- Joe Burrow is the highest-graded No. 1 pick: Burrow is unsurprisingly the best No. 1 overall pick of the last decade with a 95.3 career PFF grade.
- The Bosa brothers are the highest at their respective draft slots: Nick Bosa is the highest-graded No. 2 overall pick, while Joey Bosa is the best of No. 3 overall picks.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
It’s officially April, which means the NFL draft is right around the corner. First-round picks are always viewed as some of the teams’ most valuable assets, as there’s a chance a franchise can select a cornerstone player if they use it correctly.
Below are the highest-graded first-round picks at each draft slot over the course of the last decade.
1. QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (2020): 95.3
Burrow showed his legendary season at LSU in 2019 wasn’t a fluke, living up to the hype and then some since being drafted first overall five years ago. His 94.0 career passing grade is the best among all quarterbacks since 2020.
2. EDGE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers (2019): 93.4
Bosa was an instant star for the 49ers, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 before winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. His 17.2% career pressure rate is second among all edge defenders since 2019, trailing only Micah Parsons.
3. EDGE Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers (2016): 91.5
The elder Bosa brother has been limited by injuries the last three seasons, but he was phenomenal in his first six years with the Chargers. From 2016-2021, he was second among all edge defenders in pass-rush grade (92.7) and pass-rush win rate (20%). After spending nine seasons with the Chargers, Bosa signed with the Buffalo Bills this past season.
4. CB Sauce Gardner, New York Jets (2022): 90.7
Gardner has played like the best corner in football throughout his first three years. Since 2022, his 91.9 coverage grade is over two points higher than any other cornerback in football. Gardner’s 43 forced incompletions and 50.9% completion rate allowed are each the best in that span as well.
5. CB Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars (2016): 92.6
Ramsey was one of the better cornerback prospects in recent memory coming out of Florida State, and he’s shown why throughout his career. He’s been one of the 15 most valuable corners in the NFL in six of his nine seasons and one of the three most valuable in four of those, according to PFF’s wins above replacement metric.
6. QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (2020): 92.5
Herbert is coming off the highest-graded season of his career, placing fourth among quarterbacks with a 91.2 mark this past season. Since being drafted in 2020, his 139 big-time throws trail only Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
7. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (2018): 94.5
It took a couple seasons, but Allen has become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The reigning MVP has had 90.0-plus PFF grades in each of the last five seasons, and his 96.5 grade in that span is the best among all quarterbacks.
8. RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers (2017): 94.6
McCaffrey has been one of, if not the best, running backs in the NFL throughout his career. His 94.6 career grade trails only Derrick Henry since 2017, and he’s second in receiving yards (4,504).
9. DI Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles (2023): 83.5
Carter was seen as a top-five prospect in the 2023 draft but fell to ninth due to off-field reasons. He’s been a dominant pass-rusher in that span, placing fourth among all interior defenders with an 89.3 pass-rushing grade over the last two seasons. The only three who are higher are Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence and Aaron Donald.
10. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (2017): 96.1
The Chiefs took a home-run swing by trading up to select Mahomes, and they hit a grand slam. He’s already seen as a challenger to Tom Brady’s GOAT status after leading the Chiefs to three Super Bowl wins, five Super Bowl appearances while winning two MVP awards in just seven years as a starter. Mahomes’ 96.1 career grade is the best among all quarterbacks since 2017.
11. WR Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (2022): 89.1
Olave has been one of the 16 highest-graded wideouts in the NFL in each of his first three seasons. He produces at a high level despite dealing with less than ideal quarterback play, mainly due to his superb route-running. Olave’s separation rate against single coverage since 2023 is in the 91st percentile of all receivers.
12. EDGE Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (2021): 93.8
Parsons played off-ball linebacker at Penn State but transitioned to edge defender with the Cowboys. It was a move that paid dividends, as he leads all edge defenders with a 19.7% pressure rate since 2021 while placing second in pass-rush grade in pass-rush win rate.
13. OT Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020): 91.5
Wirfs has been one of the 10 highest-graded offensive tackles in the NFL in every one of his five seasons. That’s made even more impressive by the fact that he flipped over to left tackle from the right side this past season. Wirfs’ 2.4% career pressure rate allowed is the best in the NFL since 2020.
14. OG Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons (2019): 93.4
Lindstrom has pretty easily been the best guard in football over the course of his career. His 93.4 career PFF grade is the best among all guards by five points, while his 93.5 run-blocking grade is the best by nearly seven points.
15. S Malik Hooker, Indianapolis Colts (2017): 84.3
Hooker spent his first four seasons with the Colts before spending the last four with the Cowboys. He’s been one of the 20 highest-graded safeties thrice in his career with 14 interceptions.
16. CB Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens (2017): 88.8
Humphrey has been a constant in Baltimore’s secondary and is coming off the highest-graded season of his career, placing seventh among all cornerbacks with a 79.0 mark. He’s a ballhawk with 19 interceptions and 15 forced fumbles throughout his career so far.
17. DI Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants (2019): 91.8
Lawrence has lived in opposing backfields over the last three seasons. His 93.4 PFF grade since 2022 is the best among all defensive tackles and he’s the only interior defender with 90.0-plus grades as a pass rusher and as a run defender.
18. CB Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers (2018): 91.3
Alexander has been remarkably consistent at a position that’s the most volatile year over year, grading above a 70.0 in each of his first seven seasons. His peak came in 2020 when he led all corners with a 90.7 PFF grade.
19. EDGE Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams (2024): 89.3
The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year already looks like a cornerstone for the Rams’ defense. His 76 pressures were fourth among all edge defenders last season 20% pass-rush win rate was fifth.
20. C Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions (2018): 89.6
Ragnow played left guard for the Lions as a rookie before moving to center for the last six years. It was a move that paid off, as his 91.7 grade since 2019 is second among all centers in football.
21. CB Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs (2022): 90.1
McDuffie has been one of the league’s three most valuable cornerbacks in each of the past two seasons, according to PFF’s wins above replacement metric. His 85.4 coverage grade since 2023 is also fifth among all corners. He’s a versatile chess-piece for Kansas City’s secondary who can thrive on the outside or in the slot.
22. WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (2020): 93.4
Jefferson had concerns coming out of LSU on whether he can win on the outside and if he could be a true No. 1 receiver since he played second-fiddle to Ja’Marr Chase with the Tigers. Now that he and Chase are the two highest-paid wideouts in the league, he’s answered those questions and then some. Jefferson’s 7,432 career receiving yards are 648 more than any other player in NFL history through their first five seasons.
23. OT Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings (2021): 90.4
Minnesota nailed two first-round picks in a row by selecting Jefferson and Darrisaw. The latter’s 91.7 PFF grade since 2022 ranks fourth among all tackles in the league, and he’s earned 85.0-plus grades as both a pass and run blocker in that span.
24. RB Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders (2019): 94.5
Jacobs has been one of the three highest-graded running backs in the NFL in three of his first six seasons. The current Green Bay Packer trails only Derrick Henry with 362 forced missed tackles and 4,971 yards after contact since being drafted in 2019.
25. WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers (2020): 90.6
Aiyuk’s future with the San Francisco 49ers remains in doubt, but what’s been a constant throughout his career is that he’s one of the better wideouts in football. In 2023, he finished as the second-highest-graded wide receiver in the league, earning a 91.5 mark.
26. EDGE Montez Sweat, Washington Commanders (2019): 82.4
Sweat has been an all-around player throughout his career with the Commanders and Chicago Bears. Since 2020, his 248 pressures are a top-15 mark among all edge rushers, while his 86.5 run-defense grade ranks fourth.
27. DI Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers (2016): 88.4
Clark’s play has notably taken a dip recently, as he’s coming off the three lowest-graded seasons of his career. Before that, though, he was one of the best interior penetrators in the game. Across 2017 and 2018, his 90.8 PFF grade ranked tied for sixth among all defensive tackles in the game.
28. WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs (2024): 71.8
The record-holder for the fastest 40-yard dash in combine history, Worthy proved to be an electric playmaker for the Chiefs in his rookie season. Across the regular season and playoffs, his four touchdown catches on deep throws were tied for fifth among all receivers in the league.
29. TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (2017): 72.1
Njoku has been one of the better tight ends throughout his career, especially with the ball in his hands. His 2,018 yards after the catch since being drafted in 2017 stand sixth among all tight ends. Njoku’s also tied for seventh in that same span with 59 contested catches.
30. EDGE T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers (2017): 93.4
When your older brother is J.J. Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, it can be hard to emerge from his shadow and establish a name for yourself. Not only has T.J. Watt done just that, but he has also been one of the league’s most feared defenders. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year leads all edge defenders with 129.5 sacks and 26 forced fumbles since 2019, while his 67 tackles for loss/no gain are second.
31. RB Sony Michel, New England Patriots (2018): 76.4
It was a short five-year career for Michel, but he was an effective back in the NFL, especially during his time with the Patriots. His 80.5 PFF grade from 2018-2020 was a top-20 mark among all running backs in the league.
32. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (2018): 93.3
The Ravens traded up to the final pick of the first round in 2018 so that they could select Jackson and secure a fifth-year option on his rookie contract. It’s fair to say that move worked out well for Baltimore, as Jackson is already the greatest quarterback in franchise history. He has two MVP awards to his name at just 28 years old and already has the most career rushing yards by a quarterback (6,173).
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