2010 NFL Draft: The Best Second Round Picks of All Time

Making teams like this is one of my favorite things to do, nothing but good debating about all of the positions.

Players like: Willie Lanier, Paul Krause, Ronde Barber, and even Daryl Johnston could be argued for because he won three Super Bowls and he was a pure blocking fullback in the NFL.

Players that have been drafted since 2004 and onwards have a lot of upside and could be on the next installment of this team at a later date.

The majority of these picks are made because of Super Bowls and Pro Bowls, but stats can always turn things around.

I started from the 1950 season and worked my way up through the 2003 draft.

The second round really has produced some great players over the years.

The majority of these picks are Hall of Famers, even the guys that did not make it to my All-Time Second Round Draft Picks are Hall of Famers as well.

Enjoy the selections I have made and the "Honorable Mention" at the bottom.

Let the debate begin!

QB – Brett Favre, drafted by Atlanta in 1991, 33rd overall

Brett Favre is considered one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

Brett is the only player to become the MVP three consecutive years (1995-1997). He has been honored with 11 Pro Bowl selections, while becoming the NFC’s MVP five times (1995-1997, 2002, and 2007).

Favre has also reached the Super Bowl twice (XXXI & XXXII) during his career, winning Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots.

He holds many NFL records that include: Most career touchdown passes, most career passing yards, most career passing attempts, most career passing completions, most consecutive starts, most career victories, and his least favorite, most career interceptions.

Favre is the only quarterback to have led a team to victory over all thirty-two teams in the league since the NFL first expanded to 32 franchises.

Honorable Mention: Ken Stabler

RB – Thurman Thomas, drafted by Buffalo in 1988, 40th overall

Thurman Thomas helped lead the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowl (XXV-XXVIII) appearances, although never successful.

Thomas was the leading rusher in 1990, 1991, and 1993. He was also selected to five straight Pro Bowls (1989-1993), while he was named NFL MVP in 1991. Thomas was also selected to the 1990’s All-Decade Team.

Thomas currently holds the all-time Buffalo Bills rushing record with 11,938 yards and the team record from scrimmage with 16,279 over 12 years. He is also the only player in NFL history to lead the league in total yards from scrimmage for four consecutive seasons.

Thomas also set NFL Records during the playoffs with the most career points (126), touchdowns (21), and consecutive playoff games with a touchdown (9). In one game he had 13 receptions, racking up 150 yards for two touchdowns. He is also the first player ever to score a touchdown in four consecutive Super Bowls.

Thomas was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Honorable Mention: Roger Craig

FB – Jim Taylor, drafted by Green Bay in 1958, 15th overall

Jim Taylor was part of four (1961, 1962, 1965, and 1966) NFL Championship teams, all with the Green Bay Packers, and won Super Bowl I in 1966.

Taylor once held franchise records with the Packers, rushing for 8,207 yards and scoring 83 touchdowns in his nine years with Green Bay.

Jim Taylor was the first NFL player to score a rushing touchdown in a Super Bowl, which was the very first Super Bowl.

Honorable Mention: Daryl Johnston

WR – Isaac Bruce, drafted by Los Angeles in 1994, 33rd overall

Bruce was a key ingredient to the “The Greatest Show on Turf,” the nickname for the St. Louis Rams' offense during the 1999, 2000, and 2001 seasons.

Isaac Bruce has a total of 15,208 receiving yards in his career (second all-time). He played his first 14 years with the Rams and won a Super Bowl ring with the team in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Bruce broke four Rams’ records, including most receiving yards, most receptions, most consecutive 100-yard receiving games (6), and most 100-yard games in a season (9).

Bruce was selected to five Pro Bowls (1995, 1996, 1999-2001) during his 16-year career.

In 2007, he reached a milestone for the Rams by racking up 14,109 receiving yards and 942 receptions, putting him at sixth place for all-time receptions and third for total yardage.

He is the most prolific receiver in Rams history in every category.

Honorable Mention: Henry Ellard

WR – Jimmy Smith, drafted by Dallas in 1992, 36th overall

Currently, the only players in the Hall of Fame with more career receiving yards than Jimmy Smith are Jerry Rice (22,895), James Lofton (14,004), Steve Largent (13,089), and Art Monk (12,721); only Monk and Rice have more catches.

Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, but only to be released after his two-year stint due to injuries. He bounced back and was signed to an expansion team, Jacksonville Jaguars.

Smith had been voted to the Pro Bowl five straight times from 1997 to 2001.

He is also the Jacksonville Jaguars all-time leading receiver, having led the team in receiving every season from 1996-2005.

He has set team records with 116 receptions and 1,636 yards in 1999, both career highs. His career high in touchdowns was eight, achieved in 1998, 2000, and 2001.

Smith holds a few all-time NFL records for most games with at least five receptions in a season (16, every game in 2001), most consecutive games with at least five receptions (21), and most games with at least 49 receiving yards in a season (16, every game in 2001).

Smith ended his 12 active seasons in the NFL with 867 receptions for 12,287 yards and 67 receiving touchdowns.

Honorable Mention: Anquan Boldin

TE – Dave Casper, drafted by Oakland in 1974, 45th overall

Nicknamed “The Ghost,” Dave Casper was a big time clutch player, usually coming out of nowhere to score that impact touchdown when the game was on the line.

Casper played six and a half seasons with the Raiders. During that time he was named All-Pro and All-AFC four times and was selected to play in four Pro Bowls (1976-79); earning his fifth Pro Bowl (1980) when he was traded to the Houston Oilers halfway through the season.

The Ghost went on to win his first Super Bowl (1976) and missed the 1980 Super Bowl with the Raiders due to the trade that sent him to the Oilers midseason.

Casper finished his NFL career with 378 receptions, 5,216 yards, and 52 touchdowns.

In 2002, Dave Casper was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Honorable Mention: John Mackey

OT – Lou Creekmur, drafted by Detroit in 1950, 243rd overall

Lou Creekmur was big contributor for the Lions when they went on to become National Football League champions in 1952, 1953, and 1957.

Creekmur was selected to eight Pro Bowls (1950-1957) and named All-NFL four times in 1953, 1954, 1956, and 1957. In 1953, he earned all-league honors at both guard and tackle.

Creekmur was a pretty versatile player, playing guard and tackle, and while his defensive team were in short yardage situations, he would come in and play defensive tackle.

Lou Creekmur was selected to the Hall of Fame in 1996.

Honorable Mention: Dan Dierdorf

OT – Forrest Gregg, drafted by Green Bay in 1956, 20th overall

Forrest Gregg won six NFL Championships (1961-1962, 1965-1967, and 1971), three of them Super Bowls (1966-1967 and 1971).

Gregg played in 188 straight games and during that time he racked up nine Pro Bowls, making him one of the best players at his position of all time.

In 1999, he was ranked number 28 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Vince Lombardi was blessed with many great stars during the dynasty years in Green Bay. Vince once stated in his book, 'Run to Daylight,' "Forrest Gregg is the finest player I ever coached!"

Forrest Gregg was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.

Honorable Mention: Flozell Adams

OG – Larry Allen, drafted by Dallas in 1994, 46th overall

Larry Allen is arguably the best offensive lineman to ever play in the National Football League.

Allen was chosen as a member of the NFL’S All-Decade Team’s for the 1990’s and 2000’s.

He played all but one position along the offensive line in his 11 seasons in Dallas, moving between right tackle (1994), right guard (1995-1997), left tackle (1997-1998), and left guard (1999-2003).

Allen was named to the Pro Bowl 11 (1995-2001, 2003-2006) times during his 14-year career, including his last as a 49er in 2006.

He was also named All-Pro eight times, seven times at guard (1995-1997, 1999-2001), and once at tackle (1998).

He also was the anchor of the offensive line that helped them win the 1995 Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Allen will go in as a first ballot into the Hall of Fame when his time comes.

Honorable Mention: Randy Cross

OG – Steve Wisniewski, drafted by Dallas in 1989, 29th overall

Steve Wisniewski was actually the second round draft pick (29th overall) of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1989 NFL Draft; he was then immediately traded to the Raiders.

Wisniewski played 13 seasons for the Oakland Raiders/Los Angeles (1989-2001).

He also earned eight trips to the Pro Bowl (1991-1996, 1998 and 2001), and was named to the All-Decade Team for the 1990’s.

Honorable Mention: Dick Stanfel

C – Dermontti Dawson, drafted by Pittsburgh in 1988, 44th overall

Dermontti Dawson was selected by the Steelers in the second round in 1988, and played on the offensive line alongside Hall of Famer Mike Webster; he took over the role of starting center the next year.

Dawson was named to seven straight Pro Bowls from 1992 to 1998 and was a six-time AP First Team All-Pro.

He played in 170 consecutive games, the second most in Steelers history.

Dawson will go down as one of the best Pittsburgh Steelers ever to play, as well being one of the best to play the center position.

Dawson has a good chance of making it to the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Honorable Mention: Dwight Stephenson

DE – Michael Strahan, drafted by New York Giants. in 1993, 40th overall

Michael Strahan holds the NFL record for sacks in a single season with 22.5 (breaking former New York Jets' Mark Gastineau's total of 22) in the 2001 season.

He was named the 2001 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was a two-time NFC Defensive Player of the Year (in 2001 and 2003).

He was also named to the All-Decade Team of the 2000’s.

Strahan was a key part of winning the Super Bowl (XLII) against the heavily-favored New England Patriots, who went 16-0 (2007) during the regular season.

Strahan left the game with 141.5 career sacks and 21 forced fumbles in 200 games over a 15-year career. He was also named to the Pro Bowl roster seven times (1997-199, 2001-2003, and 2005).

Honorable Mention: Mark Gastineau

DE – Howie Long, drafted by Oakland in 1981, 48th overall

During his 13-year career, Long became a member of the All-Decade team of the 1980s, and recorded 91.5 career sacks for the Raiders.

He won a Super Bowl (XVIII) with the Raiders in 1984, defeating the Washington Redskins 38-9.

Long went on to be selected to eight Pro Bowls (1983-1989, 1992, and 1993), the first following the 1983 season, and he is also a two-time NFL Alumni
Defensive Lineman of the Year (1984, 1985).

Howie Long was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

Honorable Mention: Gino Marchetti

NT – Shaun Rogers, drafted by Detroit in 2001, 61st overall

Rogers was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2006. He made the 2008 Pro Bowl in his first year with the Cleveland Browns.

In his rookie season he started in every game and finished the season with 81 tackles

Rogers is widely considered one of the best defensive tackles in the league, and is superb at blocking kicks, having stopped the most in the league (12) since 2001.

During his nine year career, he has racked up a total of 465 tackles, 35.5 sacks, and one interception returned for a touchdown.

Rogers is a massive body (6’4”, 350 pounds) that is an expert at taking on double teams and clogging up the middle in the 3-4 defensive schemes.

Honorable Mention: Kris Jenkins

DT – Ernie Stautner, drafted by Pittsburgh in 1950, 22nd overall

Ernie Stautner is the only player to ever have his number (70) officially retired by the Steelers.

Stautner played his entire career (1950-1963) with the Steelers and was selected to nine Pro Bowls (1952, 1953, 1955-1961) in his fourteen-year career, and was the MVP of the 1957 Pro Bowl.

He helped the Steelers to two Super Bowls (VI and XII).

His three career safeties tied him for a then-all-time high, and his 23 opponents' fumbles recovered placed him third on that list.

Despite being small (6’1”, 235 pounds) even for his day, he was known as one of the best defensive linemen of his era as he became the cornerstone of the Steelers bruising defense.

Ernie Stautner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

Honorable Mention: Bob Baumhower

LB – Jack Ham, drafted by Pittsburgh in 1971, 34th overall

Jack Ham is considered one of the greatest outside linebackers in the history of the NFL.

Ham won four Super Bowls (1974-1975, 1978-1979) during his 12-year career (he did not play in Super Bowl XIV due to ankle injury), all of it spent with the Steelers.

He was First-Team All-Pro six years and was named to eight straight Pro Bowls (1973-1980), while making the 1970s All-Decade Team.

Ham's career statistics include 25 sacks, 21 fumbles recovered, and 32 interceptions. Those stats place him in the Defensive 20/20 Club (20 interceptions and 20 sacks) and he made the 75th Anniversary Team.

Jack Ham was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.

Honorable Mention: Bill George

LB – Ted Hendricks, drafted by Baltimore in 1969, 33rd overall

Ted Hendricks was a member of four Super Bowls (V, XI, XVI, and XVIII), three with the Raiders and one with the Colts, and was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times (1971-1973, 1975, and 1980-1983), at least once with each of his three NFL teams (Baltimore, Green Bay, and Oakland).

He is the first player in NFL history to have four Super Bowl rings and never play for the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Pittsburgh Steelers,
the three teams with at least six Super Bowl titles.

In Hendricks' 15-year career, he racked up 60.5 career sacks, 26 career interceptions, and 25 blocked punts, field goals, or PATs, which is the unofficial NFL record. With those stats he also went on to become part of the 20/20 Club.

In 1999, Hendricks was ranked number 64 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He also was named as one of the members of the NFL's 75th anniversary team in 1994.

Ted Hendricks was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Honorable Mention: Willie Lanier

LB – Jack Lambert, drafted by Pittsburgh in 1974, 46th overall

Jack Lambert earned the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (1974) as a central figure on a great Steelers defense that went on to win their first Super Bowl by beating the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX.

Lambert was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1976 and in his 11-year career Jack Lambert was named to nine straight Pro Bowls (1975-1983). Lambert was also part of the Steelers' first four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, and XIV).

Lambert was selected to be a member of the All Decade Team of the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Lambert racked up 28 career interceptions, 1,479 career tackles, and 23.5 sacks launching him on the list of the 20/20 Club.

In 2004, the Fox Sports Net series “The Sports List” named Lambert as the toughest football player of all time.

By the time of his retirement, he was widely recognized as one of the great middle linebackers in the history of the game.

Jack Lambert was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Honorable Mention: Bobby Bell

LB – Mike Singletary, drafted by Chicago in 1981, 38th overall

Mike Singletary was selected to play in a team record 10 Pro Bowls (1983-1992). Singletary was All-Pro eight times, and All-NFC every year from 1983-1991.

Singletary would eventually go on to help the Bears win Super Bowl XX by beating the New England Patriots 46–10 in 1985.

Singletary started 172 games for the Bears during his 12-year career, which is the second most in club history.

Singletary was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 1985 and 1988 and became part of the All Decade Team of the 1980’s.

In 1999, he was ranked number 56 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Mike Singletary was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Honorable Mention: Rickey Jackson

CB – Lem Barney, drafted by Detroit in 1967, 34th overall

Lem Barney was named 1967's Defensive Rookie of the Year, and went on to be selected to seven Pro Bowls (1967-1969, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1976).

Barney was also part of the 1960’s All Decade Team.

Barney also tied for the NFL interception lead with 10; three of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns, just one short of the single season record.

During his time in the NFL (1967-1977), Barney had 56 career interceptions, which ranks him 16th in the record books.

His number, 20, which was also worn by future Detroit star running backs Billy Sims and Barry Sanders, was retired by the Lions.

In 1999, he was ranked number 97 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Lem Barney was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Honorable Mention: Ronde Barber

CB – Mel Renfro, drafted by Dallas in 1964 17th overall

Renfro was selected to the Pro Bowl (1964-1973), (Pro Bowl MVP in 1970) in each of his first 10 seasons in the league, including five All-Pro selections in 1964, 1965, 1969, 1971, and 1973.

In his fourteen seasons, Renfro intercepted 52 passes, returning three of them for touchdowns. He also returned 109 punts for 842 yards and a touchdown, and 85 kickoffs for 2,246 yards and two touchdowns.

Renfro played in four Super Bowls (V, VI, X, XII). He would later retire after the final one, a Cowboys victory over the Denver Broncos.

Renfro was added to the Texas Stadium Ring of Honor in 1981, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Honorable Mention: Eric Allen

SS – Darren Woodson, drafted by Dallas in 1992, 27th overall

Darren Woodson was a member of all three Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Championship teams of the 1990’s (1992-1993, and 1995), and he played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992-2004.

During his career he was elected to five Pro Bowls (1995-1998) and was named All-Pro (1994-1996) three times in his 13-year career with the Cowboys.

He was described in Sports Illustrated as "one of the hardest hitters in the NFL."

Woodson is the team's all-time leading tackler with 1,350 career tackles. He also picked off 23 balls during his time.

Honorable Mention: Brian Dawkins

FS – Darren Sharper, drafted by Green Bay in 1997, 60th overall

Darren Sharper earned his first Super Bowl Ring with the New Orleans Saints in 2010.

Darren Sharper was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl (2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2009) and made the All-Decade Team for the 2000’s.

His 376 interception return yards in 2010 broke the NFL single season record of 358 previously held by Ed Reed.

Sharper also shares an NFL record with Deion Sanders for most games with 50+ interception return yards (9) and owns the NFL record for most games with 75+ interception return yards (6).

In 2009, Sharper picked off his 63rd interception in his NFL career, tying him for sixth on the all-time list with NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott.

Honorable Mention: Paul Krause