List of second overall NFL draft picks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of second overall National Football League (NFL) draft picks. The NFL draft is an annual sports draft in which National Football League teams select newly eligible players for their rosters. Thirteen players selected second overall have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Sid Luckman (1939), George McAfee (1940), Les Richter (1952), Bob Brown (1964), Tom Mack (1966), Randy White (1975), Tony Dorsett (1977), Lawrence Taylor (1981), Eric Dickerson (1983), Marshall Faulk (1994), Tony Boselli (1995), Julius Peppers (2002), and Calvin Johnson (2007).[1] In 2012, Sports Illustrated chose Taylor as the best player selected second overall.[2]
.jpg)
Nine Heisman Trophy winners have been selected at the spot: Glenn Davis (1946), Billy Vessels (1952), John David Crow (1957), Tony Dorsett (1977), Reggie Bush (2006), Robert Griffin III (2012), Marcus Mariota (2014), Jayden Daniels (2024), and Travis Hunter (2025). The Cleveland / St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams have had nine selections at the spot, the most in the NFL.[1]
List
- Key
| K | Kicker | NT | Nose tackle | C | Center |
| LB | Linebacker | FB | Fullback | DB | Defensive back |
| P | Punter | HB | Halfback | DE | Defensive end |
| QB | Quarterback | WR/E | Wide receiver / end | DT | Defensive tackle |
| G | Guard | T | Offensive tackle | TE | Tight end |
| * | Selected to a Pro Bowl | ||||
| ‡ | Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame | ||||
Second overall picks by NFL team
The Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals have each held the second overall pick a total of nine times, the most of any NFL team. This includes the Rams' time in Cleveland and St. Louis and the Cardinals' time in Chicago and St. Louis. The Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only teams that have never had the second overall pick.
Second overall picks by school
Notre Dame has the most second overall picks with 6. Texas A&M has the second-most second overall picks with 5. Baylor, LSU, Michigan State, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio State, and USC are tied for third-most second overall picks with 4 each. Only two schools have had second overall picks in consecutive years: Ohio State with Nick Bosa (2019) and Chase Young (2020), and Notre Dame with George Kunz (1969) and Mike McCoy (1970).
Second overall picks by position
| Position | Number of selections | Last year selected |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterbacks | 24 | 2024 |
| Running backs | 19 | 2018 |
| Defensive linemen | 15 | 2022 |
| Offensive linemen | 13 | 2014 |
| Wide receivers | 3 | 2007 |
| Linebackers | 8 | 2011 |
| Defensive backs | 3 | 2025 |
See also
Notes
- The New York Yanks folded prior to the 1952 NFL season. The Dallas Texans would later assume the rights for Richter.