A Look at the NFL Number One Draft Picks from 2005-2008

With the upcoming NFL 2009 draft, as well as the news that upcoming number one draft pick Matt Stafford has signed a 6-year, $78 million dollar deal with the Detroit Lions, I thought it might be interesting to see how previous overall NFL number one draft picks have fared. So what you will find below are simply a quick summary of how well the NFL number one draft picks from 2005 through 2008 have performed. I try to keep my opinions to a minimum and instead simply present the facts and statistics. Enjoy!

2008 NFL Draft - Jake Long (Offensive Tackle) to the Miami Dolphins
Jake Long seemed to have a good year. He started in all 16 games in the regular season for the Miami Dolphins, was nominated for rookie of the week in week 10, and became the first number one draft pick since 1981 to be selected to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year.

2007 NFL Draft - JaMarcus Russell (Quarterback) to the Oakland Raiders
Due to his holdout during contract negotiations, JaMarcus Russell missed out on the 2007 Oakland Raider's training camp and would not play until December. He would end the 2007 season having played in four games with a quarterback rating of 55.9, a completion percentage of 54.5%, with two touchdowns and four interceptions. Named the starter for the Oakland Raiders for the 2008 season, JaMarcus Russell would play in 15 games and end the season with a quarterback rating of 77.1, a completion percentage of 53.8%, with 13 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

2006 NFL Draft - Mario Williams (Defensive End) to the Houston Texans
In his rookie year, Mario Williams recorded 47 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and one forced fumble playing in all sixteen games with the Houston Texans. In the 2006 NFL season, Mario Williams improved his statistics by recording 59 tackles, 14 sacks, and two forced fumbles, and added a defensive touchdown. In 2008, Mario Williams recorded 53 tackles, 12 sacks, and forced four fumbles as well as being selected to his first Pro Bowl.

2005 NFL Draft - Alex Smith (Quarterback) to the San Francisco 49ers
In his first season, Alex Smith played in nine games with a quarterback rating of 40.8, a completion percentage of 50.9%, with one touchdown and throwing 11 interceptions. His second year is currently his best, having started all 16 games with the 49ers and recording a quarterback rating of 74.8, a completion percentage of 58.1%, and throwing 16 touchdowns and interceptions. Unfortunately, in the 2007 season Alex Smith suffered a shoulder injury against the Seattle Seahawks and a controversy would develop between Alex Smith and then head coach Mike Nolan regarding the extent of his injury. As a result, Alex Smith's performance suffered. At the end of the season, he had played nine games and recorded a quarterback rating of 57.2, a completion percentage of 48.7%, threw two touchdowns and four interceptions, and would end the season on injured reserve. Finally during the 2008 season, he was still placed on injured reserve from complications due to his shoulder injury.