With the NFL draft quickly approaching, I figured this would be the perfect time to write a column on the best picks of all time. The only rule I have for this column is that the player selected cannot be a first round draft pick and the player has raised the expectations that have been predicted for them before him and continues to achieve greatness a measure of greatness that is not there. who ever predicted So, without further ado, here are the greatest NFL picks of all time.
1. Joe Montana (third round 1979)
Montana is the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, although I personally favor Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins. Montana San Francisco led the 49ers to four Super Bowl titles and was named to three of them. Pretty good for a guy drafted in the third round.
The Cincinnati Bengals selected former Washington State QB, Jack Thompson, with the third overall pick that year, which, as we all know, was a decision that changed his future for decades.
Former San Francisco head coach, Bill Walsh clearly saw something in Montana that no one else saw that year, because , while Montana wasn’t the biggest, or even the fastest QB prospect to come out of college that year – he was certainly the most educated (along with Phil Simms).
39 times, Montana passed for more than 300 yards in a game and passed for 400 yards seven times. His six 300-yard passing performances are an NFL career record and he also holds the career play-by-play record for attempts, completions, touchdowns, and passing yards.
I believe Montana is hands down the greatest draft of all time.
2. Tom Brady (sixth round, 2000)
Speaking of the 49ers, perhaps the sharp eye of Bill Walsh in 2000 when they selected former Hofstra quarterback, John Carmazzi (you remember him) in the third round with the 65th overall pick. Ten reads later, the Baltimore Ravens selected Chris Redman – and both teams – along with many others – knocked themselves out of it.
Brady, who was taken 199th overall with the sixth overall selection, has led the Patriots to three Super Bowls. titles and earn himself the Super Bowl MVP. Brady’s highly successful young career, which still has a few years left, makes for one of the greatest lessons of all time.
3. Johnny Unity (ninth round 1955)
After my wonderful conversation with the Hall of Famer in Philadelphia in 1996, I am eternally grateful that Johnny U., who I can say unequivocally, was one of the greatest and nicest people I have ever worked with. all his life.
A ninth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Unite was cut before ever making the jump to New York. Incredibly, Unity then played semi-pro football for $6 a game with former Baltimore Colts head coach Web Ewbank found out about ” prospect” in the sandlots of Pittsburgh and signed the Unit for $17,000 on the base of the machine. When Unity finally got a chance to play, his first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, but from that point on, Unity’s quarterback exploits in the last 18 seasons in NFL history.
The last-second heroics in the 1958 NFL title game are often called “the greatestgame ever. played”, turning into a familiar name Unity. The unit passed for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns in his career and has never broken the record of at least one touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games. He was a first- or second-team All-NFL selection eight years ago, was selected as NFL Player of the Year three times and was named to 10 Pro Bowls. All of this was done by a guy who was almost drafted by the Giants.
4. Mike Webster (Fifth Round 1974)
Although Webster was, in my opinion, the greatest center of all time, an All-Big Ten player and a three-year starter at the University of Wisconsin, he lasted until his fifth year in 1974, when the Steelers wisely snapped him up. with 125th overall.
From 1975 to 1986, Webster made 150 consecutive starts and became the glue that held the Steelers’ offensive line together for more than a decade.
The four-time Super Bowl captain also appeared in six AFC championship games and was a selection for seven. times. Webster was also selected to the All-AFC team five times from 1978 through 1982 and played in nine Pro Bowls.
For a guy to be taken in the fifth round and become the greatest player of all time at his position – it’s almost miraculous.
5. Roger Staubach (10th round 1964)
Novi Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963 after his junior year at the US Naval Academy. He thought the Cowboys were a hit on Staubach’s talent. You see, every team knew that Staubach wouldn’t be available to play until 1969 – four years after he committed and ended his collegiate career, which was clearly far from a lot of teams.
However, after arriving in Dallas as a 27-year-old rookie, Staubach finally won after two years of starting work. For the forty-nine times he led the Cowboys’ powerful offense, the Cowboys played in six NFC Championship games, winning four of them, and scoring victories in Super Bowls 6 and 12.
6. Bart Starr (17th round 1956)
First of all, for Starr to even make the Packers team as a 17th round draft pick is an incredible feat in itself. It’s almost unbelievable what led to the Packers nearly a decade of dominance.
In 1960, Starr led Green Bay to the Western Division championship, which led to the first in a long series of successes for Starr and the Packers. From 1960 through 1967, the star’s losing record was 62-24-4 and the Packers won six division titles, five NFL titles and the first two Over the bowls
Starr may not be the greatest quarterback of all time, but he is one of the most skilled players to play the position and can line up among the greatest leaders under center ever.
Statistics will never show what Starr brought to the game, but he led the league in passing three times and was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1966. He also won MVP honors in both Super Bowls I and II and after their first title loss to Philadelphia in 1960, the Packers never made another playoff appearance under the star. they lost – a pretty good gut pick in the seventeenth round as an afterthought.
7. John Stallworth.
Looking back at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s, it’s easy to see why they were so dominant. Basically every team in the league has been scouted for a decade. Not only did he guess correctly about some of his first-round picks, but they hit Hall of Famers like Webster and Stallworth in the later rounds.
Many teams did not recognize the immense talents of Stallworth, who played for the youngest, Alabama A&M.; The coaches in the 1974 Senior Bowl played him at defensive back rather than wide receiver, which didn’t help either. However, Steelers brass and former head coach, Chuck Knoll, knew better – and turned Stallworth’s selection into one of the biggest of all.
8. Terrell Davis, Broncos.
Before I get into Davis’ great work, I’ll mention some of the running backs he picked before in 1995. Ki-Jana Carter (No. 1 overall) Larry Jones, Aaron Hayden and of course, Travis Jervey.
Although Davis’ life was cut short due to injuries, he was able to become one of the greatest running backs e-info.vn/tag/top- /a> He not only led the Broncos to two consecutive Super Bowl titles, taking home MVP honors in Super Bowl 32, but also totaled 5,296 yards in three seasons, including one of 2,00 plus he gained by miles.
9. Nick Buoniconti (third round 1962 AFL draft)
Incredibly, Buoniconti, who played both ways at Notre-dame, was overlooked by the NFL – and a. some grade – both AFL – though he was finally taken in the thirteenth round by the Boston Patriots. The 5-11, 220-pound middle linebacker (you can say Zach Thomas) went on to play 14 seasons with the Patriots and Miami Dolphins and made an immediate impact at linebacker with the Patriots – helping the team capture the 1963 AFL Eastern Division. title
However, with my beloved dolphins, Buoniconti achieved the greatest surprise. Eighteen seasons for the bowls helped the Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowls – and won two of them.
“Every story is like life or death,” Buoniconti once said. “I can only think of a story that takes place in time.”
Perhaps that’s exactly what the Patriots saw when Buoniconti made their way back in 1962.
10. Shannon Sharpe (seventh round in 1990)
Whatever you think of Shannon Sharpe as an individual – although quite proud of the side – Sterling brother a lot – it’s not bad. As a three-time Super Bowl winner who played an integral part in all three victories, I couldn’t deny Sharpe’s place in history.
Acer helped the Broncos to the league title in 1997 and 1998 and then helped the Baltimore Ravens to the championship in 2000. He finished his 14-year career as an eight-time bowler with 815 receptions for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns in 204 games. Sharp is the NFL’s receptions and rushing leader for a single season, as the second leading receiver in Denver Broncos history. He also holds the team record for single-game receiving yards, with 214 against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2002. guy picked in the seventh round.
So there you have it. 10 greatest draft in NFL history. Remember – one person’s trash can be another person’s treasure – and this list puts it back.
