CFB 24/7 continues its countdown of the best and worst first-round picks at all 32 slots during the Super Bowl era. We will do four spots per day, until we end up with the three best -- and three worst -- No. 1 picks.
No. 28 pick
Who picks here in 2015:Denver Broncos
Overview: Despite being late in the round, there haven't been many busts at this spot; indeed, it's impossible to pick three "misses." On first blush, some may say, "Where's Andy Katzenmoyer? Or Booker Moore?" But both got hurt, and we're not going to ding guys for injury issues, especially guys who showed some promise as a rookie or early in his career. A lot of guys taken at 28th overall have become good NFL players -- and two became Hall of Famers.
HITS
LB Derrick Brooks: Taken in 1995 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Florida State. Several NFL teams considered him small for the position, but with his speed Brooks was a great fit for Tony Dungy's cover-2 defense with the Bucs. Brooks was a five-time All-Pro selection and an 11-time Pro Bowler, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
CB Darrell Green: Taken in 1983 by the Washington Redskins out of Texas A&I, now Texas A&M-Kingsville. Green might have played at a small school, but he had incredible speed and a high football IQ. He finished his career with 54 interceptions. Green was an All-Pro pick in 1991 and was a seven-time Pro Bowler (the first came in 1984, the last in 1997). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.
DE Trevor Pryce: Taken in 1997 by the Denver Broncos out of Clemson. Pryce was one of the best defensive linemen of his era, playing end and tackle. He was a big man (295 pounds) with surprising quickness, and he had three seasons with at least 12 sacks. He finished his 15-year career with 91 sacks, which ranks 40th in NFL history. He was an All-Pro selection in 1999, and he was a four-time Pro Bowler.
MISSES
Larry Bethea: Taken in 1978 by the Dallas Cowboys out of Michigan State. Bethea is a prime example of how tough it is to find a true miss at No. 28. He played six NFL seasons, which isn't bad. But he made just two starts and few big plays. He reportedly had drug problems and committed suicide in 1987.
No. 27 pick
Who picks here in 2015:Dallas Cowboys
Overview: It was a heck of a lot easier to find misses than hits among those picked No. 27. Still, one guy who went 27th is one of the best players in NFL history.
HITS
RB Neal Anderson: Taken in 1986 by the Chicago Bears out of Florida. Anderson had the unenviable task of trying to replace Walter Payton for the Bears, but he did have a stretch of three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (1988-90). He also was a four-time Pro Bowler who was one of the best receivers among backs during his time in the league.
RB Larry Johnson: Taken in 2003 by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Penn State. Johnson's run as one of the top backs in the league was short-lived, but he had back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons in 2005 and 2006; he had a combined 3,539 yards and 37 TDs in those two seasons, along with 115 receptions. He was an All-Pro pick in 2006 and also was a two-time Pro Bowler.
QB Dan Marino: Taken in 1983 by the Miami Dolphins out of Pittsburgh. Marino threw for 61,361 yards and 420 TDs, both third-most in NFL history, in his 17-year career, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
MISSES
WR Rae Carruth: Taken in 1997 by the Carolina Panthers out of Colorado. He lasted three seasons in the NFL, making 62 receptions, before he was sent to prison for his involvement in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend. He was so-so as a rookie, then did nothing in seasons two and three.
OT Aaron Gibson: Taken in 1999 by the Detroit Lions out of Wisconsin. He is one of the biggest players in NFL history (6-foot-7, 386 pounds), and one of the biggest busts. He played for three teams in five seasons, and the Lions traded him midway through his second season in the league. Gibson did start 16 games for the Bears in 2003 but played in just four games in 2004 and never again played in the NFL.
LB Todd Kelly: Taken in 1993 by the San Francisco 49ers out of Tennessee. He started six games in five seasons and played for three teams. He had 27 career tackles.
No. 26 pick
Who picks here in 2015:Baltimore Ravens
Overview: Another spot where picks have been more likely to bust than boom. Still, one player selected 26th already is in the Hall of Fame, and he should be joined by two more No. 26 picks.
HITS
G Joe DeLamielleure: Taken in 1973 by the Buffalo Bills out of Michigan State. He played 13 NFL seasons and was a full-time starter for 12 of them. He was a three-time All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
G Alan Faneca: Taken in 1998 by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of LSU. He played 13 NFL seasons and was active for 206 games in his career. He started 201 of those contests. He was a six-time All-Pro selection and a nine-time Pro Bowler and seems destined to become the second guard picked 26th overall to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
LB Ray Lewis: Taken in 1996 by the Baltimore Ravens out of Miami. Lewis was one of the best players of his era and is a Hall of Fame lock. He played for 17 seasons and was a seven-time All-Pro pick; in addition, he was a 13-time Pro Bowler.
MISSES
QB Jim Druckenmiller: Taken in 1997 by the San Francisco out of Virginia Tech. He was 21-of-52 for one TD and four picks in two seasons, which covered parts of six games.
RB Reggie Dupard: Taken in 1986 by the New England Patriots out of SMU. He played six seasons in the NFL, rushing for a total of 704 yards and six TDs. He averaged 3.2 yards per carry, and four times he had 37 or fewer carries in a season.
DE Erik Flowers: Taken in 2000 by the Buffalo Bills out of Arizona State. The pick raised a few eyebrows at the time, and the eyebrow-raisers were right -- Flowers started just six games in five seasons for three teams and finished with five career sacks.
No. 25 pick
Who picks here in 2015:Carolina Panthers
Overview: As with pick 26, there have been busts galore at this spot. Indeed, there have been far more misses than hits at No. 25.
HITS
LB Jon Beason: Taken in 2007 by the Carolina Panthers out of Miami. He has battled injury issues of late, but he was an All-Pro pick in 2008 and also is a three-time Pro Bowler. Beason had 100 solo tackles in his of each his first three seasons and five times has had 100 overall tackles.
WR Stanley Morgan: Taken in 1977 by the New England Patriots out of Tennessee. He was one of the best deep threats of his era, and he averaged at least 20 yards per reception in each of his first six seasons. He caught more than 50 passes just twice in his 14-year career, but he had 72 career TD receptions and was a four-time Pro Bowler.
DT Ted Washington: Taken in 1991 by the San Francisco 49ers out of Louisville. He lasted 17 NFL seasons and played at a high level for seven teams. He was an All-Pro pick in 2001 and was a four-time Pro Bowler. He started 204 games in his career. Washington was a force in the middle against the run, but he also managed 34.5 career sacks while playing almost all of his career at 350-plus pounds.
MISSES
RB Terrence Flagler: Taken in 1987 by the San Francisco 49ers out of Clemson. He lasted five seasons in the NFL, but started just one game and finished with 237 career rushing yards. Most of his action came as a kick returner.
DE Jon Harris: Taken in 1997 by the Philadelphia Eagles out of Virginia. He was a big dude (6-7, 300), but never really stood out at Virginia (he started just eight games for the Cavaliers) and had two sacks in two seasons for the Eagles.
OT Billy Milner: Taken in 1995 by the Miami Dolphins out of Houston. He started nine games as a rookie, then was traded in the middle of the '96 season to the St. Louis Rams, who cut him at the end of that campaign. He never again played in the NFL
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
