NFL Draft: The Greatest 1st Overall Picks Ever

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Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Jared Goff (California) is selected by the Los Angeles Rams as the number one overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

The 1st overall pick in the NFL draft is by far the most hyped and visible on the planet. It also comes with the most pressure to perform.

There have been many players over the years, great college players who crumbled under the burden of expectations. It wasn’t always their fault that things went wrong, but at the end of the day some guys went on to greatness and others fell into obscurity. This list will be about determining who the best players of all-time were that went #1 on draft day.

Several factors will go into determining this list:

Stats
Wins
Championships
Pro Bowls
Length of career
Reputation
Impact on the game

No one category will hold sway over the other. This list is about isn’t about the most yards or touchdowns. It’s about which player most lived up to the designation of being a franchise player which comes with being the first man to have his name called by the commissioner. Some of the names on this list may be a surprise, but one thing is for certain. All of them earned it.

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