Quarterback

2012- Andrew Luck 1st

2011- Cam Newton 1st 

2010- Sam Bradford 1st

2009- Matt Stafford 1^st

2008- Matt Ryan 3^rd

2007- JaMarcus Russell 1^st

2006- Vince Young 3^rd

2005- Alex Smith 1^st

2004- Eli Manning 1^st

2003- Carson Palmer 1^st

2002- David Carr 1^st

2001- Michael Vick 1^st

2000- Chad Pennington 18^th

1999- Tim Couch 1^st

1998- Peyton Manning 1^st

1997- Jim Druckenmiller 26^th

1996- Tony Banks 42^nd

1995- Steve McNair 3^rd

1994- Heath Shuler 3^rd

1993- Drew Bledsoe 1^st

10/20

Average pick: 5.55

Running back

2012- Trent Richardson 3rd

2011- Mark Ingram 28th

2010- CJ Spiller 9th

2009- Knowshon Moreno 12^th

2008- Darren McFadden 4^th

2007- Adrian Peterson 7^th

2006- Reggie Bush 2^nd

2005- Ronnie Brown 2^nd

2004- Steven Jackson 24^th

2003- Willis McGahee 23^rd

2002- William Green 16^th

2001- LaDainian Tomlinson 5^th

2000- Jamal Lewis 5^th

1999- Edgerrin James 3^rd

1998- Curtis Enis 8^th

1997- Warrick Dunn 12^th

1996- Lawrence Phillips 6^th

1995- Ki-Jana Carter 1^st

1994- Marshall Faulk 2^nd

1993- Garrison Hearst 3^rd

11/20

Average pick: 8.75

Wide Receiver

2012- Justin Blackmon 5th

2011- AJ Green 4th 

2010- DeMaryius Thomas 22nd

2009- Darrius Heyward Bey 7^th

2008- Donnie Avery 33^rd

2007- Calvin Johnson 2^nd

2006- Santonio Holmes 25^th

2005- Braylon Edwards 3^rd

2004- Larry Fitzgerald 3^rd

2003- Charles Rogers 2^nd

2002- Donte Stallworth 12^th

2001- David Terrell 8^th

2000- Peter Warrick 4^th

1999- Torry Holt 6^th

1998- Kevin Dyson 16^th

1997- Ike Hilliard 7^th

1996- Keyshawn Johnson 1^st

1995- Michael Westbrook 4^th

1994- Charles Johnson 17^th

1993- Curtis Conway 7^th

7/20

Average pick: 9.9

Offensive Tackle

2012- Matt Kalil 4th

2011- Tyron Smith 9th

2010- Trent Williams 4th

2009- Jason Smith 2^nd

2008- Jake Long 1^st

2007- Joe Thomas 3^rd

2006- D’Brickashaw Ferguson 4^th

2005- Jamaal Brown 13^th

2004- Robert Gallery 2^nd

2003- Jordan Gross 8^th

2002- Mike Williams 4^th

2001- Leonard Davis 2^nd

2000- Chris Samuels 4^th

1999- John Tait 14^th

1998- Kyle Turley 7^th

1997- Orlando Pace 1^st

1996- Jonathan Ogden 4^th

1995- Tony Boselli 2^nd

1994- Bernard Williams 14^th

1993- William Roaf 8^th

13/20

Average pick: 5.5

Defensive End

2012- Bruce Irvin 15th

2011- Marcell Dareus 3rd

2010- Brandon Graham 13th

2009- Tyson Jackson 3^rd

2008- Chris Long 2^nd

2007- Gaines Adams 4^th

2006- Mario Williams 1^st

2005- Erasmus James 18^th

2004- Will Smith 18^th

2003- Terrell Suggs 10^th

2002- Julius Peppers 2^nd

2001- Justin Smith 4^th

2000- Courtney Brown 1^st

1999- Jevon Kearse 16^th

1998- Andre Wadsworth 3^rd

1997- Kenard Lang 17^th

1996- Simeon Rice 3^rd

1995- Kevin Carter 6^th

1994- Joe Johnson 13^th

1993- John Copeland 5^th

11/20

Average pick: 7.85

Defensive Tackle

2012- Dontari Poe 11th

2011- Nick Fairley 13th

2010- Ndamukong Suh 2nd 

2009- BJ Raji 9^th

2008- Glenn Dorsey 5^th

2007- Amobi Okoye 10^th

2006- Haloti Ngata 12^th

2005- Travis Johnson 16^th

2004- Tommie Harris 14^th

2003- DeWayne Robertson 4^th

2002- Ryan Sims 6^th

2001- Gerard Warren 3^rd

2000- Corey Simon 6^th

1999- Anthony McFarland 15^th

1998- Jason Peter 14^th

1997- Darrell Russell 2^nd

1996- Daryl Gardener 20^th

1995- Derrick Alexander 11^th

1994- Dan Wilkinson 1^st

1993- Leonard Renfro 24^th

6/20

Average pick: 9.9

Linebackers

2012- Luke Kuechly 9th

2011- Von Miller 2nd 

2010- Rolando McClain 8th

2009- Aaron Curry 4^th

2008- Keith Rivers 9^th

2007- Patrick Willis 11^th

2006- AJ Hawk 5^th

2005- DeMarcus Ware 12^th

2004- Jonathan Vilma 12^th

2003- Nick Barnett 29^th

2002- Napoleon Harris 23^rd

2001- Dan Morgan 11^th

2000- LaVar Arrington 2^nd

1999- Chris Claiborne 9^th

1998- Keith Brooking 12^th

1997- Peter Boulware 4^th

1996- Kevin Hardy 2^nd

1995- Mark Fields 13^th

1994- Willie McGinest 4^th

1993- Marvin Jones 4^th

12/20

Average pick: 9.25

Cornerback

2012- Morris Claiborne 6th

2011- Patrick Peterson 5th 

2010- Joe Haden 7th

2009- Malcolm Jenkins 14^th

2008- Leodis McKelvin 11^th

2007- Darrelle Revis 14^th

2006- Tye Hill 16^th

2005- Pacman Jones 6^th

2004- DeAngelo Hall 8^th

2003- Terence Newman 5^th

2002- Quentin Jammer 5^th

2001- Nate Clements 21^st

2000- Deltha O’Neal 15^th

1999- Champ Bailey 7^th

1998- Charles Woodson 4^th

1997- Shawn Springs 3^rd

1996- Alex Molden 11^th

1995- Tyrone Poole 22^nd

1994- Antonio Langham 9^th

1993- Tom Carter 17^th

8/20

Average pick: 10.1

One note, just because 13/20 offensive tackles made the Pro Bowl doesn’t mean offensive tackle is by far the safest pick. Offensive tackle do not have stats, really, so Pro Bowl voters, fans at home, normally go for the biggest name and vote them into the Pro Bowl. Who are the biggest names? Well, most likely they are the guys who were drafted higher.

I think this clearly gets rid of any misconceptions that quarterbacks bust more than any other position. Other than offensive tackle each position had between a 30% and a 60% Pro Bowl rate and an average pick of below 10.1. This shows two things.

First, having a top ten pick is not necessarily a gift. Second, it shows that, considering how often top ten picks bust, if you have a top ten pick and you need a quarterback, take one.

The quarterback position is, especially in today’s game, the most important position on the field by far. You’re making a huge risk picking in the top ten anyway. Might as well go all in for a quarterback if you need to.

In short, the next time you hear someone say “taking a quarterback in the top ten is risky.” Show them this and tell them that taking any player in the top ten is risky.

Not convinced that quarterbacks are necessary in the NFL. Take a look at this stat. 20 of the last 22 Super Bowl winning quarterbacks had made a Pro Bowl prior to winning the Super Bowl.

Not convinced that you need to take a quarterback in the first round to get a franchise quarterback, consider the fact that 9 of the 12 quarterbacks in the playoffs last year were drafted in the first 32 picks, and then read this, to see what happened to those quarterbacks drafted after the first round. It isn’t pretty.