The NFL released preliminary numbers from the “Draft 75″ voting campaign this week. The site lets fans determine the most valuable draft picks of all time on the 75th anniversary of the selection process.
More than 40 million votes have been cast and fans can hit the polls through April 18. The 10 most valuable picks will be announced during the 2010 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall.
In order to accomplish this the league gathered some experts to select draft picks from each team and placed them in a database with a small description of career milestones.
Fans are also shown if the player is a Hall of Famer or active in the NFL.
Two Falcons selections currently sit in the top 10, but neither played their entire career in Atlanta.
Former Falcons, Packers and Jets quarterback Brett Favre and former Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins and Ravens cornerback Deion Sanders rank among the leaders, though the league did not announce numerical standings.
- Troy Aikman – Dallas Cowboys
- Terry Bradshaw – Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tom Brady – New England Patriots
- Jim Brown – Cleveland Browns
- Dick Butkus – Chicago Bears
- Brett Favre – Atlanta Falcons
- Ray Lewis – Baltimore Ravens
- Ronnie Lott – San Francisco 49ers
- Peyton Manning — Indianapolis Colts
- Dan Marino – Miami Dolphins
- Joe Montana – San Francisco 49ers
- Randy Moss – Minnesota Vikings
- Walter Payton – Chicago Bears
- Jerry Rice – San Francisco 49ers
- Barry Sanders – Detroit Lions
- Deion Sanders – Atlanta Falcons
- Mike Singletary – Chicago Bears
- Emmitt Smith – Dallas Cowboys
- Lawrence Taylor – New York Giants
- Rod Woodson – Pittsburgh Steelers
I can’t argue with anyone on the list. Many were league MVPs, so how can you say they aren’t deserving of draft MVP status?
Interesting to note all but Brady (sixth), Favre (second), Montana (third) and Singletary (second) were first-round selections. The early list also includes four current players (five if you believe Favre will come back for another season with the Minnesota Vikings).
Now for Favre and Sanders…
Before you grumble about this skewed inclusion of the Falcons, remember it’s a list of valuable draft picks. For better or worse, Sanders and Farve started their careers in Atlanta before playing with other teams.
Plenty of great memories out there of Sanders, especially.
He has the second-most kickoff return yards in team history, one of three 100-yard returns for scores and the longest punt return for a score. “Primetime” also had 24 interceptions as a member of the Falcons.
Favre played in just two regular season games in Atlanta, completing four passes (read about his preseason debut in an old “Time Machine” post).
That said, any memories or thoughts to share on Sanders and Favre? Can you argue with their — or any other — placement of the top 20?
The league is ranking the top 75 most valuable draft picks, so it’s not too late to vote for other Falcons, including:
- Steve Bartkowski
- Keith Brooking
- Alge Crumpler
- Bill Fralic
- Claude Humphrey
- Mike Kenn
- R.C. Thielemann
- Jeff Van Note
Who is your most valuable draft pick in that list?
19 Comments
hopefully matt ryan would be on that top 10 list by 2012.
To me the most valuable Falcon of all time was Jessie Tuggle. He didn’t even get drafted. He joined the team as an undrafted free agent. If you look at the entire career of Tuggle he contributed more than anyone else. For MANY years our defense was simple. It STUNK, but Tuggle did NOT. If the tackle got made, HE MADE IT. Had he played for a descent team he would have been remembered the way Ray lewis or Brain Urlacher will.
Amen on Tuggle, BigDawg. “The Hammer” brought the pain often.
Thanks for reminding us Atlanta let 2 Hall of Fame guys get away. Somebody should go find Jerry Glanville at his current job and snatch that mop out of his hand and put a knot upside his head.
TOMMY NOBIS… Let’s not forget our first pick ever.
TOMMY NOBIS -first player ever drafted by the Falcons and first player signed to the roster
– first ever LB to be selected first overall
– holds single season tackle record (294) led Falcons 9 times
– selected to 5 pro bowls and 2 all pro
– first number ever retired by Falcons – 60
– nick name ” MR. FALCON”
Would be nice to try and get D. Hall back from redskins. Damn Patrino
Mike,
Is Derek Mason a FA?
He had a 1000 yard season last season with the Ravens. He might be a great addition in between Douglas and Jenkins.
seems like iI recalla QB that played for the Bronchos for some time.
Have you people forgotten the best LB Atlanta ever had and the first person ever drafted by Atlanta number 1and overall he was the number one pick in the 1966 draft. guess who!!!
Tommy Nobis.
Are you people true Falcons fans here or what? Come on Guys and Gals lets give credit where credit is due. Tommy Nobis should already be in the Hall but because he played in Atlanta he’s been over looked for years.
I really think Sanders is the best pick ever with Singletary and hopefully ryan will be the first of these great players to play his entire carreer in Atl
Tuggle was a great player
He gave his all
Tuggle was grrrrrate, but it took three years to replace Van Note.
JA98 hands down.
Lynn Kain,and William Andrews were the best running back tandum the falcons ever had!They both made Steve Bartkowski’s job much easier.Note to falcons management,It takes two very talented running backs to make the offense run smoothly.
What about #50 All-Pro Buddy Curry from that Great 80’s team? Had all them tackles year after year and also winning Defensive Rookie of the Year if I remember correct. He was the other half of the middle linebackers from the tar hill team in the late 70’s that had the Original LT on the other side, Lawrence Taylor.
NEON DIEON! how come our defense was always notably better then our offense till like now
I vote for tuggle too, and what about chris miller????, i don’t think alge crumpler deserve to be in that list, he left too soon.
One Trackback
[...] J. Mike: When we heard that two Falcons draft picks made the NFL’s list of most valuable picks ever, obviously the names Aundray Bruce and T.J. Ducke tt came to mind. But we were mistaken. SIDE NOTE this list is kind of wack — how could potential Hall-of-Famer Randy Moss, a first-rounder, be a better draft pick than for-realsies Hall-of-Famer Raymond Berry, a 20th-rounder? No offensive linem… oh, nevermind. “Fan voting.” [...]