The concept? A listing of the player chosen at every draft position who was most valuable to the team which drafted him, from first overall all the way down to pick 472 (the 1976 draft actually had 487 selections, but the last 15 picks never saw any NFL game action and thus don't qualify for my list).
Before I begin to unveil this list, I have a two-pronged explanation. The first prong deals with how I determined which player was the most valuable at each selection. I absolutely could not have made this without the incalculable help of pro-football-reference.com's Draft Finder index. This tool is incredible and I can't sing its praises enough.
Anyway, to determine which player got the honor, I first listed the players deemed applicable. I did this in three different tiers - Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers and All Pros, and the rest. There were a few instances in which these tiers overlapped, and I ended up choosing an All Pro without a gold jacket over a member of the Hall of Fame, for example.
The reason for some of this discrepancy is largely the way I chose to dictate who was the most valuable, and that was an emphasis on performance with the players' drafted teams. John Elway, for instance, initially finished highest in my metric for first overall selection. That was, of course, until I remembered he never played a down for the Colts, who originally drafted him. Therefore, I took him off the list and replaced him with another stellar Hall of Famer.
The math I used is pretty simple. I multiplied the number of years a draft selection played with his drafted team with his approximate value - another excellent tool from the minds at pro-football-reference.com. For players who were in the league before 1960 - the first year PFR tracks the approximate value stat, I guesstimated this number.
When I was comparing non-Hall of Famers I began to multiply the first product by the number of seasons each player was named to the Pro Bowl and/or an All-Pro team. Lastly, I ranked players by those final numbers, and whoever's was highest got to go on my list! Again, this is not necessarily a record of the best players selected at each draft position, just an attempt to figure out which teams got the best bang for their buck, so to speak.
Prong two is infinitely more straightforward, and that is the schedule. Round one is coming out today (Monday, April 20). The rest of the schedule is as follows:
- Round 2: Tuesday, April 21
- Round 3/4: Wednesday, April 22
- Round 5/6: Thursday, April 23
- Rounds 7-9: Friday, April 24
- Rounds 10-12: Saturday, April 25
That's right, this draft lasts 12 rounds instead of the typical seven. Of course, not every player was originally drafted in the same round as his neighbor on the list. For instance, the NFL drafts from 1943-1948 each lasted 32 rounds! But for the sake of consistency, the first 255 selections on my list will be divided into rounds in the same way as the 2020 NFL draft. Picks 256 and on will be sorted roughly evenly over another five rounds.
Without further ado, here's round one of the All-Time NFL Draft!
1. Buffalo - Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech (1985)
In 1985, the Bills selected an edge rusher who, by the time his career was over, owned the NFL's all-time record for sacks. A two-time winner of the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, Smith played his last season in Buffalo in 1999 before four more seasons in Washington and ending his career with a bust in Canton.
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| Smith finished just ahead of Peyton Manning and Chuck Bednarik on my list. (Dave Pickoff/Associated Press) |
2. NY Giants - Lawrence Taylor, LB, North Carolina (1985)
The top of the '85 draft was perhaps the best one-two defensive punch in Selection Meeting history. LT spent his entire illustrious career with Big Blue, retiring in 1998 after three Defensive Player of the Year honors and two Super Bowl rings. In his sophomore campaign for New York, the Hall of Fame linebacker became the last defensive player to date to be named NFL MVP.
3. LA Rams - Merlin Olsen, DT, Utah State (1962)
A member of the famed Fearsome Foursome, Olsen made the Pro Bowl in all but one of his 15 seasons in Los Angeles. His 208 games in the horned helmet was a franchise record at the time of his 1976 retirement, and has only been bested by Jackie Slater since. Olsen went on to an acting career, but perhaps his most memorable role was as a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 1982.
4. Chicago - Walter Payton, RB, Jackson State (1975)
The first time I tried making this list, I didn't take Pro Football Reference's approximate value stat into account, thus leaving Payton out of the four-spot. 1977's NFL MVP, who retired with the league's all-time leading rushing yards record, certainly deserves this honor as well, however. Sweetness spent his entire 13-year Hall of Fame career with the Bears, finally winning his lone Super Bowl ring in the twilight of his career.
5. LA Chargers - Junior Seau, LB, Southern Cal (1990)
An NFL ironman who spent 20 years playing the game, Seau only needed 13 years in San Diego to secure his spot as the most valuable fifth-overall pick. With 12 Pro Bowl nods as a Charger, 1994's Man of the Year easily beat out other fifth-overall Hall of Famers - including another Bolts pick in LaDainian Tomlinson. After stints in Miami and New England, and his untimely death from CTE-related mental illness, Seau was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
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| Fittingly, 1990's number 5 pick had the number 5 all over his jersey. (Stephen Dunn/Getty) |
The NFL's second ever league selection meeting produced one of its finest pre-merger talents. In an era before the AFL, Don Coryell, and today's pass-happy NFL, Slingin' Sammy was the young league's all-time leading passer when he hung them up in 1952. Twice an NFL Champ in Washington, Baugh was also a prolific safety on defense and his team's primary punter. Baugh was a worthy member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 1963 inaugural class.
7. Chicago - Clyde Turner, C, Hardin-Simmons (1940)
Bulldog, as he was better known, was another of the NFL's post-war heroes. Racking up seven All Pro honors in his 13 year career, Turner was a key member of the Bears dynasty that won championships in 1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946. In fact, the Bulldog picked off a pass in each of Chicago's four championship victories. Until Champ Bailey's induction last year, Turner was the Hall of Fame's only member who was selected seventh overall.
8. Tennessee - Mike Munchak, G, Penn State (1982)
Perhaps overshadowed by another member of the Oilers' offensive line in the 1980s and early 1990s, Penn State's Munchak nonetheless racked up nine Pro Bowls during his dozen years in Houston. Playing at guard, Munch was not quite as prolific as tackle Willie Roaf or defensive back Ronnie Lott, both also eighth overall picks who ended up in Canton, but his ultimate value for the franchise that drafted him came in his longevity. It didn't hurt that he spent 20 more years on the Oilers and Titans coaching staff after his playing days ended, although that ultimately didn't contribute to my choice on this list.
9. Tennessee - Bruce Matthews, OL, Southern Cal (1983)
The Oilers scored big on offensive linemen in back-to-back first rounds. Their ninth overall pick in 1983 is perhaps one of the greatest big men in NFL history. In 19 seasons, Matthews played every offensive line position for the Oilers and Titans, finishing his Hall of Fame career with the league's record for games played with one franchise.
10. Baltimore - Terrell Suggs, LB, Arizona State (2003)
There are certain cases in this project in which I put a current player, or a player who hasn't had enough time post-retirement to be eligible for Hall of Fame induction, in the mix among Hall of Fame members. Suggs is one of these cases. I'm not sure if he'll make it into Canton - he should, but I don't know if voters will remember him well enough five years after his career ends - but 2011's defensive Player of the Year has a resume matching or beating any of the other options at pick 10.
11. Pittsburgh - Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Miami-OH (2004)
Big Ben is another player bound for Canton once his career eventually ends. The two-time Super Bowl champ and two-time NFL passing leader is beginning the twilight of his career. Unlike Suggs, who eventually left the team that drafted him, Roethlisberger still hasn't played a down for a team other than the Steelers.
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| He would've missed out on this list had the Giants drafted him as they originally planned. (Justin K. Allen/Getty) |
Sapp's drop in the 1995 draft has been well-chronicled. He fell exactly to the right spot. 1999's Defensive Player of the Year, Sapp was in his prime as a member of the legendary Bucs defense of 2002 that dominated the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. After winding his career down with those Raiders, Sapp was an easy selection for the Hall of Fame's 2013 class.
13. Dallas - Bob Lilly, DT, Texas Christian (1961)
The Cowboys drafted the face of their franchise's early years in the first round of their second ever NFL Draft. In 14 seasons wearing the star, Lilly went to 11 Pro Bowls and recorded a sack in Dallas's 24-3 drubbing of Miami in the sixth Super Bowl. Like fellow tackles Olsen and Sapp, Lilly was a first-year inductee into the Hall of Fame.
14. Indianapolis - Gino Marchetti, DE, San Francisco (1952)
Marchetti's inclusion on this list is a bit tricky, but also an interesting piece of NFL history. The 11-time Pro Bowler was actually drafted by a team called the Dallas Texans. 1952 was the Texans' only NFL season; after they folded a new franchise emerged in Baltimore in 1953. While these Colts weren't technically a continuation of the Texans franchise, it was largely made up of members of the 1952 squad. This includes the Hall of Fame lineman, who went on to win back-to-back titles with the Colts. (If you don't want to allow this technicality, Jim Kelly was my second most valuable 14th pick.)
15. Minnesota - Alan Page, DT, Notre Dame (1967)
There are no technicalities in Page's inclusion. The second most recent league MVP to play defense, Page anchored the Vikings' Purple People Eater defense which reached four of the first 11 Super Bowls. Minnesota cut their aging superstar in 1978, but Page went on to play in Chicago through the 1981 season. Page's 215 straight games started was the third best in NFL history when he retired.
16. San Francisco - Jerry Rice, WR, Mississippi Valley State (1985)
In his 16-year career with the 49ers, Rice became one of the greatest players in NFL history; in fact, before Tom Brady won his 10th Super Bowl or whatever that ridiculous number is, Rice was widely regarded as the NFL's G.O.A.T. His three Lombardi trophies and 13 Pro Bowls were a testament to the small-school product's relentless work effort and penchant for putting together some otherworldly statistical performances. Rice spent time in Oakland and Seattle before finally retiring in 2004, donning his much-deserved gold jacket six years later.
17. Las Vegas - Gene Upshaw, G, Texas A&M-Kingsville (1967)
The Raiders - not referring to them as "Oakland" in the present tense is going to take some getting used to - sure made the most of their first ever pick in the NFL/AFL Common Draft, put in place as the leagues worked toward their 1970 merger. Upshaw was one of the game's great offensive guards, aiding the Raiders to an appearance in Super Bowl II as a rookie, and victories in Super Bowls XI and XV later in his career. A prominent member of the NFL's Player Association who had a major role in the 1987 strike, Upshaw was honored by the entire league after his 2008 death with commemorative helmet stickers.
18. Washington - Art Monk, WR, Syracuse (1980)
As more time passes, I think Art Monk's career will become less and less remembered. An exceptional pass catcher - he brought in a league-best 106 passes during the 1984 season, Monk was a member of all three Super Bowl-winning Washington teams. This includes the 1991 squad which I consider one of the NFL's most underrated championship teams. Monk finished his Washington career with over 12,000 receiving yards, wore green for two years as a member of the Jets and Eagles, and had to wait out eight years of eligibility for his likeness to be displayed in Canton.
19. Indianapolis - Marvin Harrison, WR, Syracuse (1996)
Unlike fellow Orange wideout Monk, Peyton Manning's primary pass-catcher got all the accolades for his impressive NFL career. Harrison was twice the league's leader in receiving yards and held the single-season record for receptions in a season before the Saints' Michael Thomas surpassed it in 2019. The 14,580 yards Harrison accounted for during his 13 years in Indy was fourth-best for a pass catcher in NFL history when he retired, and he made the Hall of Fame in just his third year of eligibility.
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| The late-teen picks were made for wide receivers. (Darron Cummings/Associated Press) |
Another player who was perhaps overshadowed by his peers, Jack Youngblood nevertheless put up a Hall of Fame career in 14 seasons with the Rams. The former Gator put together seven straight Pro Bowl seasons from 1973 until 1979, in the midst of an 11-year streak in which he played and started every single game. His finest season was 1975, in which Pro Football Reference assigns Youngblood an impressive approximate value of 17.
21. Minnesota - Randy Moss, WR, Marshall (1998)
Fourth all-time in receiving yards and second all-time in touchdowns, Moss was a can't miss prospect who, like Sapp a few years earlier, fell in the draft thanks to off-field issues. Despite only seven full seasons with the Vikings, Moss was so dominant during that time his value to the team that drafted him easily exceeded the other Hall of Fame receiver taken at 21st overall, Pittsburgh's Lynn Swann. After putting together one of the greatest single seasons for a pass-catcher in 2007 as a Patriot, The Freak did play four more games in Minnesota as part of a whirlwind 2010 season that saw him suit up for three different teams.
22. Pittsburgh - Ernie Stautner, DL, Boston College (1950)
Stautner is another stellar player whose career has become much less impressive as time goes on, but during his playing days the Steelers' stalwart along the defensive line was one of the best in the game. A first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, Stautner represented Western Pennsylvania in nine Pro Bowls and was part of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1950s. He went on to win Super Bowl XII as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator, part of a coaching career that spanned three leagues and 35 years.
23. Chicago - Bill George, LB, Wake Forest (1951)
Hailed as the man who invented the middle linebacker position, Bill George began a linebacking dynasty for the Bears which was upheld by other legends such as Ditka, Singletary, and Urlacher. Named All-Pro eight different times, the Hall of Famer was near the end of his career when Chicago won the 1963 Championship.
24. Green Bay - Aaron Rodgers, QB, California (2005)
Still one of the most talented players in the league 15 years after his dramatic green-room stay, two-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers already has his spot reserved in the Hall of Fame. Among his other achievements include Super Bowl XLV MVP honors and eight Pro Bowl invitations. His penchant for throwing buzzer-beating deep bombs is stuff of legend. The former Golden Bear was also recently named to the league's all-decade team for the 2010s. It's likely he'll only add to his stellar career and play well into the 2020s.
25. New England - Stanley Morgan, WR, Tennessee (1977)
The 25th selection is currently the highest draft position not to produce a Hall of Fame member. A Hall of Very Good player that ranks as the best 25th pick of all time is Stanley Morgan. Unknown by most Patriots fans, Morgan nonetheless remains his franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards. Catching fewer balls than three other Patriots over his career, Morgan is still the only Patriot wideout ever to gain more than 10,000 yards for the team, thanks to his absurd 19.4 yards per catch.
26. Baltimore - Ray Lewis, LB, Miami-FL (1996)
For 17 years, the indomitable Lewis defined the position of linebacker for both the Ravens and the NFL. Part of the Ravens' first draft class, the two-time defensive Player of the Year won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, then went out on top after winning Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. It will be a long time indeed before anyone is more valuable at any draft position than Lewis was for the team which drafted him.
27. Miami - Dan Marino, QB, Pittsburgh (1983)
Hailed as one of the top two quarterbacks going into a 1983 draft that saw an historic six quarterbacks taken in the first round, the NFL's eventual all-time passing leader somehow made it all the way down to the first round's next to last selection before the Dolphins snatched him up. What followed was a career that earned the eventual NFL on CBS commentator just about every meaningful accolade as a passer except for a Super Bowl ring. By now, Marino ranks fourth all-time in most passing stats, but his 17 years in South Florida certainly rewrote the record books immensely.
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| He's laughing at all the teams that whiffed on him in 1983. (Eric Miller/Associated Press) |
The final first-round draft selection of 1983 became one of the greatest all-around players in NFL history during his 20-year career. Famed for his speed as much as his longevity, Darrell Green remained one of the league's fastest players even into his final season. He was part of Washington's last two Super Bowl championship teams, including that 1991 team that, again, doesn't get as much credit for how good it was. Like Marino before him, Green made it to Canton the very first year he could get in.
29. Minnesota - Fran Tarkenton, QB, Georgia (1961)
The man Marino passed for most of the NFL's passing records was originally a third-round choice in Minnesota's first ever NFL Draft. Tarkenton, one of the game's great mobile passers as well as one of its statistical best, didn't spend his entire 18-year career with the team that drafted him. After six seasons, the Vikes shipped Fran off to New York, where he matured into one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. When the Giants were done with Tarkenton in 1972, they traded him right back to Minnesota. It was in the second stint with the Vikings that the collegiate Bulldog earned MVP honors in 1975. His Hall of Fame career ended in 1978, his 13th season in Minnesota purple.
30. Indianapolis - Reggie Wayne, WR, Miami-FL (2001)
Currently right behind his former teammate Marvin Harrison on the NFL's all-time receiving yards list, Wayne's career was perhaps understated than his older partner. I'd argue he was more valuable to the Colts than Harrison, seeing as Wayne was a key factor in the team bridging the gaps between the Manning and Luck eras. Wayne won't be joining Harrison in Canton this year, his first of eligibility, but he was named a Hall of Fame finalist. That gives me hope that in a year or two, Reggie Wayne will get the recognition he deserves as one of the game's immortals.
31. Philadelphia - Tommy McDonald, WR, Oklahoma (1957)
An underrated receiver who did make it to Canton, albeit as a senior candidate in 1998, the Eagles' great flanker Tommy McDonald was a third-round pick who helped Philadelphia win the 1960 league championship. McDonald pulled in three passes for 90 yards, including a touchdown, in the 17-13 title game win over Green Bay. After leaving Philadelphia following the 1963 season, McDonald played five more seasons with four more teams.
32. San Francisco - Bob St. Clair, OT, San Francisco (1953)
Today marks the fifth anniversary of NorCal great Bob St. Clair's death. Born in 1931 in San Francisco, the five-time Pro Bowl tackle was drafted out of the University of San Francisco to play professional ball for the NFL's San Francisco team. After spending 11 seasons with his hometown team, St. Clair remained in the Bay Area. A member of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1950s and a 1990 inductee of the Hall of Fame, St. Clair died at the age of 84 in Santa Rosa on April 20, 2015.
That conclude's today's coverage! Come back tomorrow for picks 33 through 64.
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