NFL Draft, 1st Pick: An Examination of the Past and a Look at the Present

NFL Draft Scouting has come a long way.

Or has it?

Well, the tricks of the trade have been refined, and the scouting process has grown increasingly meticulous.

Despite these developments, however, the term " bust" is still on the tip of any draft enthusiasts' tongue—whether in referencing a once prized prospect who has since failed to live up to expecations, or in projecting the demise of a currently draft-eligible player.

When one considers the profusion of professional opinion provided by scouting services and media outlets, it only adds to the perplexity.

Of particular note, it seems, is the science behind the draft's first pick--or lack thereof, for that matter.

     There have been 72 "first picks" in the NFL draft, dating back to 1936. In the interest of space, let's take a look at the last 25 and how they fared.

1983: John Elway, QB-There's just not much I need to say here.

1984: Irving Fryar, WR-Five Pro Bowls. 84 Touchdowns. One of the better receivers of his time.

1985: Bruce Smith, DE-We're off to an awfully good start here, folks.

1986: Bo Jackson, RB: Bo had his moments, but never lived up to expectations. Maybe it was the injuries. Maybe it was baseball. It was probably both, but either way, he was one of the greatest athletes of all time, and the Bucs can't be faulted for taking him first overall.

1987: Vinny Testaverde, QB: He had a long, rollercoaster career. In some years, he found success. In others, he most assuredly did not. Though he's not a bust, the word "boom" is just as far away from describing him.

1988: Aundray Bruce, LB: Anyone know who this guy is? I  didn't when I saw his name on the list. He busted pretty hard.

1989: Troy Aikman, QB: **See 1983**

1990: Jeff George, QB: Played for a lot of teams. Made some playoff apperances. Had a few good seasons. Pretty decent career numbers. Neither a boom or bust.

1991: Russel Maryland, DT: Enjoyed a productive career, but never consistently played like a #1 overall pick should. He's probably slightly more of a boom than bust, but didn't distinguish himself either way.

1992: Steve Emtman, DT: Hampered by injuries early in his career, and didn't make much noise when he did play. Huge bust.

1993: Drew Bledose, QB: Similar to two of his #1 overall QB predecessors, Testaverde and George, he is in the"Purgatory" of the #1 overall group-respectable but not the transcendent player he was expected to be.

1994: Dan Wilkinson, DT: Another solid but unspectacular player.

1995: Ki-Jana Carter, RB: Just about everything went wrong for this guy.

1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR: One of the NFL's most widely recognized players around the new millenium, though that's more attributable to his mouth than his play. He was good, in fact, quite good, at times. Still, he can't be labeled a "boom", quite.....

1997: Orlando Pace, OT: What a #1 pick should be. Superb, and for a long time.

1998: Peyton Manning, QB: Is there a point in putting any comments here?

1999: Tim Couch, QB: For every Peyton Manning, there's always a  Tim Couch.

2000: Courtney Brown, DE: He had a few moments, but is pretty much a bust.

2001: Michael Vick, QB: Prior to the dog fighting scandal, he was in purgatory. Though his career stands an outside shot at resurrection, for now he's a bust.

2002: David Carr, QB: Like Vick, he could turn it around. Will it happen, though? The odds seem slim. He was the recently released by the Panthers.

2003: Carson Palmer, QB: On the straight and narrow to being a "boom".

2004: Eli Manning, QB: As wonderful as this past year was for him, the jury is still out. Boy, he's come a long, long way though. Definitely on the right track and I'm no longer betting against him.

2005: Alex Smith, QB: Took a step backwards this year. Still has time though, and the next few years will be critical.

2006: Mario Williams, DE: Looks like he'll be booking a lot of tickets to Hawaii over the next 10 years.

2007: Jamarcus Russell, QB: The baby of the group. Only next year will we begin to know.

Of the 25 names on this list, we have as follows:

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?