Ranking the Best Sports Draft Years
Each year, fans are introduced to new players that are projected to be can't-miss prospects, potential superstars or guys who were taken a little bit too high.
And after a few seasons, one can get a sense of just how great some of those players will be, with debates happening around bar tables over which players and draft years are the best.
Rather than just look at one sport, though, I figured I would dig a hell of a lot deeper and see which years actually boasted the best talent from the four major sports leagues—the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
Most of the criteria were dependent on Hall of Famers from each draft, but I also weighed down a year if the top pick was a complete bust, hurting the year's chances of being higher.
So which years had the best talent in all four major sports? I ranked the top 10, so see if you agree.
10. 1987
1 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller
NFL: Rod Woodson, Cris Carter, Cornelius Bennett, Vinny Testaverde
MLB: Ken Griffey Jr., Craig Biggio, Albert Belle, Mike Mussina
NHL: Brendan Shanahan, Joe Sakic, Pierre Turgeon, Theoren Fleury
Other notables: Horace Grant, Kevin Johnson, Mark Jackson, Bo Jackson, Greg Lloyd, Rich Gannon, Bret Boone, Steve Finley, Jack McDowell, John LeClair, Eric Desjardins, Guy Hebert
Recap:
When a draft year has the privilege of having the best player of a generation—as 1987 did with Ken Griffey Jr.—it's a good sign that it's off to a good start.
Along with Griffey, though, some of the MLB stars in the same class were potential Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and Mike Mussina, along with Albert Belle, who blasted 381 career homers.
Not too shabby.
Add in NBA stars such as David Robinson, who won a league MVP and two NBA titles; Scottie Pippen, who won six titles; and Reggie Miller, who set the mark for most three-pointers made (which has since been broken), and you have some big-time names.
Although the draft year can't quite compete on the level of others on this list with some stars on both the gridiron and the hockey rink, the 1987 class might have been best known for being more than solid—just not spectacular.
9. 1993
2 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Chris Webber, Penny Hardaway
NFL: Willie Roaf, John Lynch, Michael Strahan, Jerome Bettis, Drew Bledsoe
MLB: Alex Rodriguez, Chris Carpenter, Jason Varitek, Torii Hunter, Scott Rolen
NHL: Chris Pronger, Paul Kariya, Viktor Kozlov, Jason Arnott, Saku Koivu
Other notables: Jamal Mashburn, Allan Houston, Sam Cassell, Mark Brunell, Jason Elam, Billy Wagner, Derrek Lee, Miroslav Satan, Patrick Lalime, Kimmo Timonen
Recap:
The name Alex Rodriguez remains one of the most polarizing in all of sports even today due to the drama surrounding A-Rod's steroid allegations. It's a black eye on his legacy.
It also happens to keep the 1993 draft class in a gray area, as this was a class that had very good players—even Hall of Famers—but other than Rodriguez, no absolute superstar.
Sure, Chris Webber should be in the Hall of Fame one day. Michael Strahan and Jerome Bettis won Super Bowls. Jason Varitek led the Boston Red Sox to a few titles, and guys like Chris Pronger and Jason Arnott both won a Stanley Cup.
But the 1993 draft is probably most remembered for being steady and not flashy, making it one that was successful but not as well-known as some of the others on this list.
8. 1998
3 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter
NFL: Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Randy Moss
MLB: CC Sabathia, Mark Mulder, Matt Holliday, Mark Buehrle, J.D. Drew
NHL: Vincent Lecavalier, Pavel Datsyuk, Scott Gomez
Other notables: Antawn Jamison, Mike Bibby, Hines Ward, Matt Birk, Alan Faneca, Fred Taylor, Mark Prior, Adam Dunn, Simon Gagne, Brad Richards
Recap:
When you see names such Nowitzki, Pierce and Manning, one thing probably comes to mind: winners.
So while the 1998 draft class might not be strong in some areas—most obviously hockey—having the NFL's all-time leader in passing touchdowns, two players in the top 17 on the NBA's scoring list and future Hall of Famers like Randy Moss and Charles Woodson means this class was loaded with talented players who lived up to their billing.
Add in a few successful individual seasons for pitchers like CC Sabathia, who won the AL Cy Young in 2007, and Vincent Lecavalier, who earned the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in the same year for leading the NHL in goals, and this class can state its case as being one of the best ever.
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7. 2003
4 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony
NFL: Andre Johnson, Terrell Suggs, Troy Polamalu, Anquan Boldin, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Carson Palmer
MLB: Adam Jones, Jonathan Papelbon, Matt Kemp, Brian Wilson
NHL: Marc-Andre Fleury, Eric Staal, Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Ryan Suter, Mike Richards, Ryan Kesler, Patrice Bergeron
Other notables: Chris Kaman, David West, Tony Romo, Robert Mathis, Lance Briggs, Nnamdi Asomugha, Carlos Quentin, Delmon Young, Shea Weber, Nathan Horton, Thomas Vanek
Recap:
When all is said and done, could we look back at 2003 as being the best year that sports has ever seen?
Well, we can at least in terms of new talent.
The NBA introduced us to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony—all future Hall of Famers who have league MVPs, scoring titles and seven rings among them.
The NFL gave us Andre Johnson, Terrell Suggs, Troy Polamalu, Jason Witten and Antonio Gates, among others, each who could realistically make a case for his own bust in Canton once each calls it quits.
In the NHL? Well, some may argue that the 2003 class could rival some of the best of all time, with players like Eric Staal, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry all on pace for Hall of Fame careers.
Don't forget goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who already has a Stanley Cup win and more recently notched his 300th career win.
And while the MLB names don't include much more than very good players who have won a few World Series and made some All-Star Games, even if none of them makes a serious case for Cooperstown, each player is still part of a 2003 draft year that could rise dramatically in these rankings just five years from now.
6. 1983
5 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Clyde Drexler, Ralph Sampson
NFL: John Elway, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Bruce Matthews, Darrell Green, Eric Dickerson, Richard Dent
MLB: Roger Clemens
NHL: Steve Yzerman, Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, Dominik Hasek, Vladislav Tretiak, Viacheslav Fetisov
Other notables: Doc Rivers, Wally Joyner, Dan Plesac, Bob Probert
Recap:
Like other years on this list, the 1983 draft year was dominated by some of the all-time great players in NFL history, with quarterbacks John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly leading the way.
That's not to dismiss the other NFL players from the class who are enshrined in Canton, though, or those other players from different sports who made this a deeply successful draft year.
Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards and if not for alleged steroid use would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
With Clyde Drexler and Ralph Sampson headlining the NBA names, a draft class could do worse.
And thanks to players like Steve Yzerman and Dominik Hasek adding five total titles to this class, it shows that the other players included in it were great but weren't as all-time as their football counterparts.
Still, what an incredible year.
5. 1996
6 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash
NFL: Ray Lewis, Jonathan Ogden, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens
MLB: R.A. Dickey, Roy Oswalt, Jimmy Rollins
NHL: Zdeno Chara, Daniel Briere
Other notables: Stephon Marbury, Marcus Camby, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Zach Thomas, Eddie George, Keyshawn Johnson, Mike Alstott, Brad Penny, Marco Sturm
Recap:
There are few who don't consider the 1996 NBA draft to be the greatest in league history, featuring future Hall of Famers like Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson and Steve Nash.
And while those four headline the class, the others who joined them in that year were formidable as well, earning a number of All-Star appearances or individual awards.
But the bread and butter of the 1996 class are those from the NFL, with future Hall of Famers Ray Lewis, Jonathan Ogden, Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens being some of the best players at their positions during their careers.
With MLB and the NHL represented by solid but not overly popular or successful players, the 1996 draft year was dominated by two sports—which speaks volumes of how talented those players were, since it sits at No. 5 on this list.
4. 1981
7 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre, Tom Chambers
NFL: Lawrence Taylor, Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary, Howie Long, Rickey Jackson, Russ Grimm
MLB: Tony Gwynn, Joe Carter, David Cone
NHL: Dale Hawerchuk, Ron Francis, Grant Fuhr, Al MacInnis, Chris Chelios
Other notables: Larry Nance, Danny Ainge, Dennis Smith, Cris Collinsworth, Paul O'Neill, Fred McGriff, Mike Vernon
Recap:
One can't look at the names on this list without noticing the most obvious—Taylor, Lott, Singletary, Long, Jackson and Grimm.
With those six guys enshrined in Canton, they represent a valid argument as to why the 1981 draft classes could be among the greatest ever—especially with Taylor, Lott and Singletary making a case to be the best at their respective positions.
And when you add in two-time NBA champion Isiah Thomas and 10 Stanley Cup rings between Chris Chelios, Grant Fuhr and Ron Francis in the NHL, it's apparent that this group was definitely great.
When one considers that the big names from baseball include Tony Gwynn—who might just be the best hitter of the past 30 years—and a slew of others who won World Series rings, the 1981 classes might best be remembered for their balance between superstardom and winning ways.
3. 1985
8 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, Chris Mullin
NFL: Jerry Rice, Bruce Smith, Chris Doleman, Andre Reed
MLB: Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson, John Smotlz, Barry Larkin
NHL: Joe Nieuwendyk, Igor Larionov, Mike Richter
Other notables: Detlef Schrempf, Herschel Walker, Randall Cunningham, Doug Flutie, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark Grace, David Justice, Sean Burke, Wendel Clark
Recap:
Any time a draft class includes arguably the greatest player to ever suit up in a sport, one has to give it consideration as one of the tops.
That's the case for the 1985 NFL draft, which saw Jerry Rice get taken off the board by the San Francisco 49ers at pick No. 16, going on to win three Super Bowls and break a ton of offensive records.
And while Rice is the main headliner in this class, let's not overlook the depth of the entire class from other sports, too, with the NBA well-represented by four Hall of Famers.
Even more impressive, MLB had Barry Bonds, the game's all-time leader in home runs; Randy Johnson, who won 303 career games; and John Smoltz, who ended his career with a World Series ring and one Cy Young Award.
With a few other Hall of Famers and notable players, the 1985 draft class in each sport has star power that stacks up nicely against any other year.
2. 1984
9 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, John Stockton
NFL: Steve Young (supplemental), Reggie White (supplemental), Gary Zimmerman (supplemental), Carl Banks, Boomer Esiason
MLB: Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Al Leiter
NHL: Mario Lemieux, Patrick Roy, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille
Other notables: Otis Thorpe, Jeff Hostetler, Irving Fryar, Jamie Moyer, Ken Caminiti, Gary Suter, Petr Svoboda
Recap:
Like a few others on this list, one name is the most prominent of all those who were drafted back in 1984—and it happens to be Michael Jeffrey Jordan.
Arguably the greatest player ever, MJ won six rings and five league MVPs, transforming the game in a way unseen by anyone before or since.
He was joined in the '84 NBA draft by Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and John Stockton, who hold two titles among them and a variety of league records, too.
And when you look at the names from MLB and the NHL, one salivates at all that those players achieved, with Mario Lemieux and Patrick Roy being two of the top players at their positions during their playing days and winning a combined six Stanley Cup titles.
This class was so deep that it's taken me this long to even mention the MLB players, with Mark McGwire being one of the best power hitters of his era and Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine teaming up with the Atlanta Braves to build a dynasty, winning one World Series and reaching three total together.
And even though the NFL is well-represented by Hall of Famers like Steve Young and Reggie White who were taken in the supplemental draft, they were still rookies in 1985, making this a draft year for the ages.
1. 1979
10 of 10
Headliners:
NBA: Magic Johnson, Bill Cartwright, Bill Laimbeer, Larry Bird*
NFL: Joe Montana, Kellen Winslow Sr., Phil Simms, Dan Hampton
MLB: Gary Gaetti, Don Mattingly
NHL: Wayne Gretzky*, Ray Bourque, Mark Messier, Michel Goulet
Other notables: Sidney Moncrief, Mark Eaton, Dwight Clark, Mark Gastineau, Andy Van Slyke
Recap:
Although the greatest hockey player to ever live, Wayne Gretzky, wasn't technically in this draft class, he would have had it not been for a condition with the Edmonton Oilers—who The Great One had a personal services contract with.
Regardless, even without Gretzky the 1979 classes aren't anything to ignore, with players such as Magic Johnson in the NBA, Joe Montana in the NFL and Ray Bourque and Mark Messier in the NHL among those who called the year their first professionally.
Between just those four, they have a combined 16 titles in their respective sports and are all in the Hall of Fame—and that's not including Gretzky's four Cup titles and numerous NHL records.
This group of classes might be docked some points for not really including Gretzky, but it would be foolish to dismiss it with the other stars that were introduced in their sports.
*Ed. note: Bird was drafted in 1978 but didn't officially play for the Celtics until 1979, winning Rookie of the Year.
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