This week, College Football 24/7 takes a division-by-division look at the best and worst all-time NFL draft picks for every team, concluding today with the AFC South and NFC South teams.
For this exercise, where a player was selected in the draft and the sum of their NFL accomplishments (or, lack thereof) were taken into account.
Atlanta Falcons
Best pick:Jeff Van Note (1969 NFL Draft, Round 11, No. 262 overall)
The lowdown: It would be easy to pick Deion Sanders here, but Sanders lasted just five seasons in Atlanta. If we're talking true draft value, then we have to go with Van Note. Van Note -- who was drafted as a linebacker but was eventually moved to center -- played 18 seasons for the Falcons and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. Van Note played 246 games in the trenches and missed just four.
Worst pick:Aundray Bruce (1988 NFL Draft, Round 1, No. 1 overall)
The lowdown: In a draft that featured five future Pro Football Hall of Famers -- Tim Brown, Michael Irvin, Randall McDaniel, Thurman Thomas and Dermontti Dawson -- and a number of hall-of-very-good players -- Neil Smith, Sterling Sharpe, Chris Spielman, among others -- the Falcons chose Bruce. Bruce played four seasons for the Falcons and registered 16 sacks. He was eventually moved to tight end (he caught one pass for the Falcons).
Carolina Panthers
Best pick:Cam Newton (2011 NFL Draft, Round 1, No. 1 overall)
The lowdown: The Panthers were able to look past Newton's "fake smile" and made the 2010 Heisman winner and national champ from Auburn the top pick. While the Panthers have featured talented players such as Steve Smith, Julius Peppers and Luke Kuechly, it is Newton who makes the Panthers nationally relevant. Galvanized by Newton's MVP season in 2015, the Panthers posted a franchise-best 15-1 regular-season record and reached their second Super Bowl.
Worst pick:Jason Peter (1998 NFL Draft, Round 1, No. 14 overall)
The lowdown: During the franchise's formative years in the mid to late 1990s, the Panthers swung and missed on a number of first-round draft picks (Kerry Collins in 1995, Tshimanga "Tim" Biakabutuka in 1996 and Rae Carruth in 1997). That disappointing run of first-rounders continued with Peter. Peter lasted just four forgettable seasons in Carolina, starting 20 games and registering 7.5 sacks.
New Orleans Saints
Best pick:Marques Colston (2006 NFL Draft, Round 7, No. 252 overall)
The lowdown: Colston was three picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant in the 2006 draft when the Saints took the little-known receiver from Hofstra. Colston capped what was one of the best team draft classes in recent years. As a rookie, Colston posted the first of six 1,000-yard receiving seasons as the Saints rose from the ashes to become a contender. Colston was also a vital part of the Saints team that prevailed in Super Bowl XLIV. Colston played 10 seasons for the Saints, and is the team's all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Worst pick:Russell Erxleben (1979 NFL Draft, Round 1, No. 11 overall)
The lowdown: In the midst of a run of 20 consecutive non-winning seasons from the franchise's inception in 1967 to 1986, the talent-deprived Saints burned a first-round selection on kicker/punter. Erxleben lasted just five seasons with the Saints. In that 1979 draft, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow was selected by the San Diego Chargers two picks after Erxleben went to the Saints. Also in that 1979 draft, the San Francisco 49ers picked Joe Montana at No. 82 overall, and Montana would spend much of his career torching the then-NFC West division rival Saints.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best pick:Derrick Brooks (1995 NFL Draft, Round 1, No. 28 overall)
The lowdown: In 1995, the Buccaneers became the second team in league history to draft two future Pro Football Hall of Famers in the same round in the same draft. In 1965, the Chicago Bears drafted Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers at No. 3 and 4 overall, respectively. While that dynamic duo was unable to lift the Bears to on-field success, the Buccaneers' two first-rounders 30 years later helped elevate the franchise out of mediocrity. Before the Buccaneers drafted Brooks, the team selected Warren Sapp with the No. 12 overall pick. With that tandem, the Buccaneers' defense emerged as one of the league's finest; it ranked No. 1 in the NFL during the team's run toward victory in Super Bowl XXXVII (in which Brooks had a game-clinching pick six). During that 2002 season, Brooks was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Worst pick:Bo Jackson (1986 NFL Draft, Round 1, No. 1 overall)
The lowdown: Jackson has the unique distinction for showing up as both a "best pick" and "worst pick" in this exercise. This selection isn't a knock on Jackson, who ultimately chose to pursue a baseball career with the Kansas City Royals. This is about Tampa Bay picking Jackson even though the 1985 Heisman winner indicated that he didn't want to play for the Buccaneers. Jackson never signed with the team and re-entered the NFL draft a year later, when he was selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Raiders.
Follow Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.
