Best Draft Classes of the Past Decade
The rules for evaluating draft classes vary per North American professional sports league.
One reason is because of the different lengths of the drafts. Every NFL draft class includes more than 200 picks. An NBA draft concludes on one night after two rounds and only a few hours of televised action. One needs to review rules posted on a website such as DraftSite.com to thoroughly understand the intricacies of a MLB draft.
Another factor involves expectations for higher draft picks. A top-10 pick of an NFL Draft should, theoretically, contribute right out of the gate in year one of his career. That is not the case in the MLB, nor does it always pertain to NHL draft classes. We, thus, cannot always evaluate MLB and NHL draft classes until up to five years after the fact.
Numerous stacked draft classes provided noteworthy talents to pro leagues over the past decade (2007 through 2016). The 2011 NFL draft class may, when all is said and done, go down as an all-time great group. Cam Newton, Von Miller, Richard Sherman and a decent defensive player named J.J. Watt all entered the NFL five years ago. Those are only a handful of tremendous players taken in the spring of 2011.
As good as the 2011 NFL draft looks five years later, the 2011 MLB Draft is possibly as impressive. The 2008 NHL draft isn't quite as sexy, on paper, but that draft provided numerous talented defensemen. Four players selected in the 2011 NBA draft could all win Most Valuable Player honors at some point over the next decade.
Why do we love reevaluating draft classes? Maybe it's because we enjoy playing general manager, or perhaps we want to flaunt our smarts regarding certain drafts.
The question must be asked: What is your favorite overall draft of the past 10 years?
2011 NBA Draft
1 of 10Fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers should build shrines to the 2011 NBA draft. Without this draft class, the title drought that plagued Cleveland for 52 years may still exist.
The Cavaliers selected Kyrie Irving with the first pick of the 2011 NBA draft. It was Irving and not LeBron James who drained the go-ahead 3-pointer over two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry with under a minute to play in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. That shot gave the Cavaliers the lead for good, and Cleveland's often-mocked sports curse drifted off into the Lake Erie fog.
Tristan Thompson, a major part of the Cleveland roster over the past two years, went to Cleveland via the fourth pick of the 2011 NBA draft. Iman Shumpert, drafted by the New York Knicks via pick No. 17 in 2011, helped Cleveland win a title in 2016.
Will Irving be the first player from the 2011 NBA draft class to win a league MVP award? There is stiff competition. Klay Thompson, one-half of the "Splash Brothers" fell to the Warriors at pick No. 11. Kawhi Leonard won NBA Finals MVP honors back in 2014 when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat.
Dieter Kurtenbach of FoxSports.com wrote this past May that Leonard deserved better regarding MVP voting for the 2015-16 regular season.
The best value-pick of the 2011 NBA draft remains Jimmy Butler. Butler fell to the Chicago Bulls at the bottom of the opening round of the draft. In June 2015, Joe Boozell of NBA.com listed Butler fifth among the top NBA draft steals since 2000.
2007 NFL Draft
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Remember the Oakland Raiders using the first pick of the 2007 NFL draft on JaMarcus Russell? Do you recall fans of the Cleveland Browns celebrating the club using the 22nd overall pick of this draft on Brady Quinn?
As Chase Goodbread of NFL.com wrote back in March 2015, the 2007 NFL draft "produced some of today's biggest names, not to mention a few of the biggest busts in draft history." Ignore the lame quarterbacks and other draft busts, and focus on the Pro Bowlers and possible future Hall of Famers selected during this draft.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson went to the Detroit Lions via the second pick. The Browns selected left tackle Joe Thomas with pick No. 3. Adrian Peterson, the best running back of his generation, fell to No. 7 and the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker Patrick Willis went to the San Francisco 49ers four picks after Peterson. Running back Marshawn Lynch landed with the Seattle Seahawks at pick No. 12. The New York Jets drafted cornerback Darrelle Revis via the 14th selection.
All of those players deserve spots in the Hall of Fame.
Let's take a spin outside of the first round. The New York Giants don't beat the then-undefeated New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLII without wide receiver Steve Smith, a second-round selection. Eric Weddle proved that he possessed first-round talent even though he fell to the San Diego Chargers at pick No. 37.
Is Russell, as Steven Ruiz of USA Today Sports once proclaimed, "the worst draft pick ever"? It's possible. Look on the bright side, Oakland fans: Derek Carr seems like the real deal.
2008 NHL Draft
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Do you like defensive hockey? If so, the 2008 NHL draft class is for you.
While the 2008 NHL draft class filled the league with top-tier defensemen, center Steven Stamkos remains the face of the class. Taken first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Stamkos ultimately became the captain of a Lightning squad that earned a berth in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final. The biggest shame of all regarding Stamkos' legacy to date is that he couldn't bolster it this past spring.
The Lightning entered the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a real opportunity to win it all. Tampa Bay did so without the team's captain, though, as Stamkos, per the Lightning's official team website, could not play because of vascular thoracic outlet syndrome. The Lightning nevertheless completed a run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Stamkos returned to the ice for that contest, but Pittsburgh eliminated the Lightning en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
Perhaps Stamkos is a champion in an alternate universe somewhere.
How good is Drew Doughty? The Los Angeles Kings defenseman selected second overall in the 2008 NHL draft recently won the Norris Trophy—awarded to the league's top defensive player—for the first time. This was, per Pat Iverson of SB Nation, Doughty's third nomination for the award. Back in September 2014, Sam Hitchcock of Hockey Prospectus placed Doughty ahead of Stamkos in his 2008 NHL draft re-draft.
The Ottawa Senators landed a gem with pick No. 15 in defenseman Erik Karlsson. Karlsson is arguably the third-best player from this draft class, and the Ottawa captain made history during the 2015-16 campaign.
Doug Harrison of CBC Sports explained last April.
"Karlsson earned his 66th assist in Saturday's 6-1 dismantling of the Boston Bruins, giving the 25-year-old a career-high 82 points in his seventh NHL season, good for fourth in league scoring.
It's the first time a defenceman has finished in the top five of league scoring in 30 years, since Edmonton's Paul Coffey was third with 138 points in the 1985-86 season. Karlsson is only the fifth blue-liner in league history to acheive the feat.
No blue-liner had reached 80 points since Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom racked up that many with the Detroit Red Wings in 2005-06, while Brian Leetch recorded 85 points with the 1995-96 New York Rangers.
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All things considered, the Washington Capitals acquiring goaltender Braden Holtby with pick No. 93 may be the best steal of them all from the 2008 NHL draft. Holtby is a proven producer in the regular season and in postseason play, and he won the Vezina Trophy—given to the league's best goaltender—at the 2016 NHL Awards. Per Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post, Holtby tied Martin Brodeur's single-season wins mark of 48 during the 2015-16 NHL season.
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2010 MLB Draft
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The top picks of any draft class affect the grade of that class. It's easy enough to understand. High draft picks carry high values, and players selected via those picks who aren't stars are eventually known as busts.
A majority of the top-13 picks of the 2010 MLB draft didn't disappoint their clubs. Ken Woolums of ESPN.com wrote about those selections earlier this month.
"The 2010 draft will likely always be remembered for the crop of players selected within the first 13 picks of the draft. Among those players, 10 have made the majors and three have already produced at least 20 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) ...
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Woolums continued:
"In the drafts preceding 2010, the top 13 picks produced between nine and 10 MLB players on average, and 12.7 WAR per pick. Six years removed from the 2010 draft, the top 13 in that first round have already produced 10.3 WAR on average.
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The Washington Nationals landed a superstar with the first overall pick of the 2010 MLB draft. Bryce Harper is a lock for All-Star squads so long as he remains healthy, and the 23-year-old is the reigning National League MVP.
Interestingly, Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com listed Chris Sale ahead of Harper in a re-draft article published in June 2015. Those who value pitching ahead of hitting may agree with Axisa. Sale, like Harper, is a perennial All-Star, and Sale led the American League in strikeouts during the 2015 season.
Matt Harvey, selected seventh overall back in 2010, remains a question mark as it pertains to the New York Mets. Jacob deGrom may prove to be better than Harvey. The Mets acquired deGrom via pick No. 272.
Looking for the top pick of the 2010 MLB draft? How about Kris Bryant? The Toronto Blue Jays selected Bryant with the 546th selection, but the Jays didn't sign him. Bryant, as of the early days of summer, is in the middle of a season worthy of MVP considerations.
2009 NBA Draft
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Let's begin with the "other guys" of the 2009 NBA Draft.
Blake Griffin, the first overall pick of this draft class, is a fascinating character. Griffin can produce highlight-reel dunks, sometimes seemingly out of nowhere, and fans are used to seeing Griffin in national television commercials. The Los Angeles Clippers power forward is not, however, a perfect citizen on or off the court. Griffin suffered a significant hand injury this past winter when, per Sam Amick of USA Today Sports, he fought with a team employee.
The Oklahoma City Thunder selected James Harden third overall. Harden, now a member of the Houston Rockets, can light up scoreboards from time to time. Critics may, however, point out that Harden's reputation for taking flops during games takes away from his positive contributions.
Ninth overall pick DeMar DeRozan is on the verge of either being re-signed by the Toronto Raptors or earning a solid contract from a different team. DeRozan, per Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com, opted out of his deal earlier this month. Jrue Holiday (17th) and Jeff Teague (19th) are other noteworthy first-round selections from this draft.
The 2009 NBA draft will forever be remembered because of Stephen Curry. Even the Golden State Warriors probably didn't realize at the time that the club used the seventh pick on a player who would become a two-time MVP, one of the best shooters in NBA history and, per NBA.com, the first unanimous winner of the league MVP award.
Just think: Curry could be a superstar playing in Los Angeles and for the Clippers right now.
Whoops.
2010 NFL Draft
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Two things stand out about the 2010 NFL draft: the depth of the class and the lack of busts.
We cannot refer to Sam Bradford as a bust. Bradford, the first overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft, produced Rookie of the Year numbers during his first season as quarterback for the St. Louis Rams and before injuries ultimately ended his stint with the club. Bradford eventually found new life with the Philadelphia Eagles, and, according to Zach Berman of Philly.com, Bradford impressed new Philadelphia coach Doug Pederson in spring workouts.
Rolando McClain, picked eighth overall, didn't work out for the Oakland Raiders. The Denver Broncos took a chance on quarterback Tim Tebow at pick No. 25, and Tebow is currently out of the NFL. In all fairness, though, Tebow did help the Broncos win a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Nobody can take that away from you, Tim.
Essentially all that's missing from the first round of the 2010 NFL draft is a franchise QB. Ndamukong Suh (2nd) and Gerald McCoy (3rd) are two of the best defensive tackles in the game. Trent Williams (4th) is a mainstay on the offensive line of the Washington Redskins. Eric Berry (5th) is a talented safety who completed a remarkable return from cancer treatments.
Offensive tackle Russell Okung (6th) and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (15th) won Super Bowl championships with the teams that drafted them. Dez Bryant fell down to the Dallas Cowboys at pick No. 24. Fortune smiled on the New England Patriots again when the club acquired Rob Gronkowski with the 42nd selection of the 2010 NFL draft. Jimmy Graham fell to No. 95. The Seattle Seahawks used pick No. 133 on Kam Chancellor.
The best value of the 2010 NFL draft is found at pick No. 195. Pittsburgh took a flier on a speedy wide receiver named Antonio Brown. Brown is, at worst, one of the top-three receivers in the NFL and a home-run hitter who can torch any secondary in the league.
2007 NHL Draft
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The 2007 NHL draft gave us its fair share of disappointments. Thomas Hickey scored some meaningful playoff goals this past spring, just not for the team that drafted him. Zach Hamill is no longer in the NHL. Even diehard fans may struggle to picture Keaton Ellerby.
This draft class is remembered because of its top selection. The Chicago Blackhawks acquired one of the best players of the past decade in Patrick Kane, a three-time Stanley Cup winner and, per the Associated Press (h/t FoxSports.com), the first American to win the Hart Memorial Trophy—league MVP—and Art Ross Trophy—league-leader in points.
Jakub Voracek and Logan Couture are first-round picks from this draft named to All-Star games during their careers. Ryan McDonagh, selected 12th overall back in 2007, became the 27th captain in the history of the New York Rangers in October 2014, per NHL.com. Those same Rangers could, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, soon pursue former first-round pick defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.
Kane is the best player from this class. That cannot be denied. It is P.K. Subban, however, who is the top value from the 2007 NHL draft. Subban, drafted 43rd overall, impressed right out the gate beginning with his first full season with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010-11, and SportingNews.com listed Subban as the fourth best defenseman in the NHL last October.
2008 NBA Draft
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It is now commonplace for NBA fans posting on websites such as Twitter to mock the injury history of Derrick Rose. Rose, the first overall pick of the 2008 NBA draft, did not work out long-term for the Chicago Bulls because of multiple knee issues. The Bulls recently abandoned the Rose experiment, trading the former No. 1 pick to the New York Knicks.
Rose nevertheless won NBA MVP honors back in 2011, and it is inaccurate to suggest Rose is a bust as it pertains to his stint with the Bulls. The biggest reason Rose never led the Bulls to an NBA Finals is that his club played in the same conference as teams led by LeBron James. James, not knee issues, remains the biggest hurdle separating Rose from championships.
In February of this year, Hoops Hype placed Russell Westbrook at the top of the 2008 NBA draft board. That's fair. Westbrook, drafted fourth during the 2008 NBA Draft, is currently one of the best guards in the NBA, a perennial All-Star who, per Spotrac, is set to enter free agency in the summer of 2017. Expect Westbrook to sign a lucrative deal when the time arrives.
Do not, however, sleep on Kevin Love. Love, selected immediately after Westbrook, silenced critics and doubters with a stellar performance in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. James earned headlines with his play in that contest, but know without a doubt that the Cleveland Cavaliers likely lose to the Golden State Warriors if Love doesn't dominate the boards as he did with a title on the line.
Brook Lopez (10th) and Roy Hibbert (17th) are other significant picks from the first round of the 2008 NBA draft. The Los Angeles Clippers landed DeAndre Jordan in the second round via pick No. 35. Goran Dragic remains a steal as the 45th overall selection.
2011 MLB Draft
9 of 10Jeff Ellis of Scout.com did not dance around the matter when offering his reflections of the 2011 MLB draft this past February.
"The 2011 MLB draft has a chance to be the best all time. The sheer number of great players drafted that year is more than twice what I typically see when I look deep into drafts. When I made a list of players who would be valuable enough to be possible first rounders the list was over 60 picks long.
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Both Ellis and NESN.com, in 2011 MLB Draft re-draft pieces that were published at different points in 2016, listed Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez atop their overall draft boards. Fernandez is currently showing no ill-effects of Tommy John Surgery, as he is, per Baseball-Reference.com, 10-3 heading into July. On June 26, Fernandez struck out 13 batters in seven innings of work as the Marlins defeated the Chicago Cubs.
Fernandez isn't the only strong arm to emerge from the 2011 MLB draft. Gerrit Cole, taken first overall, is a one-time All-Star with the goods to be a No. 1 starter. Sonny Gray posted double-digit wins in back-to-back seasons, but his 2016 is, as of the end of June, not going as smoothly. It took some time, but Trevor Bauer, selected third overall in the 2011 MLB Draft, is currently enjoying the best run of his pro career.
Bauer's teammate with the Cleveland Indians may be the best of the bunch.
Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor is only 22-years-old, and yet he is quickly becoming a sensation among fans in northeast Ohio. The numerous "Web Gems" on Lindor's resume conjure up memories of when Omar Vizquel patrolled the Cleveland infield. Lindor, via Baseball-Reference.com, is batting .312 with 10 home runs and 39 RBI on the afternoon of June 29.
The Indians landed Lindor with the eighth overall pick of the 2011 MLB Draft.
As Mike Axisa of CBS Sports pointed out in June 2015, the adage goes that we should wait five years before evaluating a draft class in baseball. Maybe we are jumping the gun a bit with the 2011 MLB draft. Or, maybe this class is one for the ages.
2011 NFL Draft
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Super Bowl 50 made history in that, per Andy Fenelon of NFL.com, the top two picks from a single draft played against each other on Super Bowl Sunday for the first time.
The Carolina Panthers selected quarterback Cam Newton with the first pick of the 2011 NFL draft. Linebacker Von Miller landed with the Denver Broncos via the second selection. Newton is the reigning NFL MVP. Miller, meanwhile, won Super Bowl 50 MVP honors after he accumulated 2.5 sacks and a pair of strip-sacks while facing Newton this past February.
The best pick of the 2011 NFL draft may, however, not include the someone from the top-two selections.
Defensive end J.J. Watt fell to pick No. 11 and the Houston Texans. That pick worked out all right for all involved. Watt is a mainstay on Pro Bowl and All-Pro squads, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year recipient and a man Steve Serby of the New York Post, NFL Network (h/t NFL.com) and others commonly refer to as the best overall player in the NFL today.
The hits continue throughout the first round of the 2011 NFL draft: Marcell Dareus (3rd), A.J. Green (4th), Patrick Peterson (5th), Julio Jones (6th), Tyron Smith (9th), Robert Quinn (14th) and Mike Pouncey (15th). The New York Jets acquired Muhammad Wilkerson with the 30th selection.
Looking for value outside of the first round? Randall Cobb dropped to the Green Bay Packers at pick No. 64. Justin Houston, one of the best pass-rushers of the past several years, remained on the draft board until the 70th selection. With the 154th pick, the Seattle Seahawks drafted a cornerback named Richard Sherman.
Not too shabby.
The title of a piece written by Neil Greenberg of the Washington Post this past January claims the 2011 NFL Draft was "the best of this millennium." That's high praise from any knowledgeably observer.
It's also accurate.
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