NFL.com creating list of 75 most valuable NFL Draft picks of all time

by David Fucillo (Fooch) on Mar 12, 2010 12:00 PM PST in NFL Draft Comment 17 comments

This year is the 75th NFL Draft. In conjunction with this anniversary, the NFL is looking to determine the 75 most valuable draft picks of all time. They've compiled a list of 10 players from every team. We begin the process of determining the Most Valuable Draft Pick by choosing between pairs of players randomly generated from the list of 320 greats. After selecting winners of 30 random matchups, fans will begin to build their own Top 10 list. Fans may continue to vote in order to make changes to their personal Top 10 list as well as the All-Time Top 10 announced at the Draft. Users then may share their lists and their head-to-head winners on Facebook. Voting begins today at the NFL Draft MVPs section of nfl.com.

The 49ers nominees are:

Charles Haley
Jimmy Johnson
Ronnie Lott
Hugh McElhenny
Joe Montana
Leo Nomellini
Terrell Owens
Jerry Rice
Gene A. Washington
Dave Wilcox

Anybody else you think should have been included in this list?

After the jump I've posted the list of players for every team (I have a feeling Tom Brady ends up fairly high in the rankings)...

TEAM	PLAYERS
Arizona Cardinals	Anquan Boldin; Dan Dierdorf; Larry Fitzgerald; Roy Green; Tim McDonald; Jackie Smith; Charlie Trippi; Roger Wehrli; Aeneas Williams; Larry Wilson
Atlanta Falcons	Steve Bartkowski; Keith Brooking; Alge Crumpler; Brett Favre; Bill Fralic; Claude Humphrey; Mike Kenn; Deion Sanders; R.C. Thielemann; Jeff Van Note
Baltimore Ravens	Peter Boulware; Todd Heap; Jamal Lewis; Ray Lewis; Edwin Mulitalo; Jonathan Ogden; Ed Reed; Jamie Sharper; Terrell Suggs; Adalius Thomas
Buffalo Bills	Gary Anderson; Ruben Brown; Joe DeLamielleure; Jim Kelly; Reggie McKenzie; Andre Reed ; O.J. Simpson; Fred Smerlas; Bruce Smith; Thurman Thomas
Carolina Panthers	Jon Beason; Kerry Collins; Jordan Gross; Kris Jenkins; Mike Minter; Dan Morgan; Muhsin Muhammad; Julius Peppers; Mike Rucker; Steve Smith
Chicago Bears	Dick Butkus; Mike Ditka; Bill George; Stan Jones; Bobby Layne; Sid Luckman; Walter Payton; Gale Sayers; Mike Singletary; Brian Urlacher
Cincinnati Bengals	Ken Anderson; Willie Anderson; Bill Bergey; Boomer Esiason; Max Montoya; Anthony Munoz; Chad Ochocinco; Lemar Parrish; Ken Riley; Bob Trumpy
Cleveland Browns	Jim Brown; Willie Davis; Hanford Dixon; Gene Hickerson; Henry Jordan; Leroy Kelly; Ozzie Newsome; Dick Schafrath; Walt Sweeney; Paul Warfield
Dallas Cowboys	Troy Aikman; Larry Allen; Tony Dorsett; Bob Hayes; Michael Irvin; Bob Lilly; Emmitt Smith; Roger Staubach; Randy White; Darren Woodson
Denver Broncos	Lyle Alzado; Steve Atwater; Terrell Davis; Randy Gradishar; Tom Jackson; Karl Mecklenburg; Tom Nalen; Shannon Sharpe; Rick Upchurch; Louis Wright
Detroit Lions	Jerry Ball; Lem Barney; Lomas Brown; Jack Christiansen; Yale Lary; Alex Karras; Barry Sanders; Charlie Sanders; Joe Schmidt; Wayne H. Walker
Green Bay Packers	Herb Adderley; LeRoy Butler; Forrest Gregg; Paul Hornung; Jerry Kramer; James Lofton; Ray Nitschke; Jim Ringo; Darren Sharper; Bart Starr
Houston Texans	David Carr; Owen Daniels; Jabar Gaffney; Andre Johnson; Travis Johnson; Jerome Mathis; Chester Pitts; Dunta Robinson; DeMeco Ryans; Mario Williams
Indianapolis Colts	Raymond Berry; Mike Curtis; Ray Donaldson; Marshall Faulk; Dwight Freeney; Marvin Harrison; John Mackey; Peyton Manning; Lenny Moore; Jim Parker
Jacksonville Jaguars	Tony Boselli; Fernando Bryant; Donovin Darius; Kevin Hardy; John Henderson; Rashean Mathis; Brad Meester; Marcus Stroud; Fred Taylor; Renaldo Wynn
Kansas City Chiefs	Jared Allen; Bobby Bell; Tony Gonzalez; Willie Lanier; Albert Lewis; Will Shields; Neil Smith; Otis Taylor; Derrick Thomas; Jim Tyrer
Miami Dolphins	Dick Anderson; Larry Csonka; Leon Gray; Bob Griese; Sam Madison; Dan Marino; Jake Scott; Dwight Stephenson; Jason Taylor; Zach Thomas
Minnesota Vikings	Joey Browner; Chris Doleman; Carl Eller; Steve Jordan; Randall McDaniel; Randy Moss; Alan Page; Fran Tarkenton; Kevin Williams; Ron Yary
New England Patriots	Tom Brady; Nick Buoniconti; John Hannah; Mike Haynes; Lee Roy Jordan; Ty Law; Curtis Martin; Lawyer Milloy; Richard Seymour; Andre Tippett
New Orleans Saints	Morten Andersen; Wes Chandler; John Gilliam; Rickey Jackson; Archie Manning; Chuck Muncie; Lorenzo Neal; Willie Roaf; Pat Swilling; Dave Waymer
New York Giants	Harry Carson; George Connor; Art Donovan; Frank Gifford; Sam Huff; Don Maynard; Phil Simms; Michael Strahan; Lawrence Taylor; Brad Van Pelt
New York Jets	Joe Fields; Mark Gastineau; Craig Hentrich; Keyshawn Johnson; Joe Klecko; Mo Lewis; Joe Namath; Marvin Powell; John Riggins; Wesley Walker
Oakland Raiders	Marcus Allen; Lance Alworth; Fred Biletnikoff; Cliff Branch; Dave Casper; La'Roi Glover; Shane Lechler; Howie Long; Art Shell; Gene Upshaw
Philadelphia Eagles	Eric Allen; Maxie Baughan; Bob Brown; Chuck Bednarik; Brian Dawkins; Sonny Jurgensen; Tommy McDonald; Pete Pihos; Clyde Simmons; Steve Van Buren
Pittsburgh Steelers	Mel Blount; Terry Bradshaw; Dermontti Dawson; Joe Greene; L.C. Greenwood; Jack Ham; Franco Harris; Jack Lambert; Mike Webster; Rod Woodson
St. Louis Rams	Jerome Bettis; Nolan Cromwell; Eric Dickerson; Kevin Greene; Harold Jackson; Deacon Jones; Jackie Slater; Norm Van Brocklin; Bob Waterfield; Jack Youngblood
San Diego Chargers	Drew Brees; Fred Dean; Dan Fouts; John Hadl; Rodney Harrison; John Jefferson; Gary Johnson; Junior Seau; LaDainian Tomlinson; Kellen Winslow
San Francisco 49ers	Charles Haley; Jimmy Johnson; Ronnie Lott; Hugh McElhenny; Joe Montana; Leo Nomellini; Terrell Owens; Jerry Rice; Gene A. Washington; Dave Wilcox
Seattle Seahawks	Sam Adams; Shaun Alexander; Kenny Easley; Ahman Green; Steve Hutchinson; Walter Jones; Cortez Kennedy; Kevin Mawae; Lofa Tatupu; Fredd Young
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Mike Alstott; Ronde Barber; Derrick Brooks; Mark Carrier; Warrick Dunn; John Lynch; Tony Mayberry; Warren Sapp; Lee Roy Selmon; Vinny Testaverde
Tennessee Titans	Robert Brazile; Earl Campbell; Ray Childress; Eddie George; Albert Haynesworth; Ken Houston; Charlie Joiner; Derrick Mason; Bruce Matthews; Mike Munchak
Washington Redskins	Champ Bailey; Sammy Baugh; Larry Brown; Darrell Green; Russ Grimm; Chris Hanburger; Paul Krause; Art Monk; Jerry Smith; Charley Taylor

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Comments

Based on what?

Presumably some sort of formula whereby you take into account round drafted and subsequent success? Otherwise it’s just a list of the greatest ever players, and has nothing to do with the draft. Brady, as you say Fooch, is arguably a no brainer as best player ever relative to draft position whereas a guy like Aikman was great but possibly achieved precisely what he was drafted to achieve?

LondonNiner - member of the legendary David Carr thread, 6 March 2010.

by LondonNiner on Mar 12, 2010 12:14 PM PST via mobile reply actions

True

I mean picking a guy number 1 overall and having him be a success isn’t exactly a shocker. Picking a guy in the 4th or 5th round who ends up with an all-pro career and possible induction into the HOF is entirely different

Member of the legendary David Carr thread, 6 March 2010

by smileyman on Mar 12, 2010 12:27 PM PST up reply actions

Exactly, smileyman ...

…. I mean, Alex Smith is indubitably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, but having been drafted No 1 overall, it isn’t a shock. Whereas, Joe Montana, who some people might recall was our quarterback in the 1930s, achieved a little bit despite having been a second-day kind of a guy.

LondonNiner - member of the legendary David Carr thread, 6 March 2010.

by LondonNiner on Mar 12, 2010 1:57 PM PST up reply actions

lol

What we've got here is a failure to communicate.

by chikmagnet_565 on Mar 13, 2010 11:02 PM PST up reply actions

Well by the end of his career Brady will have accomplished nothing more than he has currently

and hopefully people will realize he was about as overrated as is humanly possible and was playing with a murderers row on offense and especially defense.

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2010 6:40 PM PST up reply actions

For a 3rd round draft pick

Frank the Tank should get some consideration. But it’s hard for a team like the Niners to limit it to only 10 players and I’m not sure if he should replace any of the ones listed.

by Sebaz49 on Mar 12, 2010 12:22 PM PST reply actions

How do you pick only 10??

So many people you’d like to include…Roger Craig, Dwight Clark, Ricky Watters, John Taylor, Brent Jones, Patrick Willis. Yeah the hard part is would you take off?

by FunInTheSun on Mar 12, 2010 2:23 PM PST reply actions

For a list of the 75 greatest?

Taylor is gone as is Dwight Clark and Ricky Watters. Its harder to find 10 legitimate candidates than it is to cut to 10.

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2010 6:42 PM PST up reply actions

How

Is Favre on there for the Falcons, but Elway isn’t there on The Colts list???

49ers and TOOL live, my personal Heaven!!!

by CW30 on Mar 12, 2010 2:33 PM PST reply actions

The Colts have actually had alot of good players

The greatest Falcon of all time was a defensive back.

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 12, 2010 6:43 PM PST up reply actions

Favre actually started for the Falcons a few times i believe, but Elway didn’t even sniff training camp for the Colts.

I survived the David Carr Press Conference Thread 3/06/2010
Credit to iaalexeeff

by Hoopers Judge on Mar 12, 2010 10:12 PM PST up reply actions

Traded players

I also dont think that players like Favre should go under the Falcons. Otherwise this list becomes completely useless. I mean what great player wasnt drafted? As mentioned it just becomes a list of the greatest plaeyrs. You have to at least commit a certain time to the team that drafted you otherwise what did they really draft…a draft day introduction of an unproven player? The Falcons only got out of drafting Favre whatever they got in the trade so you cant really say they made a great drafting.

by alic on Mar 12, 2010 3:16 PM PST reply actions

Come to think of this a litte further theres really no way to succesfully make this a list. In addition to everything mentioned, is taking Tom Brady in the 6th round really a good draft? In hindishgt woudlnt it have been a better draft to take him in the first round onsidering what he ended up accmplishing? I mean think about it, if someone took him first overall that year, everyone would have thought that guy making the decision was an idiot, but ultimately he had insight. Taking a guy late that ends up being good is actually bad reseasrch and forsight.

by alic on Mar 12, 2010 3:19 PM PST reply actions

I get exactly what you're saying... but

Instead of making long sentences with sophisticated words I’d probably just say.. Well they picked him up in the 6th round so that means one thing.. they got lucky lol =)

He was probably picked up for depth rather than them saying: This guy is our future!!

by StevenC on Mar 12, 2010 3:56 PM PST up reply actions