Dreaming of a productive draft haul . . . check these out

Best single team draft hauls since the merger (I put a premium on drafts that led to multiple playoff/championship appearances): be nice if Schoen & Co. could get anything approaching these . . . round selected in parenthesis.

1974 Pittsburgh Steelers (The Gold Standard - four Hall of Famers in one draft): Lynn Swann (1), Jack Lambert (2), John Stallworth (4), Mike Webster (5)

1986 SF 49ers (a wheeling & dealing extravaganza) – started out with one pick each in round 1-4, and after multiple trades down by John McVay (Sean’s Grandfather) & Bill Walsh turned that into this (other players were picked, but these all panned out): Larry Roberts (2), Tom Rathman (3), Tim McKyer (3), John Taylor (3), Charles Haley (4), Steve Wallace (4), Kevin Fagan (4), Don Griffin (6). Six longtime starters and a key longtime starter/backup in Larry Roberts all on the team until 1993 at least (except Haley, the HoFer - traded in Aug. 1992). This set the “trade-down” bar just about out of reach.

1991 Dallas Cowboys (Jimmy with 16 picks in 12 rounds – Thanks Minnesota): Russell Maryland (1), Alvin Harper (1) Kelvin Pritchett (1), Dixon Edwards (2), Godfrey Myles (3), Erik Williams (3), Leon Lett (7), Larry Brown (12). Pritchett was immediately traded to Detroit for 3 picks that became Dixon Edwards and two JAGs.

1981 Washington Redskins (an OL/DL tour de force) – Mark May (1), Russ Grimm (2), Dexter Manley (5), Charlie Brown (8), Darryl Grant (9), Clint Didier (12). Bobby Beathard was “en fuego” and helped set them up for that 1982-1991 run.

1983 Chicago Bears (Jim Finks finds 2 HoFers): Jimbo Covert(1), Willie Gault (1), Mike Richardson (2), Dave Duerson (3), Tom Thayer (4), Richard Dent (8), Mark Bortz (8).

1996 Baltimore Ravens (Ozzie working the board - 2 HoFers): Jonathan Ogden (1), Ray Lewis (1), DeRon Jenkins (2), Jermaine Lewis (5)

2012 Seattle Seahawks (Andrew Luck?, RGIII? . . . over-rated!!)) – Bruce Irvin (1), Bobby Wagner (2), Russell Wilson (3), Robert Turbin (4), Jeremy Lane (6), JR Sweezy (7). 2010 great draft too, but Wilson in 3rd puts this one on top.

2017 NE Saints (Every guy Loomis picks pans out): Marshawn Lattimore (1), Ryan Ramczyk (1), Marcus Williams (2), Alvin Kamara (3), Alex Anzalone (3), Trey Hendrickson (3), Al-Quadin Muhammad (6)

2018 Baltimore Ravens (this club can draft): Hayden Hurst (1), Lamar Jackson (1), Orlando Brown (3), Mark Andrews (3), DeShon Elloitt (6), Bradley Bozeman (6), Zach Sieler (7)

1995 NE Patriots (Tuna hits the grocery store hard): Ty Law (1), Ted Johnson (2), Curtis Martin (3), Jimmy Hitchcock (3), Dave Wohlabaugh (4). Love this is better than any BB draft (even 2003).

1985 Buffalo Bills (2 HoFers): Bruce Smith (1), Frank Reich (3), Andre Reed (4)

1995 TB Buccaneers (2 HoFers, not much else, but so what?): Warren Sapp (1), Derrick Brooks (1)

1984 NY Giants (had to throw this one in): Carl Banks (1), William Roberts (2), Jeff Hostetler (3), Gary Reasons (4), and these were the only 4 picks by George Young that year (his 1993 draft was notable with Strahan & Armstead along with 1981: LT, Billy Ard & Byron Hunt)

2000 NY Jets (Parcells with FOUR 1st rounders): Shaun Ellis (1), John Abraham (1), Chad Pennington (1), Anthony Becht (1), Laveranues Coles (3)

BTW: there were some legendary draft hauls pre-merger . . . 1964 Dallas, 1958 Green Bay & 1957 Cleveland all with 3 HoFers.

Lastly, here are some (not all) recent multi-year draft runs that loaded up teams with talent:
1989-1992 Dallas Cowboys . . . Jimmy and his draft chart goes to work. Should have had another title or two without the internal war of egos, as far as multi-year draft runs go . . . hard to beat this one (except maybe the next one).
1969-1974 Pittsburgh Steelers (8 HoFers, and 1971 & 1973 not getting them much)
2016-2020 Kansas City Chiefs
2003-2008 New York Giants
2010-2012 Seattle Seahawks