The NFL Draft provides hope and optimism to every team because there is a chance that prospects will turn into great professionals. Young football players are just as likely to bust out as they are to find NFL success, though. Rarely throughout history has there been a draft class that was stacked from top to bottom with star talent and depth, but when a great draft class emerges, it puts the entire league in a better place for years to come. So, what are the best NFL Draft classes in history?
10. 1996 NFL Draft
Certain draft classes stand out at a particular position. That was the case for the 1996 draft and the receiver position. Keyshawn Johnson became one of just four receivers to go first overall and the most recent pass catcher to do so. Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison are the receivers who really stand out, both of whom are top 10 all-time in receiving yards.
On top of the receiver talent, Ray Lewis was drafted 26th overall. With 1,568 career tackles, nobody has brought opponents down to the ground more than the long-time Baltimore Ravens linebacker has. A fellow feared tackler and hard-hitter, Brian Dawkins, was also taken in 1996. Jonathan Ogden is an all-time great offensive tackle, too.
Adam Vinatieri didn’t hear his name called on draft night, but he went from being undrafted to becoming the greatest kicker in NFL history. He is the NFL’s all-time leading scorer.
9. 2004 NFL Draft
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The 2004 NFL Draft defined an era of football. The first and fourth picks were used on quarterbacks who were traded for each other. Eli Manning refused to play for the San Diego Chargers, which led to his swapping with New York Giants selectee Philip Rivers. Ben Roethlisberger was also taken 11th overall.
Those three quarterbacks were staples in the NFL for their respective teams for around the next two decades. Manning is responsible for some of the greatest moments in Super Bowl history, Rivers returned to the NFL this past season at age 44 after four years of retirement, and Roethlisberger helped usher in a new era of perennial winning for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The best player from the class was Larry Fitzgerald, though. He ranks second in career receiving yards (17,492) and was known for his sure-handedness. Jared Allen and Vince Wilfork are legendary defensive players, and Sean Taylor was well on his way to reaching that status, but was tragically murdered at the age of 24 after two Pro Bowl appearances.
8. 1985 NFL Draft
Bruce Smith is the only player in NFL history with 200 sacks. The defensive end was the first overall pick in 1985. Fifteen picks later, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Jerry Rice. Any list of the NFL’s greatest players will be dominated by quarterbacks. After all, it is the most important position in football.
Rice is always mentioned in G.O.A.T. conversations, though, and most consider him to be the greatest player ever who wasn’t a quarterback. The receiver has over 5,000 more receiving yards than second place on the all-time list. This draft class also included some USFL legends who would eventually join the NFL and have productive careers there. Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie are the two prime examples.
Furthermore, Randall Cunningham was a pioneer for rushing quarterbacks, and Kevin Greene, Andre Reed, and Chris Doleman all made the Hall of Fame.
7. 1957 NFL Draft
Tom Brady, a sixth-round pick from the 2000 NFL Draft class, is considered the greatest NFL player ever. 1985 draftee Jerry Rice is usually considered to be the greatest non-quarterback ever. The other player involved in G.O.A.T. debates is Jim Brown, the NFL’s first great player and the sixth overall pick in 1957. Brown won three MVPs and led the league in rushing yards eight times.
Brown was one of four first-round picks who would make it to the Hall of Fame from this draft class, and nine players in total were enshrined in Canton. Paul Hornung, Len Dawson, Jim Parker, Tommy McDonald, Sonny Jurgensen, Henry Jordan, Gene Hickerson, and Don Maynard were the other Hall of Famers.
6. 1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 NFL Draft was a little bit top-heavy, but the top five was truly historic. Troy Aikman was the first overall pick. He led America’s Team during the Dallas Cowboys’ heyday and would go on to become one of the best number one picks in history. Barry Sanders is widely viewed as one of the top three running backs of all time, and Derrick Thomas is 19th on the all-time sacks list. Had his tragic and untimely death not cut his career with the Kansas City Chiefs short, Thomas may have become even more of a household name.
The fifth overall pick was Deion Sanders. The cornerback/returner was nicknamed ‘Prime Time’ because of his ability to make big plays when the lights were the brightest, and all of these years later, he is still one of the most influential players in football. Each of those top picks became Hall of Famers, as did Steve Atwater, one of the hardest-hitting safeties the league has ever seen.
This class is held back because of a lack of depth, but Eric Metcalf, Andre Rison, Steve Wisniewski, Carnell Lake, and Mark Schlereth were all pretty solid Pro Bowlers.
5. 1964 NFL Draft
Ten Hall of Famers came from the 1964 NFL Draft, the most of any class. The list of players whose busts have been immortalized in Canton includes Bob Brown, Charley Taylor, Carl Eller, Paul Warfield, Mel Renfro, Paul Krause, Dave Wilcox, Bob Hayes, Leroy Kelly, and Roger Staubach.
Those Hall of Famers combined for 68 Pro Bowls and nine Super Bowl championships. All in all, there were 26 total Pro Bowlers. After a delayed career due to military service time, Staubach became one of the most popular players of the ’70s. Staubach and his draft class peers helped revolutionize the sport of football.
4. 1981 NFL Draft
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Defense wins championships, and the 1981 NFL Draft class proves that true. This class was loaded with defensive superstars. In fact, Lawrence Taylor is considered by most to be the best defensive player ever. He earned three Defensive Player of the Year trophies and is one of two players from the less glamorous side of the ball who have been named an MVP.
On top of that, Ronnie Lott and Mike Singletary have cases as the best cornerback and the best middle linebacker ever. Furthermore, Kenny Easley and Howie Long were Defensive Player of the Year winners, and Rickey Jackson was a perennial Pro Bowler.
This class certainly left something to be desired offensively, but this was an era ruled by defense. Running back George Rogers was the first overall pick. He had one of the best rookie seasons ever, but substance abuse issues and injury problems prevented him from becoming the offensive star this class needed.
3. 1998 NFL Draft
Peyton Manning was taken first overall in 1998 as arguably the most highly regarded prospect ever. He certainly lived up to expectations, evidenced by his record five MVP wins. While Manning was followed in the draft by Ryan Leaf, one of the biggest draft busts ever, there were still plenty of other great players whose careers started in 1998.
Charles Woodson and Randy Moss are NFL legends at the defensive back and receiver positions, respectively. Coming off being the only primary defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy, Woodson would go on to win a Defensive Player of the Year nod and twice lead the NFL in interceptions. Moss led the NFL in receiving touchdowns five times and revolutionized the game because of his ability to always win jump ball opportunities.
While there was more star power than great depth, London Fletcher, Hines Ward, and Alan Faneca are other great players to come out of the 1998 NFL Draft.
2. 2011 NFL Draft
There are still players active in the league from the 2011 NFL Draft class, so the fact that it ranks second among the best classes in history is a testament to how quickly so many players found success. Sixteen players in the first round alone became Pro Bowlers, starting with Cam Newton. The BCS national champion-turned NJCAA national champion fell short in the Super Bowl, but he was still an MVP winner who led one of the best offenses in recent memory. Newton’s physical prowess was something never seen before from a quarterback. The player who prevented Newton from winning the Super Bowl was number two pick Von Miller, a top-10 all-time sack artist and the rare defensive player to win Super Bowl MVP this century. He was joined by draft class peer Malcolm Smith in that regard.
Those two were followed in the draft by Marcell Dareus, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones, and Aldon Smith, players who were all among the best at their respective positions during their primes. Even Smith had the potential to be the best pass rusher in football if it weren’t for off-the-field issues. Tyson Smith was also an elite offensive tackle on the best offensive line of his era.
The aforementioned players were all top 10 picks. After that, J.J. Watt was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward are still going strong in what is about to be their 16th seasons. Richard Sherman and Jason Kelce were late-round gems, the former as the leader of the Legion of Boom, one of the best defensive units ever, and the latter as arguably the best center in NFL history. Even Chris Harris Jr. revolutionized the slot cornerback position and is one of the most notable undrafted players ever.
The only thing holding this class from first place is that there were some major misses at quarterback. Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, and Christian Ponder are all among the biggest draft busts of the 21st century.
1. 1983 NFL Draft
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The NFL wouldn’t be what it is today without the 1983 NFL Draft. It was a spectatical even on draft night. A record six quarterbacks were taken in the first round, including MVPs John Elway and Dan Marino, both of whom are among the best NFL players ever. Elway refused to play for the Baltimore Colts team that took him first overall, so the threat of him choosing baseball led to his being traded to the Denver Broncos. Of every draft prospect in history, Elway still might be viewed as the most highly touted.
Jim Kelly also held out. He signed with the USFL before he eventually made his way to the NFL and led the Buffalo Bills to four Super Bowl appearances. Unfortunately, Super Bowls were 1983’s kryptonite. The six first-round quarterbacks ended up just 2-9 in the big game, with the two wins not coming until Elway’s final two seasons. On top of Elway, Marino, and Kelly, Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason, and Ken O’Brien were the other highly-drafted signal callers.
Although this is considered the quarterback class of 1983, there was more to offer than just gunslingers. Eric Dickerson was the Offensive Player of the Year and had one of the best running back primes ever. He led the NFL in rushing yards in four of his first six seasons.
Jim Covert, Bruce Matthews, Darrell Green, Roger Craig, and Richard Dent became Hall of Famers, too. Karl Mecklenburg was also arguably the best 12th-round draft pick of all time. The NFL Draft had only been televised for a few years leading up to 1983, and this draft really popularized the event with football fans. So much so that Mel Kiper Jr. would go on to be the face of the draft for ESPN the very next year.
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