Top 10 No. 1 overall picks in NFL Draft history

8. Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers (1978)

Campbell's prime was only six years, and he retired very early, but there was no more dominant offensive force in the mid-1970s than the Texas powerhouse toting the rock. His first three years in the league are so jaw-dropping that they can catch up against any elite running back's best three-year stretch in NFL history.

Campbell won Offensive Player of the Year three times in a row, averaging 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns per season. Campbell might be one of the two or three most powerful runners in league history, as his brutality when he built up speed still inspires gasps and awes among those who played against him.

Earl Campbell was a dominant No. 1 overall pick

7. Ron Yary, Minnesota Vikings (1968)

Yary was the last offensive lineman taken with the No. 1 overall selection before Pace was grabbed in 1997, and the former USC star rewarded the Vikings with a decade of dominance at right tackle that ended with him earning a prime spot on the NFL's 1970s All-Decade team.

Yary made seven Pro Bowls in his career and was named a First-Team All-Pro selection in six consecutive years as Fran Tarkenton's chief protector. While Yary might not be the first name that comes to mind when the Purple People Eaters-era Vikings are discussed, he had as much to do with the success of that team as anyone.