2007: Calvin Johnson, WR (Detroit Lions)

The Lions selected Johnson in a mostly-loaded 2007 draft class. Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis and Darrelle Revis all went after Detroit chose Johnson, but it’s safe to say they made a great pick.

Johnson was the best wide receiver in football for a period of time. His combination of size, speed, strength and catch radius basically made him a human cheat code. He was a mismatch regardless of what cornerback was trying to guard him.

His career ended prematurely, but he retired as one of the NFL’s most dominant offensive players of the 2000s and 2010s.

Grade: A+

2008: Chris Long, DE (St. Louis Rams)

It’s unfortunate that the Rams were so mediocre during Long’s tenure there. Had they been more prominent, Long likely would’ve made a Pro Bowl and received the recognition he deserved. Howie’s son recorded 54.5 sacks during his time with the Rams, including back-to-back double-digit years. Long found success post-Rams, too, as he’s captured a Super Bowl victory in the past two seasons.

Perhaps Long hasn’t been a flashy, household name who generates an abundance of praise, but it would be irresponsible to say his career hasn’t been successful.

Grade: B

2009: Jason Smith, OL (St. Louis Rams)

Whereas the Rams being better would’ve benefited the aforementioned Long, it would’ve made Jason Smith a larger bust than he is. Surprisingly, not many people bring Smith up when discussing the biggest busts from the past 10 years. Despite being a starting member of the Rams’ offensive line, Smith was a tremendous failure.

The Rams cut ties with him following the expiration of his rookie contract, and he’s been out of the league since. This was a colossal flop by the Rams, and it unfortunately wouldn’t be their only flop on this list.

Grade: F

2010: Ndamukong Suh, DL (Detroit Lions)

A year after the Lions drafted their franchise quarterback, they went ahead and added a game-changer of a defensive player. Suh quickly developed a reputation for being one of the league’s most ferocious players (among other things). He’s earned first-team All-Pro honors three times, second-team All-Pro three times and has been voted to the Pro Bowl five times.

Call him a dirty player if you want, but there’s no denying Suh’s impact when he’s on the field. He’s one of the most relentless players in the NFL, and makes whatever defense he’s on better.

Grade: A

2011: Von Miller, LB (Denver Broncos)

Super Bowl MVP. Enough said.

In all seriousness, though, Miller has been outstanding. His Super Bowl 50 performance against Cam Newton, 2011’s №1 selection, was the pinnacle of his career to date. He’s proven to be a generational player who can take over a game.

Grade: A+

2012: Robert Griffin III, QB (Washington Redskins)

RG3 began his career sensationally, earning Rookie of the Year honors and leading the Redskins back to the playoffs. Unfortunately, an injury suffered in an NFC Wild Card game ruined his entire career. From that point, he rushed back — probably before he was ready — and never re-gained the magic from his rookie year.

We’ll never truly know what kind of player RG3 could’ve been.

Grade: C

2013: Luke Joeckel, OL (Jacksonville Jaguars)

In the defense of the Jaguars, the first round of 2013 was historically bad. If Joeckel were in this year’s class, he’d probably be considered the third or fourth-best tackle prospect. Joeckel was all right during his stint in Jacksonville, but the team moved on from him following the end of his rookie deal.

Grade: C-

2014: Greg Robinson, OL (St. Louis Rams)

Basically the same situation as Jason Smith, just more recent and with a player who was considered a safer bet. There’s really not much more that needs to be said. The Rams attempted moving him inside, before sending him to the Detroit Lions.

Grade: F

2015: Marcus Mariota, QB (Oregon)

I think the jury’s still out on Mariota. Yes, he’s a young quarterback who doesn’t turn the ball over much. And yes, he’s given the Titans stability at the quarterback position. However, he lacks a signature win, and hasn’t yet taken the step to becoming an elite, upper-echelon quarterback. That doesn’t mean he’s not good, because he is.

Mariota is still improving as a player, and is one of the best players on this list of former №2 picks.

Grade: B

2016: Carson Wentz, QB (North Dakota State)

While the aforementioned Mariota has failed to take the steps forward, Wentz has. He went from slightly inaccurate, promising quarterback in 2016 to legitimate MVP candidate in his second year. An ACL injury robbed him of helping the Eagles win a Super Bowl in the post-season, but his efforts prior to sustaining the injury were impossible to disregard. If he can recover from his injury, Wentz will reign as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks for the forseeable future.

Grade: A-

2017: Mitchell Trubisky, QB (UNC)

At the time of this pick, it seemed like a bit of a reach. Last year’s draft class wasn’t considered a particularly strong one, so the Bears trading up one spot to secure Trubisky felt like a bad mov. To be fair, Trubisky didn’t have much to work with in his rookie year, operating in an offense devoid of pass-catching weapons. He’ll greatly benefit with a new head coach.

Grade: Unknown