The 2026 NFL draft will be held in Pittsburgh from April 23-25. Ninety years ago, the first NFL selection process was held. The first pick was Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago. He went to another team from the Keystone State, the Philadelphia Eagles. Berwanger never played a down in the NFL.
The Las Vegas Raiders have the first selection in the 2026 draft and are hoping for better results. All signs point to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza being the first overall selection.
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What other players would he join as the first pick in an NFL draft, what year were they taken, and by what team?
1936
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Player: Jay Berwanger
Position: Back
1937
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Player: Sam Francis
Position: Fullback
1938:
Team: Cleveland Rams
Player: Corby Davis
Position: Blocking back
1939
Team: Chicago Cardinals
Player: Ki Aldrich
Position: Center
1940
Team: Chicago Cardinals
Player: George Cafago
Position: Fullback
1941
Team: Chicago Bears
Player: Tom Harmon
Position: Halfback
1942
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Player: Bill Dudley
Position: Halfback
1943
Team: Detroit Lions
Player: Frankie Sinwich
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Position: Back
1944
Team: Boston Yanks
Player: Angelo Bertelli
Position: Quarterback
1945
Team: Chicago Cardinals
Player: Charlie Trippi
Position: Halfback
1946
Team: Boston Yanks
Player: Boley Dancewicz
Position: Quarterback
1947
Team: Chicago Bears
Player: Bob Fenimore
Position: Halfback
1948
Team: Washington
Player: Harry Gilmer
Position: Quarterback
1949
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Player: Chuck Bednarik
Position: Linebacker
1950
Team: Detroit Lions
Player: Leon Hart
Position: End
1951
Team: New York Giants
Player: Kyle Rote
Position: End
1952
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Player: Billy Wade
Position: Quarterback
1953
Team: San Francisco 49ers
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Player: Harry Babcock
Position: End
1954
Team: Cleveland Browns
Player: Bobby Garrett
Position: Quarterback
1955
Team: Baltimore Colts
Player: George Shaw
Position: Quarterback
1956
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Player: Gary Glick
Position: Defensive back
1957
Team: Green Bay Packers
Player: Paul Hornung
Position: Running back
1958
Team: Chicago Cardinals
Player: King Hill
Position: Quarterback
1959
Team: Green Bay Packers
Player: Randy Duncan
Position: Quarterback
1960
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Player: Billy Cannon
Position: Tight end
1961
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Player: Tommy Mason
Position: Running back
1962
Team: Washington
Player: Ernie Davis
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Position: Running back
1963
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Player: Terry Baker
Position: Quarterback
1964
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Player: Dave Parks
Position: Split end
1965
Team: New York Giants
Player: Tucker Frederickson
Position: Running back
1966
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Player: Tommy Nobis
Position: Linebacker
1967
Team: Baltimore Colts
Player: Bubba Smith
Position: Defensive end
1968
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Player: Ron Yary
Position: Offensive tackle
1969
Team: Buffalo Bills
Player: O.J. Simpson
Position: Running back
1970
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Player: Terry Bradshaw
Position: Quarterback
1971
Team: New England Patriots
Player: Jim Plunkett
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Position: Quarterback
1972
Team: Buffalo Bills
Player: Walt Patulski
Position: Defensive end
1973
Team: Houston Oilers
Player: John Matuszak
Position: Defensive end
1974
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Player: Too Tall Jones
Position: Defensive end
1975
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Player: Steve Bartkowski
Position: Quarterback
1976
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Player: Lee Roy Selmon
Position: DE
1977
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Player: Ricky Bell
Position: Running back
1978
Team: Houston Oilers
Player: Earl Campbell
Position: Running back
1979
Team: Buffalo Bills
Player: Tom Cousineau
Position: Linebacker
1980
Team: Detroit Lions
Player: Billy Sims
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Position: Running back
1981
Team: New Orleans Saints
Player: George Rogers
Position: Running back
1982
Team: New England Patriots
Player: Kenneth Sims
Position: Defensive end
1983
Team: Baltimore Colts
Player: John Elway
Position: Quarterback
1984
Team: New England Patriots
Player: Irving Fryar
Position: Wide receiver
1985
Team: Buffalo Bills
Player: Bruce Smith
Position: Defensive end
1986
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Player: Bo Jackson
Position: Running back
1987
Team: Tampa Bay Buccanneers
Player: Vinny Testaverde
Position: Quarterback
1988
Team: Alanta Falcons
Player: Aundray Bruce
Position: Linebacker
1989
Team: Dallas Cowboys
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Player: Troy Aikman
Position: Quarterback
1990
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Player: Jeff George
Position: Quarterback
1991
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Player: Russell Maryland
Position: Defensive tackle
1992
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Player: Steve Emtman
Position: Defensive end
1993
Team: New England Patriots
Player: Drew Bledsoe
Position: Quarterback
1994
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Player: Dan Wilkinson
Position: Defensive tackle
1995
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Player: Ki-Jana Carter
Position: Running back
1996
Team: New York Jets
Player: Keyshawn Johnson
Position: Wide receiver
1997
Team: St. Louis Rams
Player: Orlando Pace
Position: Offensive tackle
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1998
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Player: Peyton Manning
Position: Quarterback
1999
Team: Cleveland Browns
Player: Tim Couch
Position: Quarterback
2000
Team: Cleveland Browns
Player: Courtney Brown
Position: Defensive end
2001
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Player: Michael Vick
Position: Quarterback
2002
Team: Houston Texans
Player: David Carr
Position: Quarterback
2003
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Player: Carson Palmer
Position: Quarterback
2004
Team: San Diego Chargers
Player: Eli Manning
Position: Quarterback
2005
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Player: Alex Smith
Position: Quarterback
2006
Team: Houston Texans
Player: Mario Williams
Position: Defensive end
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2007
Team: Oakland Raiders
Player: JaMarcus Russell
Position: Quarterback
2008
Team: Miami Dolphins
Player: Jake Long
Position: Offensive tackle
2009
Team: Detroit Lions
Player: Matthew Stafford
Position: Quarterback
2010
Team: St. Louis Rams
Player: Sam Bradford
Position: Quarterback
2011
Team: Carolina Panthers
Player: Cam Newton
Position: Quarterback
2012
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Player: Andrew Luck
Position: Quarterback
2013
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Player: Eric Fisher
Position: Offensive tackle
2014
Team: Houston Texans
Player: Jadeveon Clowney
Position: Defensive tackle
2015
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Player: Jameis Winston
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Position: Quarterback
2016
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Player: Jared Goff
Position: Quarterback
2017
Team: Cleveland Browns
Player: Myles Garrett
Position: Defensive end
2018
Team: Cleveland Browns
Player: Baker Mayfield
Position: Quarterback
2019
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Player: Kyler Murray
Position: Quarterback
2020
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Player: Joe Burrow
Position: Quarterback
2021
Team: Jacksonvills Jaguars
Player: Trevor Lawrence
Position: Quarterback
2022
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Player: Tavon Walker
Position: Defensive end
2023
Team: Carolina Panthers
Player: Bryce Young
Position: Quarterback
2024
Team: Chicago Bears
Player: Caleb Williams
Position: Quarterback
2025
Team: Tennessee Titans
Player: Cam Ward
Position: Quarterback
This article originally appeared on The List Wire: Every NFL draft first overall pick in history