There have been many awful teams throughout the history of the NFL. Teams have embarrassed their front office and fans alike. The silver lining to having a team with a horrendous record is the potential upside for the No. 1 overall selection in the NFL Draft.
The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft can be franchise-altering if the team selects the right player. How many players over the years have been drafted first overall and built a consistent winner during their career? Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts, Joe Burrow with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Overnight, there was hope for a franchise that previously was hopeless. On rare occasions, franchises have been fortunate enough to select from the pole position in back-to-back drafts. How many times has this happened? Let’s dive in.
How Many Times Have NFL Teams Had Back-to-Back No. 1 Picks in the NFL Draft?
NFL teams have had the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in back-to-back years on seven different occasions, as of 2023. Which teams have had back-to-back top selections, and what resulted from them?
1936-37 Philadelphia Eagles
The NFL was a different world 85 years ago. The Philadelphia Eagles were the first team in NFL history to earn the right to the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in back-to-back years. Oddly enough, neither player picked with the top selection ever played a down for the Birds.
MORE: List of No. 1 Picks in NFL Draft History
In 1936, the Eagles selected RB Jay Berwanger. Berwanger won the first-ever Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, later named the Heisman Trophy, in 1935. The back was to bring balance to the Philadelphia offense, or so they thought. The Eagles didn’t believe Berwanger would lower his asking price to fit their budget, so they traded his rights to the Chicago Bears.
The Eagles were no better the following year, so they again picked atop the NFL Draft. This time around, surely the Eagles would get it right, right? They selected FB Sam Francis. History repeated itself, and Philadelphia traded the rights to Sam Francis to the Chicago Bears.
1939-40 Chicago Cardinals
The Chicago Cardinals were next on the illustrious list of teams with back-to-back top picks in the NFL Draft. The Cardinals made better use of their selections than Philadelphia. The Cardinals selected two-way player Ki Aldrich from TCU. Aldrich played center and linebacker for the Cardinals, earning two Pro Bowl nods in his career.
The following year, the Cardinals selected HB George Cafego first overall. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they had a similar fate as Philadelphia, and Cafego never played for them. The talented HB debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers instead.
1976-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Almost four centuries later, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the next team to claim back-to-back top overall picks in the NFL Draft. Tampa Bay made the most of their selections this time around. With the first pick in the 1976 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers selected DE Lee Roy Selmon.
Selmon hit the ground running with five sacks in his rookie season. He earned six Pro Bowl nods, including the 1979 Defensive Player of the Year. Although Selmon never won the ultimate prize, a Super Bowl, the ferocious defensive end earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 1977, the Buccaneers selected RB Ricky Bell with the first overall pick. The former USC Trojan tailback had a solid NFL career, running for over 3,000 yards.
1994-95 Cincinnati Bengals
With the No. 1 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson from Ohio State. Wilkinson was an interior menace for the Buckeyes, but his game never translated to the NFL. Wilkinson was a colossal bust, especially considering the following selection was Hall of Fame RB Marshall Faulk.
The Bengals attempted to make up for their previous mistake and selected RB Ki-Jana Carter from Penn State at the top of the 1995 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for Carter and the Bengals organization, the talented back tore a ligament in his knee during the first preseason game and was never the same player again.
1999-2000 Cleveland Browns
The ‘new’ Cleveland Browns were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft as an expansion team. The Browns’ front office decided the face of their new franchise would be QB Tim Couch from Kentucky. Couch was a prolific signal-caller during his time in the SEC but never became much at the NFL level, resulting in a bust of a career.
MORE: College Football Teams With Most No. 1 NFL Draft Picks of All Time
The Browns finished horribly during their inaugural season as a new franchise, so they received the No. 1 overall pick again in 2000. This time, Cleveland focused its attention on the defensive side of the ball, selecting DE Courtney Brown from Penn State.
Brown was not the difference-maker Cleveland had expected, and his career was short-lived and not impactful.
2017-18 Cleveland Browns
Yes, the Browns were at it again in 2017 and 2018, receiving the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back drafts. In 2017, the Browns selected Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett. Many NFL Draft analysts viewed Garrett as the top player in the draft, and his career arc has played out that way. The Aggies’ edge rusher has been a terror in the league throughout his career.
In 2018, the Cleveland Browns selected Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield who was supposed to be the face of the Browns franchise for many years. Mayfield did find initial success, leading the Browns to the playoffs in short order. After some later struggles, Cleveland decided to trade for disgraced QB Deshaun Watson and dealt Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers.
2021-22 Jacksonville Jaguars
In 2021, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick. Lawrence has galvanized the Jaguars’ franchise, leading them to the playoffs and a playoff win in 2023. Jacksonville has found its franchise QB and appears to be a perennial contender for the AFC South crown.
In 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars surprised many draft pundits by bypassing the presumed top draft pick, Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson. The Jaguars’ front office took a swing on Georgia DE Travon Walker. Walker is a talented player but more of a project coming into the NFL. The jury remains out on whether this selection will pay off for the Jaguars.
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