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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Orlando Pace (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

NFL Draft: 30 best No. 1 overall picks in league history: number 8, OT Orlando Pace

Stats:

Awards:

7 time Pro Bowl selection
3 time First Team All-Pro

“The greatest show on turf” is what they were called. A group of explosive players on the offensive end led by running back Marshall Faulk and quarterback Kurt Warner.

Seemingly every time that group touched the ball, they were running it through the end zone. No matter the defense, they simply couldn’t be stopped. While Warner and his group of receivers and backs received most of the attention, offensive linemen Orlando Pace was behind the scenes making sure everything ran smoothly.

The number one overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft was the engine of that offensive force. He continually drove defenders back and gave Warner enough time to check his email, answer his text messages and oh yeah, throw the ball.

With Pace anchoring the middle, they dominated the league for years and took home the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl in 2000 with a win over the Tennessee Titans.

Pace was a big-time player for those Rams teams as he was selected to seven straight Pro Bowls and was also given three First-Team All-Pro nods.

Those Rams teams of the late 90s and early 2000s were revered and rightfully so. But sometimes, too much emphasis is placed on just offensive contributors. With Warner, Faulk and wide receiver Isaac Bruce being inducted to the Hall of Fame – Pace is the only nonoffensive contributor to be inducted as well.

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