Who Was the First Football Player Picked No. 1 in the NFL Draft?

Here’s a full list of No. 1 picks in NFL draft history originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

With the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select…

Well, we don’t know yet. But we do know that general manager Ryan Poles and Co. have a decision to make. Selecting first overall doesn’t guarantee you anything, but it’s generally where you want to be if you’re looking for a star.

How often does the top pick pan out? And which teams have been atop the draft most often?

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Here’s a full deep dive on the history of the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft:

Which NFL team has the No. 1 draft pick in 2023?

The Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after finishing 3-14 last season.

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What NFL team has had the most No. 1 overall picks?

Two franchises have picked first overall seven times: the Indianapolis Colts and the Los Angeles Rams.

The Colts’ No. 1 picks include George Shaw (1955), Bubba Smith (1967), John Elway (1983), Jeff George (1990), Steve Emtman (1992), Peyton Manning (1998) and Andrew Luck (2012). The Rams’ top overall picks were Corbett Davis (1938), Bill Wade (1952), Billy Cannon (1960), Terry Baker (1963), Orlando Pace (1997), Sam Bradford (2010) and Jared Goff (2016).

Behind the Colts and Rams, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have each picked first overall five times.

What NFL teams have never had the first pick?

The Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos are the only NFL franchises to never hold the No. 1 draft pick.

What position is most frequently picked No. 1?

Quarterback is the most common position for No. 1 overall picks. A whopping 34 quarterbacks were taken first in the draft.

Beyond quarterback, the second most frequent position picked is, surprisingly, running back. Twenty-three running backs have been the first pick, but it hasn’t happened since Ki-Jana Carter in 1995 and likely won’t happen again as the position has been devalued.

Here’s a full breakdown by position:

Quarterback: 34
Running back: 23
Defensive linemen: 16
Offensive linemen: 6
Wide receivers/tight ends: 5
Linebackers: 5
Defensive backs: 1

What school has the most No. 1 picks in the NFL?

Four schools are tied with five players selected at No. 1: Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma and Georgia. Auburn and Stanford both have had four players at the top of the draft.

With Georgia’s Jalen Carter among the No. 1 pick candidates this year, the Bulldogs could soon be in sole possession of this record. If Carter is the first player off the board, it would be just the third time in history that a school produced the No. 1 pick in consecutive years (Oklahoma 2018-19, USC 1968-69).

How many No. 1 picks have made the Hall of Fame?

Fourteen players have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being the first pick. Here’s the full list and their draft year:

Bill Dudley, 1942
Charley Trippi, 1945
Chuck Bednarik, 1949
Paul Hornung, 1957
Ron Yary, 1968
O.J. Simpson, 1969
Terry Bradshaw, 1970
Lee Roy Selmon, 1976
Earl Campbell, 1978
John Elway, 1983
Bruce Smith, 1985
Troy Aikman, 1989
Orlando Pace, 1997
Peyton Manning, 1998

Full list of No. 1 overall picks in NFL Draft

The NFL Draft has been held annually since 1936. Here’s the full list of players to be selected first overall, plus their college and the team that selected them: