Ranking Every No. 1 NFL Draft Pick From the Last 20 Years

Here’s a ranking of the last 20 No. 1 overall selections from worst to first.

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Complex Original

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The Rams are on the clock.

Los Angeles’ newly-minted football franchise gave up two first round picks, two second round picks, and a third round pick for this year’s top slot. Lacking a franchise quarterback, it is understandable why they might want the top pick since the spot has produced plenty of Super Bowl champions, MVPs, and Hall of Famers.

But it has also brought us some famously poor performers, enigmas, and flat-out busts. Unlike years past, there is no consensus top player in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Rams are widely believed to either be selecting Cal QB Jared Goff or North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz, two prospects that are far from guaranteed franchise-changing talents, a la Andrew Luck.

Where Goff, Wentz, or whomever goes No. 1 ends up residing on the list of top selections remains to be seen. But before Roger Goodell announces the first pick, here’s a ranking of the last 20 No. 1 overall selections from worst to first.

20. JaMarcus Russell - 2007

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A 77-year-old Al Davis favorably compared Russell to John Elway ahead of the 2007 draft.

Like Elway, Russell played quarterback in the NFL. The parallels pretty much end after that. Russell started just 25 games in three seasons with the Raiders, winning just seven. Nobody even wanted to take a flier on him after he was cut in 2010.

He’s by far the worst top pick of the last 20 years and arguably the worst first pick made in sports history. Calvin Johnson went second that year.

19. Tim Couch - 1999

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Couch is the first player on the infamous Browns quarterbacks jersey. He was the first player drafted by the team after it returned to the league in 1999. While he did take the team to its only playoff appearance in 2002, he never became anything more than a mediocre NFL quarterback. He lasted just five seasons in the league and posted a lifetime rating of 75.1.

18. Eric Fisher - 2013

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It’s way too early to call Fisher a bust, but he has yet to establish himself in three years with Kansas City.

17. Courtney Brown - 2000

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The Browns took Brown first overall a year after they took Couch first overall. Brown became another classic Browns draft pick, playing just five seasons with the team—none of which were particularly memorable.

16. Sam Bradford - 2010

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The 2008 Heisman Trophy winner flashed potential at times while with the Rams, but never materialized as a franchise quarterback. Bradford went just 18-30-1 in five seasons with St. Louis, which Chip Kelly may or may not have known when he offered  Bradford a $72 million contract with the Eagles last season.

15. Jadeveon Clowney - 2014

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14. Jameis Winston - 2015

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13. David Carr - 2002

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Carr became the first player ever selected by the expansion Texans in 2002. He served as the team’s starter for the first five seasons, and while he occasionally showed potential, fell victim to a horrid offensive line and weak expansion roster. Carr owns the single-season sacked record.

12. Jake Long - 2008

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Long was a Pro Bowler in each of his first four seasons in the league, but has struggled with injuries in the ensuing years.

11. Michael Vick - 2001

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10. Alex Smith - 2005

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Smith played seven years with the 49ers and was widely considered a bust for the first five. He had a 19-31 record, more interceptions than touchdowns, thanks to a brutal rookie season, and a lifetime quarterback rating of 72.1. But in 2011, Smith led a revamped Niners roster to a 13-3 record, and was two Kyle Williams fumbles away from a Super Bowl berth. He went 6-2-1 the following year before Colin Kaepernick took over the starting role after Smith suffered a concussion. Smith has continued to be one of the best game-managers in the league as a Chief.

9. Keyshawn Johnson - 1996

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Boomer Esiason once said if you combined Wayne Chrebet’s work ethic with Johnson’s natural talent, you would have Jerry Rice.

Dedication notwithstanding, the Jets surprisingly didn’t botch the first overall pick in 1996. Johnson had over 1,100 yards receiving with the Jets in two of his four seasons with the team. He was traded to the Buccaneers for two first-rounders ahead of the 2000 season.

8. Matthew Stafford - 2009

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Stafford is the Lions’ all-time leader in every major passing category, and has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in each of the last five years. He has taken the team to the playoffs twice since being drafted.

7. Carson Palmer - 2003

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Palmer took the Bengals to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years in his second season as a starter in 2005. He became one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history before “retiring” out of frustration with the team in 2011.

6. Mario Williams - 2006

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The Texans shocked everyone when they took Williams over Heisman-winning Reggie Bush in 2005. They were promptly mocked—but it was Houston who got the last laugh. He left the team in 2011 with the career sacks and forced fumbles record that have since been surpassed by J.J. Watt.

5. Andrew Luck - 2012

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Luck would have it that the one season the Colts went 2-14 came with the best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning. Luck took the Colts to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons with the team, and is poised to be a star in the NFL for a long time.

4. Orlando Pace - 1997

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3. Cam Newton - 2011

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2. Eli Manning - 2004

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1. Peyton Manning - 1998

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Indianapolis was a basketball-first city before Peyton came along. Not anymore.

Manning started every Colts game from 1998-2010, picking up just about every accolade available in the process. He won four MVPs, made the playoffs 11 times, set the single-season passing touchdown record and won a Super Bowl while in Indy. And he eventually broke just about every NFL passing record over his final four years with the Broncos.

The Colts said that they plan on erecting a Manning statue outside of Lucas Oil Stadium this season.I guess that means the team made the right decision taking him ahead of Ryan Leaf.

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