1988 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 Mike Lynn

Class value over time

Descriptive cumulative "value units" across all 193 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 1988 line on the same seasons-since-draft axis, so the slope shows whether a class matured fast or needed time.

1988 class highlighted · 8 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
1.19	Randall McDaniel	G	MIN	Mike Lynn	129	190	12	7	★
2.40	Thurman Thomas	RB	BUF	Bill Polian	110	173	5	2	★
1.6	Tim Brown	WR	LV	Al Davis	105	240	9		★
1.11	Michael Irvin	WR	DAL	Tex Schramm	104	159	5	1	★
1.2	Neil Smith	DE	KC	Jim Schaaf	96	138	6	1
2.30	Eric Allen	DB	PHI	Harry Gamble	96	111	6	1	★
2.44	Dermontti Dawson	C	PIT	Dick Haley	96	184	7	6	★
2.50	Michael Dean Perry	DT	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	83	109	6	2
3.80	Bill Romanowski	LB	SF	John McVay	83	96	2
2.41	Ken Norton Jr.	LB	DAL	Tex Schramm	81	79	3	1

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
1.26	Ted Gregory	NT	DEN	John Beake	0	1
2.37	Terry Williams	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	2
2.38	Tony Jeffery	RB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	0	1
2.48	Quintin Jones	DB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	0	3
1.21	Clifford Charlton	LB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	2	2
1.16	Eric Kumerow	DE	MIA	Don Shula	4	3
2.28	Marcus Cotton	LB	ATL	Ken Herock	5	4
2.53	Lars Tate	RB	TB	Phil Krueger	8	3
2.32	Pat Carter	TE	DET	Russ Thomas	9	10
2.34	Shawn Patterson	DE	GB	Tom Braatz	10	6

All picks (193) · 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	Aundray Bruce	LB	ATL	Ken Herock	24	62	33
1.2	Neil Smith	DE	KC	Jim Schaaf	96	138	127	4	1
1.3	Bennie Blades	DB	DET	Russ Thomas	46	126	125	1
1.4	Paul Gruber	T	TB	Phil Krueger	60	183	183
1.5	Rickey Dixon	DB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	13	73	32
1.6	Tim Brown	WR	LV	Al Davis	105	240	198	6		★
1.7	Sterling Sharpe	WR	GB	Tom Braatz	70	112	112	4	3	★
1.8	Dave Cadigan	G	NYJ	Jim Kensil	28	69	51
1.9	Terry McDaniel	DB	LV	Al Davis	70	143	137	3
1.10	Eric Moore	G	NYG	George Young	35	75	68
1.11	Michael Irvin	WR	DAL	Tex Schramm	104	159	147	4	1	★
1.12	Ken Harvey	LB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	65	90	64
1.13	Keith Jackson	TE	PHI	Harry Gamble	43	60	57	3	3
1.14	Gaston Green	RB	LAR	John Shaw	16	31	4
1.15	Anthony Miller	WR	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	74	93	91	4
1.16	Eric Kumerow	DE	MIA	Don Shula	4	42	0
1.17	John Stephens	RB	NE	Patrick Sullivan	23	76	59	1
1.18	Aaron Jones	DE	PIT	Dick Haley	18	67	22
1.19	Randall McDaniel	G	MIN	Mike Lynn	129	190	188	7	7	★
1.20	Aaron Cox	WR	LAR	John Shaw	15	71	28
1.21	Clifford Charlton	LB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	2	31	1
1.22	Lorenzo White	RB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	43	95	48	1
1.23	Brad Muster	RB	CHI	Bill Tobin	31	75	58
1.24	Craig Heyward	RB	NO	Jim Finks	38	66	46
1.25	Scott Davis	DT	LV	Al Davis	23	75	47
1.26	Ted Gregory	NT	DEN	John Beake	0	0	0
1.27	Wendell Davis	WR	CHI	Bill Tobin	28	81	54
2.28	Marcus Cotton	LB	ATL	Ken Herock	5	34	7
2.29	Chris Spielman	LB	DET	Russ Thomas	74	124	124	3	1
2.30	Eric Allen	DB	PHI	Harry Gamble	96	111	110	4	1	★
2.31	Ickey Woods	RB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	19	37	20
2.32	Pat Carter	TE	DET	Russ Thomas	9	15	14
2.33	Danny Stubbs	DE	SF	John McVay	30	32	1
2.34	Shawn Patterson	DE	GB	Tom Braatz	10	48	13
2.35	Anthony Newman	DB	LAR	John Shaw	40	111	54
2.36	Jumbo Elliott	T	NYG	George Young	62	112	98
2.37	Terry Williams	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	11	0
2.38	Tony Jeffery	RB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	0	3	0
2.39	Pierce Holt	DE	SF	John McVay	45	70	54	1
2.40	Thurman Thomas	RB	BUF	Bill Polian	110	173	160	5	2	★
2.41	Ken Norton Jr.	LB	DAL	Tex Schramm	81	79	76
2.42	Jarvis Williams	DB	MIA	Don Shula	36	91	83
2.43	Vincent Brown	LB	NE	Patrick Sullivan	52	123	103
2.44	Dermontti Dawson	C	PIT	Dick Haley	96	184	181	3	6	★
2.45	Gerald Perry	T	DEN	John Beake	36	40	29
2.46	Flipper Anderson	WR	LAR	John Shaw	42	106	76
2.47	Fred Strickland	LB	LAR	John Shaw	46	63	27
2.48	Quintin Jones	DB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	0	5	0
2.49	Brian Blades	WR	SEA	Mike McCormack	60	156	122	1
2.50	Michael Dean Perry	DT	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	83	109	90	4	2
2.51	Dante Jones	LB	CHI	Bill Tobin	22	87	29
2.52	Brett Perriman	WR	NO	Jim Finks	59	46	16
2.53	Lars Tate	RB	TB	Phil Krueger	8	30	19
2.54	Brad Edwards	DB	MIN	Mike Lynn	29	25	7
2.55	Chip Lohmiller	K	WAS	Bobby Beathard	19	112	0	1
3.56	Alex Higdon	TE	ATL	Ken Herock	0	3	0
3.57	Kevin Walker	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	9	44	23
3.58	Ray Roundtree	WR	DET	Russ Thomas	0	4	0
3.59	Kevin Porter	DB	KC	Jim Schaaf	21	76	52
3.60	Quinn Early	WR	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	46	36	17
3.61	Keith Woodside	RB	GB	Tom Braatz	16	64	50
3.62	Sheldon White	DB	NYG	George Young	8	32	6
3.63	Erik McMillan	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	30	76	52	2
3.64	Matt Patchan	T	PHI	Harry Gamble	0	0	0
3.65	Bernard Ford	WR	BUF	Bill Polian	1	0	0
3.66	Mike Oliphant	RB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	2	8	0
3.67	Mark Hutson	G	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	0	0
3.68	Tom Tupa	QB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	29	42	13
3.69	Tom Rehder	T	NE	Patrick Sullivan	3	32	0
3.70	Chuck Lanza	C	PIT	Dick Haley	2	27	0
3.71	Al Noga	DE	MIN	Mike Lynn	29	73	56
3.72	Greg Montgomery	P	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	19	94	0	1	1
3.73	Ferrell Edmunds	TE	MIA	Don Shula	15	66	57	2
3.74	James Hasty	DB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	81	111	111
3.75	Tommy Kane	WR	SEA	Mike McCormack	17	57	37
3.76	Chris Chandler	QB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	77	18	16
3.77	Van Waiters	LB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	13	64	20
3.78	Ralph Jarvis	DE	CHI	Bill Tobin	1	0	0
3.79	Kevin Guidry	DB	DEN	John Beake	1	14	0
3.80	Bill Romanowski	LB	SF	John McVay	83	96	76
3.81	Tony Stephens	DT	NO	Jim Finks	0	0	0
3.82	Mike Piel	DE	LAR	John Shaw	11	50	25
4.83	Robert Goff	DE	TB	Phil Krueger	25	28	18
4.84	David Grant	DE	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	11	61	22
4.85	William White	DB	DET	Russ Thomas	46	95	79
4.86	John Bruhin	G	TB	Phil Krueger	10	49	21
4.87	Tim Goad	NT	NE	Patrick Sullivan	48	109	105
4.88	Rollin Putzier	DT	GB	Tom Braatz	1	0	0
4.89	Chuck Cecil	DB	GB	Tom Braatz	32	66	42	1
4.90	Tim Rother	DT	LV	Al Davis	1	20	0
4.91	Joe Campbell	DE	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	2	25	0
4.92	Ricky Shaw	LB	NYG	George Young	4	21	0
4.93	Stacy Searels	T	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	0	0	0
4.94	Dave Widell	C	DAL	Tex Schramm	42	29	11
4.95	Michael Brim	DB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	28	4	0
4.96	J.R. Ambrose	WR	KC	Jim Schaaf	0	0	0
4.97	Sammy Martin	WR	NE	Patrick Sullivan	3	40	1
4.98	David Richards	G	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	49	80	80
4.99	Greg Johnson	T	MIA	Don Shula	0	1	0
4.100	Teddy Garcia	K	NE	Patrick Sullivan	0	16	0
4.101	Kevin Harmon	RB	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	9	0
4.102	Barry Helton	P	SF	John McVay	5	47	0
4.103	Anthony Blaylock	DB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	14	49	9
4.104	Michael Ball	DB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	13	84	30
4.105	James Thornton	TE	CHI	Bill Tobin	12	64	57
4.106	Lydell Carr	RB	NO	Jim Finks	0	0	0
4.107	Monte Robbins	P	TB	Phil Krueger	0	0	0
4.108	Todd Kalis	G	MIN	Mike Lynn	29	77	45
4.109	Jamie Morris	RB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	5	28	7
5.110	Charles Dimry	DB	ATL	Ken Herock	40	48	18
5.111	Eric Andolsek	G	DET	Russ Thomas	23	61	48
5.112	Greg Scales	TE	NO	Jim Finks	2	44	5
5.113	William Howard	RB	TB	Phil Krueger	7	31	21
5.114	Herb Wester	T	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
5.115	Troy Wolkow	G	NE	Patrick Sullivan	0	0	0
5.116	Darrell Reed	LB	GB	Tom Braatz	0	0	0
5.117	Robert Delpino	RB	LAR	John Shaw	25	72	25
5.118	Jon Carter	DT	NYG	George Young	1	0	0
5.119	Mike Withycombe	G	NYJ	Jim Kensil	4	11	2
5.120	Chris Gaines	LB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	0	0	0
5.121	Darin Jordan	LB	PIT	Dick Haley	9	15	2
5.122	Eric Everett	DB	PHI	Harry Gamble	8	32	2
5.123	Ezekial Gadson	DB	BUF	Bill Polian	0	0	0
5.124	Darrell Fullington	DB	MIN	Mike Lynn	14	47	13
5.125	Cris Dishman	DB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	78	140	111	1	1
5.126	Rodney Thomas	DB	MIA	Don Shula	4	43	3
5.127	Carl Mims	DB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	0	0	0
5.128	Jerry Reese	DE	PIT	Dick Haley	1	15	0
5.129	John Baylor	DB	IND	Jim Irsay/staff	17	74	37
5.130	Chris Verhulst	TE	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	0	17	2
5.131	Dennis Price	DB	LV	Al Davis	3	17	4
5.132	Tony Jordan	RB	ARI	Bill Bidwill	2	22	10
5.133	Troy Johnson	LB	CHI	Bill Tobin	7	23	1
5.134	Keith Taylor	DB	NO	Jim Finks	22	32	18
5.135	Kirk Roach	K	BUF	Bill Polian	0	0	0
5.136	Corris Ervin	DB	DEN	John Beake	0	0	0
5.137	James Washington	DB	LAR	John Shaw	32	25	0
6.138	George Thomas	WR	ATL	Ken Herock	7	46	9
6.139	James Saxon	FB	KC	Jim Schaaf	8	54	6
6.140	Houston Hoover	G	ATL	Ken Herock	35	79	72
6.141	Paul Jetton	G	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	6	28	10
6.142	Carl Painter	RB	DET	Russ Thomas	1	27	0
6.143	Erwin Grabisna	LB	LV	Al Davis	0	0	0
6.144	Nate Hill	DE	GB	Tom Braatz	0	3	0
6.145	David Houle	G	NYG	George Young	0	0	0
6.146	Paul Frase	DE	NYJ	Jim Kensil	24	96	44
6.147	Keith Jones	RB	LAR	John Shaw	2	0	0
6.148	Jon Phillips	G	ARI	Bill Bidwill	0	0	0
6.149	Don McPherson	QB	PHI	Harry Gamble	0	0	0
6.150	Dan Murray	LB	BUF	Bill Polian	0	0	0
6.151	Scott Secules	QB	DAL	Tex Schramm	5	0	0
6.152	Cedric Figaro	LB	LAC	Steve Ortmayer	16	38	20
6.153	Melvin Bratton	RB	MIA	Don Shula	0	0	0
6.154	Steve Johnson	TE	NE	Patrick Sullivan	0	14	3
6.155	Warren Williams	RB	PIT	Dick Haley	9	66	17
6.156	George Cooper	RB	MIA	Don Shula	0	0	0
6.157	Kurt Crain	LB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	0	0	0
6.158	Roy Hart	NT	SEA	Mike McCormack	2	16	1
6.159	Stan Humphries	QB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	50	9	5
6.160	Rob Sterling	DB	PHI	Harry Gamble	0	0	0
6.161	Lemuel Stinson	DB	CHI	Bill Tobin	21	69	42
6.162	Bob Sims	G	NO	Jim Finks	0	0	0
6.163	Shawn Lee	DT	TB	Phil Krueger	41	30	3
6.164	Derrick White	DB	MIN	Mike Lynn	0	0	0
6.165	Jeff Knapton	DT	LAR	John Shaw	0	0	0
7.166	Michael Haynes	WR	ATL	Ken Herock	49	99	73
7.167	Kerry Goode	RB	TB	Phil Krueger	2	14	5
7.168	Rich Romer	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	9	0
7.169	Jeff James	WR	DET	Russ Thomas	0	0	0
7.170	Troy Stedman	LB	KC	Jim Schaaf	0	5	0
7.171	Derrick Crudup	DB	LV	Al Davis	1	20	0
7.172	Gary Patton	RB	NYJ	Jim Kensil	0	0	0
7.173	Gary Richard	DB	GB	Tom Braatz	1	10	0
7.174	Pat Kelly	TE	DEN	John Beake	0	32	1
7.175	Mike Perez	QB	NYG	George Young	0	0	0
7.176	Todd White	WR	PHI	Harry Gamble	0	0	0
7.177	Tim Borcky	T	BUF	Bill Polian	0	0	0
7.178	Owen Hooven	T	DAL	Tex Schramm	0	0	0
7.179	Ernie Jones	WR	ARI	Bill Bidwill	26	73	38
7.180	Kerwin Bell	QB	MIA	Don Shula	0	0	0
7.181	Darryl Usher	WR	NE	Patrick Sullivan	0	0	0
7.182	Marc Zeno	WR	PIT	Dick Haley	0	0	0
7.183	Brad Beckman	TE	MIN	Mike Lynn	1	0	0
7.184	Bo Wright	RB	BUF	Bill Polian	0	0	0
7.185	Ray Jackson	DB	SEA	Mike McCormack	0	0	0
7.186	Danta Whitaker	TE	NYG	George Young	1	0	0
7.187	Tracey Eaton	DB	TEN	Ladd Herzeg	4	17	2
7.188	Thane Gash	DB	CLE	Ernie Accorsi	14	48	32
7.189	Caesar Rentie	T	CHI	Bill Tobin	0	5	0
7.190	Brian Forde	LB	NO	Jim Finks	7	64	1
7.191	Kevin Bryant	LB	SF	John McVay	0	0	0
7.192	Garry Frank	G	DEN	John Beake	0	0	0
7.193	Harold Hicks	DB	WAS	Bobby Beathard	0	0	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.