NFL DRAFT REPORT CARD

There is no debate here. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the greatest drafting franchise in NFL history, and it isn't particularly close. The 1974 draft class alone - four Hall of Famers in a single draft (Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, and Mike Webster) - is widely considered the single greatest draft class any team has ever assembled. That class powered four Super Bowl wins in six years and defined an entire era of football.

But the Steelers' drafting excellence goes far beyond one legendary class. Across every era, Pittsburgh has consistently found impact players at every level of the draft. They drafted Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Mel Blount, and Rod Woodson. In the modern era, they found Ben Roethlisberger (R1), Troy Polamalu (R1), Antonio Brown (R6), Le'Veon Bell (R2), and T.J. Watt (R1). The ability to find Antonio Brown - a future All-Pro wide receiver - in the sixth round speaks to a scouting operation that operates on a completely different level.

Even when the Steelers miss, they miss small. Their worst first-round picks - Jarvis Jones, Artie Burns, Devin Bush - were all replaceable pieces rather than franchise-crippling disasters. They've never had a JaMarcus Russell or a Ryan Leaf. The floor is always high in Pittsburgh.

Biggest Hits:

Notable Misses:

The Packers own the greatest quarterback succession plan in NFL history, and that alone earns them a spot in the top tier. They drafted Brett Favre (via trade), Aaron Rodgers (R1, 2005 - while Favre was still elite), and Jordan Love (R1, 2020 - while Rodgers was still elite). Three franchise quarterbacks, seamless transitions, zero rebuilds. No other franchise in history has pulled that off.

Since 2000, Green Bay leads the entire NFL in Approximate Value generated from draft picks. Under GM Ted Thompson and now Brian Gutekunst, the Packers have been a machine in the middle rounds. Their second-round wide receivers alone tell the story: Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed. The Packers' 1958 draft produced three Hall of Famers (Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke, Jerry Kramer), and they've maintained that standard across seven decades.

The Cowboys were an expansion team in 1960 and have 32 Hall of Famers. Let that sink in. While the Bears and Packers had four-decade head starts, America's Team caught up on the strength of an unparalleled scouting operation built by Gil Brandt and Tom Landry. The Cowboys pioneered the use of computers in draft evaluation in the 1960s and were decades ahead of the league in analytics.

The 1964 draft delivered three Hall of Famers (Mel Renfro, Bob Hayes, Roger Staubach) - including Staubach in the 10th round, which remains arguably the greatest late-round pick in NFL history. The 1992 draft under Jimmy Johnson produced the core of a three-peat championship roster. In the modern era, Dallas has drafted 15 Pro Bowlers in the first round since 2000 - an NFL high - including DeMarcus Ware, Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. They also found Dak Prescott in the fourth round. Jerry Jones nearly drafted Johnny Manziel over Zack Martin in 2014 - one of the closest calls in franchise history. Martin became a perennial All-Pro.

The 49ers' 1986 draft class produced eight starters who were key contributors to back-to-back Super Bowl wins - including Hall of Famer Charles Haley. But the dynasty was built over multiple drafts, and Bill Walsh's eye for talent was legendary. He drafted Joe Montana (R3, 1979), Ronnie Lott (R1, 1981), and Jerry Rice (R1, 1985), then transitioned to Steve Young. That's three Hall of Fame quarterbacks and the greatest receiver ever, all drafted by one franchise.

The modern 49ers under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have been strong drafters as well, finding Nick Bosa (R1), Deebo Samuel (R2), and Fred Warner (R3). The one massive black mark? Trading three first-round picks for Trey Lance, who turned out to be one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory. That move alone probably costs the franchise half a grade point.

The 2000 NFL Draft - specifically pick number 199 - is the single most consequential draft selection in the history of professional sports. Tom Brady in the sixth round. Seven Super Bowl appearances, six championships, and arguably the greatest player in any sport, ever. That one pick alone warrants a spot in the top five of any all-time draft ranking.

But the Belichick-era Patriots were elite drafters across the board. Rob Gronkowski (R2), Richard Seymour (R1), Ty Law (R1), Vince Wilfork (R1), and Dont'a Hightower (R1) were all foundational pieces. The knock? New England's post-2014 drafting fell off significantly - particularly at wide receiver and offensive skill positions. The Patriots selected 25 RBs, WRs, and TEs from 2011-2023 and not a single one made a Pro Bowl. Their last to do so was Rob Gronkowski (2010 draft pick), making it one of the longest such droughts in NFL history. The post-Brady rebuild has been rough, but the dynasty years are enough to carry the grade.

Ozzie Newsome is the greatest GM in modern NFL history, and it shows. The Ravens' very first draft in 1996 produced two Hall of Famers (Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis), and they've basically never stopped drafting elite talent. Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Marshal Yanda, Lamar Jackson - all Baltimore draft picks. The franchise only exists since 1996 and already has six HOF-caliber players. Their first-round hit rate is among the best in the league, and they've been particularly excellent at finding defensive talent in rounds 2-4.

The Colts drafted Peyton Manning #1 overall in 1998, then Andrew Luck #1 overall in 2012. But their draft excellence goes back to the Baltimore era - Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry, Gino Marchetti, and Lenny Moore were all Colts draft picks. In the modern era, they found Marvin Harrison (R1), Edgerrin James (R1), Dwight Freeney (R1), and Robert Mathis (R5). Reggie Wayne in the first round was another home run. The knock is that post-Luck, the recent drafting has been inconsistent at best, and they've struggled to find a franchise QB since Luck's sudden retirement.

The 2017 draft alone earns a top-10 spot. Trading up to select Patrick Mahomes with the 10th overall pick is the single best draft decision of the past decade - maybe ever. Mahomes has already won three Super Bowls and two MVPs. Beyond Mahomes, the Chiefs have been strong in the middle rounds, finding Travis Kelce (R3), Tyreek Hill (R5), and Chris Jones (R2). The franchise also drafted Hall of Famers Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, and Derrick Thomas. Historic excellence topped with a modern dynasty pick. The reason they're not higher is some significant mid-2000s to early-2010s misses, including Jon Baldwin (R1) and Jonathan Baldwin (R1).

The 2010-2012 Seahawks drafts built one of the greatest defensive units in NFL history. John Schneider found Russell Wilson (R3), Bobby Wagner (R2), Richard Sherman (R5), Kam Chancellor (R5), K.J. Wright (R4), and Byron Maxwell (R6) - building the Legion of Boom almost entirely through mid-to-late round picks. The 2012 class alone (Wilson, Wagner, Bruce Irvin) may be the best draft class of the 2010s. Seattle ranks second behind only the Packers in Approximate Value generated from non-first-round picks since 2000. The one spectacular bust? Aaron Curry (R1/#4, 2009), who was called the "most can't-miss prospect" in the draft. He missed.

The Eagles' 1986 draft was a masterclass in late-round value - Seth Joyner (R8) and Clyde Simmons (R9) both became All-Pro defenders. In the modern era, Howie Roseman has assembled a roster largely through the draft: Jalen Hurts (R2), DeVonta Smith (R1), Lane Johnson (R1), Jordan Mailata (R7), and Jason Kelce (R6). Finding a starting center in the sixth round and a starting tackle in the seventh round is the mark of an elite scouting department. The Eagles have been exceptionally aggressive in draft-day trades, usually coming out ahead. The Jalen Reagor pick over Justin Jefferson in 2020 will haunt them for years, but overall this franchise evaluates talent at a very high level.

The Saints ranked as the most consistent drafting team in the NFL from 2017-2021 per PFF analysis, largely because their busts came in later rounds where the damage is minimal. The 2017 class (Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Alvin Kamara, Marcus Williams, Trey Hendrickson) is one of the best single-class hauls of the decade. Finding Marques Colston in the seventh round was one of the great steals of the 2000s. The Ricky Williams trade (Mike Ditka surrendered the entire 1999 draft for one pick) was catastrophic, but the Sean Payton era of drafting was elite enough to overcome even that franchise-defining blunder.

The Jets' draft history is a horror show punctuated by occasional brilliance. They drafted Joe Namath, sure. And Darrelle Revis was an all-time great pick. But the modern Jets are the poster child for draft futility. Vernon Gholston (R1, 2008) recorded zero sacks in 45 games as a defensive end. They traded up for Mark Sanchez. In 2012, they traded up to take Stephen Hill and bypassed Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson in the same draft. They drafted Sam Darnold over Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. Then they drafted Zach Wilson. The Jets' QB carousel alone has cost them a generation of competitiveness. Their last Pro Bowl draft pick at an offensive skill position was Santana Moss in 2001 - the longest drought in the NFL.

This is the most schizophrenic draft history in football. The Raiders have 30 Hall of Famers - a top-eight total - from their AFL and 1970s-80s dominance under Al Davis. But their post-2002 drafting is arguably the worst in the league. JaMarcus Russell (R1/#1, 2007) is widely considered the biggest draft bust in NFL history. He was selected ahead of Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, and Marshawn Lynch. Russell started 25 games, completed barely 50% of his passes, and was infamously found with a blank DVD that was supposed to contain game film he'd been asked to study. He was out of the league before 25.

But Russell was just the peak of a mountain of busted picks. The Raiders' first-round picks from 2004-2013 read like a who's who of NFL disappointments: Robert Gallery, Fabian Washington, Michael Huff, Russell, Darren McFadden, Darrius Heyward-Bey (picked ahead of Michael Crabtree because he was faster), Rolando McClain, and DJ Hayden. Al Davis' late-career obsession with 40-yard dash times over football evaluation cost the franchise a decade. The 2014-15 drafts (Khalil Mack, Amari Cooper, Derek Carr) showed what competent drafting looked like, but the franchise quickly regressed.

The Matt Millen era alone (2001-2008) earns the Lions a spot in the bottom two. Millen, a former TV analyst with zero front office experience, drafted a wide receiver in the top 10 in three consecutive years (2003-05): Charles Rogers (#2 overall - career: 36 catches before being out of the league), Roy Williams (#7), and Mike Williams (#10). Rogers is one of the biggest busts in NFL history.

The Lions drafted Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson - two of the most physically gifted players in NFL history - and wasted both of their careers so completely that both retired early rather than continue playing in Detroit. The franchise went 0-16 in 2008. The recent turnaround under GM Brad Holmes (Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown in R4, Jahmyr Gibbs) has been excellent and represents a genuine change in organizational competence. But they're climbing out of the deepest hole in football.

The original Cleveland Browns were one of the greatest drafting organizations in football history - Jim Brown, Otto Graham, the whole lot. But the expansion Browns that returned in 1999 have authored what is arguably the worst 25-year drafting stretch in NFL history. The quarterback carousel alone is staggering: Tim Couch (R1/#1), Brady Quinn (R1), Brandon Weeden (R1 - at age 28!), Johnny Manziel (R1), DeShone Kizer (R2), Baker Mayfield (R1/#1), and then trading three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson.

The Courtney Brown pick (#1 overall, 2000) set the tone - he was out of the league by 28. In the 2014 draft, the Browns passed on both Odell Beckham Jr. and Aaron Donald to take Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel. In 2017, they passed on Patrick Mahomes AND Deshaun Watson at #1 to take Myles Garrett - admittedly a great pick - but then took DeShone Kizer in the second round. One step forward, two steps back, every single year, for a quarter century. The Browns have had more first-round picks than any team since 1999 and have the least to show for it. It's almost impressive how consistently they've gotten it wrong.