Who are the 10 best first overall picks in the common draft era?

When NFL teams struggle and bottom out to the point where they get the No. 1 overall pick, there is a lot of pressure on that pick. That being said, it is also a chance to take a player who will alter the path of your franchise.

Not every first overall pick is created equal. And each era changes the way the executives and teams think about the top pick. For instance, only the truly premium positions have been taken with the top pick recently. The last time the first pick wasn’t a quarterback, offensive tackle or defensive lineman was nearly 30 years ago, in 1996, when Keyshawn Johnson was taken by the Jets.

That being said, it is hard to overrate the immense value a quarterback can have if they succeed at a level you’d expect a No. 1 pick to have. There are significant examples littered throughout history of how quarterbacks can change everything for a franchise in the draft’s top spot.

But are the top first overall picks in the common draft era (since 1967) quarterbacks, offensive lineman or another position not mentioned? Who has changed their franchise the most and built the success general managers dream about when they send the card up for the first pick?

Here are the top 10 first overall picks in the common draft era.

Top 10 first overall picks in the common draft era

Selected as the top pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, Vick was a true unicorn with game-breaking speed, seemingly impossible elusiveness and a rocket arm. In his career, he was named a Pro Bowler in his first three seasons, in which he played at least 10 games. His 6,109 career rushing yards were the most for a QB before Lamar Jackson entered the league. In his career he would finish with four Pro Bowls, and two top-five MVP finishes.

9. Orlando Pace

One of the best linemen in the game’s history, Pace was a vital piece of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” teams that eventually brought the city a title in Super Bowl 34. Perhaps the biggest plus about the sturdy tackle was his consistency. He was named a Pro Bowler seven straight seasons and played 169 games over 13 seasons before becoming a Hall of Famer in 2016.

8. Earl Campbell

Nobody started their career better than Campbell, who led the league in rushing in each of his first three seasons. During that stretch, he was named MVP once, and runner-up twice, including his rookie season, where he took home Rookie of the Year. The punishing running back’s career was a short one, though, playing in just eight NFL seasons and finishing with 9,407 rushing yards before being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

7. O.J. Simpson

A slower start to his career than others on the list, Simpson was electric with the ball in his hands. After his first three seasons began slower than expected, O.J. then made five straight All-Pro teams, leading the NFL in rushing in the first of those five years. He also became the first player in NFL history to reach 2,000 rush yards in a season over that span, putting up an eye-popping 2,003 yards in 14 games in 1973.

When all was said and done, O.J. led the NFL in rushing in four of his 11 seasons and in rushing touchdowns in two of his 11 seasons, eventually being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Taken first overall by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft, Manning was quickly traded to the Giants in a deal that brought the Bolts Philip Rivers, and the rest was history. Eli was a Pro Bowler just four times in his career, but saved his play for when it mattered most, delivering perhaps the most iconic Super Bowl win in history when his Giants took down the unbeaten Patriots to win Super Bowl XLII. He would capture one more Super Bowl title with the team and retire with over 57,000 yards passing to his name.

5. Troy Aikman

Playing for the most famous franchise in NFL history, Aikman notably helped bring Dallas to the mountaintop multiple times, pushing the team to three titles, while winning Super Bowl MVP once. Over the course of his 12 seasons, Aikman was named a Pro Bowler six times and won 94 games during his tenure with the Cowboys. He would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

4. Bruce Smith

The best defensive player on the list, Smith was a monster on the field and justified this pick and then some for the Bills. He was an absolute terror for opposing offenses, specifically QBs, racking up 200 sacks in his career. To this day, he is still the only player to reach that number. Even without a number that big, he is still an all-timer. He was named an All-Pro eight times, named Defensive Player of the Year two times and had 13(!) double-digit sack seasons.

3. Terry Bradshaw

One of the greatest winners in league history, Bradshaw helped the Steelers earn their championship pedigree. Over his career, he helped Pittsburgh earn four Super Bowl titles, becoming the first quarterback to earn that many. That number has only been matched by Joe Montana and eventually surpassed by Tom Brady to this day. Moreover, all he did was win, posting a 14-5 playoff mark and leading the Steelers to 107 regular-season victories.

2. John Elway

Taken first overall by the Baltimore Colts in 1983, Elway forced his way out and was shipped to Denver where he delivered some incredible years. Over his career, which spanned 16 years, he helped lead the Broncos to 148 wins, and, eventually, back-to-back Super Bowls in his final two seasons. He was also named MVP in 1987, one of his best seasons in his career. And to put a bow on it, he was named a Hall of Famer in 2004, with “The Drive” being the most memorable moment in a career full of them.

1. Peyton Manning

A surprise to no one, Peyton Manning easily claims the top spot for his play and the way he turned the Colts franchise around. At the time, it seemed like an interesting choice whether to take Ryan Leaf or Manning at the top spot, but Bill Polian and Indy made the right call.

When all was said and done, Manning earned five NFL MVP awards, was a first-team All-Pro seven times, won two Super Bowls, set the NFL single-season touchdown mark with 53 in 2013 and finished his career with the third-most touchdown passes in NFL history. Oh, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Honorable Mentions:

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