The article reviews every NFL team's best and worst draft pick from the last five years, highlighting notable steals and busts. It emphasizes the importance of value in draft selections.
Key points
Review of NFL teams' best and worst draft picks
Focus on the last five years of NFL Draft selections
Emphasis on value and performance in draft choices
Comparison to historical draft steals like Tom Brady
Analysis of nearly 1,300 selections across 32 teams
Mentioned in this story
Tom BradyJoe MontanaJohnny Unitas
New England Patriots
NFL: Super Bowl LX-Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots
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Every NFL Draft delivers a shocking moment, whether that's a blockbuster trade or a shocking reach for a quarterback.
Every team's goal is to get the best player for the best value. They want look back and say they landed the biggest steal, rather than the biggest bust. Tom Brady, taken by the New England Patriots at No. 199 in 2000, Joe Montana, selected at No. 82 in 1979 and Johnny Unitas, No. 102 in 1955, are some of the all-timer steals.
Here are my picks for best and worst draft picks over the last five years of the NFL Draft, sifting through 32 teams and just short of 1,300 selections.
McBride was a great-value selection for the Cardinals, who picked the Colorado State product in the second round. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, first-team All-Pro and led Arizona in receiving yards the last three seasons.
I am often hesitant to label a player, good or bad, too early. With just two years in the league, Robinson could certainly change my mind. He was limited to just six games his rookie year due to injury and finished with 10 combined tackles, one sack and one tackle for a loss.
What are the best NFL Draft picks from the last five years?
The article identifies the best draft picks for each NFL team over the past five years, showcasing players who have significantly contributed to their teams.
Which NFL teams had the worst draft picks in the last five years?
The article highlights the worst draft picks for each NFL team, focusing on selections that did not meet expectations or failed to perform.
How does the article determine the best and worst draft picks?
The article evaluates players based on their performance, impact on the team, and overall value compared to their draft position.
What notable draft steals are mentioned in the article?
The article references legendary steals like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and Johnny Unitas, comparing them to recent draft successes.
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Robinson had high expectations coming in as an early first-round pick and immediately made an impact. His rookie year he led the team in rushing yards (976) and followed up a successful first year with over 500 more yards on the ground his sophomore season (1,456) and another 1,000-plus yard year in 2025 (1,478). He is a two-time Pro Bowler and was named first-team All-Pro as a running back and second-team All-Pro all purpose in 2025.
Penix Jr. is off to a rough start. Despite his status as a top-10 pick, he is 4-8 as a starter with a 59.6% completion rate and a pedestrian 12-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio through two seasons. There are visible growing pains along the way, pulled in Week 3 during a blowout loss and also sidelined in November with a torn ACL. Kirk Cousins is off to Las Vegas, and Tua Tagovailoa now joins the Atlanta quarterback room.
Baltimore Ravens
Best: WRZay Flowers, 2023 NFL Draft, No. 22 overall pick, Boston College
The Ravens have numerous players in the running, from Rashod Bateman, to Kyle Hamilton, but Zay Flowers made the most significant impact. The two-time Pro Bowler has 3,128 receiving yards on 237 receptions, with 14 touchdowns in the air. He's led the team in receiving yards each season and has improved on his stats year by year.
Ojabo has struggled with injuries, but even when he was on the field, his play didn't meet expectations. His production did not match what he did in Ann Arbor, and eventually, Ojabo left to sign with Miami.
Cook led the league in rushing yards last season with 1,621 yards. Cook elevates an exciting offense by creating other options for quarterback Josh Allen. A three-time Pro Bowler, Cook simply makes his offense better.
Elam has just two interceptions since joining the NFL, and as a former first-rounder, the expectation was much higher. He has bounced around the league, joining the Cowboys, Titans and Chiefs since ending his time with the Bills in 2024.
Carolina Panthers
Best: CBJaycee Horn, 2021 No. 8 overall pick, South Carolina
Running back Chuba Hubbard would be my top steal, as a fourth-round selection in 2021, turning into an offensive star and leading the team in rushing in 2023 and 2024, but I'm going to highlight a defensive player as the overall best pick. Horn tied for second-most interceptions in the league last year (5), earning him his second Pro Bowl nod. His talent makes the entire defense more effective. In his career, he has 190 tackles, 34 pass deflections, 10 interceptions and two sacks.
Worst: WRXavier Legette, 2024 No. 32 overall pick, South Carolina
Leggette has 84 receptions for 860 yards and seven touchdowns, struggling to establish himself on the Panthers offense. As a first-rounder, he has yet to reach what the Panthers expected his production would be. His mistakes have been avoidable, and he struggles with drops.
There is nothing more important than finally finding a reliable quarterback. It hasn't all been smooth for Williams, but he did help take the team to their first divisional playoff game since 2010. He put himself in the record books with the most consecutive passing attempts without an interception as a rookie (354).
Jones Jr. hasn't found his footing, bouncing around from the Bears, to the Jaguars, Panthers, Saints and Seahawks in a short period of time. He struggled with turnovers, finishing his time in Chicago with four fumbles. Jones got a Super Bowl ring in Seattle; however, he is responsible for just 36 touches for 332 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage in five years.
Chase was a certified star right away, earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021. He is a five-time Pro Bowler, selected every year he's been in the league, and is a two-time first-team All-Pro. Chase has led the team in receiving yards since he was drafted, but more than just being a stat leader, he has the chemistry with quarterback Joe Burrow that helps the offense move. As Burrow has dealt with injuries over the past few years, Chase has also been a reliable pass catcher in a changing offense and has helped others in the WR room elevate their play.
Worst: G Jackson Carman, 2021 No. 46 overall pick, Clemson
Carman is no longer in the NFL, playing with the Houston Gamblers. He made just six starts in three seasons with the Bengals and added just one more with the Dolphins in 2024, his last year playing in the league.
Owusu-Kromoah has been great value as a second rounder. Even as the Browns struggle, their defense is a bright spot, ranking third in total sacks (53) and forced fumbles (15) last season. Selections like Owusu-Kormoah are what helped make this defense one that offenses don't look forward to playing.
Worst: CBGreg Newsome II, 2021 No. 26 overall pick, Northwestern
Newsome didn't make as much of an impact as his No. 26 pick would suggest. The Browns traded him to the Jaguars in October of last year. In 2025, he earned a 55.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, 177th among the 223 qualifying cornerbacks. Last season, he allowed a 107.2 passer rating when targeted and finished with one interception.
Dallas Cowboys
Best: LBMicah Parsons, 2021 No. 12 overall pick, Penn State
This NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, five-time Pro Bowler, and three-time first-team All-Pro is undoubtedly a standout selection from the Cowboys, who, in time, may regret more and more that they traded him to the Packers. He has 297 tackles, 65 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 10 pass deflections, four fumble recoveries and one touchdown. His power and skill make him a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
Guyton struggled with penalties, called for 18 total and third-most accepted in the league at 14. He allowed seven sacks with 11 starts and 15 appearances.
Surtain was the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He is a two-time first-team All-Pro and is a four-time Pro Bowler. Surtain has 279 combined tackles, 59 pass deflections, 12 interceptions, two forced fumbles, two defensive touchdowns and one fumble recovery.
Williams suffered an ACL injury in 2022, and since then, his production has come into question. In 2024, he finished with 774 yards and his numbers went down in 2025 to 513 yards. He saw an uptick with the Cowboys in 2025, going for 1,201 yards on 252 attempts and 11 touchdowns, but with the Broncos, he was unable to help the offense as much as an early second rounder would be predicted to.
Aidan Hutchinson and Jahmyr Gibbs could certainly fit here. As a fourth-rounder, I have to go with St. Brown. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, a two-time first-team All-Pro and has led Detroit in receiving yards in 2025 (1,401), 2024 (1,263), 2023 (1,515), 2022 (1,161) and 2021 (912). He is a star and a bright spot on an offense that is fun to watch.
Worst: DE Levi Onwuzurike, 2021 No. 41 overall pick, Washington
Injuries have not helped Onwuzurike's case as a bust. In his rookie year, he finished with 15 tackles and one sack and then missed the entire 2022 season. In his career, he has 68 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two pass deflections and one forced fumble.
Walker led the Packers in tackles in 2024 (102) and 2025 (128). Since he was drafted in the first round, he has 469 total tackles, 17 pass deflections, 9.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and one defensive touchdown. He has been a solid addition to this Green Bay team.
Van Ness was selected in the first half of the first round but hasn't locked down a starting role and has a low snap count. He has 8.5 total sacks in 43 games, with 84 combined tackles, 23 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
As a third-round selection, Collins has far exceeded his expectations. The two-time Pro Bowler began to make a massive impact in 2023, when he reached 1,000-plus yards receiving for the first time in his NFL career. He has continued to hit that mark and lead the team in receiving yards in each of the last three seasons. In total, he has an impressive 289 receptions, 4,347 receiving yards and 24 receiving touchdowns.
Green isn't seen as a long-term solution for the position and as an early selection, the team would want him to be. He allowed 47 pressures in his rookie year, is injury prone, missing the entire 2023 season with a shoulder, and was graded as one of the worst performing guards. The Texans traded him to the Eagles, but Philly didn't fare better for the former first rounder. He was waived and signed with the Ravens practice squad, seeing no in-game action in 2025.
Pierce is excellent value for his draft number, not needing much time to make a significant splash on an offense that saw some quarterback changes. He led the Colts in receiving yards in 2024 and 2025, proving he can adapt to various styles of quarterback play. It resulted in a massive contract extension this offseason with Indianapolis set to pair him again with Daniel Jones.
Richardson was supposed to be "the guy" and while you can argue he didn't get much time to develop and become a team leader, it's certainly been a bust for Indy. Jones came in to compete for the QB1 role, and Richardson's time was done. While Indy likely hopes to find a trade partner, Richardson has 2,400 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 13 picks to his name in 17 NFL games over three seasons.
Drafting a franchise quarterback is no easy feat, so doing so successfully has to be the best move by a team. Lawrence was the No. 1 overall pick and coming off a well documented college career, so the expectations were high. While he has only won one playoff game for the team, he has shown improvement. The Pro Bowler had the sixth-most passing yards (4,007) and the fifth-most passing touchdowns (29) in the league last season.
A No. 1 overall pick not being selected to any Pro Bowls, not being named first-team All-Pro or second-team All-Pro in their first four seasons has to be labeled a disappointment. This draft had Aidan Hutchinson, Derek Stingley Jr, Sauce Gardner, Trey McBride and James Cook, to name a few, and the Jags ended up with a letdown. He could continue to develop, and his flashes of solid play give hope to his career, but NFL fans expect more from a first overall selection. He's started a significant amount of games, with 60 in 63 appearances, so his value could increase as he continues to adjust to the league and to the team.
Kansas City Chiefs
Best: CBTrent McDuffie, 2022 No. 21 overall pick, Washington
A two-time Super Bowl champion, McDuffie is a physical, lockdown corner. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2023 and was second-team All-Pro in 2024. He has 246 total tackles, 34 pass deflections, eight forced fumbles, 5.5 sacks and three interceptions. Kansas City will miss him, shipping him to the Los Angeles Rams during the offseason.
He was part of the Super Bowl-winning team, but his production so far hasn't been up to a first-round standard. In his first two seasons, he had 41 combined tackles, 25 pressures, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He missed the entire 2025 season due to injury.
Bowers has put himself in the record books. He holds the records for most receptions in a rookie season (112) and most receiving yards in a rookie season by a tight end (1,194). His resume also includes two Pro-Bowl selections and first-team All-Pro honors.
The Raiders waived Leatherwood after just one year. He moved to offensive guard due to struggles at tackle, and hasn't been on an NFL roster since a 2024 release by the Chargers.
McConkey was a second-round steal, making an impact immediately both in the regular season and the playoffs. In the regular season, he had a team-leading 1,149 yards, which was 10th best across the league. He also broke the record for most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game with 197.
The Chargers didn't get what they wanted out of Johnston right away, forcing them to find other options at wide receiver. He struggled with drops, and while he improved over time, he has been inconsistent.
Nacua is a two-time Pro Bowler and was named first-team All-Pro last year, leading the league in receptions. Nacua broke out in his first year, setting rookie records for most receiving yards in a season (1,486) and most receptions in a game (15). His 42 targets, 24 receptions, 332 receiving yards and two touchdowns were all best in the league during the postseason. Nacua attended the Rams' first day of their offseason program yesterday following his rehab stint.
We know how Rams GM Les Snead feels about draft picks, wearing a "F-- them picks" shirt at their Super Bowl parade in 2022. The Rams are known for trading away draft picks, especially first-round selections, to acquire star players, so their recent draft picks look very different from those of other teams. For the worst, I'm giving it to Atwell, who averaged 21 receptions and 384 yards per season since his NFL arrival.
Waddle was an early selection and an early star, reaching 1,015 yards receiving in his rookie season and reaching 1,000-plus yards receiving in the first three years in the league. He has started all 78 regular-season and two playoff games he's appeared in, and on a team with a shaky quarterback, has provided some much-needed consistency on offense.
Worst: CBCam Smith, 2023 No. 51 overall pick, South Carolina
Smith is no longer in the league, now with the Columbus Aviators, so it is safe to say he didn't pan out. He had just 18 total tackles in 15 appearances, with no starts.
Darrisaw has an extremely high snap count since he was drafted, with 99% of snaps in 2023. He has played 58 games, with 56 total starts. His low penalty rate and three fumble recoveries make him a solid pick and some representation for offensive linemen everywhere.
Cine was a first-round pick, and injuries greatly affected his impact. He spent just two years with the Vikings, which as a first-round pick, is not ideal. He has just 11 appearances in three years with no starts.
New England Patriots
Best: QBDrake Maye, 2024 No. 3 overall pick, North Carolina
In his first year as a full-time starter, Maye helped lead the team to the Super Bowl. Say what you want about their path there, or his performance in the big game, he still made it there. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and was the NFL's passer rating leader and NFL's completion percentage leader in 2025. On a team that had three coaches in the last three years, he adapted and showed his capability to lead an offense, extend plays and excelled in the long ball.
There are a few bad selections from the Patriots but the spectacle that was the Mac Jones experience stands out. Jones was supposed to be their next franchise passer, as an early selection on a team that desperately needed a quarterback. His era in New England ended with Bill Belichick and the Patriots parting ways and involved a lot of booing from fans as well as them calling for backup quarterbacks to come in. The rumors and drama that surrounded this experiment weren't any better than the on-field performance. In his starts, he went 18–24 and overall has 46 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and 15 fumbles with the Patriots.
In two seasons with the Saints, McKinstry has 118 total tackles, 23 passes defended and three interceptions. From his rookie to his sophomore year, he has gone up in each statistical category. He is a consistent starter.
Turner is injury-prone and hasn't reached a first-round pick level of production. In four years in the league, he appeared in just 31 games with no starts, 50 combined tackles and five sacks.
The Giants had a few players in the top five of the last five seasons, but I went with the Pro Bowl wide receiver. He is in the record books for most games with five or more receptions by a rookie (14), youngest WR with multiple touchdowns in a game and most targets by a rookie in a season (170). He constantly made headlines as a dominant and reliable pass catcher.
The Giants are taking another chance on Neal on a low-risk deal, but the early first-round pick hasn't lived up to the hype. Neal moved from tackle to guard in 2025. In three seasons, he's allowed 98 pressures.
Gardner lived up to his draft hype in his first season. He was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, is a two-time Pro Bowler and was named first-team All-Pro twice. He has 217 tackles, 49 pass deflections, three interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble in his career, most spent with the Jets. New York traded him to the Colts during the 2025 season as a part of a major reshuffling.
Wilson's hype deflated very quickly when he got to the NFL. He has 23 touchdowns, 25 interceptions and 17 fumbles in his career, including 11 fumbles in his final year with the Jets. His seven fumbles lost that season were the most that year in the NFL. Wilson was sacked for 370 yards in his rookie year, another league high in a category you don't want to lead in.
The Super Bowl champion was a Pro Bowler and earned first-team All-Pro in 2025. His rookie year, he didn't allow a touchdown until Week 16. Mitchell is the kind of lockdown corner you can count on against the best. He has 91 total tackles, 29 pass deflections and one fumble recovery in the last two seasons.
The Eagles drafted well, and while a fifth-rounder doesn't have high expectations, Smith is forgettable to Philly fans. He had seven receptions for 41 yards in his rookie year, along with one touchdown. Smith had steep competition in his position in Philly and wasn't able to make enough of an impact to get many chances. He signed with the Panthers practice squad ahead of the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Best: CBJoey Porter Jr., 2022 No. 32 overall pick, Penn State
The final pick of the 2022 first round has been solid for the Steelers, totaling 165 tackles, 31 pass deflections, three interceptions and one sack in his three seasons. The shutdown corner may not have reached his ceiling yet, which is even better news for the Steelers.
Wilson hasn't seen the field much, in part due to injury and in part because of his production. This will be a massive year for him, to see if he can reverse any "bust" labels fans have put on him. In two seasons, he has 166 receiving yards, 12 receptions and two touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers
Best: QBBrock Purdy, 2022 No. 262 overall pick, Iowa State
Mr. Irrelevant very quickly became extremely relevant after a series of injuries to other quarterbacks put him at the helm. He helped lead the team to the NFC Championship during the 2022 championship and has an overall postseason record of 5-3. Five playoff wins, especially that quickly, is not common to say the least.
Worst: QBTrey Lance, 2021 No. 3 overall pick, North Dakota State
The 49ers traded three first-rounders in order to move up to No. 3 and select Lance, someone who started just four games for them. He went 2-2 as a starter, recording a 54.9% completion rate, 797 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Seahawks have some stars, and those stars led them all the way to the promised land last season, winning Super Bowl LX. Running back Kenneth Walker earned MVP of the big game, but give Smith-Njigba his flowers as the best draft pick of their last five seasons. His resume is impressive, with NFL Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler and NFL receiving yards leader all on it. He had a whopping 1,793 receiving yards last season, most in the league.
Worst: WRD'Wayne Eskridge, 2021 No. 56 overall pick, Western Michigan
The Seahawks missed with Eskridge, who has never started a game and was suspended for six games under the personal conduct policy in 2023. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Nico Collins were both still on the board when the Seahawks took Eskridge and panned out a bit different.
Irving has been an asset to the offense since he was drafted, leading the team in rushing in 2025 (588) and 2024 (1,122). In two seasons, he has 1,710 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 669 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. The value is excellent at No. 125 overall.
Tryon-Shoyinka has struggled over his time in the league and, as a result, has been on three teams since 2021.
Tennessee Titans
Best: LBCedric Gray, 2024 No. 106 overall pick, North Carolina
The fourth-rounder led the team in tackles in 2025 with 164, showing how great his value was as the No. 106 overall pick. He has 186 total tackles, four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and one sack in two seasons. The Titans began to see him as a valuable member of their team, as he went from seven appearances and no starts in his rookie season to 16 appearances, all starts, in his sophomore season.
Levis was the first second-rounder in his draft class and his expectations weren't to be benched, but that's how his story went. He struggled with turnovers, recording 16 interceptions for his 21 touchdowns. Levis' inconsistency led the Titans to look for their next attempt at a long-term quarterback, drafting Cam Ward at No. 1 in 2025.
The Commanders have desperately been searching for a franchise quarterback, with 10 different starters since 2019. They found it in their 2024 No. 2 overall pick, who won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and quickly became a Pro Bowler. He also set the record for most rushing yards in a season by a rookie quarterback with 891 yards on the ground.
Worst: CBEmmanuel Forbes, 2023 No. 16 overall pick, Mississippi State
The Commanders hoped to find a shutdown corner, but instead cut Forbes after less than two seasons. With Washington, he started seven games, appearing in 20, with 45 combined tackles and two interceptions.
