OT: Top Draft Choices of All Time For all 32 Teams

[Family]

Because that reply was posted in response to the original op, which is about teams best draft picks... I don't have a real good grasp on how good Alan page was and was wondering if Page was better than Tarkenton

I don't think it was close.

Page is one of the best defensive players in NFL history. He was MVP one year. The only defensive player to have won it since was LT.

Was Fran even one of the 15-20 greatest QB's?

 

[Family]

To add: Page is ranked 43rd all time according to Wikipedia

The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[BTTA]

What about the top "we could have had him!" draft mistakes of all time?
Every team except the Pats, it's the same.

 

[Pape]

I don't think it was close.

Page is one of the best defensive players in NFL history. He was MVP one year. The only defensive player to have won it since was LT.

Was Fran even one of the 15-20 greatest QB's?

I do know fran was the '75 MVP... And did lead the vikes to multiple super bowls... hence the question... Thanks for the information, gives one something to ponder

 

[Pape]

What about the top "we could have had him!" draft mistakes of all time?
Every team except the Pats, it's the same.

We did draft Tarkenton in 61... He opted for the NFL over the afl, and signed with the Vikings who also drafted him that year

 

[BTTA]

To add: Page is ranked 43rd all time according to Wikipedia

The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

No other player in the history of the League has made the HOF contribution that Page made.

 

[Family]

We did draft Tarkenton in 61... He opted for the NFL over the afl, and signed with the Vikings who also drafted him that year

I didn't know that until this discussion.

Don't know how old you are, but rooted for Fran because the Giants were the NFL home team here.

I know. I know. I rooted for the Giants during YA Title and Fran. What was a young boy to do?

 

[1960Pats]

Obviously, Brady takes this one for the Patriots but I found the rest of the list interesting as it obviously covers players from several eras:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/04/07/best-draft-pick-all-time-team-history

Thanks for the interesting link. I wish I had more time to give it a closer look but I'll come back to it again.

I noticed that I saw all of those players play except Sammy Baugh, who I missed by a lot and Chuck Bednarik, who I don't remember. Man I'm old.

I also agree with @Pat the Pats Fan that Unitas is a better choice than Manning for the Colts. I could also put OJ ahead of Smith for the Bills if I was prodded a bit.

And @jimnance is spot on about Jim Brown. I only had to see him once to become a Browns fan, well, until 1960.

 

[RobertWeathers]

• Arizona Cardinals- Fitz
• Atlanta Falcons- Matty
• Baltimore Ravens- Ray
• Buffalo Bills- Kelly
• Carolina Panthers-Cam/Smith/Luke
• Chicago Bears-Butkus/Sayers
• Cincinnati Bengals-Munoz
• Cleveland Browns-Jim Brown
• Dallas Cowboys-Staubach/Emmitt
• Denver Broncos-Elway
• Detroit Lions-Sanders
• Green Bay Packers- AR/Starr
• Houston Texans-Watt
• Indianapolis Colts- Forehead
• Jacksonville Jaguars-Boselli
• Kansas City Chiefs- Mahomes
• Las Vegas Raiders-Allen/Stabler
• Los Angeles Chargers-Fouts/LT/Seau
• Los Angeles Rams-Deacon Jones
• Miami Dolphins-Marino
• Minnesota Vikings-Page
• New England Patriots-Tom
• New Orleans Saints- Pat Swilling
• New York Giants-LT
• New York Jets- Revis/Namath
• Philadelphia Eagles-Reggie
• Pittsburgh Steelers-Bradshaw/Green
• San Francisco 49ers-Joe
• Seattle Seahawks-Sherman/Wilson (Largent was traded)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Lee Roy Selmon
• Tennessee Titans-Henry
• Washington Commanders-Green

​

 

[Pape]

• Arizona Cardinals- Fitz
• Atlanta Falcons- Matty
• Baltimore Ravens- Ray
• Buffalo Bills- Kelly
• Carolina Panthers-Cam/Smith/Luke
• Chicago Bears-Butkus/Sayers
• Cincinnati Bengals-Munoz
• Cleveland Browns-Jim Brown
• Dallas Cowboys-Staubach/Emmitt
• Denver Broncos-Elway - was a trade from colts
• Detroit Lions-Sanders
• Green Bay Packers- AR/Starr
• Houston Texans-Watt
• Indianapolis Colts- Forehead
• Jacksonville Jaguars-Boselli
• Kansas City Chiefs- Mahomes
• Las Vegas Raiders-Allen/Stabler
• Los Angeles Chargers-Fouts/LT/Seau
• Los Angeles Rams-Deacon Jones
• Miami Dolphins-Marino
• Minnesota Vikings-Page
• New England Patriots-Tom
• New Orleans Saints- Pat Swilling
• New York Giants-LT
• New York Jets- Revis/Namath
• Philadelphia Eagles-Reggie
• Pittsburgh Steelers-Bradshaw/Green
• San Francisco 49ers-Joe
• Seattle Seahawks-Sherman/Wilson (Largent was traded)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Lee Roy Selmon
• Tennessee Titans-Henry
• Washington Commanders-Green

​

• Denver Broncos-Elway - was a trade from colts

 

[Pape]

Don't know how old you are, but rooted for Fran because the Giants were the NFL home team here.

i will admit to being alive before man walked on the Moon

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Thanks for the interesting link. I wish I had more time to give it a closer look but I'll come back to it again.

I noticed that I saw all of those players play except Sammy Baugh, who I missed by a lot and Chuck Bednarik, who I don't remember. Man I'm old.

I also agree with @Pat the Pats Fan that Unitas is a better choice than Manning for the Colts. I could also put OJ ahead of Smith for the Bills if I was prodded a bit.

And @jimnance is spot on about Jim Brown. I only had to see him once to become a Browns fan, well, until 1960.

Don’t mean to correct you, but Unitas was actually drafted by Pittsburgh and released the same year. He was picked up later that year by the Colts. I was responding to the list of best players not drafted by the team.

 

[RobertWeathers]

• Denver Broncos-Elway - was a trade from colts

Wow. I forgot about that. 40 years ago...wow

I guess i'd go with TD or Shannon Sharpe.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Was going to put John Randle as one of the greatest draft picks by the Vikings but then looked it up and found out he was undrafted. What a find. I’m sure best undrafted will get its own thread and he’ll be on there.

 

[Pape]

Wow. I forgot about that. 40 years ago...wow

I guess i'd go with TD or Shannon Sharpe.

I think with denver Von Miller needs to be added to the conversation...

 

[jimnance]

Jerry Rice?

Rice is the goat wr. But I don't see him in the top 5 players. Brady,Brown. Next is either LT or Montana. Then there's several qbs next. Wrs just didn't consistently have a big impact on nfl games until the 2000's,not very long. Rice was an exception but still not the same impact as most top qbs,lts,rbs,dts and passrushers. Lbs for that matter.
They just didn't touch the ball that much.