Top 10 No. 5 overall picks in NFL Draft history
By Mike Luciano
No. 4: Len Dawson, Pittsburgh Steelers (1957)
Dawson had a very weird pro career, as he threw just 17 passes in three years before the Steelers cut him. After the Browns cut him loose, Dawson joined the Dallas Texans, who would become the Kansas City Chiefs, in the AFL in 1962. Before Patrick Mahomes, the former Purdue sensation was all over Kansas City's record books.
Dawson, a six-time AFL All-Star and two-time All-Pro who won Super Bowl IV, finished his career with 28,711 passing yards and 239 touchdowns to his name. In that span, Dawson led the league in completion percentage seven times in eight years. He led the AFL in passer rating five times and touchdown passes four times.
LaDainian Tomlinson was a fantastic No. 5 pick in the NFL Draft
No. 3: LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers (2001)
Tomlinson's record-setting TCU career enticed Marty Schottenheimer enough to take him fifth overall and make him the focal point of the offense. Tomlinson's peak, which included five All-Pro teams and the 2006 MVP, was simply preposterous. His 28 rushing touchdowns and 31 total scores may never be topped.
Tomlinson finished his career with more than 18,000 yards from scrimmage (13,684 rushing, 4,772 receiving), which ranks sixth in NFL history. In an era of great running backs in the early 2000s, Tomlinson led the league in rushing yards twice and rushing touchdowns three times.