April 18. If the date sounds familiar, it is.

On this date 22 years ago, the Indianapolis Colts selected Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning No. 1 overall at the NFL Draft inside the theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.



Manning was selected with the first pick ahead of Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf. The Arizona Cardinals selected Florida Sate defensive end Andre Wadsworth at No. 3, ahead of the Oakland Raiders picking Charles Woodson at No. 4.



Penn State running back Curtis Enis was selected fifth by the Chicago Bears, with Grant Wistrom (Nebraska), Kyle Turley (San Diego State), Greg Ellis (North Carolina), Fred Taylor (Florida) and Duane Starks (Miami) filling out the rest of the top 10.

In total, the Vols had three first-round picks in 1998. The Detroit Lions selected cornerback Terry Fair at No. 20 overall — one spot ahead of the Vikings taking Marshall wide receiver Randy Moss — and Marcus Nash was the 30th and final selection in the first round, going to the Denver Broncos.

Five more Tennessee players would be selected over the next six rounds: Leonard Little (St. Louis Rams, third round); Jonathan Brown (Green Bay Packers, third round); Trey Teague (Broncos, seventh round); Andy McCullough (New Orleans Saints, seventh round); Corey Gaines (Colts; seventh round).



Since Manning, Fair and Nash were picked in the first round 22 years ago, the Vols have had 16 players selected in the first round: Derek Barnett (2017); Ja'Wuan James (2014); Cordarrelle Patterson (2013); Eric Berry and Dan Williams (2010); Robert Ayers (2009); Jerod Mayo (2008); Justin Harrell and Robert Meachem (2007); Jason Allen (2006); John Henderson, Donte’ Stallworth and Albert Haynesworth (2002); Jamal Lewis and Shaun Ellis (2000); Al Wilson (1999).



(Look: Every Tennessee player selected in the NFL Draft since 1980)

Manning in his rookie season with the Colts would throw 28 interceptions, to go with 26 touchdowns. He threw for 3,739 yards, completing 326 of 575 (.567) of his passes.



Indianapolis finished the season 3-13. It wasn’t exactly a sign of things to come.



Manning would lead the Colts to a 13-3 record in 1999, the biggest turnaround in back-to-back seasons in NFL history, while on his way to becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the league.



In 266 career games, he threw for 71,940 yards and had 539 touchdowns. He was two-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time NFL MVP and the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year in 2004 and again in 2013.



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Manning was an All-Pro selection seven times and went to 14 Pro Bowls in 17 seasons, spending his last four with the Broncos, from 2012-15.



In four seasons at Tennessee, Manning threw for 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns. He threw for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior during the 1997 season.

