The 2025 NFL draft is just around the corner, meaning it's the perfect time to revisit the past decade's worth of drafts. There have been some absolutely loaded draft classes dating back to 2015, as well as some rather lackluster ones.
Any player being taken inside the top 10 picks of a draft will surely have been a standout college player and a highly-regarded NFL draft prospect. While some of those players live up to the hype and go on to become superstars, others fail to meet the lofty expectations surrounding their career.
We're going to rank the best top-10 pick in each of the last 10 NFL drafts, highlighting the individuals who have gone above and beyond what scouts anticipated.
2015: Amari Cooper, WR
Amari Cooper was the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft class, selected by the Oakland Raiders out of the University of Alabama. Overall, the '15 class was a weaker one, with Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota representing the No. 1 and No. 2 picks. Cooper has been solid in his NFL career, having topped 1,000 receiving yards in seven of his first 10 seasons. A five-time Pro Bowler, Cooper has 64 touchdown catches in 154 games.
Honorable Mention: Todd Gurley
2016: Jalen Ramsey, CB
Ramsey was the first cornerback off the board in the 2016 draft, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's lived up to the billing of a former No. 5 pick, having been selected to three All-Pro first teams, seven Pro Bowls and, of course, won a Super Bowl. In nine seasons, Ramsey has 24 interceptions and has consistently been one of the best shutdown corners in the game.
Honorable Mention: Jared Goff
2017: Patrick Mahomes, QB
This one's pretty obvious. Mahomes has been the face of the NFL for most of his professional career, and rightfully so. A six-time Pro Bowl QB, two-time first team All-Pro, two-time AP MVP, three-time Super Bowl champ and three-time Super Bowl MVP, no player has achieved more in a shorter amount of time than the Kansas City Chiefs' superstar. Considering he was the 10th pick in the 2017 draft, the Chiefs got an absolute bargain with the pick.
Honorable Mention: Myles Garrett
2018: Josh Allen, QB
The reigning NFL MVP was the seventh player off the board in the 2018 draft, and the third quarterback. Picked before Allen was Baker Mayfield at No. 1 and Sam Darnold at No. 3. Both have turned into solid NFL quarterbacks, though they had a less direct path to stardom than Allen. The Bills QB is a three-time Pro Bowler, and of course, an MVP, and has been nothing short of dominant throughout much of his career. In addition to his 195 passing touchdowns, Allen has scored 65 rushing touchdowns through his first seven seasons in the NFL.
Honorable Mention: Saquon Barkley
2019: Nick Bosa, DE
Of his six seasons in the NFL, Nick Bosa has made the Pro Bowl in five of them. The Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, Bosa has been one of the NFL's most dominant defensive players since entering the league in 2019. In just 82 games, Bosa has racked up 62.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and 165 QB hits, proving to be an absolute nightmare to match up against in the trenches.
Honorable Mention: Quinnen Williams
2020: Joe Burrow, QB
Joe Burrow was the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, and he's been outstanding since arriving in the NFL. A two-time Pro Bowler and two-time Comeback Player of the Year, Burrow enjoyed his best season yet in 2024 when he threw for a league-high 43 touchdown passes and 4,918 yards. He boasts an impressive career completion percentage of 68.6%, with 140 touchdowns in his first 69 games.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Herbert
2021: Ja'Marr Chase, WR
The Cincinnati Bengals made the most of their early first-round picks in 2020 and '21. Having selected Burrow in '20, they added his college teammate in Ja'Marr Chase with the No. 5 pick in 2021. Both have since become elite talents and are among the best offensive players in the NFL. Chase has been a Pro Bowl receiver in each of his first four seasons, a span in which he's racked up 46 touchdowns and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards every year. Just last season, he led the NFL with 17 receiving touchdowns and 1,708 yards.
Honorable Mention: Patrick Surtain II
2022: Sauce Gardner, CB
Since his rookie season, Sauce Gardner has been one of the biggest shutdown cornerbacks in the NFL. He doesn't boast too many interceptions in his career, but his impact on the game is undeniable, as quarterbacks generally have tried to avoid throwing in his direction. Gardner was a first team All-Pro in both of his first two seasons in the league, and boasts a total of 40 pass defensed in his first three seasons.
Honorable Mention: Aidan Hutchinson
2023: Jalen Carter, DT
Jalen Carter fell to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 9, and they're thanking their lucky stars he did. Carter has quickly developed into one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the league and an absolute wrecking ball in the trenches. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2024, having racked up 4.5 sacks, 42 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 16 QB hits. He had 2.0 sacks and seven QB hits in the playoffs during the Eagles' run to the Super Bowl, solidifying himself as one of the best defensive linemen in the league.
Honorable Mention: C.J. Stroud
2024: Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels was the No. 2 pick behind Caleb Williams, but it was clear who had the better rookie season. The Washington Commanders made their deepest playoff run since 1991, while Daniels took home Rookie of the Year honors after throwing for 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. He completed 69% of his passes, an excellent mark for a rookie, and also added 891 rushing yards and six rushing TDs. A superstar in the making, Daniels has instantly turned around the Commanders and made them a true contender for the foreseeable future.
Honorable Mention: Malik Nabers
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Best Top 10 NFL Draft Picks in Each of the Last 10 Years.
