It’s time for another gimmick post.
I’m a Broncos fan, so my favorite player is Drew Lock. He wears number 3, so I’m writing this post. Anybody can rank #1 overall picks and #2 overall picks, but it takes a special type of boredom to rank the #3 overall picks.
I’ve split the players into six different tiers. These range from pure busts to surefire Hall-of-Famers.
If anybody has beef with my opinions, feel free to leave an angry comment below :).
Tier 6: Undisputed Busts
20. Dion Jordan, DE (Dolphins – 2013)
This was a very easy choice. Jordan had 3 sacks in 2 years for the Dolphins until he was suspended for violating the substance abuse policy. After that, he got injured and was released by the Dolphins. He was never the primary starter for any team. At best, he’s a rotational piece. He is, without a doubt, the worst #3 pick of the century.
19. Tyson Jackson, DE (Chiefs – 2009)
Jackson had an eight-year career, and he only had nine sacks. Yikes. The only reason that he isn’t last is that he was the primary starter for two teams. It definitely isn’t because of his production, which was abysmal.
18. Trent Richardson, RB (Browns – 2012)
Richardson is definitely the most famous (infamous?) player in this tier, but he did have a good rookie season. However, that season was his only real highlight, as he fell off a cliff after he was traded to the Colts. Richardson was regarded as one of the best RB prospects ever, but he definitely wasn’t close to being the best RB ever.
Tier 5: Not-As-Bad Busts & Young Talent
17. Solomon Thomas, DE (49ers – 2017)
Solomon Thomas is still young and has some upside, but the early returns are not looking promising, at all. On a dominant 49ers defensive line, Thomas has become an afterthought. He’s averaged two sacks per year in his young career, which is terrible for a #3 overall pick. He could very easily fall into the sixth tier when his career is over.
16. Quinnen Williams, DT (Jets – 2019)
Williams has played for only one year, so it’s incredibly hard to pinpoint where he’s going to end up. He could reasonably end up in any of these tiers. However, his first season was a disappointment, so he has to turn it around if he wants to move up.
15. Joey Harrington, QB (Lions – 2002)
Unlike the previous two in this tier, Harrington is actually a bust. He was billed as the next franchise QB for the Lions, but he didn’t pan out, at all. He had four below-average years for the Lions, and he was sent to the Dolphins for a third-round pick. His career ended two years later, so he will remain a bust.
14. Sam Darnold, QB (Jets – 2018)
In this tier, Darnold is the person who is most likely to move up this tier list. Darnold is still young, but the Jets have been mostly bad during his time there. However, they went 6-2 over their last eight games, so there is a chance that the Jets, and Darnold, will get better.
13. Gerard Warren, DT (Browns – 2001)
Warren’s career can be summarized through one word: journeyman. He played for 4 teams over 11 years and accumulated 36.5 sacks. He never made a Pro Bowl, and he could only be referred to as an average starter for some of his years. This is definitely not what the Browns envisioned when they took him at #3.
Tier 4: Solid Starters
12. Dante Fowler, LB (Jaguars – 2015)
If I had written this list a year ago, Fowler would most likely be in the fifth tier. However, he had something of a breakout year with the Rams last year. He put up 11.5 sacks this year, and he parlayed that into a big contract with the Falcons. Fowler looks like he’s finally on the rise, and if he continues that, he has a small chance of moving into a higher tier.
11. Blake Bortles, QB (Jaguars – 2014)
Bortles was one of the hardest players to place on this list. His career as a whole wasn’t very good, but he’s had some very solid bright spots in his career, such as finishing in the top 5 in passing TDs in 2015 and leading the Jags to the AFC Championship Game in 2017. In the end, I think he did just enough to get into this tier.
10. Braylon Edwards, WR (Browns – 2005)
Edwards didn’t have a long career, but he has something that nobody else underneath him has: an All-Pro and Pro Bowl berth. In 2007, Edwards was a Pro Bowler and a Second Team All-Pro. The rest of his career was very average, but that Pro Bowl berth pushes him all the way to the top 10.
9. Vince Young, QB (Titans – 2006)
Vince Young is much more famous for what he did in college, but the early returns on his career were very promising. He made two Pro Bowls in his first five years, and he was a solid QB. However, a mix of injuries and character issues would end his career quickly and prevent him from jumping into the third tier.
Tier 3: High-End Players
8. Joey Bosa, DE (Chargers – 2016)
Of all of the people on this list, Bosa has the best chance to move into the top tier. Bosa had quickly developed into one of the best pass rushers in the league. Already a two-time Pro Bowler, Bosa is arguably the best young pass rusher in the NFL. If his career continues on the trajectory that it’s on, then he will most likely be a Hall-of-Famer.
7. Marcell Dareus, DT (Bills – 2011)
The 2011 draft class is shaping up to be one of the best ever, and Dareus is one of the more important members of that class. A two-time Pro Bowler and one-time First Team All-Pro, Dareus was a fixture on the Bills defensive line for many years. Injuries have stopped him from having a chance at the Hall of Fame, but he’s been a stud for a long time.
6. Chris Samuels, OT (Redskins – 2000)
Samuels was ravaged by injuries throughout his career, but when he was on the field, he was a force. A six-time Pro Bowler, Samuels was a stellar offensive tackle for the Redskins over a decade. If he had stayed healthy, he could possibly be in the second tier.
Tier 2: Possible Hall-of-Famers
5. Gerald McCoy, DT (Buccaneers – 2010)
Interior linemen don’t often get the credit they deserve, so a lot of people don’t know about McCoy. However, he has been one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL throughout his career. A six-time Pro Bowler, two-time Second Team All-Pro, and one-time First Team All-Pro, McCoy has been a dominant force in stopping the run and rushing the passer.
4. Matt Ryan, QB (Falcons – 2008)
If Super Bowl LI goes differently, Matt Ryan is probably in the top tier. Even without that, though, Ryan has been one of the best QBs in the league over the last decade. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler, and his 2016 season was his capstone. He was a Pro Bowler, First Team All-Pro, and the NFL MVP. As the only MVP on this list, Ryan should be high on the list, but the rest of his career has been stellar, as well.
3. Andre Johnson, WR (Texans – 2003)
Johnson was a beast throughout his career. A seven-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro, and two-time Second-Team All-Pro, Johnson’s spectacular career was punctuated by his 2008 and 2009 seasons. He was the receiving leader in both of these years, and he was a Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro both times. He isn’t the best receiver on this list, but that isn’t a knock on him. He was a stud.
Tier 1: Surefire Hall-of-Famers
2. Joe Thomas, OT (Browns – 2007)
One of the best offensive tackles to ever play in the NFL. Ten-time Pro Bowler and six-time First Team All-Pro. A slam-dunk, no-doubt, undisputed Hall-of-Famer. The Browns haven’t hit on many picks in the 21st century, but this is absolutely one of the best picks of the century. Thomas was one of the premier players of this century, at any position. He would be the best player at almost all of the draft slots, but at #3, he finishes second to…
1. Larry Fitzgerald, WR (Cardinals – 2004)
The best receiver of the 21st century, and an undisputed top 5 receiver of all time (I think he’s #3). Larry Legend has been the face of the Arizona Cardinals since he joined them. His regular seasons were outstanding, but he did his best work in the postseason. He carried the Cardinals to a Super Bowl berth and almost single-handedly turned them into champions. How good do you have to be to be ranked higher than Joe Thomas? You have to be as good as Larry Legend.
