The All-Time Second-Round NFL Draft Team
Including 15 Hall of Famers
Photo courtesy of the New England Patriots
The second has always been my favorite round of the NFL draft.
That’s where teams can find first-round values at reduced prices. In the first round, teams look for the perfect prospects – the players with the desirable measurables that give them the best chance to succeed at the next level. But in the second round they can find equally talented players but with a flaw – either the player lacks the idea height (Drew Brees)…or the ideal speed (Anquan Boldin)…or has an injury history (Thurman Thomas)…or comes from a small school (Willie Lanier). Production weighs heavier than measurables in this round.
The all-time second-round NFL draft team features all of the above and more. The 26-member team includes 17 Hall of Famers, 14 players selected to all-decade teams and eight who were chosen to the NFL’s 100th anniversary team. Two more players are waiting to become eligible for the Hall of Fame to claim their gold jackets, Brees and tight the Rob Gronkowski. The players on this second-round team went to a combined 164 Pro Bowls.
Here is the all-time second-round NFL draft team, including the franchise each was drafted by and the year:
QB Drew Brees, San Diego 2001, NFL’s #2 all-time leading passer
HB Thurman Thomas, Buffalo 1988, Hall of Fame, 1991 NFL MVP
FB Jim Taylor, Green Bay 1958, Hall of Fame 1962 NFL MVP
WR Lance Alworth, San Diego 1962, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
WR Isaac Bruce, St. Louis Rams, 1994, Hall of Fame, 8 1,000-yard seasons, 80 TDs
TE Rob Gronkowski, New England 2010, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
T Ralph Neely, Dallas 1965, 1960s NFL all-decade team
T Dan Dierdorf, St. Louis Cardinals 1971, Hall of Fame, 1970s NFL all-decade team
G Larry Allen, Dallas 1994, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
G Ed White, Minnesota 1969, 17 seasons, 4 Pro Bowls, 210 starts
C Dwight Stephenson, Miami 1980, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
DE Gino Marchetti, Dallas Texans 1952, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
DE Michael Strahan, NY Giants 1993, Hall of Fame, 2000s NFL all-decade team
DT Curley Culp, Kansas City 1968, Hall of Fame, 1975 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
DT Doug English, Detroit 1975, 10 seasons, 4 Pro Bowls, 55 ½ sacks
OLB Jack Ham, Pittsburgh 1971, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
MLB Willie Lanier, Kansas City 1967, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
OLB Ted Hendricks, Baltimore Colts 1969, Hall of Fame, NFL’s 100th anniversary team
CB Lem Barney, Detroit 1967, Hall of Fame, 1960s NFL all-decade team
CB Mel Renfro, Dallas 1964, 14 seasons, Hall of Fame, 52 interceptions
S Paul Krause, Washington 1964, Hall of Fame, NFL’s all-time leading interceptor
S LeRoy Butler, Green Bay 1990, Hall of Fame, 1990s NFL all-decade team
K Jason Hanson, Detroit 1992, NFL’s fourth all-time leading scorer
P Rohn Stark, Baltimore Colts 1982, 3-time NFL punting champion
KR Henry Ellard, LA Rams 1983, 197 career punt returns, 4 TDs
ST Matt Blair, Minnesota 1974, Pro Bowl LB, 20 blocked kicks
You can read the All-Time Draft Teams here:
