The likes of Terry Bradshaw (1970), Earl Campbell (1978), Bruce Smith (1985), Troy Aikman (1989), Orlando Pace (1997), Peyton Manning (1998) and Cam Newton (2011) are all tremendous examples of how much a first overall pick can single-handedly change an NFL franchise.
But as we've seen in other instances — think of JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or Sam Bradford in 2010 — a bust of a first overall pick can set a franchise back for many years.
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It's still too early to fully judge most of the careers of the last 10 first overall picks (2013 to 2022), but it' not too soon to decide how they all stack up against one another. Here is a ranking of the last 10 NFL first overall picks, from worst to first.
10 Travon Walker (2022)
The Georgia product has yet to play a single NFL snap, so it's too early to place him any higher on this list.
Many expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to take Michigan standout Aidan Hutchinson with the top selection here. Only time will tell if Walker pans out and turns out to be the right pick for Jacksonville. Who knows? It could be up to three years until we get a firm answer.
9 Baker Mayfield (2018)
Because Baker Mayfield is no longer the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback, it's not too early to place him this low. Mayfield's four-year tenure in Cleveland was full of ups-and-downs, but let's be clear: That 2020 playoff team was largely led by the star-studded offensive line, dynamic rushing game and star pass-rusher Myles Garrett. Not Mayfield.
The Oklahoma product never played like an elite quarterback in Cleveland. GM Andrew Berry ultimately decided to trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson this offseason, and it's only a matter of time until he trades Mayfield.
8 Trevor Lawrence (2021)
Yes, Trevor Lawrence has only played one season thus far. And yes, it was a forgettable rookie year in which he completed just 59.6 percent of pass attempts for 12 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. But can you really blame Lawrence, who was given very little to work with? Not to mention the disaster that was the Urban Meyer era.
Lawrence was viewed as a generational quarterback prospect for a reason. New head coach Doug Pederson is going to do wonders with Lawrence, and the additions of Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Brandon Linder and Evan Engram — coupled with Travis Etienne's looming return — will help the Clemson product reach stardom very soon. In a couple of years, Lawrence could find himself No. 1 on this list.
7 Eric Fisher (2013)
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Eric Fisher can't be considered a draft bust by any means, but he also hasn't played up to the standard of a first overall pick. Both can be true. Not that the Kansas City Chiefs have any regrets about taking him.
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Fisher was an anchor on their offensive line during the first three years of the Patrick Mahomes era, and he was instrumental in helping them win Super Bowl 54. The two-time Pro Bowler fared much better than the vast majority of first-round selections in a not-so-great 2013 drafft class.
6 Jared Goff (2016)
Yes, the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl one year after swapping out Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford. But let's not discount the success Goff had.
Goff went 42-27 as the Rams' starter over five years and threw 107 touchdowns against 55 interceptions. He led the Rams to two NFC West division titles, three playoff berths and a trip to Super Bowl 53. For all the criticism he gets, Goff fared very well on a Detroit Lions team that was essentially tanking in 2021.
Goff doesn't turn 28 until October. There's lots of time for him to solidify himself as a starting quarterback.
5 Jameis Winston (2015)
Jameis Winston put together some solid numbers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but turnover problems (88 interceptions and 50 fumbles in five seasons) prevented him from reaching an elite level. But you can also argue that the Buccaneers didn't supply him with enough playmakers outside of Mike Evans, nor competent coaching.
But there was some good. He led the NFL in passing yards for the 2019 season with 5,109. Before his season-ending ACL tear last season, Winston looked like a capable long-term starter for the New Orleans Saints. The team saw enough to give him a two-year extension this past offseason.
Winston isn't a bust, but like the aforementioned Eric Fisher, he didn't fully pan out in Tampa the way they had hoped.
4 Jadeveon Clowney (2014)
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n""> Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jadeveon Clowney hasn't been a bust, either, but pundits and prognosticators who labeled him as a generational talent back in 2014 probably expected a little better.
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Still, three Pro Bowl selections and three seasons of nine-plus sacks is nothing to scoff at. Clowney was a game-wrecker during his five seasons with the Houston Texans, and the decision to trade him to the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 remains baffling to this day. Clowney is a free agent but can still be a dominant and disruptive pass-rusher with the right team.
3 Kyler Murray (2019)
The two-way athlete has silenced critics who were unsure about his size and his ability to transition to the NFL level.
Kyler Murray has been practically everything the Arizona Cardinals could have asked for. The explosive dual-threat quarterback just led the Cardinals to their first playoff berth since 2015, and he has often played like a top-10 quarterback under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Murray will turn 25 before the start of the 2022 season. As good as he's been up to this point, it still feels like he hasn't hit his ceiling.
2 Joe Burrow (2020)
Joe Burrow's first full season in the NFL couldn't have gone much better. Really, all that he missed was a Super Bowl. And the Cincinnati Bengals were awfully close to it.
"Joe Cool" had an MVP-like year and led the Bengals to an unexpected AFC North division crown last season. The LSU star turned on his game in the postseason and led Cincinnati to their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years, but they narrowly fell to the Rams 23-20 in an all-time thriller.
The best part if you're a Bengals fan? The best of Burrow has yet to come. He certainly won't take 70 sacks again.
1 Myles Garrett (2017)
The Baker Mayfield selection led to mixed results, but the Browns certainly hit the jackpot with the top selection in 2017.
Myles Garrett has been a superstar since bursting onto the scene in his rookie year: Three Pro Bowl nods, 58.5 sacks and 11 forced fumbles in just 68 NFL games to date. Garrett is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory and has kept the Browns in games, even during the adversity-filled 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons.
Walker hasn't played a snap yet. Burrow and Lawrence have played a combined three NFL seasons. Among the other seven first overall picks on this list, only Garrett has constantly played at an All-Pro level, hence why he takes the top spot here.
