Top NFL Draft Classes

On draft day, every NFL team hopes (and prays) to pick a winner with that first-round draft choice. While the cameras are rolling and the first rounders come off the big board, the tone is set for how the front office’s work will be received by fans and media alike.

While those top selections get the most attention, the real measure of a draft is how the overall class fares. Championship teams may start with first-rounders, but it’s those third, fifth, and seventh-round picks that often provide the foundation for a title team.

Most of the league’s dynasties were built on one or more great draft. By landing a handful of starters over a two-day period, a team can set itself up for a run of success that can span five years or more.

So, who are some of the best draft classes in NFL history? NFL Network took a stab at identifying the Top 10.

Here’s a sampling of the list, with some of the future stars who came on board:

1974 Pittsburgh Steelers: Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth, Mike Webster.

1991 and ‘92 Dallas Cowboys: Russell Maryland, Alvin Harper, Dixon Edwards, Erik Williams, Leon Lett, Larry Brown (1991). Kevin Smith, Robert Jones, Jimmy Smith, Darren Woodson (1992).

1983 Chicago Bears: Jim Covert, Willie Gault, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, Tom Thayer, Richard Dent.

1958 Green Bay Packers: Dan Currie, Jim Taylor, Dick Christy, Ray Nitschke, Jerry Kramer, Ken Gray.

1986 San Francisco 49ers: Larry Roberts, Tom Rathman, Tim McKyer, John Taylor, Charles Haley, Steve Wallace, Kevin Fagan, Don Griffin.

For the complete list, and a video clip on each, visit NFL Network.