At High School Football America, we celebrate the roots of football’s greatest stars, and there’s no better place to start than the No. 1 overall picks of the NFL Draft. From the first draft in 1936 to last year in Detroit, Michigan, many of the No. 1’s have risen from their local high school fields to the pinnacle of professional football. Below is a detailed chart of every overall No. 1 pick that reveals not only the evolution of the NFL, but also the high schools that shaped these athletes.
| Year | Name | Position | High School/State | NFL Team |
| 2024 | Caleb Williams | QB | Gonzaga (District of Columbia) | Chicago Bears |
| 2023 | Bryce Young | QB | Mater Dei (CA) | Carolina Panthers |
| 2022 | Travon Walker | LB | Upson-Lee (GA) | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2021 | Trevor Lawrence | QB | Cartersville (GA) | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2020 | Joe Burrow | QB | Athens (OH) | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2019 | Kyler Murray | QB | Allen (TX) | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2018 | Baker Mayfield | QB | Lake Travis (TX) | Cleveland Browns |
| 2017 | Myles Garrett | DE | Arlington Martin (TX) | Cleveland Browns |
| 2016 | Jared Goff | QB | Marin Catholic (CA) | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2015 | Jameis Winston | QB | Hueytown (AL) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2014 | Jadeveon Clowney | DE | South Pointe (SC) | Houston Texans |
| 2013 | Eric Fisher | OT | Stoney Creek (MI) | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2012 | Andrew Luck | QB | Stratford (TX) | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2011 | Cam Newton | QB | Westlake (GA) | Carolina Panthers |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford | QB | Putnam City North (OK) | St. Louis Rams |
| 2009 | Matthew Stafford | QB | Highland Park (TX) | Detroit Lions |
| 2008 | Jake Long | OT | Lapeer North (MI) | Miami Dolphins |
| 2007 | JaMarcus Russell | QB | Williamson (AL) | Oakland Raiders |
| 2006 | Mario Williams | DE | Richlands (NC) | Houston Texans |
| 2005 | Alex Smith | QB | Helix (CA) | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2004 | Eli Manning | QB | Isadore Newman (LA) | San Diego Chargers |
| 2003 | Carson Palmer | QB | Santa Margarita (CA) | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2002 | David Carr | QB | Clements (TX) | Houston Texans |
| 2001 | Michael Vick | QB | Ferguson (VA) | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2000 | Courtney Brown | DE | Macdeonia (SC) | Cleveland Browns |
| 1999 | Tim Couch | QB | Leslie County (KY) | Cleveland Browns |
| 1998 | *Peyton Manning | QB | Isadore Newman (LA) | Indianapolis Colts |
| 1997 | *Orlando Pace | OT | Sandusky (OH) | St. Louis Rams |
| 1996 | Keyshawn Johnson | WR | Dorsey (CA) | New York Jets |
| 1995 | Ki-Jana Carter | RB | Westerville South (OH) | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1994 | Dan Wilkinson | DT | Dunbar (OH) | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1993 | Drew Bledsoe | QB | Walla Walla (WA) | New England Patriots |
| 1992 | Steve Emtman | DT | Cheney (WA) | Indianapolis Colts |
| 1991 | Russell Maryland | DT | Whitney Young (IL) | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1990 | Jeff George | QB | Warren Central (IN) | Indianapolis Colts |
| 1989 | *Troy Aikman | QB | Henryetta (OK) | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1988 | Aundray Bruce | LB | Carver (Montogmery, AL) | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1987 | Vinny Testaverde | QB | Sewankaka (NY) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1986 | Bo Jackson | RB | McAdory (AL) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1985 | Bruce Smith | DE | Booker T. Washington (VA) | Buffalo Bills |
| 1984 | Irving Fryar | WR | Rancocas Valley (NJ) | New England Patriots |
| 1983 | *John Elway | QB | Granada Hills (CA) | Baltimore Colts |
| 1982 | Kenneth Sims | DT | Groesbeck (TX) | New England Patriots |
| 1981 | George Rogers | RB | Duluth (GA) | New Orleans Saints |
| 1980 | Bill Sims | RB | Hooks (TX) | Detroit Lions |
| 1979 | Tom Cousineau | LB | St. Edward (OH) | Buffalo Bills |
| 1978 | *Earl Campbell | RB | John Tyler (TX) | Houston Oilers |
| 1977 | Ricky Bell | RB | Fremont (CA) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1976 | *Lee Roy Selmon | DE | Eufaula (OK) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1975 | Steve Bartkowski | QB | Buchser (CA) | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1974 | Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones | DE | Jackson Central Merry (TN) | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1973 | John Matuszak | DE | Oak Creek (WI) | Houston Oilers |
| 1972 | Walt Patulski | DT | Christian Brothers Academy (NY) | Buffalo Bills |
| 1971 | Jim Plunkett | QB | James Lick (CA) | New England Patriots |
| 1970 | *Terry Bradshaw | QB | Woodlawn (LA) | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1969 | *O.J. Simpson | RB | Galileo (CA) | Buffalo Bills |
| 1968 | *Ron Yary | OT | Bellflower (CA) | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1967 | Bubba Smith | DE | Charlton-Pollard (TX) | Baltimore Colts |
| 1966 | Jim Grabowski | RB | Taft (IL) | Miami Dolphins (AFL) |
| 1966 | Tommy Nobis | LB | Thomas Jefferson (San Antonio, TX) | Atlanta Falcons (NFL) |
| 1965 | Lawrence Elkins | WR | Brownwood (TX) | Houston Oilers (AFL) |
| 1965 | Tucker Frederickson | RB | South Broward (FL) | New York Giants (NFL) |
| 1964 | Jack Concannon | QB | Matignon (MA) | Boston Patriots (AFL) |
| 1964 | Dave Parks | WR | Abilene (TX) | San Francisco 49ers (NFL) |
| 1963 | *Buck Buchanan | DT | Parker (Birmingham, AL) | Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) |
| 1963 | Terry Baker | QB | Jefferson (OR) | Los Angeles Rams (NFL) |
| 1962 | Roman Gabriel | QB | New Hanover (NC) | Oakland Raiders (AFL) |
| 1962 | Ernie Davis | RB | Elmire Free Academy (NY) | Washington Redskins (NFL) |
| 1961 | Ken Rice | G | Bainbridge (GA) | Buffalo Bills (AFL) |
| 1961 | Tommy Mason | RB | Lake Charles (LA) | Minnesota Vikings (NFL) |
| 1960 | Billy Cannon | RB | Istrouma (LA) | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1959 | Randy Duncan | QB | Roosevelt (Des Moines, IA) | Green Bay Packers |
| 1958 | King Hill | QB | Brazosport (TX) | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1957 | *Paul Hornung | HB | Flaget (Louisville, KY) | Green Bay Packers |
| 1956 | Gary Glick | DB | Cache La Poudre (CO) | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1955 | George Shaw | QB | Denton (TX) | Baltimore Colts |
| 1954 | Bobby Garrett | QB | South Pasdena (CA) | Cleveland Browns |
| 1953 | Harry Babcock | E | Pearl River (NY) | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1952 | Bill Wade | QB | Montgomery Bell Academy (TN) | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1951 | Kyle Rote | HB | Thomas Jefferson (San Antonio, TX) | New York Giants |
| 1950 | Leon Hart | E | Turtle Creek (PA) | Detroit Lions |
| 1949 | *Chuck Bednarik | C/LB | Bethlehem Liberty (PA) | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1948 | Harry Gilmer | QB | Woodlawn (AL) | Washington Redskins |
| 1947 | Bob Fenimore | HB | Woodward (OK) | Chicago Bears |
| 1946 | Frank Dancewicz | QB | Lynn Classical (MA) | Boston Yanks |
| 1945 | *Charley Trippi | HB | Pittston (PA) | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1944 | Angelo Bertelli | QB | Springfield Catholic (MA) | Boston Yanks |
| 1943 | Frank Sinkwich | HB | Chaney (Youngstown, OH) | Detroit Lions |
| 1942 | *Bill Dudley | HB | Graham HS (Bluefield, VA) | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1941 | Tom Harmon | HB | Mann (IN) | Chicago Bears |
| 1940 | George Cafego | HB | Oak Hill (WV) | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1939 | Ki Aldrich | C | Temple (TX) | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1938 | Corbett Davis | FB | Lowell (IN) | Cleveland Rams |
| 1937 | Sam Francis | FB | Decatur County (KS) | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1936 | Jay Berwanger | HB | Dubuque (IA) | Philadelphia Eagles |
*Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
The journey began in 1936 with Jay Berwanger, a halfback from Dubuque Senior High School in Dubuque, IA, selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. In those early years, the draft often highlighted players from Midwest and Northeast high schools.
What makes Berwanger’s pick interesting is the fact that he never played in the NFL.
Since 2000, quarterbacks have dominated the No. 1 spot, with 18 selected as the top pick.
The last defensive star picked No. 1 is Myles Garrett (2017), a cornerstone of the Cleveland Browns defense. The defensive end attended Arlington Martin High School in Arlington, Texas.
Garrett is one of sixteen former Texas high school football players taken No. 1. That’s the most of any state in the nation. Falling-in behind Texas is California with 13 overall No. 1’s, followed by Alabama with seven and Ohio with six. Georgia and Louisiana have had five No. 1’s.
Two high schools take centerstage when it comes to overall No. 1’s. Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas and Isidore Newman in New Orleans, Louisiana are the only schools to have more than one overall top pick.
San Antonio’s Thomas Jefferson boasts Kyle Rote, a halfback, who was selected by the New York Giants in 1951, and Tommy Nobis, a linebacker, taken No. 1 in 1965 by the Atlanta Falcons.
Newman’s top picks both have the same last name, Manning. Peyton was selected No. 1 by the Indianapolis Colts in 1998. Brother Eli was taken first overall in 2004 by the New York Giants.
Peyton Manning is one of 15 former No. 1 picks to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
