Every #1 NFL Draft Pick Ranked: 90 Players, 90 Years, 90 Verdicts

The first overall pick in the NFL Draft is supposed to be a franchise-altering selection. Sometimes it works out that way. Peyton Manning, John Elway, and Troy Aikman went first overall and became some of the greatest players who ever lived. Other times, not so much. JaMarcus Russell went first in 2007 and was out of the league three years later, one of the most spectacular flameouts in professional sports history.

Since the NFL held its first draft in 1936, 90 players have heard their names called first. What follows is the complete accounting of all of them - who they were, what they did, and whether the pick was worth it. Every player gets rated on a scale of 1 to 10.

🏈 Positions Selected First Overall

Quarterbacks dominate the modern draft, but it wasn't always that way. In the first 30 years of the draft, only a handful of QBs went first. Running backs (listed as halfbacks in the early years) were the most popular pick. Since 1998, 18 of 28 first overall picks have been quarterbacks. The position has essentially taken over.

🎯 Which Teams Have Picked First the Most?

Picking first overall means you had the worst record in the league the year before, so this isn't exactly a leaderboard you want to top. The Indianapolis Colts (including their Baltimore years) and Los Angeles Rams (including Cleveland and St. Louis) are tied with seven first overall picks each. The Browns, Buccaneers, and Cardinals have five apiece. The Ravens, Seahawks, and Broncos have never picked first.

🏆 The Best First Overall Pick of All Time

💥 The Biggest Bust: JaMarcus Russell

🏅 The 14 Hall of Famers

Only 14 of 90 first overall picks have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That's a 15.6% hit rate for Canton. No #1 pick selected after 1998 has been inducted yet, though Peyton Manning (1998 pick, inducted 2021) and Eli Manning (2004, eligible) and several others are either in or on the doorstep.

📈 How Often Does the #1 Pick Actually Work Out?

The hit rate for first overall picks has varied wildly over the decades. The late 1960s through 1970s was a golden era - the league produced Hall of Famers in Yary, Simpson, Bradshaw, Selmon, and Campbell across an 11-year stretch. The 2000s, by contrast, were an absolute wasteland. Tim Couch, David Carr, and JaMarcus Russell were all taken first in that decade.

📋 Every First Overall Pick, Rated

Here it is - all 90 first overall selections, rated on a 1-10 scale. A 10 means a generational talent who defined their era. A 1 means a catastrophic bust. Ratings factor in career length, awards, championships, Pro Bowls, and overall impact relative to being the #1 pick. Players highlighted in gold are Hall of Famers. Players highlighted in red are notable busts.

The Early Years (1936-1966)

The Post-Merger Era (1967-1989)

The Modern Era (1990-2025)

🤯 Draft Day Records and Oddities

📊 Rating Distribution

So how does the overall class grade out? Of all 90 first overall picks (excluding Ernie Davis who tragically never played due to illness and Cam Ward who is still in his rookie season), only about 25% earned a rating of 8 or above. Nearly a third rated at 4 or below. The #1 pick is far from a guaranteed hit.