The 1989 Draft(Greatest Modern Draft)

[Johnny23]

In my opinion the best NFL draft in the modern era of 1980s to Present Football is the 1989 Draft.

Four of the top five picks are Hall of Famers:

1. Troy Aikman
2. Tony Mandarich
3. Barry Sanders
4.Derrick Thomas
5.Deion Sanders

Mandarich was the biggest bust as he never lived up to the hype of being the "Incredible Bulk" and the top Billing. After two Detroit, KC, and Altanta all drafted three straight Hall of Famers in a row.

The first round also saw Wayne Martin be drafted by New Orleans who was paired with the great Ricky Jackson and Pat Swilling to form the devistating D-Line New Orleans had in the 90s.

Trace Armstrong an 100 Sack Monster who was very good for many years and workman like out of Florida

Cleveland took Eric Metcalf one of the first great modern scat RBs you see now in Sproles, and the New England guys in Dion Lewis, and James White and others. A guy with nearly 20,000 total yards of offense between rushing, receiving, and Kick/Punt return yards.

Andre "Bad Moon" Risen one of the best WRs of the 90s.

Last but not least Steve Atwater one of the most feared,respected, and hardest hitting Safeties of all-time who was one of the last great enforcers taken late by the Denver Broncos. Member of the All-90s Team.

In the Second round:

The Cowboys nabbed Moose, and Wisniewski(Who we traded to Oakland for the rights to take Moose).

The Steelers got all 90s SS and one of the best blitzers from the secondary Carnell Lake.

In the Third round we pulled Mark Stepnowski. One of the cornerstones of The Great Wall of Dallas.


In the Fourth Round we grabbed Tony Tolbert another one of our Dline who played a big role in winning our Super Bowls.

And Detroit would pick solid DB Ray Crockett who would go on to win 2 Super Bowls in Denver with Atwater.

The Cowboys Haul had some also ran players but our impact player haul was:

Aikman
Step
Moose
Tolbert

That's four key players in a Super Bowl winning dynasty.

When Lake & Atwater finally their due that'll be six players in the Hall of Fame.

Of course the 1983 Draft and 2003 Draft get a lot of love for the QBs that were taken. For my money a draft that helped fuel a dynasty with the players taken at the top and a top five that features four hall of famers including THREE of the best of the best arguably. Just is hard to trump for me.

This just goes to show what good to great drafting can do. Wiz low key needs more HOF love as he was as he continued the Raiders tradition of great interior olinemen throughout the 90s.


I am really hoping we see The DBS and Taco from last year turn out for us. As well as Jaylon and Maliek turning the corner. To have such great back, drafts again would be awesome consecutive.

 

[Longboysfan]

I was there for it at the Marriott Marquis.

Great draft.

 

[Cattle_Rancher]

I’d put the 2011 draft up there as one of the greatest of all time. 12 pro bowlers in the top 20, several who are well on their way to the HOF, one of the best CBs of this era in the 5th and one of the best centers in the 6th.

 

[QT]

Don't forget we got Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft that year, which made us forgo our 1st overall pick the next year (1-15). But ironically, we got the 1st overall pick anyways b/c of trades and drafted Russell Maryland (but initially we traded up to get the rights for Ismail, which he bailed to Toronto last minute.)

That was a fun draft to follow.

 

[Plankton]

Don't forget we got Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft that year, which made us forgo our 1st overall pick the next year (1-15). But ironically, we got the 1st overall pick anyways b/c of trades and drafted Russell Maryland (but initially we traded up to get the rights for Ismail, which he bailed to Toronto last minute.)

That was a fun draft to follow.

Maryland was the first pick in the 1991 draft. The Steve Walsh selection eliminated the first overall pick in 1990, the year they got Emmitt Smith with the Steelers first rounder (traded for the Vikings first rounder acquired in the Herschel Walker deal).

 

[QT]

Maryland was the first pick in the 1991 draft. The Steve Walsh selection eliminated the first overall pick in 1990, the year they got Emmitt Smith with the Steelers first rounder (traded for the Vikings first rounder acquired in the Herschel Walker deal).

That's right, but Maryland was not the initial target for the first pick. We traded up to get Rocket Ismail with the #1 overall and settled for Maryland when Rocket bailed.