As of this writing the Ravens have six draft choices at their disposal during the annual NFL Draft being held this year on April 25-26, the highest of which is the 26^th overall pick.

The speculation over who the pick will be has been overanalyzed to a point of near saturation. Will they go for a wide receiver such as Maryland’s Darrius Heyward- Bey or possibly a linebacker such as Rey Maualuga from USC, a solid choice to mentor under Ray Lewis?

The Ravens historically have had success when drafting at or near the 26th position. Ben Grubbs was selected at 29th overall in 2007, Ed Reed 24th in 2002, Todd Heap 31st in 2001, Jamie Sharper 34th in 1997, and Ray Lewis was selected with exactly the 26th pick in 1996.

While this pick does not excite most draft experts or fans there can be surprising value at this spot as the Ravens have learned first-hand.

Of course failure comes with the territory as well.

In this the first of three articles in a series, we will not attempt to theorize who the Ravens will select at 26.  Instead we will explore the history of pick No. 26 during the 73 NFL drafts that have been conducted during the league’s history. We’ll consider how these players performed or created value for the teams that drafted them and how many were busts.  To some degree, the results may surprise you.

Part I will focus how the No. 26 pick was employed during the draft’s history; Part II will address the quality of players – studs or duds; and in Part III we will reveal the all time NFL team comprised of just players selected with the 26th pick.  

Background

The NFL began the college draft in 1936, the brainchild of then Eagles owner Bert Bell. Bell grew tired of being outbid by the likes of the Bears and Giants (both clubs with more money) for desirable collegiate talent. His teams were awful and he felt this would give the weaker teams a better chance to effectively compete.

Bell of course was right but it would take decades for the draft to have an effect on the parity in the NFL. Just 24 of the 81 collegians selected on February 8, 1936 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia actually signed contracts. It was not until the 1950’s when Tex Schramm of the Rams began seriously scouting college talent that the draft began to make its mark.

Before Schramm and his team of scouts, the NFL draft was not too unlike today’s fantasy football drafts, albeit without laptops. The owners and coaches used newspaper articles written about top college players and the Street and Smith annual football magazine to find players. Schramm would eventually move to the expansion Dallas Cowboys in 1960 where he perfected scouting and drafting and every team in the NFL followed his path. His pioneering efforts paved the way for Schramm to punch a ticket into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

No. 26

The 26^th choice did not come with much fanfare until 1967. That was the first combined NFL-AFL draft which included 26 teams. No. 26 then became a first round selection. The pick that year was linebacker Leslie Kelly from Alabama, selected by the expansion New Orleans Saints. Kelly would play just 30 NFL games, a classic first round bust.

The very first No. 26 was Andy Pilney a running back from Notre Dame taken by the Detroit Lions in the 1936 draft.  He never signed and he never played a down in the NFL.

Of the 73 players selected at No. 26, 43 have played more than half their NFL games for the team that selected them while 10 never played a single game.  Each of these no shows was drafted in 1958 or before. The other 20 moved on to other teams, some winning championships and making Pro Bowls.

Since scouting was non-existent most draft choices were busts before the 1950’s. The 26th pick did not begin to bring value to the drafting team until the mid 50’s. Even then there were few super stars selected with that pick.

This trend began to change in the 70’s. While there were few skilled position players with any measurable success at No. 26, some offensive lineman, defensive linemen, defensive backs, and a linebacker made their mark on the NFL. Thirty-five of the 73 choices have been linemen; 24 were quarterbacks, running backs, or receivers; 7 were defensive backs, 6 were linebackers, and 1 was a place kicker.

On the offensive side of the ball, 5 linemen went to Pro Bowls, one of which found was enshrined in the Hall of Fame, Joe Delamielleure who helped pave the way for OJ Simpson on his way to the league’s first 2,000 yard rushing season in 1973. Delamielleure is the only player chosen at 26 to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame – for the time being. A line mate of DeLamielleure, tackle Dave Foley was selected at No. 26 in 1969 by the Jets.  He was traded to the Bills a couple of years later and eventually played in a Pro Bowl.

Another member of the choice 26 club, Pro Bowl guard Kent Hill of the Los Angeles Rams blocked for Eric Dickerson on his way to more than 2,000 rushing yards in 1984.

The skill positions have not fared as well at No. 26. Only running back Greg Bell with the 1984 Bills and Cleveland Gary with the 1989 Rams were able to crack the 1,000 yard seasonal threshold in the NFL.  Jim Harbaugh, selected by the Bears in 1987, is the only Pro Bowl quarterback chosen at No. 26.  However he accomplished that feat with the Colts in 1995.

On the defensive side of the ball six players have made the Pro Bowl. Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield, the 26th choice in the 1993 selected by the 49ers was the Defensive Rookie of the Year. The most decorated defensive player ever taken at 26, a future Hall of Famer, is none other than the Ravens’ Ray Lewis.  Lewis’ resume includes 10 Pro Bowls, 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards and a Super Bowl MVP.

Lewis, Stubblefield, and the Baltimore Colts defensive tackle Billy Ray Smith are the only Super Bowl winners chosen at 26.  Smith was drafted by the Rams in 1957. Four others selected at 26 won league championships in the pre Super Bowl era.

Placekicker Jim Martin was No. 26 in the 1950 draft taken by the Browns and subsequently released.  He was picked up by the Lions and would go on to become a Pro Bowler.  Martin was Detroit’s kicker on the last Detroit championship team in 1957.