All-time NFL No. 1 draft picks

Being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft can be a blessing. It’s a distinction only one player can claim each year, and the money isn’t bad, either.

Unfortunately, all that notoriety can be a two-edged sword. For those who seize the spotlight on Draft Day and fail to amount to much on the field, that No. 1 tag can become a source of scorn and a sore subject for all concerned.

Either way, someone has to go first. Here’s the list of the all-time top picks in the draft — the hits, the misses, and everything in between:

2009:  Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia — Detroit Lions
2008:   Jake Long, OT Michigan –  Miami Dolphins
2007:  JaMarcus Russell, QB,  LSU – Oakland Raiders
2006:  Mario Williams, DE. N. Carolina State — Houston Texans
2005:  Alex Smith, QB, Utah – San Francisco 49ers
2004:  Eli Manning, QB, Mississippi – San Diego Chargers
2003:  Carson Palmer, QB, Southern Cal. — Cincinnati Bengals
2002:  David Carr, QB, Fresno State — Houston Texans
2001:  Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech — Atlanta Falcons
2000:  Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State – Cleveland Browns
1999:  Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky  – Cleveland Browns
1998:  Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee – Indianapolis Colts
1997:  Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State — St. Louis Rams
1996:  Keyshawn Johnson, WR, Southern Cal. – New York Jets
1995:  Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State – Cincinnati Bengals
1994:  Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State – Cincinnati Bengals
1993:  Drew Bledsoe, QB, Washington State – New England Patriots
1992:  Steve Emtman, DT, Washington – Indianapolis Colts
1991:  Russell Maryland, DT, Miami, (Fla.) – Dallas Cowboys

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