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NFL Draft: 25 best first overall picks of all-time

By Gabe Encinas

18 Apr 1998: First overall pick Peyton Manning shows off his jersey after being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York. Mandatory Credit: Ezra C. Shaw /Allsport
18 Apr 1998: First overall pick Peyton Manning shows off his jersey after being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York. Mandatory Credit: Ezra C. Shaw /Allsport /
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Tommy Nobis was the No. 1 pick in the 1996 NFL Draft, taken by the Atlanta Falcons, where he would play his entire 10 year career.

Out of Texas, he was the recipient of the Outland Trophy and Maxwell Award, which solidified his spot in the draft. Although Tom Mack, NFL Hall of Famer, was taken at No. 2 by the Los Angeles Rams.

But Nobis found success immediately in the NFL. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1996, racking up 294 tackles as a rookie, an NFL record to this day. He was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls in his three seasons as a professional. He went on to earn two more Pro Bowl selections.

His production certainly dropped off as he aged but still, he was named to the NFL 1960’s All-Decade Team, which accounted for his first four years in the league, and arguably his best. His number, 60, has since been retired by both the Atlanta Falcons and Texas Longhorns.

Next: 13. Cam Newton

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