Looking back at the last ten NFL drafts, the Dallas Cowboys' 2016 class stands out after they went from 4-12 to 13-3. The New Orleans Saints' 2017 draft is also considered top-tier, despite limited late-round picks.
The annual exercise of declaring draft winners and losers is a popular one, but the true impact of any draft class takes years to materialize. With that in mind, here’s a look back at the best draft classes of the last 10 years, with extra credit awarded for finding late-round gems.
The more recent the draft, the more subject to change these evaluations are, but some classes have already cemented their place in franchise history.
2016: Dallas Doubles Down
The 2016 season saw the Dallas Cowboys make the biggest leap, going from 4-12 in 2015 to 13-3 and securing the NFC East title and the NFC's top seed. While they fell to the Packers in the Divisional Round, their draft class was a major catalyst.
Dallas secured Ezekiel Elliott at 1.04 and while the wisdom of that pick is debated given that CB Jalen Ramsey, OT Ronnie Stanley and EDGE DeForest Buckner were the next three picks, Elliott was still very good. They also landed Pro Bowl LB Jaylon Smith and longtime starting DT Maliek Collins. The headliner, however, was Dak Prescott in the fourth round, who became a four-time Pro Bowler.
Honorable mentions for the 2016 draft class include the Atlanta Falcons (Keanu Neal, Deion Jones), Philadelphia Eagles (Carson Wentz, Isaac Seumalo, Jalen Mills), and Tennessee Titans (Jack Conklin, Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard).
2017: Saints Find Gold
The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13 to 10-6) and Los Angeles Rams (4-12 to 11-5) saw the biggest win increases in 2017. The Jags rode a defensive spending spree to an AFC South crown and came within a hair of the Super Bowl. The Rams, in their first year under Sean McVay, saw a similar turnaround, with McVay winning Coach of the Year and Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley taking home the top offensive and defensive player awards.
But the best draft class belonged to the New Orleans Saints. While their draft wasn’t deep due to a lack of picks after Day 2, their early selections were impactful. Ryan Ramczyk and Trey Hendrickson became All-Pros. Marshon Lattimore, Alvin Kamara, and Hendrickson were Pro Bowlers. Alex Anzalone and Marcus Williams also became long-time starters.
Honorable mentions for the 2017 draft class include the Pittsburgh Steelers (T.J. Watt, JuJu Smith-Schuster) and Cleveland Browns (Myles Garrett, David Njoku).
2018: Ravens' Pair of First-Rounders
The Cleveland Browns experienced the biggest leap in 2018, going from 0-16 to 7-8-1. While not a Super Bowl season, it was a significant improvement. Myles Garrett emerged as a star, and Baker Mayfield provided hope at quarterback.
But the Baltimore Ravens had the best draft. The only knock? They didn’t use their first first-rounder on Lamar Jackson, waiting until their second. Jackson and Mark Andrews remain core pieces. Five Day 3 picks became NFL starters, and Orlando Brown Jr. has signed multiple big-money contracts.
Honorable mentions for the 2018 draft class include the Buffalo Bills (Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds, Wyatt Teller), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Vita Vea, Carlton Davis III), Philadelphia Eagles (Dallas Goedert, Jordan Mailata), and Indianapolis Colts (Quenton Nelson, Braden Smith, Zaire Franklin).
2019: 49ers Find Their Foundation
The San Francisco 49ers saw the biggest win increase in 2019, going from 4-12 to 13-3 and reaching the Super Bowl. Kyle Shanahan’s first two years were underwhelming, but everything clicked in 2019.
The success of the 2016 Cowboys and 2017 Saints hinged not just on talent, but on the convergence of immediate impact and long-term development. The value gleaned from the later rounds proved as critical as the headlining first-round selections, showcasing the importance of scouting beyond the obvious.
As teams dissect the most recent draft, the focus should be less on immediate grades and more on identifying players who can contribute at all levels and develop into stars over time. That's the real key to building a sustainable winner.
