With the first pick in the NFL draft…

The final segment of NFL drafts past (part 3)

In the first two segments of this three part series we covered number one overall picks from the year 2009-2000, in this article we will look at the years 1999-1996. Looking back on past drafts’ really helps to put in perspective what many teams passed on and how effective your team could have been. There are always players that we wish our team would take and there are always decisions our team makes that leaves us scratching our heads, but regardless of those times that is the why we as fans love the game. So let’s take a final look back as the 2010 draft is upon us, let’s look back and see those number one picks overall and those who were drafted a little later that have made an impact as well.

In the year 1999:

In the year of 1999 and the year 2000 the Cleveland Browns had the number one draft pick in both of these years and the sad thing is nothing really came out of either of the first picks. In 99’ the Browns selected Tim Couch, who was amazing at Kentucky, but was a huge bust in the NFL. Couch never really found his place with the Browns or in the NFL. Cleveland had many players they could have chosen here is just a few, Donovan Mcnabb was drafted 2nd, Edgerin James was drafted 4th, Tory Holt was drafted 6th, and Champ Bailey was drafted 7th all these players a wealth of talent and all who Cleveland fans would not mind having in a Brown’s uniform.

In the year 1998:

The Colts found a true number one draft pick, when they drafted Peyton Manning the quarterback out of Tennessee. Manning has paid big time dividends by bringing the Colts a championship and also being named the only 4-time MVP in NFL history. Also in that draft a tall wide receiver out of the University of Marshall was passed up by a number of teams, that is right Randy Moss was drafted 21st overall in the first round and did big things while in Minnesota.

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In the year 1997:

All the talk was about a massive offensive tackle from the Ohio State University, Orlando Pace was a huge man that was touted as the best blocker in all of college football, and he did deliver. Pace was a solid tackle in the NFL for many seasons and did great things for the St. Louis Rams. As the Rams had the greatest show on turf, imagine if they would have had the #13 pick that year, Tony Gonzalez was a talented Tight End out of California and the Chiefs cashed in and benefited many years from possibly the greatest Tight End in football.

In the year 1996:

The Jets took a chance on a boisterous wide receiver out of the University of Southern Cal; Keyshawn Johnson was a big wide out with a huge personality to match. Johnson came up big for USC and was just an average receiver in the NFL who never really hit the superstar status that the team had hoped. The Jets this season had an amazing defense, but imagine if they would have taken the #26 pick, Ray Lewis from the University of Miami picture the look of the defense now. The Ravens found themselves taking the high-motor linebacker and they couldn’t have been happier.

There you have it in our 3 part series you have seen some of the best and worst picks from the NFL draft number ones. This seasons’ draft should be interesting as defense could be the name of the game for most teams. I don’t know if there is a franchise quarterback or offensive player in this season’s draft, but that is the great thing about the draft, you never know and that is how we as fans like it.

By: Sam Adams
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer