The NFL Draft is more than just a network of new talent; it’s a launchpad to the big league for players determined to turn potential into greatness. Across history, 90 NFL drafts have been completed, many of which have produced an elite group of players and Hall of Famers. Choosing the greatest NFL Draft class in history could be tricky, but the Houston Texans legend J.J Watt recently expressed his personal stance on this topic.

“Greatest Draft Class of All Time. Surrounded by Legends.” wrote Watt on his recent Instagram story, sharing a post that noted whether the 2011 NFL draft had the best first round of all time.

The 2011 draft was held between April 28 and 30 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It had a pool of 254 promising football players, aiming to make it big, and as usual, it was conducted in seven rounds.

It was considered the greatest draft of all time because 12 of the first 16 selected players had at least one Pro Bowl selection during their playing careers. The top seven picks of the draft were all Pro Bowlers.

Cam Newton was the first overall pick of the first round, selected by the Carolina Panthers. Playing ten seasons with the franchise, including nine in his first tenure, he won 3 Pro Bowl honors along with the NFL Rookie Player of the Year Award (2011), and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (2015). While the quarterback didn’t win the Lombardi Trophy, he led the Panthers to the Super Bowl 50 appearance.

Texas A&M alum Von Miller was the second overall pick by the Denver Broncos, and he became a franchise legend. Besides a staggering eight Pro Bowl selections, he won two Super Bowls with the Broncos and Rams. The Buffalo Bills chose defensive tackle Marcell Dareus as the third pick, and he won two Pro Bowls representing the franchise.

The fourth and fifth picks— A.J Green and Patrick Peterson— chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals, won a combined 15 Pro Bowl honors between them.

The top five picks from the 2011 draft collectively earned 28 Pro Bowl honors throughout their careers, establishing them as one of the legendary top five picks in NFL Draft history.

As a matter of fact, J.J Watt himself was a first-round pick from the 2011 Draft (11th overall). The Wisconsin Badgers graduate was picked by the Houston Texans, where he spent ten seasons. The defensive end won numerous major league honors, including 3 Defensive Player of the Year Award alongside 5 Pro Bowls. Apart from the first-round players, athletes from later rounds of the 2011 draft also left a significant mark on their careers.

Late-round stars highlight the 2011 class dominance

While the first-round picks from the draft have the highest potential, the later-round prospects also excelled under the right setup and guidance in the big league, with the GOAT Tom Brady remaining a shining example, who was a sixth-round pick in 1999. Likewise, the 2011 NFL Draft was also filled with later-round talents who became legendary names eventually.

Quarterback Andy Dalton was the second-round pick (35th overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals. He had three Pro Bowl selections representing the organization, leading their all-time passing touchdowns list. Rodney Hudson was another notable second-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs, who ended his career with three Pro Bowl honors.

Drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round, linebacker Justin Houston had four consecutive Pro Bowl selections, becoming Andy Reid’s defensive cornerstone for a long time, while Jurrell Casey, a fellow third-round pick from the draft, achieved five Pro Bowl selections in his career.

Moreover, Richard Sherman (fifth round), Jason Kelce (sixth round), and Tyrod Taylor (sixth round) were among the legendary names coming out as later round picks.

Considering the star-studded names emerging from the draft, it’s certainly difficult to rival that class, validating J.J.Watt’s claim.