection out of Virginia Tech in 2014. From a football family, Fuller had seven of his career 15 picks last season when he made the Pro Bowl.
Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green
Another gem from the 2011 draft is A.J. Green. The Bengals drafted the wide receiver from Georgia fourth overall. The seven-time Pro Bowler has caught 698 passes, 63 that have gone for touchdowns. Another player on a Hall of Fame course.
Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield
It might be a bit early to tab Baker Mayfield as the best Browns pick of this generation. However, the Heisman winner out of Oklahoma has shown the ability to turn a struggling team into a winner. The future is exceptionally bright for Mayfield. He simply has to work on his leadership skills.
Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott
One of the tougher decisions. The Cowboys have had an amazing run with first-rounders. Ezekiel Elliott gets the nod over Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin. Those linemen split the vote and open the way for the former Ohio State star drafted fourth overall to get the nod.
Denver Broncos: Von Miller
Von Miller came to Denver as the second overall pick in 2011. The Aggie has become one of the elite linebackers in the game. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champ and has 98 career sacks.
Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh
One of the more controversial players in recent times in the league is Ndamukong Suh. His time in Detroit was filled with highlights and questionable plays. Since, he has moved to Miami, the Los Angeles Rams and now Tampa Bay. He has made five Pro Bowls.
Green Bay Packers: Bryan Bulaga
Green Bay has not had a strong record of drafting top picks in this decade. Bryan Bulaga gets the nod over Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Bulaga has done an excellent job in protecting Aaron Rodgers and being a top-flight offensive lineman.
Houston Texans: J.J. Watt
The Houston Texans landed one of the best D-linemen in NFL history when they selected J.J. Watt out of Wisconsin with the 11th pick in 2011. In addition to being a force on the field, he has proven to be an amazing humanitarian with his charitable work.
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
It isn’t easy to follow a legend like Peyton Manning. Andrew Luck has delivered big time for Indy since being chosen first overall out of Stanford in 2012. He has made the Pro Bowl four times. His great accomplishment, however, is becoming Comeback Player of the Year in 2018 after missing the entire 2017 season.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey
Jalen Ramsey defaults his way into this slot. He loves to talk and is a solid DB. However, this is more of a testament to how awful the Jags’ drafting record has been this decade.
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
There is no question Patrick Mahomes is the top pick in the 2010 decade by the Chiefs. It took one season as a starter to prove the 10th overall pick out of Texas Tech in 2017 is an elite quarterback.
Los Angeles Chargers: Derwin James
The 17th overall pick out of Florida State in 2018, Derwin James edges Joey Bosa. In his first season, James made the Pro Bowl, no easy feat for a DB.
Los Angeles Rams: Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald defines being a defensive lineman. He is the ultimate terror for opposing offenses. The five-time Pro Bowler was drafted out of Pitt with the 13th overall pick in 2014. In 2018, he had 20.5 of his 59.5 career sacks.
Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey
Mike Pouncey was the 15th overall selection out of Florida by the Miami Dolphins in 2011. One of the best centers in the game, Pouncey took his talents from South Beach to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018.
Minnesota Vikings: Xavier Rhodes
A two-time Pro Bowler, Xavier Rhodes came to Minnesota from Florida State with the 26th overall pick in 2013. He teams with Trae Waynes, another fine top selection by the Vikings in this decade to make up a strong secondary.
New England Patriots: Devin McCourty
Devin McCourty came to the Patriots in 2010 out of Rutgers as the 27th overall pick. A leader on and off the field, he is a three-time Super Bowl champ and one of the key bricks in the foundation that has made New England a dynasty.
New Orleans Saints: Cameron Jordan
The offense gets most of the headlines in New Orleans. However, when it comes to top picks, Cameron Jordan has been elite as a Saint. The 24th pick out of Cal in 2011 has 71.5 sacks. A force.
New York Giants: Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley was one of the few bright spots for the Giants after being chosen second overall out of Penn State in 2018. Yes, there could be an argument for Odell Beckham Jr. here. However, the overall distractions that eventually led to his trade to the Browns open the door for Barkley.
New York Jets: Jamal Adams
Jamal Adams brings leadership and skill to the Jets, who drafted him sixth overall out of Kentucky in 2017.
Oakland Raiders: Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack is always going to be the one that got away from the Raiders. The fifth overall pick out of Buffalo in 2014 is one of the best linebackers of this or any generation. The Raiders will rue the day they traded him to the Chicago Bears for years to come.
Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz
Carson Wentz only needs to stay healthy to become one of the great quarterbacks in Eagles history. The second overall pick out of North Dakota in 2017 is a Super Bowl champ, with a key assist from Nick Foles. Wentz has thrown 70 TD passes against 28 picks.
Pittsburgh Steelers: David DeCastro
David DeCastro is an elite offensive lineman for the Steelers. A four-time Pro Bowler, the 24th overall selection out of Stanford in 2012 is one of the finest linemen in the game.
San Francisco 49ers: Mike McGlinchey
Mike McGlinchey came to the Niners from Notre Dame as the ninth overall pick in 2018. All he did was step into the right tackle slot and start all 16 games. One of the building blocks for SF.
Seattle Seahawks: Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas is off to Baltimore after a fine career in Seattle. One of the anchors of the Legion of Boom, the DB out of Texas was taken 14th overall in 2010 and has been a six-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy
Gerald McCoy was a leader and defensive stalwart for Tampa Bay since being chosen third overall out of Oklahoma in 2010. The six-time Pro Bowler has 53.5 sacks and will be a great addition to the Carolina Panthers.
Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan
Taylor Lewan is a fiery leader for the Tennessee Titans. Drafted 11th overall out of Michigan in 2014, Lewan has been named to three Pro Bowls. He brings the attitude to the Titans.
Washington Redskins: Ryan Kerrigan
Ryan Kerrigan was drafted 16th overall out of Purdue in 2011. He has delivered huge for Washington. Kerrigan has 84.5 quarterback sacks and is one of the best players — the best? — for Washington, a team that has seen its share of struggles.
