The NFL Draft is the single most important event of the NFL offseason. Bigger than free agency, bigger than training camp; it’s the Super Bowl for bad teams. You can even bet on the NFL draft, as Bovada offers unique NFL draft odds on the entire first round.
The league has done a great job of turning what is basically a glorified job expo and turning it into compelling must-see TV. The anxiety as the clock ticks down on whether your team drafts a franchise-changing player or devastating bust can’t be duplicated.
With the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on April 23, 2026, we look back on the decades of draft selections and put together a list of the 10 best draft picks in NFL history.
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Michael Strahan
New York Giants, 40th Pick (1993)
Strahan fell to the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft due to a combination of small-school bias, raw technique, and the overall perception of edge rushers at the time. That fall gifted the New York Giants a seven-time Pro Bowler who led the league in sacks twice (2001, 2003) and was the face of the 2008 Super Bowl squad.
Dan Marino
Miami Dolphins, 27th Pick (1983)
The 1983 NFL Draft featured one of the best quarterback classes of all time, but Marino’s fall remains a classic case of overthinking. It was logical to draft QBs John Elway and Jim Kelly ahead of Marino, but unverified reports of drug use dropped him behind two eventual busts, Todd Blackledge and Tony Eason, and one solid starter in Ken O’Brien. Marino went on to throw for over 5,000 yards in his rookie year and retired with nearly all of the NFL’s major passing records.
Deacon Jones
Los Angeles Rams, 186th Pick (1961)
Maybe we’ll forgive teams back in 1961 for not having all the info on defensive end Deacon Jones. Details were hard to come by for a player from Mississippi Vocational College, now Alcorn State. Jones was drafted by the Rams in the 14th round at 186 overall. He went on to become an eight-time Pro Bowler, five-time NFL sack leader, and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. ‘The Secretary of Defense’ is one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.
Jerry Rice
San Francisco 49ers, 16th Pick (1985)
Another small-school casualty, Jerry Rice out of Mississippi Valley State, fell to the 49ers in the 1985 NFL Draft and quickly made teams regret it. He posted nearly 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie year, then rattled off 11-straight 1,000-plus seasons. Rice is considered the greatest receiver in history, with three Super Bowl rings and all-time records in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, and even first downs.
Bart Starr
Green Bay Packers, 200th Pick (1956)
Coming out of Alabama in 1956, Starr had the big-school pedigree, but injury concerns and average stats dropped him to the Packers at pick 200. Outside of Vince Lombardi, Starr became the face of the Packers dynasty during the 50s and 60s, winning a total of five NFL championships and two Super Bowl MVPs.
Terrell Davis
Denver Broncos, 196th Pick (1995)
Davis fell to the Broncos after an average career at Georgia, where he was mostly in a timeshare with other running backs. However, he was the perfect fit for Mike Shanahan’s zone scheme, as his one-cut style had him capture two Super Bowls and the 1998 MVP, where he became just the fourth player to rush for 2,000 yards.
Brett Favre
Atlanta Falcons, 33rd Pick (1991)
He’ll always be remembered as a Green Bay Packer, but Favre was actually drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. The gunslinger quarterback didn’t play much in Atlanta before being traded to Green Bay, where he became an 11-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL MVP. In addition to leading the Packers to a Super Bowl win in 1997, Favre became the NFL’s ultimate ironman with 297 consecutive games played, a QB record that still stands today.
Joe Montana
San Francisco 49ers, 82nd Pick (1979)
The name “Joe Montana” is synonymous with pro football, but his average arm and measurables had him drop to the third round in 1979. Head coach Bill Walsh scooped him up for his innovative “West Coast Offense,” and thus began a perfect marriage that spawned four Super Bowls and three MVPs.
Lawrence Taylor
New York Giants, 2nd Pick (1981)
Taylor was drafted No. 2 overall and is still considered an outstanding investment for the New York Giants. He transformed the linebacker position from a run-stopping, coverage role to a pass-rushing role in a 3-4 defense. He completed his HOFer career with 10 Pro Bowls, eight All-Pro nods, three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, and two Super Bowl wins. As if all of that weren’t enough, LT became one of only two defensive players to ever win the NFL MVP award and is widely considered the greatest defensive player in football history.
Tom Brady
New England Patriots, 199th Pick (2000)
The top spot on this list shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as seven-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady dominated the NFL for the better part of the past two decades.
There wasn’t much hype surrounding Brady coming out of Michigan in the 2000 NFL Draft. He had a slow 40, an average arm, and not much college pedigree. But after he was drafted, he kept getting better, and when Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots’ No. 1 overall pick from 1993, went down with a concussion, Brady took the job and never let go. The results are undeniable, as Brady is now the league’s all-time leader in quarterback wins, Super Bowl wins, passing completions, passing touchdowns, and passing yards.
FAQ:
Q: Who is the best NFL Draft pick in history?
A: Has to be Tom Brady. Picked 199th overall in the 2000 draft, Brady was a backup quarterback from Michigan who went on to capture seven Super Bowls for New England, the most in history.
Q: What are the greatest late-round NFL draft picks ever?
A: Tom Brady (6th round, 2000), Terrell Davis (6th round, 1995), Bart Starr (17th round, 1956), and Deacon Jones (14th round, 1961) are among the greatest late-round finds in NFL Draft history.
Q: What round was Tom Brady drafted in?
A: Brady was drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 draft, 199th overall, by the New England Patriots.
Q: Can I bet on the NFL Draft?
A: Yes. Bovada offers a full range of NFL Draft odds, including first overall pick, position markets, team-specific props, and more. Head to the NFL draft page for the latest lines.
Think you know who’s going where on draft night? Bet the 2026 NFL Draft at Bovada – every round, every pick, and every prop. Flex your GM muscles and get your bets in.