Most #1 Picks by School
| 1 | Southern California | 6 |
| 2 | Georgia | 5 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 5 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 5 |
| 5 | Stanford | 4 |
| 6 | Auburn | 4 |
| 7 | Louisiana State | 3 |
| 8 | Texas | 3 |
| 9 | Ohio State | 3 |
| 10 | Miami | 3 |
Most #1 Picks by Team
| 1 | HOU | 5 |
| 2 | CLE | 5 |
| 3 | TAM | 5 |
| 4 | BUF | 4 |
| 5 | RAM | 4 |
| 6 | IND | 4 |
| 7 | NWE | 4 |
| 8 | CIN | 4 |
| 9 | ATL | 4 |
| 10 | CRD | 4 |
By Position
| 1 | QB | 39 |
| 2 | DE | 13 |
| 3 | RB | 9 |
| 4 | HB | 5 |
| 5 | T | 4 |
| 6 | LB | 4 |
| 7 | B | 3 |
| 8 | E | 3 |
| 9 | FB | 2 |
| 10 | DT | 2 |
| 11 | WR | 2 |
| 12 | SE | 1 |
| 13 | DB | 1 |
| 14 | TE | 1 |
| 15 | BB | 1 |
| 16 | C | 1 |
| Year | Player | Pos | Team | School | Age | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fernando Mendoza | QB |
LVR Las Vegas Raiders |
Indiana | 22 | |
| 2025 | Cam Ward | QB |
TEN Tennessee Titans |
Miami | 23 | |
| 2024 | Caleb Williams | QB |
CHI Chicago Bears |
Southern California | 22 | |
| 2023 | Bryce Young | QB |
CAR Carolina Panthers |
Alabama | 22 | |
| 2022 | Travon Walker | DE |
JAX Jacksonville Jaguars |
Georgia | 21 | |
| 2021 | Trevor Lawrence | QB |
JAX Jacksonville Jaguars |
Clemson | 21 | |
| 2020 | Joe Burrow | QB |
CIN Cincinnati Bengals |
Louisiana State | 23 | |
| 2019 | Kyler Murray | QB |
ARI Arizona Cardinals |
Oklahoma | 22 | |
| 2018 | Baker Mayfield | QB |
CLE Cleveland Browns |
Oklahoma | 23 | |
| 2017 | Myles Garrett | DE |
CLE Cleveland Browns |
Texas A&M | 21 | |
| 2016 | Jared Goff | QB |
LAR Los Angeles Rams |
California | 21 | |
| 2015 | Jameis Winston | QB |
TAM Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Florida State | 21 | |
| 2014 | Jadeveon Clowney | DE |
HOU Houston Texans |
South Carolina | 21 | |
| 2013 | Eric Fisher | T |
KAN Kansas City Chiefs |
Central Michigan | 22 | |
| 2012 | Andrew Luck | QB |
IND Indianapolis Colts |
Stanford | 22 | |
| 2011 | Cam Newton | QB |
CAR Carolina Panthers |
Auburn | 22 | |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford | QB |
STL St. Louis Rams |
Oklahoma | 22 | |
| 2009 | Matthew Stafford | QB |
DET Detroit Lions |
Georgia | 21 | |
| 2008 | Jake Long | T |
MIA Miami Dolphins |
Michigan | 23 | |
| 2007 | JaMarcus Russell | QB |
OAK Oakland Raiders |
Louisiana State | 22 | |
| 2006 | Mario Williams | DE |
HOU Houston Texans |
N.C. State | 21 | |
| 2005 | Alex Smith | QB |
SFO San Francisco 49ers |
Utah | 21 | |
| 2004 | Eli Manning | QB |
SDG San Diego Chargers |
Mississippi | 23 | |
| 2003 | Carson Palmer | QB |
CIN Cincinnati Bengals |
Southern California | 23 | |
| 2002 | David Carr | QB |
HOU Houston Texans |
Fresno State | 23 | |
| 2001 | Michael Vick | QB |
ATL Atlanta Falcons |
Virginia Tech | 21 | |
| 2000 | Courtney Brown | DE |
CLE Cleveland Browns |
Penn State | 22 | |
| 1999 | Tim Couch | QB |
CLE Cleveland Browns |
Kentucky | 22 | |
| 1998 | Peyton Manning ★ | QB |
IND Indianapolis Colts |
Tennessee | 22 | |
| 1997 | Orlando Pace ★ | T |
STL St. Louis Rams |
Ohio State | 21 | |
| 1996 | Keyshawn Johnson | WR |
NYJ New York Jets |
Southern California | 24 | |
| 1995 | Ki-Jana Carter | RB |
CIN Cincinnati Bengals |
Penn State | 21 | |
| 1994 | Dan Wilkinson | DT |
CIN Cincinnati Bengals |
Ohio State | 21 | |
| 1993 | Drew Bledsoe | QB |
NWE New England Patriots |
Washington State | 21 | |
| 1992 | Steve Emtman | DE |
IND Indianapolis Colts |
Washington | 22 | |
| 1991 | Russell Maryland | DT |
DAL Dallas Cowboys |
Miami | 22 | |
| 1990 | Jeff George | QB |
IND Indianapolis Colts |
Illinois | 22 | |
| 1989 | Troy Aikman ★ | QB |
DAL Dallas Cowboys |
UCLA | 22 | |
| 1988 | Aundray Bruce | LB |
ATL Atlanta Falcons |
Auburn | 22 | |
| 1987 | Vinny Testaverde | QB |
TAM Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Miami | 23 | |
| 1986 | Bo Jackson | RB |
TAM Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Auburn | 23 | |
| 1985 | Bruce Smith ★ | DE |
BUF Buffalo Bills |
Virginia Tech | 22 | |
| 1984 | Irving Fryar | WR |
NWE New England Patriots |
Nebraska | 21 | |
| 1983 | John Elway ★ | QB | BAL | Stanford | 23 | |
| 1982 | Kenneth Sims | DE |
NWE New England Patriots |
Texas | 22 | |
| 1981 | George Rogers | RB |
NOR New Orleans Saints |
South Carolina | 22 | |
| 1980 | Billy Sims | RB |
DET Detroit Lions |
Oklahoma | 24 | |
| 1979 | Tom Cousineau | LB |
BUF Buffalo Bills |
Ohio State | 22 | |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell ★ | RB |
HOU Houston Oilers |
Texas | 23 | |
| 1977 | Ricky Bell | RB |
TAM Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Southern California | 22 | |
| 1976 | Lee Roy Selmon ★ | DE |
TAM Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Oklahoma | 21 | |
| 1975 | Steve Bartkowski | QB |
ATL Atlanta Falcons |
California | 22 | |
| 1974 | Too Tall Jones | DE |
DAL Dallas Cowboys |
Tennessee State | 23 | |
| 1973 | John Matuszak | DE |
HOU Houston Oilers |
Tampa | 22 | |
| 1972 | Walt Patulski | DE |
BUF Buffalo Bills |
Notre Dame | 22 | |
| 1971 | Jim Plunkett | QB |
NWE New England Patriots |
Stanford | 23 | |
| 1970 | Terry Bradshaw ★ | QB |
PIT Pittsburgh Steelers |
Louisiana Tech | 22 | |
| 1969 | O.J. Simpson ★ | RB | BUF | Southern California | 22 | |
| 1968 | Ron Yary ★ | T |
MIN Minnesota Vikings |
Southern California | 22 | |
| 1967 | Bubba Smith | DE | BAL | Michigan State | 22 | |
| 1966 | Tommy Nobis | LB |
ATL Atlanta Falcons |
Texas | 22 | |
| 1965 | Tucker Frederickson | RB |
NYG New York Giants |
Auburn | 22 | |
| 1964 | Dave Parks | SE |
SFO San Francisco 49ers |
Texas Tech | 22 | |
| 1963 | Terry Baker | QB |
RAM Los Angeles Rams |
Oregon State | 22 | |
| 1962 | Ernie Davis | B |
WAS Washington Redskins |
Syracuse | — | |
| 1961 | Tommy Mason | RB |
MIN Minnesota Vikings |
Tulane | 22 | |
| 1960 | Billy Cannon | TE |
RAM Los Angeles Rams |
Louisiana State | 23 | |
| 1959 | Randy Duncan | QB |
GNB Green Bay Packers |
Iowa | 22 | |
| 1958 | King Hill | QB |
CRD Chicago Cardinals |
Rice | 21 | |
| 1957 | Paul Hornung ★ | HB |
GNB Green Bay Packers |
Notre Dame | 21 | |
| 1956 | Gary Glick | DB |
PIT Pittsburgh Steelers |
Colorado State | 26 | |
| 1955 | George Shaw | QB | BAL | Oregon | 22 | |
| 1954 | Bobby Garrett | QB |
CLE Cleveland Browns |
Stanford | 22 | |
| 1953 | Harry Babcock | E |
SFO San Francisco 49ers |
Georgia | 23 | |
| 1952 | Billy Wade | QB |
RAM Los Angeles Rams |
Vanderbilt | 21 | |
| 1951 | Kyle Rote | E |
NYG New York Giants |
Southern Methodist | 22 | |
| 1950 | Leon Hart | E |
DET Detroit Lions |
Notre Dame | 21 | |
| 1949 | Chuck Bednarik ★ | LB |
PHI Philadelphia Eagles |
Pennsylvania | 24 | |
| 1948 | Harry Gilmer | QB |
WAS Washington Redskins |
Alabama | 22 | |
| 1947 | Bob Fenimore | HB |
CHI Chicago Bears |
Oklahoma State | 21 | |
| 1946 | Boley Dancewicz | QB |
BOS Boston Yanks |
Notre Dame | 21 | |
| 1945 | Charley Trippi ★ | HB |
CRD Chicago Cardinals |
Georgia | 23 | |
| 1944 | Angelo Bertelli | QB |
BOS Boston Yanks |
Notre Dame | 23 | |
| 1943 | Frankie Sinkwich | B |
DET Detroit Lions |
Georgia | 22 | |
| 1942 | Bill Dudley ★ | HB | PIT | Virginia | 20 | |
| 1941 | Tom Harmon | HB |
CHI Chicago Bears |
Michigan | 21 | |
| 1940 | George Cafego | FB |
CRD Chicago Cardinals |
Tennessee | 25 | |
| 1939 | Ki Aldrich | C |
CRD Chicago Cardinals |
TCU | 23 | |
| 1938 | Corby Davis | BB | RAM | Indiana | 23 | |
| 1937 | Sam Francis | FB | PHI | Nebraska | 23 | |
| 1936 | Jay Berwanger | B | PHI | Chicago | — |
★ = Pro Football Hall of Fame · Gold rows = Hall of Fame