Best NFL Draft Picks by Team

How unpredictable is the NFL draft? Look where these players were selected.

Best NFL Draft Picks by Team

The Steelers drafted Antonio Brown in the sixth round with the 195th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. In 130 games over nine seasons in Pittsburgh, Brown caught 837 passes for 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns.

The NFL draft is an inexact science and art.

Some teams draft based on measurables such as a player's 40-yard dash time or broad jump. Other teams draft based on the eye test and what they see on film. Each strategy has led to mixed results with some of the greatest players in NFL history being overlooked and falling in the draft while some of the most-hyped prospects end up being huge busts who couldn’t stick in the league.

No matter how great general managers might be, they are bound to make some mistakes when it comes to drafting. But when they make the right choice, the whole organization wins.

The following 32 players were anything but mistakes. They are the greatest draft selections by each team in NFL history. Some of these players were destined for greatness from the beginning and validated their high draft spots while others were great value picks and outperformed their draft status.

Here are the best draft picks for every NFL franchise.

Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver

College: Pittsburgh

Drafted: 2004, 1st round, 3rd overall

NFL career: 15 years, all with Cardinals (2004-present)

NFL stats: 1,303 REC, 13,779 RYDS, 12.5 AVG, 82 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: The 2004 draft was billed as the "receiver draft" as a record seven wide receivers ended up being taken in the first round. Thus, the Cardinals had plenty of options for who they wanted to line up opposite Anquan Boldin, and they went with the best option in Larry Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald has become arguably the greatest player in Cardinals history and a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s second all-time in receiving yards and will be second in receptions by the end of the 2019 season.

As for the other six receivers taken in the first round in 2004, they combined to make one Pro Bowl while Fitzgerald has 11 (and counting) on his resume.

Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, Quarterback

College: Boston College

Drafted: 2008, 1st round, 3rd overall

NFL career: 11 years, all with Falcons (2008-present)

NFL stats: 4,052 CMP, 6,201 ATT, 46,720 YDS, 295 TD, 133 INT, 94.9 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: While Matt Ryan’s favorite target may go down as the best player in Falcons history, "Matty Ice" is the franchise’s best draft pick because of who he had to replace.

Michael Vick was in prison when Ryan was drafted, but even with the crimes he committed, Vick still was one of the most popular athletes in Atlanta sports history. Thus, the team needed someone to make the fans forget about Vick, and Ryan became that guy.

He’s been a model of consistency since the start and is the franchise’s all-time leader in most passing categories. In 2016, he became the franchise’s first MVP winner and led the Falcons to their second Super Bowl in franchise history.

Baltimore Ravens: Ray Lewis, Linebacker

College: University of Miami

Drafted: 1996, 1st round, 26th overall

NFL career: 17 years, all with Ravens (1996-2012)

NFL stats: 1,562 SOLO, 493 AST, 41.5 SACK, 31 INT, 3 TD

Super Bowl titles: 2 (2000, 2012)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2018

Bottom line: Deemed undersized by NFL standards, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound linebacker slipped to the end of the first round but ended up being the Ravens’ second-ever draft pick behind Jonathan Ogden. For a new franchise in its inaugural season, the Ravens were looking for someone to establish an identity, and Ray Lewis did that tenfold.

He became the face of the franchise, a rarity for a defensive player, and was a two-time defensive player of the year.

Ten times during his tenure, the Ravens fielded a top-six scoring defense, and Lewis won two Super Bowls with the Ravens, including one in his final NFL game.

Buffalo Bills: Bruce Smith, Defensive End

College: Virginia Tech

Drafted: 1985, 1st round, 1st overall

NFL career: 19 years (1985-2003), Buffalo Bills (1985-99), Washington Redskins (2000-03)

NFL stats: 1075 SOLO, 149 AST, 200 SACK, 2 INT, 1 TD

Bills stats: 941 SOLO, 113 AST, 171 SACK, 2 INT, 1 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2009

Bottom line: During the Bills’ run of four straight Super Bowls, they fielded five Hall of Fame players. So why does Bruce Smith get the nod over the others?

Well, in addition to being the NFL’s sack king, Smith’s dominance and consistency puts him above everyone else.

Despite the pressure of being the first overall pick, Smith lived up to the hype and is one of a handful of players to be named to both the 1980s All-Decade Team and the 1990s All-Decade Team.

Carolina Panthers: Steve Smith, Wide Receiver

College: Utah

Drafted: 2001, 3rd round, 74th overall

NFL career: 16 years (2001-16), Carolina Panthers (2001-13), Baltimore Ravens (2014-16)

NFL stats: 1,031 REC, 14,731 YDS, 14.3 AVG, 81 TD

Panthers stats: 836 REC, 12,197 YDS, 14.6 AVG, 67 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: The Panthers have had more important players such as Cam Newton, Julius Peppers and Luke Kuechly, but there has never been a more valuable draft pick than Steve Smith Sr.

Those other three guys were all top 10 picks, so much was expected of them. However, Smith was an overlooked, undersized (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) "return specialist" who became one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history.

Though Smith's exit from Carolina was unceremonious, he has a good chance at becoming the first player who spent the bulk of his career with the team to make the Hall of Fame.

Chicago Bears: Sid Luckman, Quarterback/Defensive Back

College: Columbia

Drafted: 1939, 1st round, 2nd overall

NFL career: 12 years, all with Bears (1939-50)

NFL stats: 904 CMP, 1,744 ATT, 14,686 YDS, 137 TD, 132 INT, 75.0 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 0 (4 NFL championships)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1965

Bottom line: The Bears franchise has won nine NFL championships, and nearly half of those were with Sid Luckman under center, and at defensive back, and even at punter.

Luckman did it all for the Bears and helped usher in the T-formation offense into the NFL.

He led the league in passing yards three times and even served in the Marines during the 1943 season before resuming his NFL career.

Cincinnati Bengals: Anthony Munoz, Offensive Tackle

College: USC

Drafted: 1980, 1st round, 3rd overall

NFL career: 13 years, all with Bengals (1980-92)

NFL stats: 185 G, 184 GS

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1998

Bottom line: It’s almost hard to believe that the man who many consider to be the greatest offensive tackle in NFL history had red flags coming out of college, but that was the case with Anthony Munoz.

He had injury concerns and missed parts of two seasons, so many were surprised that the Bengals made him the first lineman drafted. Munoz quickly quelled those concerns and was an All-Pro left tackle by his second season.

Munoz made nine All-Pro first teams during his career, the third most in NFL history, and he was a part of the only two Bengals teams to make it to the Super Bowl.

Cleveland Browns: Jim Brown, Running Back

College: Syracuse

Drafted: 1957, 1st round, 6th overall

NFL career: 9 years, all with Browns (1957-65)

NFL stats: 2,359 ATT, 12,312 YDS, 5.2 AVG, 106 TD, 262 REC, 2,499 RYDS, 20 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 0 (1 NFL championship)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1971

Bottom line: The Browns made the NFL championship game every year from 1946 to 1955, but posted a losing record in 1956 after quarterback Otto Graham retired. The team planned on drafting quarterback Len Dawson in 1957, but he went one spot earlier to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Browns owner Paul Brown had to "settle" on drafting Jim Brown, who only went on to become the greatest running back in NFL history.

More than 50 years after his last game, Brown still is the all-time leader in rushing yards per game (104.3) and led the NFL in rushing yards a staggering eight times in his nine-year career.

Dallas Cowboys: Roger Staubach, Quarterback

College: Navy

Drafted: 1964, 10th round, 129th overall

NFL career: 11 years, all with Cowboys (1969-79)

NFL stats: 1,685 CMP, 2,958 ATT, 22,700 YDS, 153 TD, 109 INT, 83.4 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 2 (1971, 1977)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1985

Bottom line: The Dallas Cowboys might have more decorated players in team history, but they became "America’s Team" with Roger Staubach under center.

His drafting was a bit risky in 1964 as the team knew he had to serve a four-year military commitment, so Staubach didn’t make his NFL debut until he was 27 years old.

His experience off the football field served him well when he got on it, and "Roger the Dodger" led the NFL in passer rating four times in his career while winning the Cowboys two Super Bowl trophies.

Denver Broncos: Terrell Davis, Running Back

College: Georgia

Drafted: 1995, 6th round, 196th overall

NFL career: 7 years, all with Broncos (1995-01)

NFL stats: 1,655 ATT, 7,607 YDS, 4.6 AVG, 60 TD, 169 REC, 1,280 RYDS, 5 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 2 (1997, 1998)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2017

Bottom line: Terrell Davis may have been drafted into a great offensive system in Denver that has produced great rushing lines, but are any of those other backs in the Hall of Fame?

Davis was the 18th running back taken in 1995 but became a starter as a rookie and never gave up his position until injuries took their toll.

A three-time All-Pro and NFL MVP, Davis was even better in the postseason and averaged over 142 rushing yards per game in the playoffs.

Detroit Lions: Barry Sanders, Running Back

College: Oklahoma State

Drafted: 1989, 1st round, 3rd overall

NFL career: 10 years, all with Lions (1989-98)

NFL stats: 3,062 ATT, 15,269 YDS, 5.0 AVG, 99 TD, 352 REC, 2,921 RYDS, 10 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2004

Bottom line: Lions fans haven’t enjoyed a winning product for most of their team’s history, but they enjoyed a decade of dazzling runs from Barry Sanders.

The team nearly drafted another Sanders — Deion Sanders — third overall, but they went with Barry to provide the excitement they hadn’t had since Billy Sims.

Sanders rushed for at least 1,100 yards in all 10 of his NFL seasons, an NFL record, and he is undoubtedly the greatest draft pick and the greatest player in Detroit Lions history.

Green Bay Packers: Bart Starr, Quarterback

College: Alabama

Drafted: 1956, 17th round, 200th overall

NFL career: 16 years, all with Packers (1956-71)

NFL stats: 1,808 CMP, 3,149 ATT, 24,718 YDS, 152 TD, 138 INT, 80.5 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 2 (1966, 1967 and 5 NFL championships)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1977

Bottom line: He may be the third best quarterback in Packers history, but there is no better draft pick than Bart Starr, who was taken 200th overall in 1956. The Packers drafted six Hall of Famers from 1956 to 1958, but the other five were all taken within the top 40 of their respective drafts.

Starr won five NFL championships with the Packers, including the first two Super Bowls to help establish the league’s superiority over the AFL.

Even though Green Bay is the smallest market in the NFL, Starr helped the city earn the nickname of "Titletown" by leading the Packers to so many championship games.

Houston Texans: J.J. Watt, Defensive End

College: Wisconsin

Drafted: 2011, 1st round, 11th overall

NFL career: 8 years, all with Texans (2011-present)

NFL stats: 357 SOLO, 98 AST, 92.0 SACK, 1 INT, 2 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: In their short history, the Houston Texans have had the number one overall pick three times, but it’s the 11th pick in 2011 that became the face of the franchise.

J.J. Watt is a native of Wisconsin, but he has become one of the most beloved athletes in Houston sports history due to his play on the field and his philanthropic efforts off it.

He is one of two players to win the Defensive Player of the Year three times, and he’s already solidified his status as a future member of the Hall of Fame.

Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning, Quarterback

College: Tennessee

Drafted: 1998, 1st round, 1st overall

NFL career: 18 years, (1998-2015), Indianapolis Colts (1998-2011), Denver Broncos (2012-15)

NFL stats: 6,125 CMP, 9,380 ATT, 71,940 YDS, 539 TD, 251 INT, 96.5 RAT

Colts career: 4,682 CMP, 7,210 ATT, 399 TD, 198 INT, 94.9 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 2 (1 with Colts in 2006, 1 with Broncos in 2015)

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: If you recall, during the 1998 draft, two quarterbacks were deemed as "can’t miss": Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. Thus, the team with the second pick had the easier job — draft whoever wasn’t taken first overall. The Colts had to make the difficult decision in drafting No. 1, and they clearly made the right choice by choosing Manning.

He rewrote the NFL record books in Indianapolis and may be the greatest No. 1 overall pick in league history. He won four MVP awards in Indy and brought the city its only Super Bowl victory since the team relocated from Baltimore.

Meanwhile, Leaf spent just three years in the NFL and spent even more time either incarcerated or in drug treatment due to a string of legal issues.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Fred Taylor, Running Back

College: Florida

Drafted: 1998, 1st round, 9th overall

NFL career: 13 years (1998-2010), Jacksonvile Jagaurs (1998-2008), New England Patriots (2009-10)

NFL stats: 2,534 ATT, 11,695 YDS, 4.6 AVG, 66 TD, 290 REC, 2,384 RYDS, 8 RTD

Jaguars stats: 2,428 ATT, 11,271 YDS, 4.6 AVG, 62 TD, 286 REC, 2,361 RYDS, 8 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: No

Bottom line: After drafting a running back in the first round three years earlier, Jaguars faithful weren’t thrilled to see their team taking another running back in the first round in 1998. But after learning that Fred Taylor was Florida-born and raised, they soon became fans.

His play also won them over as he shed the "Fragile Fred" nickname from early in his career to become one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history.

He retired as just one of 11 running backs to rush for at least 11,000 yards with a single franchise.

Kansas City Chiefs: Tony Gonzalez, Tight End

College: California

Drafted: 1997, 1st round, 13th overall

NFL career: 17 years (1997-2013), Kansas City Chiefs (1997-2008), Atlanta Falcons (2009-13)

NFL stats: 1,325 REC, 15,127 YDS, 11.4 AVG 111 RTD

Chiefs stats: 916 REC, 10,940 YDS, 11.9 AVG, 76 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2019

Bottom line: Today, drafting converted tight ends is all the rage, but it was still a novel concept in the late 1990s.

Tony Gonzalez was a basketball player in college who was torn between pursuing a pro career in that sport or in football. He chose the latter and never looked back as he is tops in all receiving statistics for tight ends.

Gonzalez used his rare athleticism to become the prototype for the tight end position, and teams have been looking for the next Tony Gonzalez for the last 20 years.

Los Angeles Chargers: Junior Seau, Linebacker

College: USC

Drafted: 1990, 1st round, 5th overall

NFL career: 20 years (1990-2009), San Diego Chargers (1990-2002), Miami Dolphins (2003-05), New England Patriots (2006-09)

NFL stats: 1,522 SOLO, 324 AST, 56.5 SACK, 18 INT, 1 TD

Chargers stats: 1,286 SOLO, 192 AST, 47.0 SACK, 15 INT, 1 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Yes Inducted in 2015

Bottom line: You could make the case for LaDainian Tomlinson being the greatest Charger ever, but no one connected with the San Diego fans quite like Junior Seau, which makes him the franchise’s greatest draft pick. A big reason for that is because Seau was born and raised in San Diego and ultimately died there as well.

His infectious play and personality made him the face of the franchise, which was in a transitional period after the "Air Coryell" era of the 1980s.

Seau won both the defensive player of the year award and the man of the year award while in a Chargers uniform.

Los Angeles Rams: Deacon Jones, Defensive End

College: Mississippi Valley State

Drafted: 1961, 14th round, 186th overall

NFL career: 14 years (1961-74), Los Angeles Rams (1961-71), San Diego Chargers (1972-73), Washington Redskins (1974)

Rams career: 11 years (1961-71)

NFL stats: 191 G, 168 GS, 15 FR, 2 INT, 0 TD

Rams stats: 151 G, 141 GS, 12 FR, 2 INT, 0 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1980

Bottom line: Deacon Jones is one of three members of the "Fearsome Foursome" to make the Hall of Fame, but the others, Merlin Olsen and Jack Youngblood, were top prospects and first-round picks. Deacon Jones lasted until the 14th round and only was noticed when scouts checking out a running back saw this defensive lineman outrunning the backs.

Jones became a starter as a rookie and went on to become a two-time defensive player of the year.

Sacks weren’t an official stat back when he played, but Pro Football Weekly says he unofficially had 173.5, which would rank third all-time in NFL history.

Miami Dolphins: Dan Marino, Quarterback

College: Pittsburgh

Drafted: 1983, 1st round, 27th overall

NFL career: 17 years, all with Dolphins (1983-99)

NFL stats: 4,967 CMP, 8,358 ATT, 61,361 YDS, 420 TD, 252 INT, 86.4 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2005

Bottom line: Dan Marino is the greatest player in Dolphins history, but there were many questions regarding his selection in 1983. He had a dismal senior season at Pittsburgh and threw 23 interceptions as the Panthers lost as many games in 1982 as they did in the 1979-81 seasons combined.

There also were rumors of drug use by Marino, which caused him to drop to the end of the first round. He was the last of the six quarterbacks drafted in the 1983 first round but became arguably the best of the bunch.

By the time Marino retired in 1999, he held most quarterback records, including most career passing yards and most career passing touchdowns.

Minnesota Vikings: Alan Page, Defensive Tackle

College: Notre Dame

Drafted: 1967, 1st round, 15th overall

NFL career: 15 years (1967-81), Minnesota Vikings (1967-78), Chicago Bears (1978-81)

NFL stats: 218 G, 215 GS, 23 FR, 2 INT, 3 TD

Vikings career: 160 G, 157 GS, 19 FR, 1 INT, 2 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0 (1 NFL championship)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1988

Bottom line: It takes a lot for a defensive player to be recognized in the absence of stats, and that’s just what happened with Alan Page throughout his career.

He played before sacks were an official statistic but still became the first defensive player to win NFL MVP in 1971.

He also won two defensive player of the year awards all while attending law school. Page got his juris doctor degree in 1978 and went on to serve as a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady, Quarterback

College: Michigan

Drafted: 2000, 6th round, 199th overall

NFL career: 19 years, all with Patriots (2000-present)

NFL stats: 6,004 CMP, 9,375 ATT, 70,514 YDS, 517 TD, 171 INT, 97.6 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 6 (2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018)

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: When you factor in Tom Brady’s resume and where he was drafted, he is likely the greatest draft pick of all time. The reason why he lasted until the 199th pick is because he wasn’t the same player in college that he became in the NFL.

Brady worked on his game, his arm and his body while in the NFL to become the elite quarterback that he’s been during the second half of his pro career. No player has won more Super Bowls (6), no player has been to more Pro Bowls (14), and no player at the quarterback position is viewed as superior to Brady.

No one foresaw the success of Brady except for Brady himself. According to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Brady had some legendary words for Kraft the first time they met.

"And he looked me in the eye and said, 'I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.' It looks like he could be right."

New Orleans Saints: Rickey Jackson, Linebacker

College: Pittsburgh

Drafted: 1981, 2nd round, 51st overall

NFL career: 15 years (1981-95), New Orleans Saints (1981-93), San Francisco 49ers (1994-95)

NFL stats: 1,173 SOLO, 7 AST, 128 SACK, 8 INT, 0 TD

Saints stats: 1,104 SOLO, 115 SACK, 7 INT, 0 TD

Super Bowl titles: 1 (1994 with 49ers, 0 with Saints)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2010

Bottom line: The Saints had the first overall pick in 1981, and they selected running back George Rogers, who led the NFL in rushing as a rookie. But even with that, the Saints' best pick from that draft came 50 spots later with the selection of Rickey Jackson.

The Saints passed up on drafting Lawrence Taylor first overall because they thought Jackson could be their version of LT. When it was all said and done, just 4.5 sacks separated LT from Jackson, who became the first player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame primarily for his contributions as a New Orleans Saint.

New York Giants: Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker

College: North Carolina

Drafted: 1981, 1st round, 2nd overall

NFL career: 13 years, all with Giants (1981-93)

NFL stats: 132.5 SACK, 9 INT, 11 FR, 2 TD

Super Bowl titles: 2 (1986, 1990)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1999

Bottom line: Not only did Lawrence Taylor have the pressure of playing in New York, but he also had to live up to the hype that Giants general manger George Young created for him. Young called Taylor "the best college linebacker that I’ve ever seen" and predicted that Taylor would be better than Dick Butkus.

He proved his GM right and is regarded as the greatest outside linebacker in NFL history.

The only three-time defensive player of the year winner, LT was named by NFL Network as the third-greatest player in NFL history and the greatest defensive player in league history.

New York Jets: Darrelle Revis, Defensive Back

College: Pittsburgh

Drafted: 2007, 1st round, 14th overall

NFL career: 11 years (2007-17), New York Jets (2007-12, 2015-16), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013), New England Patriots (2014), Kansas City Chiefs (2017)

NFL stats: 411 SOLO, 86 AST, 29 INT, 2 SACK, 3 TD

Jets career: 314 SOLO, 72 AST, 25 INT, 1 SACK, 3 TD

Super Bowl Titles: 1 (2014 with Patriots, 0 with Jets)

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: While Joe Namath is the most important player in Jets history, "Broadway Joe" was drafted by the Jets in the AFL and the Cardinals in the NFL. The Jets' best NFL draft pick resides on Revis Island.

Darrelle Revis was considered the best cornerback of his era. He affected the game as much as any defensive player in recent memory as opposing teams would tailor their game plans to avoid throwing to Revis' side.

In his seven full seasons with the Jets, Revis was named to five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro first teams.

Oakland Raiders: Bo Jackson, Running Back

College: Auburn

Drafted: 1987, 7th round, 183rd overall

NFL career: 4 years, all with Raiders (1987-90)

NFL stats: 515 ATT, 2,782 YDS, 5.4 AVG, 16 TD, 40 REC, 352 RYDS, 2 RTD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: No

Bottom line: Bo Jackson may not even be one of the 50 greatest Raiders of all time, but without the team drafting him, we would never realize the full legend of "Bo Jackson."

He was actually drafted first overall in 1986 by the Tampa Buccaneers, but he vowed to never play for them after they lied to him and cost him his NCAA eligibility in baseball. Thus, Jackson’s rights went back into the following year’s draft, and once the Raiders selected him, Jackson embarked on his two-sport pro career.

On the football field, Jackson was electric even though his career lasted just 38 games. He had the longest run of the season in three out of his four years, and his 5.4 career rushing average is the highest for any running back post-merger.

Philadelphia Eagles: Reggie White, Defensive End/Tackle

College: Tennessee

Drafted: 1984, 1st round, 4th overall (supplemental draft)

NFL career: 15 years, (1985-98, 2000), Philadelphia Eagles (1985-92), Green Bay Packers (1993-98), Carolina Panthers (2000)

NFL stats: 1,048 SOLO, 63 AST, 198 SACK, 3 INT, 2 TD

Eagles stats: 794 SOLO, 124 SACK, 2 INT, 2 TD

Super Bowl titles: 1 (1996 with Packers, 0 with Eagles)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2006

Bottom line: The only player from the supplemental draft on this list, Reggie White was eligible for the 1984 supplemental draft because he had already signed with the USFL. Since the USFL played in the spring and summer, White played in both the USFL and the NFL in 1985 and competed in a staggering 33 football games in a calendar year.

The grind showed no effect on his play. He recorded 13 sacks as an Eagles rookie and posted double-digit sack totals in each of his eight seasons in Philadelphia.

White averaged more than a sack per game with the Eagles and made six All-Pro first teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Antonio Brown

College: Central Michigan

Drafted: 2010, 6th round, 195th overall

NFL career: 9 years (2010-present)

NFL stats: 837 REC, 11,207 YDS, 13.4 AVG, 74 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: Don’t let the tumultuous ending to his Steelers career fool you. Antonio Brown is the best draft pick the Rooneys have ever made.

The Steelers have drafted 17 Hall of Famers to date, and with Brown well on his way to Canton, he will go down as the latest drafted of the Steelers' Hall of Famers. Twenty-two wide receivers were drafted before Brown in 2010, and they have combined for two All-Pro teams — half as many as Brown has made.

If it wasn’t for some guy named Tom Brady, Brown would be considered the greatest sixth round draft pick of all time.

San Francisco 49ers: Jerry Rice

College: Mississippi Valley State

Drafted: 1985, 1st round, 16th overall

NFL career: 20 years (1985-2004), San Francisco 49ers (1985-2000), Oakland Raiders (2001-04), Seattle Seahawks (2004)

NFL stats: 1,549 REC, 22,895 YDS, 14.8 AVG, 197 TD

49ers stats: 1,281 REC, 19,247 YDS, 15.0 AVG, 176 TD

Super Bowl titles: 3 (1988, 1989, 1994)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2010

Bottom line: Pointing to the brilliance of Bill Walsh, some teams overlooked Jerry Rice because of his 4.7 40-yard dash, but the 49ers traded up in the draft to select the greatest receiver of all time.

Scouting technology wasn’t as sophisticated back then as it is now, and Rice playing in the SWAC meant even less exposure than other top prospects. However, Walsh reportedly noticed Rice while watching highlights on a Saturday before a 49ers game and did everything he could to draft him.

Rice spent 16 of his 20 seasons with the Niners and rewrote the NFL record book. He holds over 100 NFL records, reportedly more than any other player in history and by a wide margin.

In addition to holding every receiving record worth mentioning, Rice also holds the record for most All-Pro first teams (10) and all of those came in a 49ers uniform.

Seattle Seahawks: Richard Sherman, Defensive Back

College: Stanford

Drafted: 2011, 5th round, 154th overall

NFL career: 8 years, (2011-present), Seattle Seahawks (2011-17), San Francisco 49ers (2018-present)

NFL stats: 316 SOLO, 98 AST, 32 INT, 2 SACK, 3 TD

Seahawks stats: 286 SOLO, 91 AST, 32 INT, 1 SACK, 3 TD

Super Bowl titles: 1 (2013)

Hall of Fame: Not yet eligible

Bottom line: He’s not Russell Wilson, Walter Jones or Cortez Kennedy, but all of those players had some level of expectation when they were drafted. Richard Sherman had no such expectations as a fifth-round pick, who had just converted to cornerback as a college senior.

Sherman’s college coach, Jim Harbaugh, even passed over him in the draft multiple times and saw no future for him as a professional.

With the Seahawks, Sherman was the face of their "Legion of Boom" defense and backed up his talk with his play. He helped lead the team to No. 1 in scoring defense in four straight years — something that hadn’t been done by any team since the Browns in the 1950s.

Since Sherman entered the league in 2011, no player has recorded more interceptions than his 32.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derrick Brooks, Linebacker

College: Florida State

Drafted: 1995, 1st round, 28th overall

NFL career: 14 years, all with Buccaneers (1995-2008)

NFL stats: 1,297 SOLO, 413 AST, 13.5 SACK, 25 INT, 7 TD

Super Bowl titles: 1 (2002)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2014

Bottom line: The transformation of the Bucs from a perennial laughingstock to an eventual Super Bowl champion mostly gets credited to coach Tony Dungy. But bringing Derrick Brooks into the fold was the biggest personnel move.

Brooks helped set a culture in Tampa. His work ethic and leadership rubbed off on his teammates, and he was the inspirational leader for those great Bucs defenses.

On the field, he was no slouch either and was the perfect outside linebacker for the Tampa 2 defense. He never missed a game in his 14-year career and was a defensive player of the year winner in addition to being named the Walter Payton man of the year.

Tennessee Titans: Bruce Matthews, Offensive Lineman

College: USC

Drafted: 1983, 1st round, 9th overall

NFL career: 19 years, all with Oilers/Titans (1983-2001)

NFL stats: 296 G, 293 GS, 0 TD

Super Bowl titles: 0

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2007

Bottom line: The list of Hall of Famers who have been drafted by the Oilers/Titans without ever playing for the team is even more amazing than the greats who have suited up for the franchise. Mike Ditka, Steve Largent and Charley Taylor all were drafted by the franchise but never appeared in a game for the team.

However, the player who appeared in more games for the franchise than anyone else is the Oilers/Titans' best-ever draft pick.

Bruce Matthews appeared in 296 games for the franchise and played, literally, ever position along the offensive line as well as being the long snapper. He made Pro Bowls at the three interior line positions and started more games than anyone in NFL history not named Brett Favre.

Matthews' 14 Pro Bowls are tied for the most in NFL history and spanned his time with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Oilers and Tennessee Titans.

Washington Redskins: Sammy Baugh, Quarterback/Tailback

College: TCU

Drafted: 1937, 1st round, 6th overall

NFL career: 16 years, all with Redskins (1937-52)

NFL stats: 1,693 CMP, 2,995 ATT, 21,886 YDS, 187 TD, 203 INT, 72.2 RAT

Super Bowl titles: 0 (2 NFL championships)

Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1963

Bottom line: Sammy Baugh was nicknamed "Slinging Sammy," but he did more than just throw the football — he was the rare three-way player.

In 1943, Baugh led the league in completion percentage, yards per punt and even interceptions as a defensive back. He led the Redskins to their first two NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era and made six Pro Bowls.

When Baugh retired in 1952, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, punting yards, punting average and was fifth in defensive interceptions.