Who’s The Best #1 Draft Pick Of The Past 10 Years?

We are rapidly approaching arguably the most anticipated NFL draft in recent years, with much-hyped Caleb Williams likely going as the number one pick to the Bears. Looking at the past ten years, it's fair to say the overall first-draft pick is not always a lock to be a superstar. In fact, you can say some of them have not lived up to their potential.

Now, when you are the first pick in the NFL draft, that acclaimed position comes with incredibly high and sometimes unfair expectations. However, you are receiving an insane amount of money and attention. In addition, you are often counted on to be the new face of the franchise.

It's a prestigious honor. Some of the best NFL players to ever hit the field were the first pick in the draft. Players like Peyton Manning, John Elway, and Bo Jackson all heard their respective names called first.

Conversely, missing the first pick in the draft can have major ramifications, including the loss of jobs for General Managers and coaches.

Over the past ten years, many big names have been selected first. Some of these players became immediate celebrities even before draft night, as the sports world knew they would be the first pick.

Let's first set the stage. This question dates back to 2014. That year, the Houston Texans owned the top pick and selected defensive pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney out of South Carolina. Clowney is now on his sixth team (Carolina Panthers) and only spent five years in Houston.

We then have seven quarterbacks selected first over the next nine years. The only other non-QB's were also defenders. Myles Garrett went to the Browns in 2017 and Travon Walker to the Jaguars. The QBs included Kyler Murray, Jared Goff, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence, and Bryce Young.

There is one name that jumps out at me in this list of ten. Joe Burrow in 2020 to the Cincinnati Bengals seems like the clear choice as the biggest home run of the first picks since 2014. If you recall, Burrow was the first guy that Commissioner Roger Goodell called out from his basement couch during the 2020 draft, done from home during the start of the pandemic.

In year two, Burrow led the team to the Super Bowl. He was tasked with completely changing the perception of the lowly Bengals, in addition to being the face of the team. He did just that very quickly.

This still does not come without major challenges for Burrow. He was hurt last season and missed the majority of the year. It's fair to say this upcoming season is a very important one for Burrow. He has to stay healthy.

Myles Garrett, who has won Defensive Player of the Year and had a monster season in 2023, is a name to consider here. Garrett, though, has not been able to single-handedly change the Browns. It's a quarterback-driven league.

Trevor Lawrence still has potential but also has not brought the Jaguars to the next level. In addition to Clowney, Winston is out of Tampa, Goff is out of Los Angeles, and Mayfield is out of Cleveland.

Even when injured, Burrow is recognized as one of the best players in the entire league. His demeanor factors into this as well. He has a cool confidence and always backs that confidence up on the field. Other star players on the Bengals (like Ja'Marr Chase) don't want to go anywhere else, knowing #9 is their captain.

So, Williams (assumed to be the #1 pick this year) will have a lot of eyes on him in Chicago. He has a great supporting cast in place already. Will it be enough to have him top Burrow as the best #1 draft pick of recent years? We shall see.

On Wednesday, December 27, North Carolina will play their last game of the season in Charlotte (Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. West Virginia). With Drake Maye being one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft, it's time to take a look at three potential landing destinations for the star quarterback.

UNC is coming off a 8-4 record this season. Although his statistics were not as high as last year, Maye still had an incredible year, throwing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns. At just 21 years old, Maye is the ideal size for a NFL quarterback, standing 6 foot 4.

Many of the top players have still to officially declare for the draft. Yet, the expectation is that all the names we are seeing atop the mock draft boards will be moving up to the next level. There have been eyes on this year's class for a few years now. That's largely due to the generational quarterback pool.

USC's Caleb Williams is a safe assumption to be the first overall pick. That's where things can get tricky. The Carolina Panthers currently have the worst record at 1-11. However, due to last year's trade, the Chicago Bears own their pick. Do the Bears need or want a QB? They just drafted Justin Fields. Of course, we still have the NFL combine, player pro days, and team meetings ahead of us. Much can change in that time. Still, I believe Maye will be the next quarterback taken after Williams.

To further emphasize how deep (and potentially special)  this class is, three of the four Heisman Trophy finalists this season are quarterbacks. None of them are named Caleb Williams or Drake Maye (Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr.)

Come April, we can see as many as 10 NFL teams in need of a new quarterback.  Here are three NFL teams that have a good probability of selecting in the top five picks of the NFL draft, where Drake Maye will likely be taken.

Mac Jones may be handing his #10 jersey to another #10. With Jones expecting to be gone in New England, the Patriots will be one of the many teams interested in Maye. Their record also indicates they will have a top pick. What makes this equally intriguing is the fact that Maye could come into the Patriots at the same time as a new coach.

This would be a fantastic landing spot for Maye. Daniel Jones is out for year with his knee injury. The Giants could once again use a fresh start. Maye has many of the characteristics of a tough traditional Meadowlands quarterback, much like Phil Simms or Eli Manning. Maye has the demeanor, confidence, and intangible attributes to be the new face of this franchise.

Here's the wildcard of the bunch, and perhaps a stretch. Why? Because the Vikings will have to trade and move up to have a realistic chance at Maye. Crowd-favorite Kirk Cousins tore his achillies and doesn't have the long-term contract to fall back on. Furthermore, head couch Kevin O'Connell was a NFL quarterback himself. A young guy coming and developing under his tutelage would be a welcomed change that sets up Maye with support and success. It also doesn't hurt when you a guy like Justin Jefferson in house to throw the ball to.