Great NFL Drafts (for franchises)

[Jake_Taylor]

Started reading Next Man Up the other day and early on it talks about how in the first draft Ozzie Newsome was in charge of he picked Jonathon Ogden and Ray Lewis in the first round. Later it mentions that the Browns took Clay Matthews and Newsome in the first round in 1978.

Obviously both those teams did great in those drafts. What were some other years individual franchises picked up multiple all-pros and/or Hall of Famers? How about some of the worst drafts where a team picked nobody good?

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

Saw something on the Chargers last year around draft time in which SD's drafts for the past several years all had individual merit, but that some of those individual years were sort of overshadowed by the past.

 

[Trey Beamon]

Nothing can top the Steelers' 1974 draft -- Swann, Lambert, Stallworth and Webster were four of their first five picks.

 

[Huggy]

Not up there with that great Steelers' draft, but the 49ers getting Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson with three of their first four picks in 1981 was a pretty good haul for that first SB.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

Steelers did pretty well in '71, too:

2. Jack Ham, 4. Gerry Mullins, 4a. Dwight White, 5. Larry Brown, 8a. Ernie Holmes, 11. Mike Wagner.

 

[D.Sanchez]

Nothing can top the Steelers' 1974 draft -- Swann, Lambert, Stallworth and Webster were four of their first five picks.

We have a winner, although the 1986 49ers brought in 8 future Super Bowl starters with their draft.

 

[outofplace]

Nothing can top the Steelers' 1974 draft -- Swann, Lambert, Stallworth and Webster were four of their first five picks.

Who was the other pick? I used to know that, but can't remember. I do remember that they also signed Donnie Shell as a rookie free agent that year. He wasn't on the level of the four Hall of Famers, but he was a very solid pro for a long time.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

Who can forget the Houston Texans' expansion draft? Tony Boselli and Ryan Young were great picks. They both kept David Carr from getting sacked.

 

[outofplace]

I had to look up the year, but the Chicago Bears took **** Butkus and Gale Sayers back-to-back with the third and fourth picks overall in the 1965 draft. They got the pick for Butkus in a trade with the Steelers. No idea what they gave up for it.

 

[SlickWillie71]

Dallas' 1975 draft class brought in future HoF'er Randy White, but also had future Pro Bowlers Hollywood Henderson and Pat Donovan, along with future starters Randy Hughes, Bob Breuning, Mike Hegman and Burton Lawless.

 

[Trey Beamon]

Didn't the Steelers get the chance to draft Bradshaw based on a coin flip with the Bears? And didn't the same thing happen with O.J. Simpson?

 

[Armchair_QB]

Didn't the Steelers get the chance to draft Bradshaw based on a coin flip with the Bears? And didn't the same thing happen with O.J. Simpson?

You're correct on Bradshaw. I don't know about OJ.

 

[Fly]

You can look back at every one of Matt Millen's drafts in his Lions' tenure and find nothing but...ummmm...yeah. Nothing but....nothing. Fail compounded by fail.

Nothing to see here, move along now.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

Didn't the Steelers get the chance to draft Bradshaw based on a coin flip with the Bears? And didn't the same thing happen with O.J. Simpson?

The Bills took a gamble on Simpson, but he proved to be a great slasher. He really cut to the hole and eluded the defense.

 

[Armchair_QB]

This is how you build a Super Bowl winner:

In 1981 the Bears drafted Keith Van Horne, Mike Singletary, Ken Margerum and Todd Bell with their first four picks.

In 1982 they picked up Jim McMahon in round 1 and Dennis Gentry in round 3.

In 1983 seven of their first eight picks were Jimbo Covert and Willie Gault in round 1; Mike Richardson in round 2, Dave Duerson in round 3, Tom Thayer in round 4 and Richard Dent and Mark Bortz in round 8.

In 1984 their first two picks were Wilber Marshall and Ron Rivera and they added Shaun Gayle in round 10.

 

[JakeandElwood]

This is how you build a Super Bowl winner:

In 1981 the Bears drafted Keith Van Horne, Mike Singletary, Ken Margerum and Todd Bell with their first four picks.

In 1982 they picked up Jim McMahon in round 1 and Dennis Gentry in round 3.

In 1983 seven of their first eight picks were Jimbo Covert and Willie Gault in round 1; Mike Richardson in round 2, Dave Duerson in round 3, Tom Thayer in round 4 and Richard Dent and Mark Bortz in round 8.

In 1984 their first two picks were Wilber Marshall and Ron Rivera and they added Shaun Gayle in round 10.

The Fridge was a rookie drafted in '85 too I believe.

 

[mustangj17]

**** how about the Mario Williams pick. Looking better everyday.

Who can forget the Houston Texans' expansion draft? Tony Boselli and Ryan Young were great picks. They both kept David Carr from getting sacked.

 

[mustangj17]

Maybe you moved along too quickly.

Roy Williams, Kevin Jones. Same draft.

You can look back at every one of Matt Millen's drafts in his Lions' tenure and find nothing but...ummmm...yeah. Nothing but....nothing. Fail compounded by fail.

Nothing to see here, move along now.

 

[rube]

Surprised we're missing the '91 Cowboys Herschel Walker draft. Guys like Russell Maryland, Alvin Harper, Kelvin Pritchett (who moved on to have a solid few years with Detroit), Dixon Edwards, Godfrey Myles, Erik Williams, Leon Lett and Larry Brown.
No HOF's in there or anything, but you don't see depth like that very often.

 

[GB-Hack]

While it wasn't overall an outstanding draft, the Buccaneers getting Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks with their first two picks in 1995 began the turnaround of that franchise.