NFL Draft: 30 best No. 1 overall picks in league history

NEW YORK - APRIL 22: Quarterback Sam Bradford (R) from the Oklahoma Sooners poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as they hold up a St. Louis Rams jersey after the Rams selected Bradford numer 1 overall during the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 22, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /

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Eli Manning & Peyton Manning (Photo by Tom Berg/Getty Images) /

The hopes and dreams of a franchise are automatically pinned to the shoulders of a number one overall pick in an NFL Draft. There’s a reason as to why said player was taken so highly. Pro Bowl appearances, All-Pro nods and numerous championship trophies are expected to soon follow.

While many of those assumptions can be viewed as a bit ambitious, that’s simply the reality of the situation.

For the most part, players who are taken with the top spot in the league go on to be productive players in the league. In fact, many of them go on to be all-time greats. But who has separated themselves from the pack? Which one of the countless players taken with the first pick in a particular draft has outshined his peers?

To answer that question, we’ve decided to dive deep into the numbers, accolades and personal success of each player taken with the number one overall pick throughout the history of the league. In some cases, several players are still playing and have a chance to bolster their resume in the upcoming years but for most, they’ve already hung up their cleats and left their legacy out on the field.

With so many Hall of Fame names to choose from, ranking this list became an arduous task but we believe we’ve made the right call.

Enough of the chit-chat. It’s time to rank the best number one overall picks in league history.

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