Which NFL team has had the most first overall picks in NFL Draft?
The most coveted prize in the NFL Draft is the first overall pick. It is awarded to the team with the worst overall record from the previous season, allowing teams that have been poor to get better with some of the best prospects. The No. 1 pick allows you to pick from the entire draft board for your ideal player or to trade the pick to gather additional draft picks throughout the draft. But taking a player with the top pick doesn't guarantee you a Hall of Famer by any means... just ask the Raiders about JaMarcus Russell.
Since the NFL Draft began in 1936, two franchises are tied the most No. 1 picks with seven. One of them are the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams had one as the Cleveland Rams, two from back in St. Louis, and four as the LA Rams. Their first was in 1938 when they drafted fullback Corbett Davis. Their latest was in 2016 when they traded up to draft quarterback Jared Goff, who they traded to the Detroit Lions for Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford.
We all know the Rams traded up to the number one pick to make a splash in Los Angeles in 2016. That’s literally why they did it. Not because they thought Goff was a can’t miss prospect. You guys understand that right ? https://t.co/7aTKr8CvDG
The other team is the Indianapolis Colts. Their first No. 1 pick was in 1955 when they selected quarterback George Shaw. The last time they picked first overall was in 2012 with quarterback Andrew Luck, who retired just when he was in his prime. The Colts had three of their No. 1 picks when they were stationed in Baltimore and four while in Indianapolis.
Andrew Luck explains his decision to retire #Colts https://t.co/cjwx8l3Soe
Who was the worst No. 1 pick in NFL history?
In over 80 years, the NFL is bound to have a handful of busts with No. 1 picks, and there are definitely several bad ones. There have been some recent busts in the past ten seasons or so, from Sam Bradford to Jameis Winston. But almost every NFL fan knows the name of the worst player taken with the first overall pick: quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
The Oakland Raiders took Russell with the top pick in 2007, passing on players like Calvin Johnson and Adrian Peterson. Russell was being criticized before he was even drafted, with red flags around his work ethic and focus coming out of LSU. Those concerns proved to be correct as he held out on signing his rookie contract for more money. He eventually signed a six-year, $68 million deal with $37.5 million guaranteed. Russell lasted just three years with the Raiders, playing 31 games and registering just 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
Never forget... Back in 2007 coaches didn’t think JaMarcus Russell was studying film, so the Raiders gave him blank cassettes.
The next day, he came in and said he watched blitz packages on those same tapes. https://t.co/J5IbrmJOvN
The most infamous story involving Russell has to be the "blank tape" story. With concerns about his work ethic and coaches believing he was not watching any game film, they handed him his assigned game film for the week... on blank tapes. When asked about the tapes at the next practice, Russell said the film helped him and he's ready for the game. That is precisely why JaMarcus Russell is easily the biggest bust at No. 1. It goes to show that having the top pick in the NFL Draft doesn't guarantee a great player in return.