NFL 1st Overall Picks List in History

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

2019: Kyler Murray

2018: Baker Mayfield

Cleveland Browns

2017: Myles Garrett

Cleveland Browns

2016: Jared Goff

Los Angeles Rams

2015: Jameis Winston

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2014: Jadeveon Clowney

Houston Texans

2013: Eric Fisher

Kansas City Chiefs

2012: Andrew Luck

Indianpolis Colts

2011: Cam Newton

Carolina Panthers

2010: Sam Bradford

St. Louis Rams

2009: Matthew Stafford

Detroit Lions

2008: Jake Long

Miami Dolphins

2007: JaMarcus Russell

Oakland Raiders

2006: Mario Williams

Houston Texans

2005: Alex Smith

San Francisco 49ers

2004: Eli Manning

San Diego Chargers

2003: Carson Palmer

Cincinnati Bengals

2002: David Carr

Houston Texans

2001: Michael Vick

Atlanta Falcons

2000: Courtney Brown

Cleveland Browns

1999: Tim Couch

Cleveland Browns

1998: Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts

1997: Orlando Pace

St. Louis Rams

1996: Keyshawn Johnson

New York Jets

1995: Ki-Jana Carter

Cincinnati Bengals

1994: Dan Wilkinson

Cincinnati Bengals

1993: Drew Bledsoe

New England Patriots

1992: Steve Emtman

Indianapolis Colts

1991: Russell Maryland

Dallas Cowboys

1990: Jeff George

Indianapolis Colts

1989: Troy Aikman

Dallas Cowboys

1988: Aundray Bruce

Atlanta Falcons

1987: Vinny Testaverde

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1986: Bo Jackson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1985: Bruce Smith

Buffalo Bills

1984: Irving Fryar

New England Patriots

1983: John Elway

Baltimore Colts

1982: Kenneth Sims

New England Patriots

1981: George Rogers

New Orleans Saints

1980: Billy Sims

Detroit Lions

1979: Tom Cousineau

Buffalo Bills

1978: Earl Campbell

Houston Oilers

1977: Ricky Bell

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1976: Lee Roy Selmon

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1975: Steve Bartkowski

Atlanta Falcons

1974: Ed Jones

Dallas Cowboys

1973: John Matuszak

Houston Oilers

1972: Walt Patulski

Buffalo Bills

1971: Jim Plunkett

New England Patriots

1970: Terry Bradshaw

Pittsburgh Steelers

1969: O.J. Simpson

Buffalo Bills

1968: Ron Yary

Minnesota Vikings

1967: Bubba Smith

Baltimore Colts

1966: Tommy Nobis

Atlanta Falcons

1965: Tucker Frederickson

New York Giants

1964: Dave Parks

Sna Francisco 49ers

1963: Terry Baker

Los Angeles Rams

1962: Ernie Davis

Washington Redskins

1961: Tommy Mason

Minnesota Vikings

1960: Billy Cannon

Los Angeles Rams

1959: Randy Duncan

Green Bay Packers

1958: King Hill

Chicago Cardinals

1957: Paul Hornung

Green Bay Packers

1956: Gary Glick

Pittsburgh Steelers

1955: George Shaw

Baltimore Colts

1954: Bobby Garrett

Cleveland Browns

1953: Harry Babcock

San Francisco 49ers

1952: Bill Wade

Los Angeles Rams

1951: Kyle Rote

New York Giants

1950: Leon Hart

Detroit Lions

1949: Chuck Bednarik

Philadelphia Eagles

1948: Harry Gilmer

Washington Redskins

1947: Bob Fenimore

Chicago Bears

1946: Frank Dancewicz

Boston Yanks

1945: Charley Trippi

Chicago Cardinals

1944: Angelo Bartelli

Boston Yanks

1943: Frank Sinkwich

Detroit Lions

1942: Bill Dudley

Pittsburgh Steelers

1941: Tom Harmon

Chicago Bears

1940: George Cafego

Chicago Cardinals

1939: Ki Aldrich

Chicago Cardinals

1938: Corbett Davis

Cleveland Rams

1937: Sam Francis

Philadelphia Eagles

1936: Jay Berwanger

Philadelphia Eagles

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.