The NFL Draft is an annual event where the rising stars of college football get the chance to live their dreams and hear their names called on the big stage. All 32 NFL teams use the draft as an opportunity to rebuild a team or add a key piece to help the franchise get to the next level. Here is the all-time best draft pick from all 32 NFL teams.
Arizona Cardinals – Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald is arguably the best player to ever suit up for the Arizona Cardinals, and easily one of the best wide receivers to ever play the game. As the third overall pick in 2004, Fitzgerald was the only wide receiver taken in the first round to play more than a decade in the NFL. He spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals and earned eleven Pro Bowls. Fitzgerald retired in 2020 as the second all-time leader in receiving yards.
Atlanta Falcons – Deion Sanders
Before he was a big-time coach at Colorado, Mr. Prime Time Deion Sanders was taken fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1989 NFL Draft. Deion was the first defensive back off the board and went ahead of fellow Hall of Famer Steve Atwater. Sanders was a Falcon for five years but was the cornerstone of their defense while he was there. He earned three Pro Bowl selections, and his first two of six First-team All-pro nods. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Baltimore Ravens – Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis was a 6-1, 240-pound linebacker from the University of Miami. He was viewed as short and stocky for his position, but the Baltimore Ravens rolled the dice on Lewis and drafted him with the 26th overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. Lewis was the fourth linebacker on the board, and the only linebacker taken on the first round to play over a decade. Lewis played at a high level for his entire career and was a force to be reckoned with on the Ravens’ defense. As one of the best linebackers to ever play the game, the seven-time All-pro could line up at any linebacker spot and still be the best player on the field. Lewis was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, after playing 17 years in the NFL.
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Buffalo Bills – Thurman Thomas
Thurman Thomas was the best running back in Bills history, that didn’t drive a white Ford Bronco. Thomas was selected in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft and won the 1991 MVP Award. Thomas was a 5-time pro bowler and had eight seasons with more than 1,000 rushing yards. Thomas was a cornerstone on the Bills offense that appeared in four straight Super Bowls. Thomas was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007 and had quite the career for himself as a second-round pick.
Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton
Cam Newton was the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and inherited a struggling Panthers team that went 2-14 the year before. Newton made progress in turning around the young team and led the Panthers to a 6-10 record in his rookie campaign and earned the 2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Newton and the Panthers went 12-4 in 2013, and Newton earned his second Pro Bowl nod. His best season came in 2015 when he won the NFL’s MVP award with 35 passing touchdowns, and over 600 yards rushing accompanied by 10 touchdowns. Newton helped turn around the struggling Carolina Panthers and will forever be known as Charlotte’s Superman.
Chicago Bears – Richard Dent
Richard Dent was selected by the Bears in the 8th round of the 1983 NFL Draft and went on to play in Chicago for 11 years. Dent was a two-time Super Bowl Champion and MVP of Super Bowl XX. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 with 137.5 career sacks and 37 forced fumbles. Dent was a key piece of the legendary 1985 Bears’ defense. An absolute steal for the Chicago Bears.
Cincinnati Bengals – Anthony Munoz
Munoz was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 1980 Draft. He was the first offensive lineman off the board and spent 13 years playing Tackle for the Bengals. Munoz made the Pro Bowl eleven years in a row and was a 9-time First Team All-pro. Munoz also had four receiving touchdowns in his career, which is every offensive lineman’s dream. At 6’6 278 pounds during his playing career, Munoz played at a lighter weight compared to the offensive lineman of today. Considering all of his accolades, it is no surprise that Munoz was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.
Cleveland Browns – Joe Thomas
For a decade, Joe Thomas was a bright spot in a rather dark time in the Cleveland Browns’ history. Thomas was the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft and was runner-up for Offensive Rookie of The Year in his first season. His competition: Adrian Peterson. Thomas appeared in ten Pro Bowls, and 6 All-Pro lists, cementing himself as one of the best Offensive linemen of the 2000s and 2010s.
Dallas Cowboys – Roger Staubach
Staubach was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1964 American Football League Draft. Staubach was taken in the 16th round of the draft, which is absurd to compare to the modern-day NFL Draft which has only seven rounds. After the NFL and AFL Merged in 1966, Staubach made his NFL Debut in 1969 at the age of 27. In 1971, Staubach won all ten regular season games that he started for Dallas, and that year the Cowboys went on to win the Superbowl. He continued to play at a high level for the Cowboys until his final year in 1979. Staubach leads Dallas to two Super Bowls and is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame and the 1970’s all-decade team.
Denver Broncos – Terrel Davis
Hall of Fame running back Terrel Davis was drafted in the 6th round of the 1996 NFL Draft. There were 17 running backs drafted before the man they call T.D., but with the exception of Curtis Martin, Davis was the only running back from that class to make it into the Hall of Fame. Davis played for the Broncos for seven years and was a three-time Pro Bowler, and All-pro rusher. He led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 1997, and 1998, and holds the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single post-season run with eight. All in all, Davis was one of the best running backs in the league during his tenure in Denver and was an amazing pick in the sixth round.
Detroit Lions – Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders played a decade in the NFL and is debatably the best running back of all time. He made the Pro Bowl every year of his career and was a sixth-time All-pro. Sanders won the MVP award in 1997 and holds the record for most games with 150 yards from scrimmage.
Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers have a very rich and historic franchise that has been filled with legendary quarterbacks. It is rare when a Packers quarterback is not in the conversation for MVP, and this was no exception when Aaron Rodgers stepped onto the field. Rodgers was the second Quarterback taken off the board in the 2005 Draft and sat behind Brett Favre for his first three years in the NFL. Once Rodgers took over the starting job, he never looked back; earning ten Pro Bowl nods, four All-pros and was voted NFL MVP four times. The big question in the 2005 Draft was who was the better quarterback, Alex Smith, or Aaron Rodgers. Two decades later it is clear that the answer was Rodgers.
Houston Texans – J.J. Watt
Honestly, who else did you expect? The Houston Texans have often been towards the lower half of the AFC, but arguably the most impactful player in franchise history has been Defensive End J.J. Watt. Watt was drafted 11th overall in 2011, and in just his second year was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Watt led the Texans’ Defense but struggled to remain healthy at times. Still, in a ten-year career with Houston, he played in over 120 games and had over 100 solo sacks. This was accompanied by two interceptions that were both returned for touchdowns. Crazy to think that a defensive lineman returned more interceptions for touchdowns than some corners do.
Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning
Okay, so maybe this is a low-hanging fruit, but Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and is deserving of the first overall pick. In 1998, the big debate was who would be the first overall pick: Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf? Whoever the Colts didn’t take first overall, the Chargers would take second. The Colts selected Manning with the first overall pick, and that proved to be the right decision as he went on to win a Superbowl with the Colts and dominate in the AFC for his entire career. Manning played 13 years with the Colts and only had two seasons with a losing record. He appeared in nine straight pro bowls as the signal caller in Indianapolis and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021. The Colts made the right decision by selecting Manning.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Tony Boselli
Tony Boselli was a mountain of a man coming out of college at USC. The Offensive tackle stood at 6’7, and about 324 pounds. Boselli is one of, if not the best player in Jaguars history, and easily the team’s best draft pick given their history of drafting players that didn’t live up to their supposed potential. Boselli protected the right side of the line of scrimmage, and was an all-pro from 1997-1999, and appeared in five straight Pro Bowls. Boselli’s career was cut short due to injuries, and he retired after just seven years in the league. Boselli was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
Kansas City Chiefs – Patrick Mahomes
Few players have had extreme amounts of success in the first six years of their career like Mahomes, and that’s because there are few players in the league that play like Mahomes. The Quarterback out of Texas Tech was drafted tenth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft and was the second quarterback off the board, behind Mitch Trubisky. Mahomes has been a pivotal part in turning the Chiefs franchise around and leading them to the franchise’s first Superbowl in fifty years. Mahomes has two regular season MVP Awards to accompany his two Super Bowl MVP Awards and already has over 25,000 passing yards in his career. All in all, Mahomes has already shown potential to be the best quarterback to play the game, and the Chiefs are extremely happy with their number ten pick.
Las Vegas Raiders – Marcus Allen
Running back, Marcus Allen was taken tenth overall in 1982 and was the second running back off the board that year. Allen played for the Raiders from 1982-2992 and is the Franchise’s all-time leading rusher. The irony is, that he only rushed for 1,000 or more yards three years in his entire career, but Allen still earned himself a shelf full of accolades; including the 1982 Rookie of The Year, 1985 NFL MVP, six Pro Bowls, two first-team All-pros and a Superbowl ring. Allen was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
Los Angeles Chargers – Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts was Drafted by the Chargers out of the University of Oregon and was the sixth quarterback selected in the 1973 NFL Draft. As a third-round pick, Fouts appeared in ten games his rookie year, starting in five. Fouts did not win a game as a starter until 1974, but despite the slow start, Dan Fouts was the Charger’s franchise guy for fourteen seasons, earning six Pro-Bowl nods and 1982 Offensive Player of the Year. Fouts retired in 1987 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
Los Angeles Rams – Aaron Donald
Few players make an impact in their franchise the way That Aaron Donald has for the Rams. Donald was taken 13th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft and was the third defensive player off the board. Donald is a nine-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle and a seven-time All-pro. He has earned three Defensive Player of the Year awards and is a part of the 2010’s all-decade team. Donald has played at a high level for almost a decade, and his presence on the line alone is enough to scare quarterbacks into throwing the ball early. Donald has over 100 sacks and is a lock for the Hall of Fame.
Miami Dolphins – Dan Marino
Dan Marino is often regarded as the best player to never win a Super Bowl. Dan Marino was drafted 27th overall by the Dolphins in 1983 and played quarterback for the Miami Dolphins from 1983-1999. He ended his career with over 61,000 passing yards, a 1984 MVP, nine Pro Bowls and three All-pro nods. Marino tossed 420 touchdowns in his NFL career. Marino was the sixth quarterback taken in the draft that year and following a Hall of Fame career should have gone higher in the draft.
Minnesota Vikings – Randy Moss
On the topic of players who never won the Super Bowl, Randy Moss is probably the Greatest Receiver to never win the big game. Moss was selected in the first round as the 21st overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings and was the second receiver off the board. Moss helped boost a Vikings squad that had been around the middle of the NFL for the past decade, and made an immediate impact, as he led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in his rookie year. Moss played eight years in Minnesota and hauled in just under 1,000 balls for over 15,000 yards and 156 touchdowns. Moss did go on to have successful stints with other teams, but he is still the most electrifying player to ever rock the purple and gold.
New England Patriots – Tom Brady
Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots by way of the University of Michigan in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady was lucky to be drafted, but a sliver of luck was all he needed to dominate the league for the next 22 years. Brady spent 20 years as a member of the New England Patriots, and once he took over the starting job for the Pats in 2001, Brady was selected to 14 Pro Bowls, earned three All-Pro nods, and helped lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories. He is a five-time Super Bowl MVP, and a member of the Hall of Fame All-2000s team, and the All-2010s team. All in all, nobody has more Super Bowl wins than Tom Brady, who has cemented himself as the undisputed greatest quarterback to ever play the game; so far.
New Orleans Saints – Morten Anderson
Finally, a kicker on this list. Morten Anderson was drafted in the fourth round of the 1982 NFL Draft and has gone on to be one of the best kickers in NFL History. Anderson made 79% of his career field goal attempts, and was almost automatic on extra points, only missing six during his career for the Saints. He was selected to seven Pro Bowls and was a three-time All-pro during his 25-year career. Anderson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
New York Giants – Lawrence Taylor
Despite the past few years not reflecting it, the Giants have typically been a franchise that has been led by a strong head coach. But the team’s best draft pick came in 1981 when the team selected Lawrence Taylor with the second overall pick. Taylor played linebacker for 13 years, and only ever played for the Giants of the NFL. He led the NFL in sacks in 1986 with 20.5 sacks, en route to earning the NFL’s MVP award. Taylor was an eight-time All-Pro and ten-time Pro Bowl player. He is often times referred to as the best linebacker to play the game, and the Hall of Famer was the perfect selection for the Giants in 1999.
New York Jets – Joe Namath
Namath is the best quarterback ever selected by the New York Jets and is the only quarterback to lead the team to a Super Bowl win. Broadway Joe was the first overall pick in the 1965 AFL Draft but was subsequently drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. Namath chose to play for the New York Jets and led the team to a Superbowl win in Super Bowl Three He also won the AFL Championship with the Jets before the NFL-AFL Merger. Namath was a five-time Pro Bowler, and an All-Pro during his time in New York. He is most famous for guaranteeing a Jets Victory in Super Bowl Three, then delivering on his promise. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, after a 13-year career.
Philadelphia Eagles – Jason Kelce
In terms of a late-round selection, the Eagles rolled the dice on Jason Kelce in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Kelce has been an anchor on the Eagles’ offensive line for over a decade and is regarded as the toughest center in the league. Kelce started on the offensive line right away and never looked back. He has been a consistent starter and pro bowler, as he has been elected to six Pro Bowls and made five All-Pro lists. Kelce is a Super Bowl Champion, and a potential Hall of Famer when he is eligible.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Ben Roethlisberger
The Steelers have shaped their franchise by selecting amazing players in the first round of the NFL Draft. An example of this was in 2004 when the Steelers drafted big Ben Roethlisberger out of Miami, Ohio. Big Ben was the third quarterback off the board and went on to become the Steelers’ franchise quarterback for almost two decades. Big Ben went 13-0 as the starter his rookie year and led the team to a Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 40. Roethlisberger won the Rookie of the Year award in 2004 and went on to lead the NFL in passing yards twice in his career. Stacking up against the two quarterbacks drafted before him (Eli Manning and Phillip Rivers), the two-time Super Bowl Champion Ben Roethlisberger was a great pick for the Steelers who held the number eleven pick in that year’s draft.
San Francisco 49ers – Joe Montana
Joe Montana was the face of the San Francisco 49ers Franchise for a decade, and led the team to four Superbowl victories, cementing himself as the greatest quarterback of all time before some kid from Michigan came along. Montana threw for over 40,000 career passing yards and is widely regarded as the best leader in the NFL during his time in San Francisco. Montana and his star-studded teammates put the San Francisco 49ers on the map, accumulating eight Pro Bowls and two MVP Awards. Not to mention, Montana wasn’t selected until the third round of the 1979 draft. If the draft could be redone, Montana would easily go higher than the third round.
Seattle Seahawks – Richard Sherman
Richard Sherman was drafted in the fifth round in 2011 and was immediately thrown into the starting rotation in his rookie year. Sherman quickly gained himself a reputation as a physical, shutdown cornerback, and was locking down receivers during the peak years of the Legion of Boom. Sherman earned three All-pro selections, and five Pro Bowls in his career, and was a top-three corner in the league during his seven-year career as a Seahawk. Sherman is one of, if not the best secondary defender in Seahawks history, and the Seahawks made a great selection in the fifth round.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Derrick Brooks
After already drafting future Hall of Famer Warren Sapp with their 12th overall pick in 1995, the Buccaneers added to their defense and selected linebacker Derrick Brooks out of Florida State. Brooks was selected 28th overall and had a career that was worthy of him being taken in the first round. Brooks ended his career as an 11-time Pro Bowler, a five-time All-pro, and cemented himself among the top defensive players in the league during the late ’90s and early 2000s. He finished his career with exactly 1,300 solo tackles and six interceptions from the linebacker spot. He also had three interceptions in 2002, which is insane for a linebacker. Brooks was Defensive Player of the Year that year, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Tennessee Titans – Earl Campbell
What if I told you there was a running back that was more decorated than Derrick Henry? Before the Tennessee Titans were the Tennessee Titans, they were the Houston Oilers. However, unlike the mess between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, the Titans kept the rights and history of the Houston Oilers, so they are technically still the same franchise. Earl Campbell was drafted first overall in the 1978 NFL Draft and had an immediate impact on the offense. Campbell rushed for over 1,400 yards in his rookie year and took home the Offensive Player of the Year, and Offensive Rookie of the Year awards. He was also second in MVP voting.
The next year he took home the MVP award and led the NFL in Rushing for a second year in a row. He also won Offensive Player of the Year again. In 1980, he three-peated leading the NFL in rushing yards, coming less than 100 yards short of cracking 2,000. He also won Offensive Player of the Year again. That three-year stretch is almost incomparable to any other NFL running back, and Campbell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Washington Commanders – Sammy Baugh
Back in the 1930’s when players could lead the NFL in passing yards with only 1,000 yards in a season, Sammy Baugh was drafted sixth overall by the (then) Washington Redskins and did just that. Baugh was drafted in 1937 and played until 1952. He revolutionized the idea of having a franchise quarterback and made six Pro Bowls and four All-Pro lists. Baugh was the quarterback of the 40’s and led the NFL in passing yards four times in his career.
No one threw the Ball like Baugh, and even though he may not have the accolades some players do now, he revolutionized the game of football by becoming the first quarterback to be the face of the franchise, and the focal point of the offense. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.
