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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) /
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Alex Smith
Alex Smith (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

NFL Draft: 30 best No. 1 overall picks in league history: number 25, QB Alex Smith

Stats: 

  • 35,690 passing yards
  • 199 touchdowns
  • 62.6 completion percentage

Awards: 

  • 3 time Pro Bowler
  • 2020 Comeback Player of the Year

When looking back at the 2005 NFL Draft, one has to wonder just how Quarterback Alex Smith and 23 other selections for that matter, bypassed all-world QB, Aaron Rodgers.

Smith was a great player at the University of Utah. He seemed to have everything scouts were looking for and the San Francisco 49ers gladly took him with their number one overall pick.

With seven starts under his belt in nine games, the 49ers were immediately questioning their scouting department as Smith looked like a complete mess. The Alex Smith who is now known as one of the most efficient players from a completion percentage standpoint, was nonexistent as he completed only 50.9% of his passes. It was also almost impossible for him to throw the ball into the end zone without a disastrous result. On the year, Smith threw only one touchdown and 11 interceptions.

Things may have gotten better for Smith since then but the 49ers weren’t impressed and shipped him off to the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith got better the moment he landed in his new home, making the Pro Bowl his first year with a then career-high 3,313 yards 23 touchdowns. He also kept the turnovers to a bare minimum, throwing only seven interceptions during the year.

Smith was a solid player for the Chiefs and pushed them to the playoffs on numerous occasions. His time in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform came to an end, however, when the team drafted the unbelievably talented Patrick Mahomes.

Still, even while battling from a gruesome leg injury that required several surgeries that left many doctors believing he would have to amputate his leg, Smith continued to play well. Although he appeared to be very much vested in returning for his 15th season, Smith instead opted to walk away from the game.

He certainly won’t be inducted into the Hall of Fame but Smith’s complete body of work deserves all of our respect.

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