5 Best NFL Draft Picks 1999

Some players clearly rise above the rest as the 5 best NFL draft picks of 1999. The draft can be a crap-shoot and even studs sometimes turn out to be duds. These players lived up to their potential.

1. Donovan McNabb – Eagles fans booed when McNabb was taken as the second overall draft pick. This quarterback out of Syracuse has been a star in the league, however, and is clearly one of the best draft picks of 1999. A starter since his rookie season, McNabb wowed the league early on with this ability to run and throw, and he led the Eagles to five NFC Championship games including four straight from 2001 to 2004, and to Super Bowl XXXIX, where they lost to the New England Patriots. McNabb is one of only six quarterbacks to have at least 25,000 passing and 3,000 rushing yards and holds nearly every significant Eagles passing record.
2. Joey Porter – This linebacker from Colorado State was chosen in the third round and established himself as one of the best NFL draft picks of the 1999 draft early on. He flourished in the Steelers solid defense and racked up many sacks throughout the decade. In the 2005 post season, he led a staunch defensive effort that allowed the Steelers to beat the top three seeded teams in the AFC (including the Colts and their explosive offense led by Peyton Manning) on the road on their way to a victory in Super Bowl XL. He has made the Pro Bowl four times and was nominated to the 2000 All-Decade Team.
3. Edgerrin James – James was taken as the fourth overall pick as a running back out of Miami by the Indianapolis Colts. James became a key cog in the Colts’ offensive prowess, teamed with QB Peyton Manning and WR Marvin Harrison, James rushed for at least 1,500 yards his first two seasons and was named Rookie of the Year in 1999. He is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was twice named All-Pro. If there is still any doubt that he was one of the best NFL draft picks of 1999, consider that he was named one of the first-team running backs on the 2000 All-Decade Team.
4. Torry Holt – Holt came to an explosive team as a rookie, being chosen as a wide receiver by the St. Louis Rams out of North Carolina State, and went on to dominate the 2000’s at his position making him a clear choice for this 5 best NFL draft picks of 1999 list. As a rookie, Holt won the Super Bowl and set the rookie record for receptions and yards in that game. He had more receptions and yards in the 2000s than any other player, was asked to play in seven Pro Bowls, and was also asked to be part of the 2000 All-Decade Team. He holds NFL records for consecutive seasons with at least 90 receptions and consecutive seasons with at least 1,300 yards.
5. Champ Bailey – Bailey is one of the league’s premier defensive backs and is clearly one of the 5 best NFL draft picks of 1999. He was chosen seventh overall by the Washington Redskins out of Georgia, and was elected to every Pro Bowl of the 2000s, earning him a first-team spot on the All-Decade Team, one of three unanimous choices for the team. In 2004, he was sent in a high-profile trade to the Denver Broncos, where he continued his dominance, being named to three All Pro teams as a Bronco.