Post by Juggs on Feb 18, 2015 21:10:55 GMT -5
#10: Indianapolis 2012: Andrew Luck, Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, TY Hilton, Vick Ballard
The Colts couldn't have really screwed up the Andrew Luck decision, everyone knew it was coming when the Colts began tanking. However, they snagged several key offensive pieces in the later rounds and didn't really miss on anyone at all. Taking two tight ends was bold and they both are still on the team. However, both have been inconsistent, unlike TY Hilton who has become a great deep threat. 7th rounder Vick Ballard has even been good situationally and relieved the Colts at times from an injury plagued backfield.
#9: Dallas 2005: Demarcus Ware, Kevin Burnett, Marion Barber III, Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff
It's a good thing I made it 10 years and not 9 for Dallas fans. This one was about quantity as well as quality. No one thought the lions would pass up Demarcus Ware for Matt Williams, but they did because Matt Millen is dumb, and the Boys built an entire defensive line, got a starting linebacker who has bounced around the league, and snagged their runningback until he was replaced by Demarco Murray many years later.
#8: San Francisco 2010: Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati, Taylor Mays, NaVorro Bowman.
San Francisco did something incredibly rare, which is to pin down three superstars in one class. While Mays turned out to be just another guy after one great season with the 9ers, Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati were among the best at their positions their whole careers, and still kind of are, while Bowman was the best until injury. Phenomenal choices here.
#7: Seattle 2012: Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson, Robert Turbin, JR Sweezy.
Only #7? Well, the problem is that Seattle built their talent over three straight classes and it all got spread out which brings this one down a bit. Really, only Wilson and Wagner became stars, while Irvin surpassed low expectations and has been a good situational pass rusher who still can't play 3 downs. Turbin and Sweezy both have contributed as well. Despite a great haul, this isn't even the best Seahawks class this decade!
#6: Pittsbugh 2010: Marukice Pouncey, Jason Worlids, Emmanuel Sanders, Jon Dwyer, Antonio Brown.
Pittsburgh kind of found 3 superstars here, just for different teams at different times. Brown is one of the best steals in recent memory in round 6, but Pouncey was great from day 1 before slowing down recently due to injuries. Sanders couldn't escape the looming shadows of Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, but he had a great season in Denver. Plus, Jason Worlids has developed into an effective rusher and Dwyer had a few middling contributions.
#5: San Francisco 2007: Patrick Willis, Joe Staley, Ray McDonald, Dashon Goldson, Tarell Brown
Here's another team that followed the "big 3" rule for getting on this list. Patrick Willis were both the best players at their position for half a decade, and are still elite guys when healthy. Dashon Goldson enojyed some "golden" years if you'll allow the bad pun, and is still good. Ray McDonald was dominant but has spent time injured and suspended, and Tarell Brown was a 7th round steal who has played well for SF and OAK but has struggled with injuries. If this whole class had stayed healthy it could be top 3.
#4: Denver 2010: Demaryius Thomas, Zane Beadles, JD Walton, Eric Decker, Perrish Cox.
All 5 of these players are starting in the NFL right now, two are great receivers who speak for themselves. Zane Beadles is an underrated, but near-elite offensive guard. JD Walton had a few great seasons before going to New York and not being very good. Perrish Cox quietly had a great year for San Francisco in 2014. Amazing class that doesn't get enough credit. When you follow it up with Denver's 2011 class, it's obvious why Peyton went there and why they won so many regular season games and made 1 SB. The talent was always there.
#3: New England 2010: Devin McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Spikes, Aaron Hernandez, Zoltan Mesko
The second reason that New England is still relevant after B&B is this amazing draft that SORT OF follows the big 3 rule, but found 2 elite players in McCourty and Gronk, and at one point, had 5 elite players playing. There was a season or two where Spikes was viewed as a great linebacker, and he actually had a good season for Buffalo but can't stay on the field on passing downs, while Mesko was an elite punter before being cut for reasons I and pats fans still don't know. Hernandez is obviously a very tough call, but as I said, at one point he was a 5th elite player in this class before killing someone, so the Pats did get some value after a late round pick there, although I'm sure they would redo it if they could, especially since Hernandez had huge character flags at Florida before the murder case.
#2: Seattle 2010: Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, Walter Thurmond, Kam Chancellor, Anthony McCoy
This is just stupid. You've got half the legion of boom, and in my opinion, the better half. Thomas was probably the best player in the league in 2013 and top 5 in 2014, Okung is a top LT in the league, Golden Tate was good with Seattle, and Elite with Detroit. Thurmond was great with Seattle and got hurt with the Giants, but don't forget about him. Anthony McCoy also contributed. This class is why Seattle is Seattle, although 11 and 12 continues building on this success.
#1: Denver 2010: Von Miller, Rahim Moore, Orlando Franklin, Nate Irving, Julius Thomas, Virgil Green.
Miller wasn't expected to be taken #2 overall and was seen as a reach, but he proved everyone wrong. Rahim Moore will always be known for letting up the mile high miracle, but he's actually developed into being a very good player at safety, while Orlando Franklin is an elite guard. Nate Irving and Virgil Green are just okay, but Julius Thomas broke out as a superstar the past two seasons. Thus, this class follows the rule of 3 in spectacular fashion and got three extra good choices in Moore, Irving and Green. Also, this class inadvertently got Josh McDaniels fired when he couldn't win with the amazing talent, which got Jon Fox hired, which got Peyton Manning. So you can kind of add Peyton to this list lol, not really, but it's funny to think about.
The Colts couldn't have really screwed up the Andrew Luck decision, everyone knew it was coming when the Colts began tanking. However, they snagged several key offensive pieces in the later rounds and didn't really miss on anyone at all. Taking two tight ends was bold and they both are still on the team. However, both have been inconsistent, unlike TY Hilton who has become a great deep threat. 7th rounder Vick Ballard has even been good situationally and relieved the Colts at times from an injury plagued backfield.
#9: Dallas 2005: Demarcus Ware, Kevin Burnett, Marion Barber III, Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff
It's a good thing I made it 10 years and not 9 for Dallas fans. This one was about quantity as well as quality. No one thought the lions would pass up Demarcus Ware for Matt Williams, but they did because Matt Millen is dumb, and the Boys built an entire defensive line, got a starting linebacker who has bounced around the league, and snagged their runningback until he was replaced by Demarco Murray many years later.
#8: San Francisco 2010: Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati, Taylor Mays, NaVorro Bowman.
San Francisco did something incredibly rare, which is to pin down three superstars in one class. While Mays turned out to be just another guy after one great season with the 9ers, Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati were among the best at their positions their whole careers, and still kind of are, while Bowman was the best until injury. Phenomenal choices here.
#7: Seattle 2012: Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson, Robert Turbin, JR Sweezy.
Only #7? Well, the problem is that Seattle built their talent over three straight classes and it all got spread out which brings this one down a bit. Really, only Wilson and Wagner became stars, while Irvin surpassed low expectations and has been a good situational pass rusher who still can't play 3 downs. Turbin and Sweezy both have contributed as well. Despite a great haul, this isn't even the best Seahawks class this decade!
#6: Pittsbugh 2010: Marukice Pouncey, Jason Worlids, Emmanuel Sanders, Jon Dwyer, Antonio Brown.
Pittsburgh kind of found 3 superstars here, just for different teams at different times. Brown is one of the best steals in recent memory in round 6, but Pouncey was great from day 1 before slowing down recently due to injuries. Sanders couldn't escape the looming shadows of Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown, but he had a great season in Denver. Plus, Jason Worlids has developed into an effective rusher and Dwyer had a few middling contributions.
#5: San Francisco 2007: Patrick Willis, Joe Staley, Ray McDonald, Dashon Goldson, Tarell Brown
Here's another team that followed the "big 3" rule for getting on this list. Patrick Willis were both the best players at their position for half a decade, and are still elite guys when healthy. Dashon Goldson enojyed some "golden" years if you'll allow the bad pun, and is still good. Ray McDonald was dominant but has spent time injured and suspended, and Tarell Brown was a 7th round steal who has played well for SF and OAK but has struggled with injuries. If this whole class had stayed healthy it could be top 3.
#4: Denver 2010: Demaryius Thomas, Zane Beadles, JD Walton, Eric Decker, Perrish Cox.
All 5 of these players are starting in the NFL right now, two are great receivers who speak for themselves. Zane Beadles is an underrated, but near-elite offensive guard. JD Walton had a few great seasons before going to New York and not being very good. Perrish Cox quietly had a great year for San Francisco in 2014. Amazing class that doesn't get enough credit. When you follow it up with Denver's 2011 class, it's obvious why Peyton went there and why they won so many regular season games and made 1 SB. The talent was always there.
#3: New England 2010: Devin McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Spikes, Aaron Hernandez, Zoltan Mesko
The second reason that New England is still relevant after B&B is this amazing draft that SORT OF follows the big 3 rule, but found 2 elite players in McCourty and Gronk, and at one point, had 5 elite players playing. There was a season or two where Spikes was viewed as a great linebacker, and he actually had a good season for Buffalo but can't stay on the field on passing downs, while Mesko was an elite punter before being cut for reasons I and pats fans still don't know. Hernandez is obviously a very tough call, but as I said, at one point he was a 5th elite player in this class before killing someone, so the Pats did get some value after a late round pick there, although I'm sure they would redo it if they could, especially since Hernandez had huge character flags at Florida before the murder case.
#2: Seattle 2010: Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, Walter Thurmond, Kam Chancellor, Anthony McCoy
This is just stupid. You've got half the legion of boom, and in my opinion, the better half. Thomas was probably the best player in the league in 2013 and top 5 in 2014, Okung is a top LT in the league, Golden Tate was good with Seattle, and Elite with Detroit. Thurmond was great with Seattle and got hurt with the Giants, but don't forget about him. Anthony McCoy also contributed. This class is why Seattle is Seattle, although 11 and 12 continues building on this success.
#1: Denver 2010: Von Miller, Rahim Moore, Orlando Franklin, Nate Irving, Julius Thomas, Virgil Green.
Miller wasn't expected to be taken #2 overall and was seen as a reach, but he proved everyone wrong. Rahim Moore will always be known for letting up the mile high miracle, but he's actually developed into being a very good player at safety, while Orlando Franklin is an elite guard. Nate Irving and Virgil Green are just okay, but Julius Thomas broke out as a superstar the past two seasons. Thus, this class follows the rule of 3 in spectacular fashion and got three extra good choices in Moore, Irving and Green. Also, this class inadvertently got Josh McDaniels fired when he couldn't win with the amazing talent, which got Jon Fox hired, which got Peyton Manning. So you can kind of add Peyton to this list lol, not really, but it's funny to think about.