2011 NFL Draft: The Most Shocking 1st-Round Picks of the Last 20 Years
The NFL Draft never has a shortage of drama.
From the endless debate of team needs versus player value to draft day trades and sleeper picks; the fun only stops when Mr. Irrelevant steps up to announce the final selection.
Being a first-round pick brings about a career's worth of pressure and each year 32 different players have to carry that honor and burden.
While it is impossible to judge a draft selection truthfully until a few years down the line, more than a fair few have raised eyebrows and shocked the fans and football world alike.
Here's a look at the most shocking first round NFL Draft picks in the last 20 years.
2010: No. 25, Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos
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As the 2010 NFL Draft rolled on and Sam Bradford was the first, and only, quarterback off the board through the early 20's, the debate raged as to when and where Florida's all-everything quarterback Tim Tebow would wind up.
The Denver Broncos, who had just selected Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas three picks earlier, traded with the Baltimore Ravens for the rights to the No. 25 pick.
Tebow, who many regarded as a phenomenal football player but a project-player at the quarterback position, wound up being the No. 25 pick and second quarterback off the board.
Instantly the draft room went wild, announcers went into a frenzy and the other highly regarded quarterback, Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, entered a free fall to the third round.
At No. 25 overall, Tebow was the most shocking first round pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.
2009: No. 7, Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Oakland Raiders
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The blazing fast Maryland receiver was one of the fastest players in the 2009 NFL Draft, but was not the top overall wide receiver prospect.
With Texas Tech's All-American Michael Crabtree, Florida's versatile speedster Percy Harvin and Missouri's speedy Jeremy Maclin all still available, the Oakland Raiders had a difficult decision to make with a need at wide receiver.
While Crabtree seemed to be the likely choice for the Silver and Black, Al Davis decided he'd rather have the lightning-fast Maryland wideout.
Darrius Heyward-Bey's name hit the draft room floor and everyone listening blinked twice before realizing it was true.
Davis and the Raiders, at No. 7 overall, made Heyward-Bey the most shocking pick of the 2009 NFL Draft.
2008: No. 8, Derrick Harvey, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Following an 11-5 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars went into the 2008 NFL Draft looking for pass rush help.
At No. 26 overall, they thought they may not get the impact player they were looking for and they traded up to No. 8.
With both Vernon Gholston of Ohio State and Chris Long of Virginia off the board already, the Jags made Florida's Derrick Harvey their selection.
A huge trade, from the mid-twenties into the top 10, highlighted the early part of the first round and Harvey was the most shocking pick in the first round the 2008 NFL Draft.
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2007: No. 22, Brady Quinn, QB, Cleveland Browns
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Notre Dame's senior signal caller was in the running for the top overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2007.
LSU's JaMarcus Russell was selected by the Raiders at No. 1 instead and Quinn, who attended the draft in person, fell all the way down the board.
Eventually, at No. 22, the Cleveland Browns, who had already selected Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas at No. 3, traded up with the Dallas Cowboys to finally select Quinn.
The 2007 NFL Draft was a long wait for Quinn and he was the most shocking selection of the first round.
2006: No. 1, Mario Williams, DE, Houston Texans
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The Houston Texans were tasked with selecting between N.C. State's Mario Williams, USC running back Reggie Bush and Texas quarterback Vince Young in 2006.
The day before the draft the Texans announced they were going to select Williams, much to the shock of the NFL world.
Bush, in turn, went No. 2 overall and Young No. 3 overall.
Williams' selection, while being known beforehand, was still the most shocking selection of the 2006 NFL Draft.
2005: No. 7, Troy Williamson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
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Following a trade that sent one of the NFL's top receivers, Randy Moss, to the Raiders in a package that included the Raiders' first round pick, the Minnesota Vikings decided that they would use that pick to find his replacement.
Troy Williamson, a speedy deep-threat from South Carolina, was who the Vikings decided on drafting.
Williamson was one of three wide receivers drafted in the top 10 in 2005, but he was the most shocking pick of the first round.
2004: No. 1, Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
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The San Diego Chargers owned the first overall pick in 2004 and decided to draft Peyton Manning's kid brother, and Archie's son, Eli No. 1 overall.
Unfortunately, the Ole Miss senior had told them that he had no intention of playing for the Chargers and essentially forced a trade with the New York Giants, who owned the No. 4 pick in the draft and were also looking for a new franchise quarterback.
New York selected N.C. State quarterback Phillip Rivers for the Chargers and proceeded to package him with multiple draft picks to appease the Chargers.
Eli, who pulled the John Elway and got his wish, was the most shocking pick of the 2004 NFL Draft.
2003: No. 23, Willis McGahee, RB, Buffalo Bills
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Following a devastating knee injury at the University of Miami, Willis McGahee was in danger of falling out of the first round.
Surgery, rehab and the potential to never return to form could have plagued the young running back, but the Buffalo Bills gave him a shot.
At No. 23 overall, the Bills decided his potential, when healthy, was enough to invest a first round pick on him.
McGahee, the first running back taken in 2003, was the most shocking pick of that first round.
2002: No. 1, David Carr, QB, Fresno State
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The Carolina Panthers finished the previous season with a 1-15 record and would naturally be given the first overall selection, but because the Texans were new to the league, they were granted No. 1 overall.
The Texans decided to select the quarterback for the future of their franchise in David Carr of Fresno State.
Carolina, at No. 2, selected Julius Peppers of UNC instead.
The Texans, new to the league, made a big splash by selecting Carr No. 1 overall in 2002.
2001: No. 1, Michael Vick, QB, Atlanta Falcons
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In 2001, before the league added the Texans to the mix as the 32nd team, the Chargers traded the No. 1 pick to Atlanta Falcons, who had intentions of drafting only one man: Michael Vick.
Vick, the Virginia Tech superstar with the ability to both run and throw, had the potential to be the most exciting player in the NFL.
The Chargers, who also had needs at the quarterback position, decided to wait until the second round, thus making Vick, and the Falcons, the most shocking pick of the 2001 Draft.
2000: No. 2, LaVar Arrington, OLB, Penn State
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The Washington Redskins had back-to-back first round picks in the 2000 NFL Draft, their first selection, at No. 2, was the most shocking though.
After the Cleveland Browns selected Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown No. 1 overall, the Redskins promptly selected his college teammate LaVar Arrington at No. 2.
The Penn State college teammates were the first pair of teammates from the historic school to be drafted first and second overall.
Arrington, selected by the Redskins at No. 2, was the most shocking pick of 2000.
1999: No. 4, Ricky Williams, RB, New Orleans Saints
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In 1999, Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams was the hot commodity.
While the Browns were reincarnated in the league, they decided it was best to add their franchise quarterback at No. 1 overall.
The Philadelphia Eagles, whose fans wanted Ricky, decided to draft Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb at No. 2 and the Cincinnati Bengals, who also needed a quarterback and not a running back, selected Oregon's Akili Smith at No. 3.
Indianapolis, who had just selected Peyton Manning as their franchise quarterback the year before, decided not to take Ricky, but to draft the University of Miami star Edgerrin James.
This turn of events left the Redskins with the No. 5 pick and they traded it to the New Orleans Saints for every one of their picks in the 1999 Draft.
Mike Ditka, head coach of the New Orleans Saints, made the most shocking selection of the 1999 NFL Draft.
1998: No. 1, Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
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In 1998 the debate raged on between draft analysts whether Tennessee's Peyton Manning or Washington State's Ryan Leaf was the better quarterback prospect.
The Indianapolis Colts, one of the perennial bad teams at the time, selected Peyton No.1 overall and let the Chargers select Ryan Leaf.
We all know how that turned out and thus the Colts' selection of Manning was the most shocking first-round pick in 1998.
1997: No. 3, Shawn Springs, CB, Seattle Seahawks
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The 1997 NFL Draft featured a lot of big name offensive linemen.
At No. 3, however, the Seattle Seahawks decided to trade one of their first round picks along with a second, third and fourth round pick, all in the 1997 draft for a shot at Ohio State cornerback Shawn Springs.
Springs, one of three top 10 defensive backs, was the most shocking pick in the 1997 Draft.
1996: No. 1, Keyshawn Johnson, WR, New York Jets
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The No. 1 pick in 1996 Draft was the boisterous wide receiver from USC.
Keyshawn Johnson was the perfect type of personality for the New York lifestyle and the Jets were very excited when drafting him.
Keyshawn was the first wide receiver taken No. 1 overall since Irving Fryar in 1984.
He was the most shocking pick in the 1996 Draft.
1995: No. 1, Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
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Carolina, an NFL expansion team, were awarded the top pick in the draft after the other new team, the Jaguars, were awarded the first pick in the expansion draft.
Carolina decided not to keep the No. 1 pick, however, and traded it to the Bengals.
Cincinnati went after Penn State's fantastic running back Ki-Jana Carter.
Carter was one of five first-round running backs in 1995, but the Bengals trading up to No. 1 to select him was the most shocking pick of the first round.
1994: No. 5, Trev Alberts, LB, Indianapolis Colts
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The most shocking pick of the 1994 NFL Draft was Trev Alberts by the Colts.
What was shocking about the selection, though, was the reaction of now famed ESPN draft "guru" Mel Kiper Jr. when he blasted the Colts for the selection.
Indianapolis Colts GM Bill Tobin then famously responded, "Who in the hell is Mel Kiper anyway?".
1993: No. 2, Rick Mirer, QB, Seattle Seahawks
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After the New England Patriots passed on Notre Dame's Rick Mirer, the Seahawks were there to scoop him up.
Mirer, who left Notre Dame with numerous records and was hyped as the next Joe Montana, was selected much higher than Montana was.
Mirer and the Seahawks were the most shocking pick in the 1993 NFL Draft.
1992: No. 1, Steve Emtman, DT, Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts, a commoner at the No. 1 selection, took a chance on Washington's big time defensive tackle in 1992.
Steve Emtman was only a junior when he declared and was rewarded as the No. 1 pick.
He was the only defensive tackle drafted in the first round, making him the most shocking pick of the 1992 NFL Draft.
1991: Russell Maryland, DT, Dallas Cowboys
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The Cowboys had their sights set on Notre Dame's fantastic wide receiver, Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, but he decided to head to Canada to play for the Toronto Argonauts.
The Cowboys then decided to draft Miami's Russell Maryland, the Outland Trophy winner, at No. 1 overall.
With "the Rocket's" decision to head north, Russell Maryland is the most shocking pick of the 1991 first round.
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