Every No. 1 overall pick in NFL history

52 players have gone 1st in the NFL draft since 1975, from Steve Bartkowski to Fernando Mendoza in 2026. The most decorated: Peyton Manning (1998; 5x NFL MVP, 2x NFL Offensive Player of the Year), Eli Manning (2004; 2x Super Bowl MVP), and John Elway (1983; NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP). 35 of the 52 won nothing on the NFL honours list.

NFL draft, every No. 1 overall pick by year

Year	Player	Team	Honours
2026	Fernando Mendoza	Las Vegas Raiders	—
2025	Cam Ward	Tennessee Titans	—
2024	Caleb Williams	Chicago Bears	—
2023	Bryce Young	Carolina Panthers	—
2022	Travon Walker	Jacksonville Jaguars	—
2021	Trevor Lawrence	Jacksonville Jaguars	—
2020	Joe Burrow	Cincinnati Bengals	2x NFL Comeback Player of the Year
2019	Kyler Murray	Arizona Cardinals	NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
2018	Baker Mayfield	Cleveland Browns	—
2017	Myles Garrett	Cleveland Browns	2x NFL Defensive Player of the Year
2016	Jared Goff	Los Angeles Rams	—
2015	Jameis Winston	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	—
2014	Jadeveon Clowney	Houston Texans	—
2013	Eric Fisher	Kansas City Chiefs	—
2012	Andrew Luck	Indianapolis Colts	NFL Comeback Player of the Year
2011	Cam Newton	Carolina Panthers	NFL MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
2010	Sam Bradford	Los Angeles Rams	NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
2009	Matthew Stafford	Detroit Lions	NFL MVP, NFL Comeback Player of the Year
2008	Jake Long	Miami Dolphins	—
2007	JaMarcus Russell	Las Vegas Raiders	—
2006	Mario Williams	Houston Texans	—
2005	Alex Smith	San Francisco 49ers	—
2004	Eli Manning	Los Angeles Chargers	2x Super Bowl MVP
2003	Carson Palmer	Cincinnati Bengals	—
2002	David Carr	Houston Texans	—
2001	Michael Vick	Atlanta Falcons	NFL Comeback Player of the Year
2000	Courtney Brown	Cleveland Browns	—
1999	Tim Couch	Cleveland Browns	—
1998	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts	5x NFL MVP, 2x NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP
1997	Orlando Pace	Los Angeles Rams	—
1996	Keyshawn Johnson	New York Jets	—
1995	Ki-Jana Carter	Cincinnati Bengals	—
1994	Dan Wilkinson	Cincinnati Bengals	—
1993	Drew Bledsoe	New England Patriots	—
1992	Steve Emtman	Indianapolis Colts	—
1991	Russell Maryland	Dallas Cowboys	—
1990	Jeff George	Indianapolis Colts	—
1989	Troy Aikman	Dallas Cowboys	Super Bowl MVP
1988	Aundray Bruce	Atlanta Falcons	—
1987	Vinny Testaverde	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	—
1986	Bo Jackson	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	—
1985	Bruce Smith	Buffalo Bills	2x NFL Defensive Player of the Year
1984	Irving Fryar	New England Patriots	—
1983	John Elway	Indianapolis Colts	NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP
1982	Kenneth Sims	New England Patriots	—
1981	George Rogers	New Orleans Saints	NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
1980	Billy Sims	Detroit Lions	NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
1979	Tom Cousineau	Buffalo Bills	—
1978	Earl Campbell	Tennessee Titans	NFL MVP, 3x NFL Offensive Player of the Year, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
1977	Ricky Bell	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	—
1976	Lee Roy Selmon	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	NFL Defensive Player of the Year
1975	Steve Bartkowski	Atlanta Falcons	—

Honours from the NFL award history, matched to the pick by name. Picks from ESPN's draft pages, 1975 on.