NFL DRAFT History Class: Teams Who Have Never Picked #1 Overall
By George Somerville
Around this time of year I turn my attention to the NFL Draft. But unlike the vast majority of interested parties, I’m not looking forward – I’m looking back. Why? Because NFL Draft history is not only fascinating, it also has a nasty habit of repeating itself – over and over!
Which means here we are with another series of NFL Draft History. So, if y’all are ready, class is in session!
From Heroes to Zeroes
So far we have looked at the Bears who had earned themselves the #1 pick in this years draft. However the NFL waits for no-one, and in the short time since I wrote about the Bears, Chicago has happily traded the pick away! Next up I wrote about how the Colts and Rams have greedily grabbed the most #1 picks between them.
So where should we look next?
Well it seems to make sense to turn our attention to the opposite end of the spectrum and look at those who have had the least number of #1 picks.
The Draft was set up to ensure a level of equality spread throughout the league. So, you would expect that there has been a fair share of first picks amongst the remaining 29 teams.
Our look at the Bears showed us that they haven’t had much success securing the #1 pick. In fact up until this year, the Bears had only had one other #1 pick in their long history. Which I have to say made me instantly surmise that surely the Bears have had the least amount of #1 draft picks…
Nil, Nada, Zip, Zilch
Not for the first time and certainly not for the last time I was wrong. Now I know your are all going to be shocked by this, but at least one team has had no first picks in their history. What! I hear you say! Surely this isn’t possible?
Well, yes dear readers it is a fact. And worse still it’s not just one team who has missed out on the first pick. Three teams have dodged the premier pick. Which takes quite some effort. This means that their collective seasons have never been bad enough to be bottom of the pile to be awarded the #1 pick in the Draft. But what seems even more unlikely is that in the early days of the Draft where a lottery determined the Draft order, neither the Seahawks, Broncos or Ravens were drawn out of the hat first. I do acknowledge these teams came onto the scene much later than the Bears – but still, if you’re a fan of one of those three teams, I wouldn’t be putting on a lottery ticket anytime soon!
The Denver Broncos
Founded in 1960, the Broncos initially began life in the AFL, and participated in the AFL Draft until 1967. For the curious amongst you, the Broncos’ first ever pick in the AFL was a placekicker – believe it or not – from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Roger LeClerc, like so many players in this era, ended up not playing football in AFL but played his entire football career in the NFL. LeClerc was also drafted in the NFL Draft and played for 8 seasons at Soldier Field as a Center and Kicker. Those pesky Bears are everywhere in the history of the draft!
But I digress. The Broncos’ first pick in the NFL Draft was in 1967 and yielded better results than the 1960 AFL venture. In 1967 the Broncos selected Illinois half back Floyd Little with the 6th overall pick in that year’s draft. Little had an exceptional career with the Broncos, culminating in being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of fame in 2010.
Since 1967, while the Broncos have never secured the first pick, they have had a top five pick in the first round on five occasions. The highest pick the Broncos have had in their history is the second overall pick in 2011 – when they selected Von Miller from Texas A&M.
Prior to that the highest pick that the Broncos had secured was #4 twice. First, in 1983 when they selected guard Chris Hinton from Northwestern. Again in 1991, when they selected Linebacker Mike Croel from Nebraska.
If you recall from the piece that I wrote on the Colts, Hinton was the makeweight in the trade that took John Elway from the Colts to the Broncos. This was after #1 pick Elway had refused to play his football in Baltimore.
While Elway had a Hall of Fame career, Hinton also had a fantastic NFL career. Hinton became a seven times Pro-Bowler and a member of the Colts Ring of Honor in 2001.
Croel had a three year career with the Broncos and was voted Defensive rookie of the year in his first year in Denver, His seven year football career saw him play for the Giants, Seahawks and Ravens. Subsequently he headed to play in the NFL Europe league with Rhein Fire. He ended his football career playing in the XFL.
The Broncos’ first round pick in 2010 was probably their highest profile selection in franchise history. It certainly was the most debated when they selected the Florida Gators QB, Tim Tebow. However I don’t think there is any question that the #2 selection in 2011 of Von Miller from Texas A&M should be considered their best and greatest success in the NFL Draft.
Fun fact; the Broncos have used the most first round draft picks on athletes from three schools. The Universities of Florida, Nebraska and Tennessee – with three picks coming from each school.
The Seattle Seahawks
When the Seattle Seahawks joined the league in 1976 they received the #2 pick as an expansion team in that year’s draft. For you draft geeks you know this was also the year that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the league as an expansion team. The Bucs were granted the first pick in the ’76 Draft.
However this was not a draft without issues. Firstly there was opposition to Tampa and Seattle joining the league. Both franchises took the players’ union to court to ensure that the expansion draft would go ahead, While this delayed the draft, it did go ahead and Tampa won the draw to take the first pick.
It was also the draft where five teams lost picks as a result of signing former World Football League players. The Giants, Jets, Falcons, Bears and (the now) Commanders all forfeited picks as a result. What a stramash!
However lets get back to Seattle. With their inaugural pick in the NFL they selected (with the second overall pick) defensive tackle Steve Niehaus from Notre Dame. Now the Fighting Irish are a familiar name when it comes to Seahawks’ first round picks because just like the Broncos, Seattle have also selected three first round picks from one school. In this case Notre Dame.
Niehaus lived up to his first round status and was voted the NFC Defensive Rookie of the year in his debut season. However this was the pinnacle of his pro football career with multiple knee injuries prematurely ending his time playing football. While his NFL career was short, Niehaus’ record of 9.5 sacks in his debut season remains a Seahawks rookie record to this day.
In 1993 the Seahawks went back to Notre Dame to select quarterback Rick Mirer with the #2 overall pick. In his debut season Mirer set NFL rookie records which gave Seattle hope that they had found their franchise QB. However Mirer’s form dipped significantly in his Sophomore season. He was ultimately traded to the Chicago Bears before becoming a journeyman back up QB in the league for a further eight seasons.
First round picks have not all been doom and gloom for Seattle. The Seahawks had great success in building their Championship winning team around Legion of Boom safety Earl Thomas and linebacker Bruce Irvin with first round picks in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
Arguably the greatest first round pick that the Seahawks had was the selection of offensive tackle, Walter Jones from Florida State in 1997.
Jones was a first ballot hall of fame and rightly so. A career Seahawk, Jones played in Seattle for twelve years, starting every game during his time in the Pacific North West. During his twelve years Jones only allowed 23 sacks on his quarterback.
Jones career was ended prematurely with a knee injury and the Seahawks retired his #71 jersey in 2010. There is no question that Walter Jones was well worth the #6 pick that Seattle spent on him.
Baltimore Ravens
Perhaps unsurprising given their relative “youth” in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens have had less opportunity to secure a #1 draft pick than some of their peers.
The Ravens joined the NFL in 1996 after the owner of the Cleveland Browns Art Modell decided to relocate his team from Cleveland. Meaning Baltimore have only been in the League for 27 years.
The Ravens have never had a top 3 pick in their history thus far. And with the 22nd pick in the 2023, the Ravens Flock will need to wait another year at least. Not that you really want to have the first pick anyway….
However the Ravens have had the #4 pick twice. It was their inaugural pick in the league back in 1996 when they selected Jonathon Ogden from UCLA. And if ever a first pick set a tone for a new franchise, Ogden was THAT pick. In a twelve year career spent only as a Raven, Ogden was voted to the Pro-Bowl every year aside from his rookie year. He won a Super Bowl in 2001 and was inducted into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Ogden epitomised everything that Baltimore stood for. He was tough, gritty and no-nonsense.
However Ogden might never have played for Baltimore. Ravens owner Modell was keen to pick a running back with his franchises first ever pick. Thankfully the GM and head coach had other and better ideas, selecting Ogden instead. Phew.
The Ravens second #4 pick was also a successful one. In 1997 they selected Peter Boulware, a Linebacker from Florida State University. In his first year playing Pro Football, Boulware was named Defensive rookie of the year following a season where he recorded 66 tackles, 11.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Boulware played in Baltimore for 8 seasons and was also a member of the 2001 Super Bowl winning team. He retired form the NFL due to injuries.
One thing that jumps off the page when looking over the Ravens’ first round picks is how many franchise leaders and winners Baltimore have secured. In fact, Baltimore are considered one of the best teams when it comes to draft strategies. Unlike say, the Jets or Browns, who are much maligned. Probably fairly so for their ongoing incompetence of selection choices.
Players such as Ray Lewis (1996), Ed Reed & Terrell Suggs (both selected in 2002), Haloti Ngata (2006), CJ Moseley (2014) and Marlon Humphrey (2017) epitomised the blue collar mentality of the city of Baltimore.
However, a player who is the subject of great debate right now but one certainly worth the first round pick the Ravens paid for him is quarterback Lamar Jackson. If you recall, Baltimore traded back into the first round to select Jackson with the last pick in the first round in 2018. I was in AT&T stadium that night as the roar from the crowd reverberated around the stadium. That night an NFL record was equalled with 6 QB’s taken in the first round. But more importantly we would get to see the talent of Lamar Jackson play in the league. Jackson has not disappointed the potential he showed playing his college ball in Louisville.
