2011 NFL Draft: Power Ranking the 1st Round Draft Classes of the Last 15 Years
The 2011 NFL Draft is a little more than a month away. NFL experts, scouts and analysts continue to break down how this draft will play out.
The assumption is that there will be potential superstars in this year's class—guys like A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson come to mind. But there also plenty of prospects who might fall flat on their faces in the NFL, like Cam Newton or Blaine Gabbert.
We just don't know yet.
What we do know, however, is how the last 15 first-round NFL Draft classes have taken (or are beginning to take) shape.
Some are good, some are bad and some are a little bit of both.
So what we've decided to do today is look at all the first-round draft classes from 1996-2010, and rank 'em from worst to first.
Let the debate begin.
15. Class of 2010
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The Studs: Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, Eric Berry, Joe Haden, Brandon Graham, Maurkice Pouncey, Dez Bryant, Devin McCourty, Earl Thomas
Bradford won the 2010 Offensive Rookie of the Year award with relatively little help, and Suh was the most dominant rookie defender the league has seen in quite some time, making the All-Pro team in his first season.
Those two were the top rookies of 2010, but they were joined by Pouncey (a Pro Bowler in his own right) and McCourty, a pleasant surprise for the Patriots, at the top of the rookie class.
Those other guys were good too, and they have the potential to develop into perennial Pro Bowlers down the road as well.
The Duds: ?????
Truth is, there's no way one 16-game season can give us a full picture of who will and won't be successful at the NFL level.
While guys like Patrick Robinson and Kareem Jackson struggled at times, who knows whether or not they'll turn it around?
I sure don't, and until we see another season out of them, I don't think we'll be able to tell.
14. Class of 2009
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The Studs: Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Michael Crabtree, Brian Orakpo, Brian Cushing, Josh Freeman, Percy Harvin, Michael Oher, Brandon Pettigrew, Clay Matthews, Hakeem Nicks, Kenny Britt
The jury is still out on all these guys above, but Orakpo, Cushing and Matthews should be defensive superstars for years to come.
On the offensive side, it looks like the 2009 draft class will produce three franchise quarterbacks and three top-tier wideouts.
And you can't really ask for much more than that.
The Duds: Tyson Jackson, Jason Smith, Aaron Curry, Andre Smith, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Aaron Maybin, Robert Ayers
Is two years in the NFL enough to give up on a young NFL player? Probably not.
But all of these guys listed have had some serious trouble adjusting to the NFL game.
Jackson (one sack), Maybin (zero sacks) and Ayers (1.5 sacks) have done virtually nothing during their short careers, while neither Jason nor Andre Smith have developed into franchise tackles (or look like they will in the future).
As for Curry, he's been decent but not great, and we all know that Heyward-Bey has essentially been nonexistent in Oakland.
13. Class of 2005
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The Studs: Ronnie Brown, Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson, Cadillac Williams, Antrel Rolle, DeMarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman, Jammal Brown, Aaron Rodgers, Roddy White, Heath Miller, Logan Mankins
The class of 2005 is rather interesting, as several of these "stud" players have had up-and-down careers—including both Browns, Edwards, Benson, Williams and Merriman.
But when these players are all at their best, they make for a very solid draft class.
Rodgers is one of the game's best QBs, Ware is the NFL's top rush linebacker, White is arguably the best wide receiver in the league and Mankins is a top offensive lineman.
Had some of those other guys stayed healthy and/or out of trouble, I think this class would be a lot higher than it is.
The Duds: Alex Smith, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Mike Williams, David Pollack, Erasmus James, Matt Jones, Jason Campbell, a slew of others
Smith and Campbell never lived up to their first-round draft status, especially Smith, who was chosen with the No. 1 overall pick.
He'll forever be regarded as a monumental bust thanks to Aaron Rodgers, and he's not going to change that before his career is over.
But Smith will be joined by can't-get-my-act-together Jones, can't-stay-in-shape Williams and can't-stay-off-the-white-powder Jones in the bust category.
At least Williams seems to be making a mini-comeback, though.
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12. Class of 2008
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The Studs: Jake Long, Chris Long, Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden, Joe Flacco, Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Johnson, Jerod Mayo, Jonathan Stewart, Ryan Clady, Dustin Keller
The Longs (no relation), Ryan and McFadden started the 2008 NFL Draft off on the right foot as Jake Long is a franchise tackle, Chris Long had nine sacks in 2010, Ryan's on the verge of becoming an elite QB and McFadden finally got the hang of the NFL game last season.
Then there are two stellar players who were selected later in the draft: Mayo, who led the NFL in tackles this season, and Johnson, who in 2009 became just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
Add to that some solid players like Flacco, Mendenhall, Stewart, Clady and Keller, and you'll have a more complete picture of a very productive draft class in three or four years.
The Duds: Vernon Gholston, Derrick Harvey, Leodis McKelvin, Lawrence Jackson
It's a bit too early into these guys' careers to label them as busts, but they're well on their way.
Gholston has exactly zero career sacks, Harvey isn't much better with eight, McKelvin has just two career interceptions and Jackson has just 12.5 sacks in his first three NFL seasons.
Again, you never really know how these guys might develop down the road, but the early indications of success aren't too promising.
11. Class of 1997
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The Studs: Orlando Pace, Walter Jones, James Farrior, Warrick Dunn, Tony Gonzalez, Trevor Pryce, Peter Boulware, Darrell Russell
With the No. 1 pick (Pace) and No. 6 pick (Jones), we saw two of the best offensive tackles in NFL history go off the board, as Pace went to seven Pro Bowls and Jones to nine of them.
They were joined by two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowler, James Farrior, a quietly productive linebacker who doesn't get the love he deserves. And the selection of Dunn gives this first round its lone 10,000-yard rusher.
Pryce and Boulware have been very solid NFL players, with eight Pro Bowls and three Super Bowl rings between them, while Russell's tragic death at age 29 didn't prevent him from having a very good NFL career.
But, of course, the player everyone will remember this draft for is Tony Gonzalez, the best receiving tight end in NFL history.
The Duds: Bryant Westbrook, Tommy Knight, Reinard Wilson, Yatil Green, Reidel Anthony, David LaFleur, Rae Carruth and a boatload of others
For all the big-time players drafted in 1997, there were even more busts taken in the top 30 picks.
Thanks to injuries, Westbrook never lived up to the hype of being the No. 4 pick, and he was joined by a plethora of prospects whose games just didn't translate to the NFL.
None of the aforementioned duds ever even went to a Pro Bowl.
And guys like LaFleur, Anthony and Green hardly contributed as pass catchers, while Carruth has one of the sadder stories you'll hear—he's currently in prison with a release date of 2018.
10. Class of 2006
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The Studs: Mario Williams, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Haloti Ngata, A.J. Hawk, Vernon Davis, Jay Cutler, Antonio Cromartie, Tamba Hali, Santonio Holmes, DeAngelo Williams, Marcades Lewis, Nick Mangold, Joseph Addai
When examining the first round of 2006 in its entirety, it becomes pretty clear that this was a really good draft.
Williams is better than people expected, Ferguson has been to two straight Pro Bowls, Ngata is one of the most disruptive defensive players in the game and Hawk was the captain of the Super Bowl-winning Packers defense.
The rest of these guys I mentioned have all either been to the Pro Bowl or won a Super Bowl ring.
The Duds: Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Tye Hill, John McCargo, others
I realize my "dud" list will be questionable to some.
But Bush has never lived up to what was expected of him as the No. 2 overall pick, Young has far too many off-the-field issues and Leinart has been nothing short of a joke in the NFL.
As for Hill and McCargo, when's the last time you heard about them?
Exactly.
9. Class of 2000
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The Studs: LaVar Arrington, Chris Samuels, Jamal Lewis, Plaxico Burress, Brian Urlacher, Shaun Ellis, John Abraham, Julian Peterson, Shaun Alexander, Keith Bulluck
The most consistent player of the 2000 first-round draft class has been Urlacher, who's a seven-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2000s All-Decade team.
No doubt about it, he's a beast. And so were guys like Arrington, Burress and Alexander, though they thrived more on short bursts of production than prolonged success.
Samuels, on the other hand, has been overlooked a bit, but he is a six-time Pro Bowler.
Like Bulluck and Abraham, he's been better than most people realize, and he is one of the main reasons why this draft class is as good as it was.
The Duds: Courtney Brown, Peter Warrick, Travis Taylor, Ron Dayne, Stockar McDougle, Erik Flowers, Trung Canidate
Courtney Brown is widely regarded as one of the worst No. 1 overall draft picks ever, as the former Penn State defensive end finished with just 19 career sacks and he was out out of the league by 2005.
But he was joined by several ultimate busts, including the 18-career touchdown man known as Peter Warrick and Heisman winner Ron Dayne, who was incredibly ineffective at the NFL level after a stellar college career.
At least Dayne was a bit better than Flowers, who ended his career with five sacks, and Canidate, who rushed for 1,095 yards and seven touchdowns...for his entire career.
8. Class of 1996
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The Studs: Keyshawn Johnson, Simeon Rice, Jonathan Ogden, Terry Glenn, Willie Anderson, Eddie George, Marvin Harrison, Ray Lewis
Though some might question whether this draft's No. 1 overall pick, Keyshawn Johnson, was a stud, 818 career receptions for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns is pretty damn good.
And he was joined in the top 10 by Rice (a three-time Pro Bowl selection), Ogden (a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team), Glenn (a Super Bowl champ and two-time Pro Bowler) and Anderson (a three-time All Pro tackle).
What really made this draft special, however, were the three stars who were all drafted 14th or later.
George was a four-time Pro Bowler and 10,000-yard rusher, Harrison formed one of the greatest QB-WR duos in NFL history with Peyton Manning, and Ray Lewis is one of the best linebackers to ever play the game.
The Duds: Tim Biakabutuka, Lawrence Phillips, Alex Molden, Regan Upshaw, Marcus Jones, John Michels, several others
After a joke of an NFL career that was over by 1999, Phillips now finds himself serving a 31-year prison sentence in California.
Well, that was a swing and a miss there, huh?
Of course, he wasn't the only strikeout in this draft, as Biakabutuka, Molden and Upshaw all left their respective teams highly disappointed, while Michels started only 14 career games and Jones transitioned to a career in MMA.
7. Class of 1999
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The Studs: Donovan McNabb, Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Torry Holt, Champ Bailey, Chris McAlister, Daunte Culpepper, Jevon Kearse, Damien Woody, Antoine Winfield, Patrick Kerney, Al Wilson
Damn, this class was stacked.
You have two running backs, James and Williams, who were once among the league's best and have combined for nearly 22,000 rushing yards, as well as two of the game's better quarterbacks over the last 10 years or so (McNabb and Culpepper).
Not to mention, you have 10-time Pro Bowler and member of the 2000s NFL All-Decade team Champ Bailey, 13,000-yard receiver Torry Holt and three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jevon Kearse.
The rest of those guys I mentioned have all had above average careers and made it to at least one Pro Bowl.
The Duds: Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Cade McNown, Andy Katzenmoyer, Dimitrius Underwood, Aaron Gibson, Luke Petitgout and multiple others
Even though there were plenty of success stories in the 1999 NFL Draft, how will it always be remembered? As the year of the quarterback bust.
Couch (No. 1 overall to Cleveland), Smith (No. 3 overall to Cincinnati) and McNown (No. 12 overall to Chicago) will forever live on as three of the worst draft picks in NFL history.
And that's really saying something.
6. Class of 2002
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The Studs: Julius Peppers, Bryant McKinnie, Roy Williams, John Henderson, Dwight Freeney, Jeremy Shockey, Albert Haynesworth, Javon Walker, Ed Reed, Lito Sheppard
The 2002 NFL Draft class isn't as good as others from top to bottom, but you could make a case that it featured the top two defensive ends currently in the league (Peppers and Freeney), the most talented defensive tackle in the NFL (Haynesworth) and one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game (Reed).
Those others guys I mentioned all have played big roles on their teams as well.
However, they'll be overshadowed by the superstardom of Peppers, Freeney, Haynesworth and Reed throughout their careers.
Not that that's a bad thing, though.
The Duds: David Carr, Joey Harrington, Wendell Bryant, William Green, Patrick Ramsey, others
Why was Bryant a dud? Well, 39 career tackles and 1.5 career sacks certainly calls for that label.
At least he can take solace in the fact that a number of other guys in this draft class amounted to just about nothing.
Green was out of the NFL by 2005, while Carr, Harrington and Ramsey never managed to maintain their positions as starting quarterbacks.
Of course, they played on bad teams in bad situations, but they are what they are—busts.
5. Class of 2001
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The Studs: Michael Vick, Leonard Davis, Justin Smith, Richard Seymour, LaDainian Tomlinson, Dan Morgan, Marcus Stroud, Santana Moss, Steve Hutchinson, Casey Hampton, Deuce McAllister, Reggie Wayne, Todd Heap
With one of the deeper first-round classes you'll ever see, the 2001 NFL Draft has three bona fide offensive superstars (Tomlinson, Vick and Wayne), as well as some absolute beasts on the defensive side (Smith, Seymour, Morgan, Stroud and Hampton).
But let's give the men in the trenches, on the offensive side that is, some love too.
Hutchinson is a seven-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2000s All-Decade team, while Davis went to three straight Pro Bowls from 2007-2009.
Moss and Heap have been steady contributors to their teams as well, while McAllister is arguably the best running back in Saints history.
The Duds: David Terrell, Jamal Reynolds, Rod Gardner, Jamar Fletcher, Will Middlebrooks, Freddie Mitchell, numerous others
The No. 8 overall pick of the Bears, Terrell never amounted to much in the pros, with just 128 career receptions and nine career touchdowns.
Things could have been worse, though.
Terrell could have been like Reynolds (three career sacks), Fletcher (seven career interceptions) or Middlebrooks (out of the NFL by 2006).
Better yet, he could have been like Mitchell and caught just five touchdowns for his entire career.
4. Class of 2003
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The Studs: Carson Palmer, Andre Johnson, Jordan Gross, Kevin Williams, Terrell Suggs, Troy Polamalu, Willis McGahee, Dallas Clark, Larry Johnson, Nnamdi Asomugha
Palmer's recent decline in play slightly clouds this draft class, but none of these other guys do.
Williams and Suggs have ranked among the best defensive players in the NFL throughout their careers, while Gross is a great (and terribly underrated) lineman and McGahee is a very good player in his own right.
Then, of course, there's Larry Johnson, who was at one point a top-three NFL RB.
And finally, you could argue that Andre Johnson, Polamalu, Clark and Asoumgha are all currently the best players in the NFL at their respective positions.
The Duds: Charles Rogers, Dewayne Robertson, Kyle Boller, Rex Grossman, Tyler Brayton, Michael Haynes and Jimmy Kennedy
Charles Rogers is and always will be one of the worst draft picks in NFL history, as he returned hardly any value to the Detroit Lions.
Then again, so did a lot of the players selected in the first round in 2003.
Boller and Grossman never did much at the quarterback position, and Robertson, Brayton, Haynes and Kennedy have been so bad in the NFL that their stats aren't even worth mentioning—Brayton is the only one still in the league and the others all lasted four years or fewer.
3. Class of 2007
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The Studs: Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Darrelle Revis, Lawrence Timmons, Dwayne Bowe, Brandon Meriweather, Jon Beason, Greg Olsen
Hmm, let's see.
Johnson? In the conversation for the NFL's top wide receiver.
Thomas? Probably the top tackle in the league.
Peterson? The NFL's best running back.
Willis? The No. 1 linebacker in football.
Revis? The best cornerback in the NFL.
And those other guys? Well, they aren't too shabby either.
The Duds: JaMarcus Russell, Jamaal Anderson, Tedd Ginn, Jr., Adam Carriker, Justin Harrell, Jarvis Moss, Brady Quinn, Buster Davis and others
While there were some huge hits in 2007, there were just as many misses.
Russell was a complete waste of a No. 1 overall pick, Quinn probably won't ever be a full-time NFL starter, Anderson has 3.5 career sacks and Ginn seems to have a permanent case of the dropsies.
Those other guys have been equally as disappointing, as Carriker (3.5 career sacks), Harrell (played in only 14 career games), Moss (29 career tackles) and Davis (two career touchdowns) haven't even approached their expectations.
2. Class of 1998
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The Studs: Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Greg Ellis, Fred Taylor, Tra Thomas, Keith Brooking, Randy Moss, Alan Faneca
Four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning, one of the greatest wide receivers ever in Randy Moss and seven-time Pro Bowler Charles Woodson, all in the same round of the same draft?
You could make a case that all three of those guys are in the top five at their respective positions in NFL history, so I'll take it.
Throw in some very good (but not great) players like Ellis, Thomas and Brooking to go along with six-time All-Pro selection Alan Faneca and the very underrated Fred Taylor, and you've got yourself a formula for success.
The Duds: Ryan Leaf, Andre Wadsworth, Curtis Enis, Tebucky Jones, Victor Riley, John Avery and too many more to name
No matter what happens in the remainder of NFL history, Ryan Leaf will have a firm spot as the league's biggest bust ever.
And if misery really loves company, then the 1998 draft proves it.
Wadsworth wound up with 96 career tackles and eight career sacks, Enis had four career rushing touchdowns, Jones had six career interceptions, Riley was largely ineffective throughout his career and Avery was out of the league by 2000.
I'd mention all the others, but I have time constraints here.
1. Class of 2004
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The Studs: Eli Manning, Larry Fitzgerald, Philip Rivers, Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow, Roy Williams, DeAngelo Hall, Ben Roethlisberger, Jonathan Vilma, Tommie Harris, Shaun Andrews, Will Smith, Dunta Robinson, Lee Evans, Vince Wilfork, Steven Jackson, Benjamin Watson
Huh? What? How?
This class was insanely stacked, with good or even great picks all the way from No. 1 (Manning) to No. 32 (Watson).
There really isn't much to say about the 2004 NFL Draft that the list above doesn't tell you, other than the fact that the first round saw a whopping three franchise quarterbacks taken—two of which have won at least one Super Bowl.
The Duds: Reggie Williams, Kenechi Udeze, Chris Perry, J.P. Losman, Kevin Jones and Rashaun Woods
Keep in mind here that Udeze's career was cut short after he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. No one really knows how his career would have turned out had he not dealt with this unfortunate illness.
But even with Udeze on this list, there were relatively few busts in the 2004 class.
Williams' game never translated to the NFL and neither did Perry's, while Losman and Jones played decent at times and Woods simply never got going.
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