What Was the Best Draft Class in NFL History?

There was a year in the football calendar that boasted three Hall of Fame quarterbacks. The consequence of this is that the league still awaits a similar year at present. The NFL Draft marks the beginning of a new football season, and this year, it’s about to happen in Detroit.

Fans everywhere are excited to see which players their teams will pick. They hope to find the next big star who will excel in the sport for a long time. However, amidst all these, people are also discussing which drafts were the best in history.

Which draft year made a huge difference in the league?

The 1983 NFL Draft is considered one of the best ever. It produced many star players who excelled for years. This year’s importance is evident from the fact that the three quarterbacks from that draft are the Hall of Famers. This class has ultimately set a high standard for future drafts. It included two Super Bowl MVPs: Richard Dent and John Elway, as well.

Eight players from that draft are in the Hall of Fame, including Eric Dickerson, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Bruce Matthews, John Elway, Darrell Green, Richard Dent and Jimbo Covert. Elway was the first overall pick, chosen by the Colts. After him, five more quarterbacks were picked in the first round.

Besides 1983, there are other years as well, which too are generally debated being the best draft year in the NFL world.

The latest is 2004!

Years like 1964 and 1957 are also considered some of the best draft years. In 1964, there was one Super Bowl MVP and 10 Hall of Famers. Similarly, in 1957, there was one Super Bowl MVP and nine Hall of Famers. These drafts are often mentioned in discussions about the greatest draft classes in NFL history.

Besides these, 1989 produced five HOFs and 26 Pro Bowlers; 1993 produced five HOFs and 36 Pro Bowlers; 1996 gave 6 HOFs and 33 Pro Bowlers; 1981 produced 8 HOFs and 32 Pro Bowlers; 2001 gave 3 HOFs and 34 Pro Bowlers; and the most latest was 2004, which produced 30 Pro Bowlers. This year is considered to be the greatest quarterback class of the 21st century, including Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger.

Hence, there is no defined year to be called as the perfect draft year, because of multiple perceptions. Fans are now hoping the 2024 draft year (25 April – 27 April) will also end up in this debate list.

Read more: NFL Draft 2024: What Are the Best Draft Day Trades of All Time?