Here is the list of all number one overall NFL draft picks over the years:
Year | Player | Selected by | Position | College |
1936 | Jay Berwanger | Philadelphia Eagles | Halfback | Chicago |
1937 | Sam Francis | Philadelphia Eagles | Fullback | Nebraska |
1938 | Corbett Davis | Cleveland Rams | Fullback | Indiana |
1939 | Ki Aldrich | Chicago Cardinals | Center | TCU |
1940 | George Cafego | Chicago Cardinals | Halfback | Tennessee |
1941 | Tom Harmon | Chicago Bears | Halfback | Michigan |
1942 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh Steelers | Halfback | Virginia |
1943 | Frank Sinkwich | Detroit Lions | Halfback | Georgia |
1944 | Angelo Bertelli | Boston Yanks | Quarterback | Notre Dame |
1945 | Charley Trippi | Chicago Cardinals | Halfback | Georgia |
1946 | Frank Dancewicz | Boston Yanks | Quarterback | Notre Dame |
1947 | Bob Fenimore | Chicago Bears | Halfback | Oklahoma A&M |
1948 | Harry Gilmer | Washington Redskins | Quarterback | Alabama |
1949 | Chuck Bednarik | Philadelphia Eagles | Center/Linebacker | Penn |
1950 | Leon Hart | Detroit Lions | End/Fullback | Notre Dame |
1951 | Kyle Rote | New York Giants | Halfback | SMU |
1952 | Bill Wade | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback | Vanderbilt |
1953 | Harry Babcock | San Francisco 49ers | End/Wide Receiver | Georgia |
1954 | Bobby Garrett | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback | Stanford |
1955 | George Shaw | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback | Oregon |
1956 | Gary Glick | Pittsburgh Steelers | Defensive Back | Colorado A&M |
1957 | Paul Hornung | Green Bay Packers | Halfback | Notre Dame |
1958 | King Hill | Chicago Cardinals | Quarterback | Rice |
1959 | Randy Duncan | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | Iowa |
1960 | Billy Cannon | Los Angeles Rams | Running Back | LSU |
1961 | Tommy Mason | Minnesota Vikings | Running Back | Tulane |
1962 | Ernie Davis | Washington Redskins | Running Back | Syracuse |
1963 | Terry Baker | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback | Oregon State |
1964 | Dave Parks | San Francisco 49ers | Wide Receiver | Texas Tech |
1965 | Tucker Frederickson | New York Giants | Running Back | Auburn |
1966 | Tommy Nobis | Atlanta Falcons | Linebacker | Texas |
1967 | Bubba Smith | Baltimore Colts | Defensive End | Michigan State |
1968 | Ron Yary | Minnesota Vikings | Offensive Tackle | USC |
1969 | O. J. Simpson | Buffalo Bills | Running Back | USC |
1970 | Terry Bradshaw | Pittsburgh Steelers | Quarterback | Louisiana Tech |
1971 | Jim Plunkett | New England Patriots | Quarterback | Stanford |
1972 | Walt Patulski | Buffalo Bills | Defensive End | Notre Dame |
1973 | John Matuszak | Houston Oilers | Defensive End | Tampa |
1974 | Ed Jones | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive End | Tennessee State |
1975 | Steve Bartkowski | Atlanta Falcons | Quarterback | California |
1976 | Lee Roy Selmon | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive End | Oklahoma |
1977 | Ricky Bell | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Running Back | USC |
1978 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers | Running Back | Texas |
1979 | Tom Cousineau | Buffalo Bills | Linebacker | Ohio State |
1980 | Billy Sims | Detroit Lions | Running Back | Oklahoma |
1981 | George Rogers | New Orleans Saints | Running Back | South Carolina |
1982 | Kenneth Sims | New England Patriots | Defensive End | Texas |
1983 | John Elway | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback | Stanford |
1984 | Irving Fryar | New England Patriots | Wide Receiver | Nebraska |
1985 | Bruce Smith | Buffalo Bills | Defensive End | Virginia Tech |
1986 | Bo Jackson | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Running Back | Auburn |
1987 | Vinny Testaverde | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Quarterback | Miami (FL) |
1988 | Aundray Bruce | Atlanta Falcons | Linebacker | Auburn |
1989 | Troy Aikman | Dallas Cowboys | Quarterback | UCLA |
1990 | Jeff George | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback | Illinois |
1991 | Russell Maryland | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive Tackle | Miami (FL) |
1992 | Steve Emtman | Indianapolis Colts | Defensive End | Washington |
1993 | Drew Bledsoe | New England Patriots | Quarterback | Washington State |
1994 | Dan Wilkinson | Cincinnati Bengals | Defensive Tackle | Ohio State |
1995 | Ki-Jana Carter | Cincinnati Bengals | Running Back | Penn State |
1996 | Keyshawn Johnson | New York Jets | Wide Receiver | USC |
1997 | Orlando Pace | St. Louis Rams | Offensive Tackle | Ohio State |
1998 | Peyton Manning | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback | Tennessee |
1999 | Tim Couch | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback | Kentucky |
2000 | Courtney Brown | Cleveland Browns | Defensive End | Penn State |
2001 | Michael Vick | Atlanta Falcons | Quarterback | Virginia Tech |
2002 | David Carr | Houston Texans | Quarterback | Fresno State |
2003 | Carson Palmer | Cincinnati Bengals | Quarterback | USC |
2004 | Eli Manning | San Diego Chargers | Quarterback | Ole Miss |
2005 | Alex Smith | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | Utah |
2006 | Mario Williams | Houston Texans | Defensive End | North Carolina State |
2007 | JaMarcus Russell | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback | LSU |
2008 | Jake Long | Miami Dolphins | Offensive Tackle | Michigan |
2009 | Matthew Stafford | Detroit Lions | Quarterback | Georgia |
2010 | Sam Bradford | St. Louis Rams | Quarterback | Oklahoma |
2011 | Cam Newton | Carolina Panthers | Quarterback | Auburn |
2012 | Andrew Luck | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback | Stanford |
2013 | Eric Fisher | Kansas City Chiefs | Offensive Tackle | Central Michigan |
2014 | Jadeveon Clowney | Houston Texans | Defensive End | South Carolina |
2015 | Jameis Winston | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Quarterback | Florida State |
2016 | Jared Goff | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback | California |
2017 | Myles Garrett | Cleveland Browns | Defensive End | Texas A&M |
2018 | Baker Mayfield | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback | Oklahoma |
2019 | Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals | Quarterback | Oklahoma |
It is as they say, while it doesn't matter whether it's a hit or a bust, everyone remembers the number one overall draft pick, especially when it comes to the NFL Draft.
While not all number one overall picks have gone on to meet their potential, there are quite a few legends of the game as well as future hall of famers who were snapped up with this pick. Many of them have gone on to represent their sides in the Super Bowl while also winning multiple Vince Lombardi trophies. The likes of Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw and Eli Manning are prime examples of that.
The number one overall pick was held by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft and they used the same to draft Kyler Murray from Oklahoma. One can only hope that his production matches his talent.
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