How important is the No. 1 pick?
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1996: KEYSHAWN JOHNSON, WR, New York Jets
Controversial, no doubt, but a very talented receiver. Had 814 receptions in 11 seasons, plus 66 touchdowns (2 rushing), 3 Pro Bowl selections and 1 Super Bowl ring.
Impact: Hit
Credit: AP
You'll hear all the stories this week about the amount of time teams pour into studying college players and evaluating every aspect of their skill level.
The stories about sleeping at the complex, about breaking the DVD machine because it was used so much, going through 350 AA batteries for the remote control.
No doubt, teams must do their homework. But what about the St. Louis Rams, who have the No. 1 pick and are likely going to draft Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford?
Aside from the millions of dollars teams must invest in the No. 1 overall pick, exactly how crucial is it to hit a home run with this player? Can they succeed elsewhere in the draft in order to make up for a flop at the top? We never know the answers to these questions until years later.
So, with that in the mind, here's our latest NFL draft week history lesson — Hits & Misses: 30 years of No. 1 NFL draft picks
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