The history of the NFL draft goes back to 1936, which gives us a ton of first overall picks to go over. You have some of the greats to go first like Peyton Manning and John Elway, and then you had busts like JaMarcus Russell and Tim Couch. Some players never even played a down for the team they were drafted by, demanding trades. We saw a flip with Eli Manning and Philip Rivers in 2004, which this was around a string of really good quarterback picks. Michael Vick, Alex Smith, and Carson Palmer were all right in this era. Over the last ten years we have seen teams really nail their first overall pick. Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Eric Fisher, and Jadeveon Clowney have turned into strong first overall picks.

2020: Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals

School Age Year Position Height Weight LSU 23 Senior QB 6'3 221

2019: Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals School Age Year Position Height Weight Oklahoma 21 Junior QB 5'10 207

2018: Baker Mayfield

Cleveland Browns

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oklahoma 23 Senior QB 6'1 215 lbs

2017: Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns

School Age Year Position Height Weight Texas A&M 22 Junior DE 6'4 272 lbs

2016: Jared Goff

Los Angeles Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight California 21 Junior QB 6'4 222 lbs

2015: Jameis Winston

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Florida State 21 Sophomore* QB 6'4 231 lbs

2014: Jadeveon Clowney

Houston Texans

School Age Year Position Height Weight South Carolina 21 Junior DE 6'5 270 lbs

2013: Eric Fisher

Kansas City Chiefs

School Age Year Position Height Weight Central Michigan 22 Senior OT 6'7 315 lbs

2012: Andrew Luck

Indianpolis Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Stanford 23 Junior QB 6'4 240 lbs

2011: Cam Newton

Carolina Panthers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Auburn 22 Junior QB 6'5 245 lbs

2010: Sam Bradford

St. Louis Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oklahoma 23 Junior QB 6'4 224 lbs

2009: Matthew Stafford

Detroit Lions

School Age Year Position Height Weight Georgia 21 Junior QB 6'3 220 lbs

2008: Jake Long

Miami Dolphins

School Age Year Position Height Weight Michigan 23 Senior OT 6'7 322 lbs

2007: JaMarcus Russell

Oakland Raiders

School Age Year Position Height Weight LSU 22 Junior QB 6'6 260 lbs

2006: Mario Williams

Houston Texans

School Age Year Position Height Weight NC State 21 Junior DE 6'7 300 lbs

2005: Alex Smith

San Francisco 49ers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Utah 21 Junior QB 6'4 213 lbs

2004: Eli Manning

San Diego Chargers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Ole Miss 23 Senior QB 6'5 218 lbs

2003: Carson Palmer

Cincinnati Bengals

School Age Year Position Height Weight USC 24 Senior QB 6'5 235 lbs

2002: David Carr

Houston Texans

School Age Year Position Height Weight Fresno State 23 Senior QB 6'3 212 lbs

2001: Michael Vick

Atlanta Falcons

School Age Year Position Height Weight Virginia Tech 21 Sophomore* QB 6'0 215 lbs

2000: Courtney Brown

Cleveland Browns

School Age Year Position Height Weight Penn State 22 Senior DE 6'5 285 lbs

1999: Tim Couch

Cleveland Browns

School Age Year Position Height Weight Kentucky 22 Junior QB 6'4 222 lbs

1998: Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Tennessee 22 Senior QB 6'5 230 lbs

1997: Orlando Pace

St. Louis Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight Ohio State 22 Junior OT 6'7 324 lbs

1996: Keyshawn Johnson

New York Jets

School Age Year Position Height Weight USC 23 Senior WR 6'4 212 lbs

1995: Ki-Jana Carter

Cincinnati Bengals

School Age Year Position Height Weight Penn State 22 Junior RB 5'10 226 lbs

1994: Dan Wilkinson

Cincinnati Bengals

School Age Year Position Height Weight Ohio State 21 Junior DT 6'4 340 lbs

1993: Drew Bledsoe

New England Patriots

School Age Year Position Height Weight Washington State 21 Junior QB 6'5 238 lbs

1992: Steve Emtman

Indianapolis Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Washington 22 Junior DE 6'4 293 lbs

1991: Russell Maryland

Dallas Cowboys

School Age Year Position Height Weight Miami 22 Senior DT 6'1 308 lbs

1990: Jeff George

Indianapolis Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Illinois 22 Junior QB 6'4 218 lbs

1989: Troy Aikman

Dallas Cowboys

School Age Year Position Height Weight UCLA 22 Senior QB 6'4 221 lbs

1988: Aundray Bruce

Atlanta Falcons

School Age Year Position Height Weight Auburn 22 Senior OLB 6'5 270 lbs

1987: Vinny Testaverde

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Miami 23 Senior QB 6'5 235 lbs

1986: Bo Jackson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Auburn 23 Senior RB 6'1 227 lbs

1985: Bruce Smith

Buffalo Bills

School Age Year Position Height Weight Virginia Tech 22 Junior DE 6'4 280 lbs

1984: Irving Fryar

New England Patriots

School Age Year Position Height Weight Nebraska 22 Junior WR 6'0 200 lbs

1983: John Elway

Baltimore Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Stanford 22 Senior QB 6'3 215 lbs

1982: Kenneth Sims

New England Patriots

School Age Year Position Height Weight Texas 22 Senior DE 6'5 271 lbs

1981: George Rogers

New Orleans Saints

School Age Year Position Height Weight South Carolina 22 Junior RB 6'2 228 lbs

1980: Billy Sims

Detroit Lions

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oklahoma 24 Senior RB 6'0 212 lbs

1979: Tom Cousineau

Buffalo Bills

School Age Year Position Height Weight Ohio State 22 Junior LB 6'3 225 lbs

1978: Earl Campbell

Houston Oilers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Texas 23 Senior RB 5'11 232 lbs

1977: Ricky Bell

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

School Age Year Position Height Weight USC 22 Senior RB 6'2 220 lbs

1976: Lee Roy Selmon

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oklahoma 22 Senior DE 6'3 256 lbs

1975: Steve Bartkowski

Atlanta Falcons

School Age Year Position Height Weight California 22 Senior QB 6'4 213 lbs

1974: Ed Jones

Dallas Cowboys

School Age Year Position Height Weight Tennessee State 23 Senior DE 6'9 271 lbs

1973: John Matuszak

Houston Oilers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Tampa 22 Senior DE 6'8 280 lbs

1972: Walt Patulski

Buffalo Bills

School Age Year Position Height Weight Notre Dame 22 Junior DE 6'6 259 lbs

1971: Jim Plunkett

New England Patriots

School Age Year Position Height Weight Stanford 23 Senior QB 6'3 220 lbs

1970: Terry Bradshaw

Pittsburgh Steelers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Louisiana Tech 22 Senior QB 6'3 220 lbs

1969: O.J. Simpson

Buffalo Bills

School Age Year Position Height Weight USC 22 Senior RB 6'1 210 lbs

1968: Ron Yary

Minnesota Vikings

School Age Year Position Height Weight USC 22 Junior OT 6'5 255 lbs

1967: Bubba Smith

Baltimore Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Michigan State 23 Junior DE 6'7 265 lbs

1966: Tommy Nobis

Atlanta Falcons

School Age Year Position Height Weight Texas 22 Senior LB 6'2 240 lbs

1965: Tucker Frederickson

New York Giants

School Age Year Position Height Weight Auburn 22 Senior RB 6'2 220 lbs

1964: Dave Parks

Sna Francisco 49ers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Texas Tech 22 Senior WR 6'2 207 lbs

1963: Terry Baker

Los Angeles Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oregon State 22 Senior QB 6'3 200 lbs

1962: Ernie Davis

Washington Redskins

School Age Year Position Height Weight Syracuse 22 Senior RB 6'2 212 lbs

1961: Tommy Mason

Minnesota Vikings

School Age Year Position Height Weight Tulane 22 Senior RB 6'1 196 lbs

1960: Billy Cannon

Los Angeles Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight LSU 22 Senior HB 6'1 207 lbs

1959: Randy Duncan

Green Bay Packers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Iowa 22 Senior QB 6'0 185 lbs

1958: King Hill

Chicago Cardinals

School Age Year Position Height Weight Rice 22 Senior QB 6'3 212 lbs

1957: Paul Hornung

Green Bay Packers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Notre Dame 22 Senior RB 6'2 215 lbs

1956: Gary Glick

Pittsburgh Steelers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Colorado State 25 Senior S 6'2 195 lbs

1955: George Shaw

Baltimore Colts

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oregon 22 Senior QB 6'1 183 lbs

1954: Bobby Garrett

Cleveland Browns

School Age Year Position Height Weight Stanford 22 Senior QB 6'1 198 lbs

1953: Harry Babcock

San Francisco 49ers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Georgia 22 Senior WR 6'2 193 lbs

1952: Bill Wade

Los Angeles Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight Vanderbilt 22 Senior QB 6'2 202 lbs

1951: Kyle Rote

New York Giants

School Age Year Position Height Weight SMU 23 Senior RB/WR 6'0 199 lbs

1950: Leon Hart

Detroit Lions

School Age Year Position Height Weight Notre Dame 22 Senior FB 6'5 257 lbs

1949: Chuck Bednarik

Philadelphia Eagles

School Age Year Position Height Weight Pennsylvania 24 Senior LB 6'3 233 lbs

1948: Harry Gilmer

Washington Redskins

School Age Year Position Height Weight Alabama 22 Senior QB/HB/DB 6'0 169 lbs

1947: Bob Fenimore

Chicago Bears

School Age Year Position Height Weight Oklahoma State 22 Senior HB 6'1 190 lbs

1946: Frank Dancewicz

Boston Yanks

School Age Year Position Height Weight Notre Dame 22 Senior QB 5'10 187 lbs

1945: Charley Trippi

Chicago Cardinals

School Age Year Position Height Weight Georgia 23 Senior QB 6'0 186 lbs

1944: Angelo Bartelli

Boston Yanks

School Age Year Position Height Weight Notre Dame 23 Senior QB 6'1 190 lbs

1943: Frank Sinkwich

Detroit Lions

School Age Year Position Height Weight Georgia 22 Senior HB 5'11 190 lbs

1942: Bill Dudley

Pittsburgh Steelers

School Age Year Position Height Weight Michigan 22 Senior HB 6'1 197 lbs

1941: Tom Harmon

Chicago Bears

School Age Year Position Height Weight Virginia 22 Senior HB 5'10 182 lbs

1940: George Cafego

Chicago Cardinals

School Age Year Position Height Weight Tennessee 24 Senior QB 5'10 169 lbs

1939: Ki Aldrich

Chicago Cardinals

School Age Year Position Height Weight TCU 23 Senior C/LB 6'0 207 lbs

1938: Corbett Davis

Cleveland Rams

School Age Year Position Height Weight Indiana 23 Senior FB 5'11 212 lbs

1937: Sam Francis

Philadelphia Eagles

School Age Year Position Height Weight Nebraska 23 Senior HB 6'0 207 lbs

1936: Jay Berwanger

Philadelphia Eagles

School Age Year Position Height Weight Chicago 22 Senior HB 6'1 195 lbs

Biggest Busts

We have a long history of first overall picks in the NFL, which stretches back longer than most other sports. This leaves plenty of room for busts, and boy have we seen them. JaMarcus Russell seems to be the poster boy for draft busts over the last 20 years, as Oakland selected him first overall back in 2007. The Raiders have historically had some bad draft picks, but this was the worst. The greatest story that came out with this pick was that the Raiders gave him a blank DVD that they said was filled with plays and ideas for him to watch. Russell returned saying he was on board with everything he’d watched. He was out of the league by the time he was 25, and threw 23 interceptions in 25 career starts.

After a decorative college career, Tim Couch went number one in the 1999 draft to the Cleveland Browns. This started a reign of quarterback failures for Cleveland. Couch struggled with arm injuries, but only played five seasons in the NFL and never surpassed 20 passing touchdowns in a season. In 1979 the Buffalo Bills drafted Tom Cousineau, who decided to play in Canada instead. This was a brutal blow for Buffalo, but it did transition into the pick for Jim Kelly. Steve Emtman was a monster in college, playing defensive end at Washington. The Colts drafted him first overall in 1992, but he was injured each season he played. He retired before the age of 28, and only had eight sacks.

Best First Overall Picks

Peyton Manning is going to be the first name mentioned, and was the best to deliver out of the first overall spot. He had a long tenure in Indianapolis, leading them to a a Super Bowl and multiple winning seasons. He would go onto win another Super Bowl in Denver and is a future Hall of Famer. Bruce Smith went first overall in 1985. Smith ended up in the Hall of Fame and went down as one of the best defensive ends in history. He had 200 sacks and won the Defensive Player of the Year twice. There were a few hall of fame quarterbacks to go first overall. John Elway was drafted by the Baltimore Colts, but he refused to play for Baltimore and ended up being traded to the Denver Broncos. Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.