1985 NFL Draft · Good GM

DESCRIPTIVE → ADJUSTED

Follow the class result into model evidence

The totals on this page describe what happened. Player profiles show pick-level support adjusted for slot, position, era, and observed career window; GM profiles connect those picks to the maturity-adjusted headline estimate.

Open adjusted player evidence Open adjusted GM evidence for John McVay

Class value over time

Descriptive cumulative "value units" across all 196 picks, summed year-by-year. Value = games started + 5×Pro Bowl + 10×AP1 + 3×AP2 per player-season, then summed across the class. Earlier draft classes sit behind the highlighted 1985 line on the same seasons-since-draft axis, so the slope shows whether a class matured fast or needed time.

1985 class highlighted · 5 earlier classes behind it

Top 10 picks by career AV

Ordered by PFR weighted Approximate Value across the player's full career (any team).

Pick	Player	Pos	Team	GM	Career AV	Team GP	Career PB	Career AP1	HOF
1.16	Jerry Rice	WR	SF	John McVay	160	238	13	10	★
1.1	Bruce Smith	DE	BUF	Bill Polian	152	217	11	8	★
1.4	Chris Doleman	DE	MIN	Mike Lynn	114	154	8	2	★
2.37	Randall Cunningham	QB	PHI	Harry Gamble	110	122	4	1
1.6	Lomas Brown	T	DET	Russ Thomas	98	164	7	1
4.86	Andre Reed	WR	BUF	Bill Polian	98	221	7		★
5.113	Kevin Greene	LB	LAR	John Shaw	93	119	5	2	★
1.3	Ray Childress	DT	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	90	160	5	1
5.114	Herschel Walker	RB	DAL	Tex Schramm	78	81	2
1.12	Jim Lachey	T	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	77	44	3	3

Lower-AV early-round picks (rounds 1–2, AV < 15)

A descriptive filter for first- and second-round picks with full-career weighted AV below 15. It does not account for the expectation at each draft slot and is not a model verdict on the pick.

Pick	Player	Pos	Team	GM	AV	YoT
2.35	Greg Allen	RB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	0	2
2.32	Don Anderson	DB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	1	3
2.50	Chuck Scott	WR	LAR	John Shaw	1	3
2.51	Scott Bergold	T	ARI	Bill Bidwill	1	1
1.9	Kevin Allen	T	PHI	Harry Gamble	2	1
2.47	Mark Behning	T	PIT	Dick Haley	2	2
2.29	Mark Traynowicz	G	BUF	Bill Polian	3	5
2.53	Owen Gill	RB	SEA	Mike McCormack	4	3
2.33	Tory Nixon	DB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	5	4
2.44	Jesse Penn	LB	DAL	Tex Schramm	6	3

All picks (196) · sortable below

Each player name links to their year-by-year career page. Each team links to its GM history page.

Pick	Player	Pos	Team	GM	Career AV	Team GP	Team GS	Team PB	Team AP1	HOF
1.1	Bruce Smith	DE	BUF	Bill Polian	152	217	213	7	8	★
1.2	Bill Fralic	G	ATL	Tom Braatz	59	116	115	4	2
1.3	Ray Childress	DT	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	90	160	160	5	1
1.4	Chris Doleman	DE	MIN	Mike Lynn	114	154	142	6	2	★
1.5	Duane Bickett	LB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	64	137	137	1
1.6	Lomas Brown	T	DET	Russ Thomas	98	164	163	5	1
1.7	Ken Ruettgers	T	GB	Forrest Gregg	55	156	140
1.8	Ron Holmes	DE	TB	Phil Krueger	31	50	44
1.9	Kevin Allen	T	PHI	Harry Gamble	2	16	4
1.10	Al Toon	WR	NYJ	Jim Kensil	56	107	95	3	1
1.11	Richard Johnson	DB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	19	98	37
1.12	Jim Lachey	T	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	77	44	43	1
1.13	Eddie Brown	WR	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	57	102	99	1
1.14	Derrick Burroughs	DB	BUF	Bill Polian	15	58	41
1.15	Ethan Horton	TE	KC	Jim Schaaf	22	16	0
1.16	Jerry Rice	WR	SF	John McVay	160	238	224	9	10	★
1.17	Kevin Brooks	DT	DAL	Tex Schramm	21	48	26
1.18	Freddie Joe Nunn	DE	ARI	Bill Bidwill	49	131	123
1.19	George Adams	RB	NYG	George Young	13	58	8
1.20	Darryl Sims	DE	PIT	Dick Haley	9	32	0
1.21	Jerry Gray	DB	LAR	John Shaw	61	104	82	4
1.22	William Perry	DT	CHI	Jerry Vainisi	48	114	94
1.23	Jessie Hester	WR	LV	Al Davis	37	39	18
1.24	Alvin Toles	LB	NO	Jim Finks	10	55	17
1.25	Emanuel King	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	15	51	30
1.26	Steve Sewell	RB	DEN	John Beake	25	94	12
1.27	Lorenzo Hampton	RB	MIA	Don Shula	25	70	34
1.28	Trevor Matich	C	NE	Patrick Sullivan	16	26	11
2.29	Mark Traynowicz	G	BUF	Bill Polian	3	45	0
2.30	Issiac Holt	DB	MIN	Mike Lynn	34	58	31
2.31	Vance Johnson	WR	DEN	John Beake	47	128	83
2.32	Don Anderson	DB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	1	5	0
2.33	Tory Nixon	DB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	5	0	0
2.34	Kevin Glover	C	DET	Russ Thomas	72	177	161	1
2.35	Greg Allen	RB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	0	7	0
2.36	Richard Byrd	DE	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	20	75	42
2.37	Randall Cunningham	QB	PHI	Harry Gamble	110	122	107	3
2.38	Daren Gilbert	T	NO	Jim Finks	9	42	11
2.39	Wayne Davis	DB	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	9	32	11
2.40	Lester Lyles	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	13	26	15
2.41	Jonathan Hayes	TE	KC	Jim Schaaf	15	136	95
2.42	Chris Burkett	WR	BUF	Bill Polian	32	55	33
2.43	Carl Zander	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	34	106	92
2.44	Jesse Penn	LB	DAL	Tex Schramm	6	42	2
2.45	Mike Gann	DE	ATL	Tom Braatz	42	118	117
2.46	Stacy Robinson	WR	NYG	George Young	6	43	14
2.47	Mark Behning	T	PIT	Dick Haley	2	16	1
2.48	Garin Veris	DE	NE	Patrick Sullivan	26	78	46
2.49	Reggie Phillips	DB	CHI	Jerry Vainisi	11	44	14
2.50	Chuck Scott	WR	LAR	John Shaw	1	9	0
2.51	Scott Bergold	T	ARI	Bill Bidwill	1	16	0
2.52	Jim Bowman	DB	NE	Patrick Sullivan	9	73	12
2.53	Owen Gill	RB	SEA	Mike McCormack	4	0	0
2.54	Simon Fletcher	LB	DEN	John Beake	61	172	143
2.55	Jeffery Dale	DB	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	14	42	34
2.56	Ben Thomas	DE	NE	Patrick Sullivan	8	19	1
3.57	Frank Reich	QB	BUF	Bill Polian	15	93	8
3.58	Tyrone Davis	DB	NYG	George Young	0	7	0
3.59	Kirk Lowdermilk	C	MIN	Mike Lynn	56	114	86
3.60	Tim Meamber	LB	MIN	Mike Lynn	0	4	0
3.61	Anthony Young	DB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	5	14	12
3.62	James Johnson	LB	DET	Russ Thomas	1	11	0
3.63	Hal Garner	LB	BUF	Bill Polian	5	67	2
3.64	Ervin Randle	LB	TB	Phil Krueger	23	85	48
3.65	George Little	DE	MIA	Don Shula	8	39	19
3.66	Tim Long	C	MIN	Mike Lynn	0	0	0
3.67	Donnie Elder	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	1	10	0
3.68	Jack Del Rio	LB	NO	Jim Finks	58	32	10
3.69	John Hendy	DB	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	5	16	10
3.70	Sean Thomas	DB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	5	0
3.71	Rich Moran	G	GB	Forrest Gregg	34	108	82
3.72	Lance Smith	G	ARI	Bill Bidwill	61	140	129
3.73	Brian Johnston	C	NYG	George Young	0	9	0
3.74	Liffort Hobley	DB	PIT	Dick Haley	14	0	0
3.75	Ricky Moore	RB	SF	John McVay	2	0	0
3.76	Crawford Ker	G	DAL	Tex Schramm	31	80	75
3.77	Dale Hatcher	P	LAR	John Shaw	10	83	0	1	1
3.78	James Maness	WR	CHI	Jerry Vainisi	0	8	0
3.79	Tim Moffett	WR	LV	Al Davis	3	29	1
3.80	Stefon Adams	DB	LV	Al Davis	5	53	0
3.81	Danny Greene	WR	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	4	0
3.82	Mike Kelley	C	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	1	17	0
3.83	Alex Moyer	LB	MIA	Don Shula	1	13	0
3.84	Audray McMillian	DB	NE	Patrick Sullivan	34	0	0
4.85	Buster Rhymes	WR	MIN	Mike Lynn	1	20	0
4.86	Andre Reed	WR	BUF	Bill Polian	98	221	217	5		★
4.87	Tom Briehl	LB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	2	19	3
4.88	Willie Broughton	DT	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	22	30	9
4.89	Emile Harry	WR	ATL	Tom Braatz	18	0	0
4.90	Kevin Hancock	LB	DET	Russ Thomas	0	0	0
4.91	Mike Smith	DB	MIA	Don Shula	1	29	0
4.92	Mike Heaven	DB	TB	Phil Krueger	0	0	0
4.93	Greg Naron	G	PHI	Harry Gamble	0	0	0
4.94	Doug Allen	WR	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	0	0
4.95	Billy Allen	DB	NO	Jim Finks	0	0	0
4.96	Ralf Mojsiejenko	P	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	15	60	0	1
4.97	Anthony Tuggle	DB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
4.98	Walter Stanley	WR	GB	Forrest Gregg	17	48	23
4.99	Bob Olderman	G	KC	Jim Schaaf	7	16	14
4.100	Mark Bavaro	TE	NYG	George Young	40	82	80	2	2
4.101	Dan Turk	C	PIT	Dick Haley	24	17	4
4.102	Tom Toth	G	NE	Patrick Sullivan	14	0	0
4.103	Robert Lavette	RB	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	32	0
4.104	Ron Wolfley	RB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	2	105	9	3
4.105	Kevin Butler	K	CHI	Jerry Vainisi	25	171	0
4.106	Kyle Morrell	DB	MIN	Mike Lynn	1	5	1
4.107	Jamie Kimmel	LB	LV	Al Davis	3	31	0
4.108	Gerard Phelan	WR	NE	Patrick Sullivan	0	0	0
4.109	Tony Davis	TE	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	0	0
4.110	Keli McGregor	TE	DEN	John Beake	0	2	0
4.111	Jeff Dellenbach	C	MIA	Don Shula	53	145	87
4.112	Dale Hellestrae	T	BUF	Bill Polian	10	28	2
5.113	Kevin Greene	LB	LAR	John Shaw	93	119	77	1		★
5.114	Herschel Walker	RB	DAL	Tex Schramm	78	81	48	2
5.115	Mark MacDonald	G	MIN	Mike Lynn	5	38	4
5.116	K.D. Dunn	TE	ARI	Bill Bidwill	2	0	0
5.117	Roger Caron	T	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	1	10	1
5.118	Joe McIntosh	RB	DET	Russ Thomas	0	0	0
5.119	Matt Darwin	C	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	0	0
5.120	Troy Benson	LB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	17	58	43
5.121	Dwayne Jiles	LB	PHI	Harry Gamble	7	52	8
5.122	Raphel Cherry	DB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	10	16	6
5.123	Mark Napolitan	C	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	0	0
5.124	Brian Luft	DT	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	0	0
5.125	Brian Noble	LB	GB	Forrest Gregg	46	117	110
5.126	Bruce King	RB	KC	Jim Schaaf	1	20	6
5.127	Tony Degrate	NT	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
5.128	Arnold Brown	DB	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	2	0
5.129	Lee Davis	DB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	1	7	0
5.130	Jimmy Teal	WR	BUF	Bill Polian	4	8	1
5.131	Louis Wong	G	ARI	Bill Bidwill	0	0	0
5.132	Tracy Henderson	WR	NYG	George Young	0	0	0
5.133	Frank Bush	LB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	6	19	14
5.134	Tony Smith	WR	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	0	0
5.135	Dan Reeder	RB	LV	Al Davis	0	0	0
5.136	Cam Jacobs	LB	PIT	Dick Haley	0	0	0
5.137	Johnnie Jones	RB	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	0	0
5.138	Lee Johnson	P	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	25	41	0
5.139	Billy Hinson	G	DEN	John Beake	0	0	0
5.140	Bruce Collie	G	SF	John McVay	26	74	34
6.141	Mike Hamby	DE	BUF	Bill Polian	2	16	1
6.142	Steve Bono	QB	MIN	Mike Lynn	32	2	0
6.143	Rusty Hilger	QB	LV	Al Davis	5	11	5
6.144	Kurt Ploeger	DE	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	3	0
6.145	George Shorthose	WR	MIA	Don Shula	0	0	0
6.146	Stan Short	G	DET	Russ Thomas	0	0	0
6.147	Mark Krerowicz	G	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	2	3	3
6.148	Eric Stokes	C	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
6.149	John Bostic	DB	KC	Jim Schaaf	2	0	0
6.150	Terry Lewis	DB	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	1	10	0
6.151	Jeff Deaton	G	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	0	0
6.152	Reggie Pleasant	DB	ATL	Tom Braatz	0	3	0
6.153	Joe Krakoski	LB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	1	0	0
6.154	Keith Lester	TE	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
6.155	Mark Lewis	TE	GB	Forrest Gregg	0	18	2
6.156	Ken Reeves	T	PHI	Harry Gamble	16	69	32
6.157	Matt Moran	G	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	0	0
6.158	Jay Novacek	TE	ARI	Bill Bidwill	44	63	6
6.159	Jack Oliver	T	NYG	George Young	2	0	0
6.160	Gregg Carr	LB	PIT	Dick Haley	8	57	7
6.161	Mike Young	WR	LAR	John Shaw	18	51	2
6.162	Damone Johnson	TE	LAR	John Shaw	8	82	61
6.163	Danzell Lee	TE	WAS	Bobby Beathard	1	0	0
6.164	Tim Newton	DT	MIN	Mike Lynn	24	62	25
6.165	Mark Pembrook	DB	NYG	George Young	0	0	0
6.166	Rich Miano	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	26	60	31
6.167	Ron Davenport	RB	MIA	Don Shula	16	67	12
6.168	Scott Barry	QB	SF	John McVay	0	0	0
7.169	Ron Pitts	DB	BUF	Bill Polian	11	22	3
7.170	Mike Akiu	WR	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	0	20	1
7.171	Eric Wilson	LB	GB	Forrest Gregg	2	0	0
7.172	Kim Locklin	RB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
7.173	James Harbour	WR	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	0	9	0
7.174	Tony Staten	DB	DET	Russ Thomas	0	0	0
7.175	Reggie Langhorne	WR	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	37	102	81
7.176	Mike Prior	DB	TB	Phil Krueger	46	16	0
7.177	Jamie Harris	KR	WAS	Bobby Beathard	0	0	0
7.178	Karl Powe	WR	DAL	Tex Schramm	2	16	1
7.179	Eric Martin	WR	NO	Jim Finks	67	143	118	1
7.180	Vince Thompson	DE	KC	Jim Schaaf	0	0	0
7.181	Joe Walter	T	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	55	166	136
7.182	Gary Ellerson	RB	GB	Forrest Gregg	6	31	6
7.183	Dave Heffernan	G	KC	Jim Schaaf	0	0	0
7.184	Jim Herrmann	DE	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	0	0
7.185	Lionel Vital	RB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	3	3	3
7.186	Kevin Belcher	T	LV	Al Davis	1	4	0
7.187	Alan Andrews	TE	PIT	Dick Haley	0	0	0
7.188	Mark Pattison	WR	LV	Al Davis	2	2	0
7.189	Danny Bradley	RB	LAR	John Shaw	0	0	0
7.190	Charles Bennett	DE	CHI	Jerry Vainisi	1	0	0
7.191	Bret Clark	DB	LV	Al Davis	16	0	0
7.192	Nick Haden	G	LV	Al Davis	2	0	0
7.193	Ron Mattes	T	SEA	Mike McCormack	32	75	59
7.194	Dallas Cameron	DT	DEN	John Beake	0	0	0
7.195	Fuad Reveiz	K	MIA	Don Shula	25	54	0
7.196	Mark Fellows	LB	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	0	3	0

How to read this

"Value units" on the chart is a deliberately simple proxy: per player-season, games-started + 5×PB + 10×AP1 + 3×AP2. It's not a dollar value or θ; it's a single growth-curve number that lets us watch the class mature.
Pre-2013 picks have no per-game snap data → their games-started is approximated from career_games / years-on-team. Their on-chart contribution is dominated by honors.
Career AV is PFR's weighted Approximate Value (full-career, any team).
"On-team" honors only: PB/AP1/AP2 counts above are restricted to seasons on the drafting team. A player traded after Year 4 only gets credit for honors earned in years 1-4.
Active careers still accreting value: this year's chart endpoint isn't the final answer for any class with active players.