NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

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

By Hans Themistode

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)
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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 31
Next
Jake Long
OT Jake Long (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

NFL Draft: 30 best No. 1 overall picks in league history: number 29, OT Jake Long

Stats: 

  • N/A

Awards:

  • 4 time Pro Bowler
  • 1 time First Team All-Pro

The Miami Dolphins believed they had something in offensive tackle, Jake Long. With quarterback Chad Pennington manning the offense, the Miami Dolphins were viewed as just a piece or two away from being Super Bowl contenders. The addition of Jake Long did nothing but reinforce those thoughts.

Long punished opposing defensive ends and oftentimes left them flat on their backs. His great play didn’t go unnoticed as he was named to the Pro Bowl in just his first year in the pros. Long was one of the driving forces behind a Dolphins team that went 11-5 and into the playoffs in 2008.

Any outside aspirations of making a real run were immediately whisked away as the Baltimore Ravens rolled into town and put a beating on the Dolphins, blasting them out by a score of 27 to 9.

Usually, teams have a tendency to push forward and want redemption for a lackluster showing. For the Dolphins, while they wanted to turn things around, they fell by the wayside completely. The team went on to have four consecutive seasons with a losing record. Long though, played his part, as he was a Pro Bowler in three of those seasons and an All-Pro selection once.

Eventually, Long would move on to other destinations including the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons and the St. Louis Rams (now known as the Los Angeles Rams). Outside of his first year in the league, Long would never be a part of a winning team again and ultimately hung up his cleats in 2016 after growing tired of losing.

Home/NFL