The NFL Draft is a yearly spectacle for fans. And, it’s an opportunity for NFL teams to change their luck or solidify their dominance.
The most exciting part of the draft is there are no guarantees. The top players from the previous NCAA college football season are typically drafted first, but there’s no certainty that they will excel in the pros at the same level they did in college. At the same time, some late-round picks grow into legends, changing the game forever.
Among the thousands of players drafted, a select few stand out as the best picks of all time. Here are the five best NFL Draft picks in league history.
Tom Brady
School: Michigan
Drafted team: Patriots
No player in NFL history has shattered expectations quite like Tom Brady. Drafted in the sixth round as the 199th overall pick, nobody but his parents noticed when Brady went pro. But over the course of his career, he transformed into the greatest quarterback of all time.
Brady became the face of the New England Patriots’ dynasty, winning six Super Bowls with the team and adding a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He earned three Super Bowl MVP honors, 10 Pro Bowl selections, and a spot on the NFL’s 2000s all-decade team.
One of Brady’s most iconic moments came in Super Bowl LI, when he led the Patriots to an improbable comeback against the Atlanta Falcons. Down 28-3 in the third quarter, Brady orchestrated a stunning rally, eventually winning in overtime. It was the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
Peyton Manning
School: Tennessee
Drafted team: Colts
Unlike Tom Brady, Peyton Manning entered the NFL as a can’t-miss prospect. And he lived up to the hype. Selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts, Manning became one of the most dominant quarterbacks in history. A five-time NFL MVP and 14-time Pro Bowler, he revolutionized the quarterback position with his meticulous preparation and on-field intelligence.
Manning’s career was overshadowed at times by the Patriots’ dynasty, led by his longtime rival Tom Brady. If not for that, he may have added more championships to his résumé. Still, he managed to capture two Super Bowl victories—one with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI, where he was named MVP, and another with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
During the 2013 season, he set the single-season record for touchdown passes with 55. That year, he led the Broncos to the Super Bowl, solidifying his place as one of the all-time greats.
Emmitt Smith
School: Florida
Drafted team: Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys selected Emmitt Smith with the 17th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, and he rewarded them by becoming the greatest running back in league history. Over a 15-year career, Smith amassed 18,355 rushing yards, a record that still stands today.
Smith was the engine behind the Cowboys’ dominant 1990s run, winning three Super Bowls and earning MVP honors in Super Bowl XXVIII. An eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, Smith combined durability and vision to remain at the top of his game for over a decade.
One of his most unforgettable performances came in the final game of the 1993 regular season against the New York Giants. Playing with a separated shoulder, Smith carried the Cowboys to victory, securing the NFC East title and setting the stage for another Super Bowl run. His sheer toughness in those last five games of the season resulted in the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl that year.
Jim Brown
School: Syracuse
Drafted team: Browns
Selected sixth overall by the Cleveland Browns in 1957, Jim Brown rewrote the record books in just nine seasons. He led the league in rushing eight times and retired as the all-time leading rusher, a record he held for decades.
A three-time NFL MVP, Brown was nearly unstoppable on the field. He was named to the NFL’s 1960s all-decade team and later recognized as one of the greatest ever with a spot on the league’s 75th-anniversary team.
In 1963, he rushed for a then-record 1,863 yards in a 14-game season. A year later, he helped the Browns clench the NFL Championship (the equivalent of today’s Super Bowl). His impact on the sport was so profound that even decades after his retirement, he remains a measuring stick for running backs.
Joe Montana
School: Notre Dame
Drafted team: 49ers
Joe Montana wasn’t supposed to be a generational quarterback. He was selected in the third round with the 82nd overall pick. But what followed was one of the greatest careers in football history.
Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories. In Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, the 49ers were trailing 13-16 with just over three minutes left. Montana calmly led a 92-yard drive, finishing with a touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining. That drive cemented his legacy as “Joe Cool,” the quarterback who thrived under pressure.
He also won three Super Bowl MVP awards, earned eight Pro Bowl selections, and was named to the NFL’s 1980s all-decade team.
Drafting NFL History
The NFL Draft is a gamble, but when a team strikes gold, it can change the course of history. The players above were anything but a sure thing at the start of their professional careers. But they honed their skills under the pressure of the gridiron and became transformative figures in football. Their draft selections proved that greatness can emerge from any round, any position, and any pick.
