NFL Draft: The Greatest 1st Overall Picks Ever

QB. Ole Miss. Eli Manning . 14. player. 31. As if being the #1 pick in the draft and playing for the New York Giants wasn’t already enough pressure for a young player to deal with, Eli Manning had the added bonus of being the younger brother of perhaps the greatest quarterback in NFL history. So the expectations were almost ridiculously high when he got on the field in 2004. Little did anyone know the kind of ride they were in for. It hasn’t always been pretty, but it’s hard to argue that Manning doesn’t deserve his place on the countdown. <p> </p> <p>After all most of these 1st overall picks don’t have two Super Bowl rings or two Super Bowl MVP award like he does. Several also don’t boast four Pro Bowl appearances either. In spite of his somewhat questionable consistency, Eli is a great player when he’s on. He holds most of the franchise passing records, good and bad and is a proven artist at leading his teams from behind in the 4th quarter. He has quite crossed the Hall of Fame threshold yet, but he’s right there.</p>