1997 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 Jimmy Johnson

Class value over time

Descriptive cumulative "value units" across all 240 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 1997 line on the same seasons-since-draft axis, so the slope shows whether a class matured fast or needed time.

1997 class highlighted · 17 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
3.73	Jason Taylor	DE	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	118	204	6	3	★
3.66	Ronde Barber	DB	TB	Rich McKay	109	241	5	3	★
1.1	Orlando Pace	T	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	104	158	7	3	★
2.36	Tiki Barber	RB	NYG	George Young	103	154	3	1
1.6	Walter Jones	T	SEA	Mike Allman	98	180	9	4	★
1.12	Warrick Dunn	RB	TB	Rich McKay	96	91	3
1.8	James Farrior	LB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	95	76	2	1
1.13	Tony Gonzalez	TE	KC	Carl Peterson	95	190	14	6	★
2.60	Darren Sharper	DB	GB	Ron Wolf	89	121	5	2
1.19	Tarik Glenn	T	IND	Bill Tobin	87	154	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
2.32	Nathan Davis	DE	ATL	Harold Richardson	0	3
1.26	Jim Druckenmiller	QB	SF	Carmen Policy	1	2
1.15	Yatil Green	WR	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	2	3
2.46	Joey Kent	WR	TEN	Floyd Reese	2	3
2.49	Torrian Gray	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	2	2
2.35	Juan Roque	T	DET	Chuck Schmidt	3	3
2.38	John Allred	TE	CHI	Mark Hatley	3	6
2.31	Rick Terry	DT	NYJ	Bill Parcells	4	3
1.25	Jon Harris	DE	PHI	Tom Modrak	5	2
1.22	David LaFleur	TE	DAL	Jerry Jones	7	4

All picks (240) · 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	Orlando Pace	T	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	104	158	154	7	3	★
1.2	Darrell Russell	DT	LV	Al Davis era	44	75	65	1	1
1.3	Shawn Springs	DB	SEA	Mike Allman	58	93	88
1.4	Peter Boulware	LB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	59	126	102	3
1.5	Bryant Westbrook	DB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	24	64	54
1.6	Walter Jones	T	SEA	Mike Allman	98	180	180	9	4	★
1.7	Ike Hilliard	WR	NYG	George Young	43	98	92
1.8	James Farrior	LB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	95	76	43
1.9	Tom Knight	DB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	17	63	53
1.10	Chris Naeole	G	NO	Mike Ditka	61	67	63
1.11	Michael Booker	DB	ATL	Harold Richardson	9	42	10
1.12	Warrick Dunn	RB	TB	Rich McKay	96	91	71	1
1.13	Tony Gonzalez	TE	KC	Carl Peterson	95	190	174	10	5	★
1.14	Reinard Wilson	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	14	93	23
1.15	Yatil Green	WR	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	2	8	1
1.16	Reidel Anthony	WR	TB	Rich McKay	22	73	38
1.17	Kenard Lang	DE	WAS	Charley Casserly	51	75	52
1.18	Kenny Holmes	DE	TEN	Floyd Reese	40	58	36
1.19	Tarik Glenn	T	IND	Bill Tobin	87	154	154	3
1.20	Dwayne Rudd	LB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	40	61	46
1.21	Renaldo Wynn	DE	JAX	Tom Coughlin	55	73	63
1.22	David LaFleur	TE	DAL	Jerry Jones	7	60	44
1.23	Antowain Smith	RB	BUF	John Butler	48	57	28
1.24	Chad Scott	DB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	41	91	86
1.25	Jon Harris	DE	PHI	Tom Modrak	5	24	8
1.26	Jim Druckenmiller	QB	SF	Carmen Policy	1	6	1
1.27	Rae Carruth	WR	CAR	Bill Polian	8	22	20
1.28	Trevor Pryce	DT	DEN	Mike Shanahan	80	121	114	4	1
1.29	Chris Canty	DB	NE	Bobby Grier	9	32	10
1.30	Ross Verba	T	GB	Ron Wolf	42	59	53
2.31	Rick Terry	DT	NYJ	Bill Parcells	4	14	0
2.32	Nathan Davis	DE	ATL	Harold Richardson	0	2	0
2.33	Rob Kelly	DB	NO	Mike Ditka	8	60	12
2.34	Jamie Sharper	LB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	60	80	79
2.35	Juan Roque	T	DET	Chuck Schmidt	3	17	3
2.36	Tiki Barber	RB	NYG	George Young	103	154	109	3	1
2.37	Jerry Wunsch	T	TB	Rich McKay	28	80	46
2.38	John Allred	TE	CHI	Mark Hatley	3	40	12
2.39	Jared Tomich	DE	NO	Mike Ditka	10	55	18
2.40	Dexter McCleon	DB	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	38	91	58
2.41	Byron Hanspard	RB	ATL	Harold Richardson	8	28	4
2.42	Jake Plummer	QB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	77	84	82
2.43	Corey Dillon	RB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	74	107	95	3
2.44	Sam Madison	DB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	86	138	127	4	2
2.45	Freddie Jones	TE	LAC	Bobby Beathard	26	75	65
2.46	Joey Kent	WR	TEN	Floyd Reese	2	30	0
2.47	Kevin Lockett	WR	KC	Carl Peterson	15	54	6
2.48	Adam Meadows	T	IND	Bill Tobin	51	103	96
2.49	Torrian Gray	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	2	25	4
2.50	Mike Logan	DB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	19	43	11
2.51	Greg Jones	LB	WAS	Charley Casserly	16	63	27
2.52	Marcellus Wiley	DE	BUF	John Butler	42	64	19
2.53	Will Blackwell	WR	PIT	Tom Donahoe	8	47	2
2.54	Kevin Abrams	DB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	7	32	11
2.55	Marc Edwards	FB	SF	Carmen Policy	14	31	11
2.56	Mike Minter	DB	CAR	Bill Polian	52	148	141
2.57	James Darling	LB	PHI	Tom Modrak	29	59	24
2.58	Kim Herring	DB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	34	54	43
2.59	Brandon Mitchell	DE	NE	Bobby Grier	22	62	37
2.60	Darren Sharper	DB	GB	Ron Wolf	89	121	105	2	1
3.61	Sedrick Shaw	RB	NE	Bobby Grier	2	14	1
3.62	Troy Davis	RB	NO	Mike Ditka	4	46	11
3.63	Frank Middleton	G	TB	Rich McKay	38	63	50
3.64	Jay Graham	RB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	3	22	4
3.65	Dexter Coakley	LB	DAL	Jerry Jones	65	127	127	3
3.66	Ronde Barber	DB	TB	Rich McKay	109	241	232	5	3	★
3.67	Dan Neil	G	DEN	Mike Shanahan	51	108	104
3.68	Ryan Phillips	LB	NYG	George Young	19	58	34
3.69	Bob Sapp	G	CHI	Mark Hatley	0	0	0
3.70	O.J. Santiago	TE	ATL	Harold Richardson	10	41	41
3.71	Duce Staley	RB	PHI	Tom Modrak	52	98	64
3.72	Adam Treu	C	LV	Al Davis era	26	155	44
3.73	Jason Taylor	DE	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	118	204	186	6	3	★
3.74	Michael Hamilton	LB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	3	33	2
3.75	Denard Walker	DB	TEN	Floyd Reese	36	61	55
3.76	Rod Payne	C	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	6	0
3.77	Greg Clark	TE	SF	Carmen Policy	9	55	39
3.78	Stalin Colinet	DT	MIN	Frank Gilliam	14	35	17
3.79	James Hamilton	LB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	1	16	0
3.80	Derek Smith	LB	WAS	Charley Casserly	59	64	61
3.81	Scott Sanderson	T	TEN	Floyd Reese	7	38	6
3.82	Paul Wiggins	T	PIT	Tom Donahoe	0	1	0
3.83	Steve Scifres	G	DAL	Jerry Jones	0	6	0
3.84	Ty Howard	DB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	4	24	2
3.85	Tim Kohn	T	LV	Al Davis era	0	0	0
3.86	Bertrand Berry	DE	IND	Bill Tobin	45	42	13
3.87	Kinnon Tatum	LB	CAR	Bill Polian	2	31	0
3.88	Dedric Ward	WR	NYJ	Bill Parcells	20	59	31
3.89	Chris Carter	DB	NE	Bobby Grier	18	47	15
3.90	Brett Conway	K	GB	Ron Wolf	7	0	0
3.91	Mike Vrabel	LB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	66	51	0
3.92	Derrick Rodgers	LB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	43	93	88
3.93	Ronnie Ward	LB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	4	0
3.94	Kenny Wheaton	DB	DAL	Jerry Jones	2	22	1
3.95	Brad Maynard	P	NYG	George Young	20	64	0
3.96	Brent Smith	G	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	16	37	13
4.97	Damon Denson	G	NE	Bobby Grier	3	14	4
4.98	Derrick Mason	WR	TEN	Floyd Reese	86	122	73	2	1
4.99	Danny Wuerffel	QB	NO	Mike Ditka	6	16	6
4.100	Henri Crockett	LB	ATL	Harold Richardson	28	73	61
4.101	Antonio Anderson	DT	DAL	Jerry Jones	3	21	5
4.102	Terry Day	DE	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	1	0
4.103	Pete Monty	LB	NYG	George Young	5	46	4
4.104	Leon Johnson	RB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	12	32	3
4.105	Darnell Autry	RB	CHI	Mark Hatley	7	13	3
4.106	Chris Dishman	G	ARI	Bob Ferguson	21	91	54
4.107	Pratt Lyons	DE	TEN	Floyd Reese	8	32	12
4.108	Marcus Robinson	WR	CHI	Mark Hatley	34	51	28
4.109	Raleigh Roundtree	G	LAC	Bobby Beathard	21	62	41
4.110	Pat Barnes	QB	KC	Carl Peterson	0	0	0
4.111	Tremain Mack	DB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	6	44	4	1
4.112	Ryan Tucker	T	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	49	59	31
4.113	Antonio Banks	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	2	24	1
4.114	Seth Payne	DT	JAX	Tom Coughlin	50	66	52
4.115	Albert Connell	WR	WAS	Charley Casserly	24	50	32
4.116	Keith Poole	WR	NO	Mike Ditka	13	48	23
4.117	Monty Montgomery	DB	IND	Bill Tobin	10	35	8
4.118	Tyrus McCloud	LB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	2	23	2
4.119	Damien Robinson	DB	PHI	Tom Modrak	29	0	0
4.120	Jamie Nails	G	BUF	John Butler	24	49	22
4.121	Jerome Daniels	G	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	3	0	0
4.122	Tarek Saleh	LB	CAR	Bill Polian	4	14	1
4.123	Chad Levitt	RB	LV	Al Davis era	0	10	2
4.124	Cory Gilliard	DB	DEN	Mike Shanahan	0	0	0
4.125	Ed Ellis	T	NE	Bobby Grier	7	9	1
4.126	Jermaine Smith	DT	GB	Ron Wolf	2	19	0
4.127	Macey Brooks	WR	DAL	Jerry Jones	3	0	0
4.128	Alshermond Singleton	LB	TB	Rich McKay	30	87	15
4.129	Nicky Sualua	RB	DAL	Jerry Jones	0	26	1
4.130	Matt Russell	LB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	2	14	0
5.131	Lamont Burns	G	NYJ	Bill Parcells	2	4	3
5.132	Jamel Williams	DB	WAS	Charley Casserly	2	35	0
5.133	Marcus Wimberly	DB	ATL	Harold Richardson	0	6	0
5.134	Jeff Mitchell	C	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	43	41	40
5.135	Pete Chryplewicz	TE	DET	Chuck Schmidt	0	37	3
5.136	Sam Garnes	DB	NYG	George Young	37	74	73
5.137	Patrick Hape	TE	TB	Rich McKay	1	61	8
5.138	Kenny Bynum	RB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	4	53	5
5.139	Chad Carpenter	WR	ARI	Bob Ferguson	0	0	0
5.140	Keith Thibodeaux	DB	WAS	Charley Casserly	4	15	0
5.141	Van Hiles	DB	CHI	Mark Hatley	1	16	1
5.142	Eric Stokes	DB	SEA	Mike Allman	0	11	0
5.143	George McCullough	DB	TEN	Floyd Reese	2	25	0
5.144	Andre Purvis	DT	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	2	21	1
5.145	Raymond Austin	DB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	3	16	0
5.146	Paul Bradford	DB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	2	15	4
5.147	Damon Jones	TE	JAX	Tom Coughlin	5	50	22
5.148	Twan Russell	LB	WAS	Charley Casserly	6	27	0
5.149	Barron Tanner	DT	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	13	29	0
5.150	Nate Jacquet	WR	IND	Bill Tobin	1	5	0
5.151	Tony Williams	DT	MIN	Frank Gilliam	32	50	35
5.152	N.D. Kalu	DE	PHI	Tom Modrak	22	64	25
5.153	Sean Woodson	DB	BUF	John Butler	0	0	0
5.154	George Jones	RB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	4	16	1
5.155	Luther Broughton	TE	PHI	Tom Modrak	4	31	4
5.156	Carl Powell	DE	IND	Bill Tobin	10	11	0
5.157	Nicholas Lopez	DE	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	0	0
5.158	Taje Allen	DB	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	6	57	4
5.159	Vernon Crawford	LB	NE	Bobby Grier	3	41	1
5.160	Anthony Hicks	LB	GB	Ron Wolf	0	0	0
5.161	Duane Ashman	DE	DET	Chuck Schmidt	0	0	0
5.162	Brad Badger	G	WAS	Charley Casserly	30	42	21
5.163	June Henley	RB	KC	Carl Peterson	4	0	0
6.164	Tim Scharf	LB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	0	0
6.165	Nick Savoie	TE	NO	Mike Ditka	0	1	0
6.166	John Fiala	LB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	6	0	0
6.167	Steve Lee	RB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	0	0	0
6.168	Tony Ramirez	T	DET	Chuck Schmidt	6	30	10
6.169	Al Harris	DB	TB	Rich McKay	54	0	0
6.170	Brian Manning	WR	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	1	7	0
6.171	Mike Cherry	QB	NYG	George Young	0	2	0
6.172	Calvin Branch	DB	LV	Al Davis era	3	60	1
6.173	Mike Crawford	LB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	7	0
6.174	Itula Mili	TE	SEA	Mike Allman	15	114	42
6.175	Rod Brown	RB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	0	0	0
6.176	Canute Curtis	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	9	70	15
6.177	Ed Perry	TE	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	2	103	10
6.178	Daniel Palmer	C	LAC	Bobby Beathard	0	0	0
6.179	Muadianvita Kazadi	LB	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	1	12	0
6.180	Calvin Collins	G	ATL	Harold Richardson	25	61	53
6.181	Dennis Stallings	LB	TEN	Floyd Reese	2	28	0
6.182	Scott Von der Ahe	LB	IND	Bill Tobin	1	9	2
6.183	Robert Tate	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	15	67	23
6.184	Daimon Shelton	FB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	6	59	26
6.185	Marcus Spriggs	T	BUF	John Butler	11	30	13
6.186	Daryl Porter	DB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	6	0	0
6.187	Lee Vaughn	DB	DAL	Jerry Jones	0	0	0
6.188	Tony McCombs	LB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	6	26	13
6.189	Matt Finkes	DE	CAR	Bill Polian	1	0	0
6.190	Antwuan Wyatt	WR	PHI	Tom Modrak	0	1	0
6.191	Chuck Clements	QB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	1	0
6.192	Tony Gaiter	WR	NE	Bobby Grier	0	1	0
6.193	Grady Jackson	DT	LV	Al Davis era	49	67	32
6.194	Cornell Brown	LB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	17	109	25
6.195	Isaac Byrd	WR	KC	Carl Peterson	10	0	0
6.196	Shawn Swayda	DE	CHI	Mark Hatley	2	0	0
6.197	Nigea Carter	WR	TB	Rich McKay	0	0	0
6.198	Ed Jasper	DT	PHI	Tom Modrak	28	17	1
6.199	Rod Manuel	DE	PIT	Tom Donahoe	0	3	0
6.200	Richard Hogans	LB	CHI	Mark Hatley	0	0	0
6.201	Ricky Parker	DB	CHI	Mark Hatley	1	0	0
7.202	Steve Rosga	DB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	0	0
7.203	Hudhaifa Ismaeli	DB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	0	0
7.204	Tony Graziani	QB	ATL	Harold Richardson	3	18	5
7.205	Chris Ward	DE	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	0	5	0
7.206	Terry Battle	RB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	0	0	0
7.207	Koy Detmer	QB	PHI	Tom Modrak	4	103	8
7.208	Matt Keneley	DT	NYG	George Young	0	0	0
7.209	Anthony DeGrate	DT	TB	Rich McKay	0	0	0
7.210	Mike Miano	DT	CHI	Mark Hatley	0	0	0
7.211	Carlos Jones	DB	SEA	Mike Allman	0	0	0
7.212	Mark Smith	DT	ARI	Bob Ferguson	17	46	24
7.213	Chris Miller	WR	GB	Ron Wolf	0	0	0
7.214	Nathan Parks	T	KC	Carl Peterson	0	0	0
7.215	Cedric White	DE	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	0	0	0
7.216	Armon Williams	DB	TEN	Floyd Reese	0	6	0
7.217	William Carr	DT	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
7.218	Toran James	LB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	1	14	0
7.219	Clarence Thompson	DB	IND	Bill Tobin	0	0	0
7.220	Artie Ulmer	LB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	6	0	0
7.221	Jon Hesse	LB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	0	0	0
7.222	Chris Bayne	DB	ATL	Harold Richardson	2	23	0
7.223	Mike Adams	WR	PIT	Tom Donahoe	0	6	0
7.224	Omar Stoutmire	DB	DAL	Jerry Jones	26	32	14
7.225	Byron Capers	DB	PHI	Tom Modrak	0	0	0
7.226	Pat Fitzgerald	TE	BUF	John Butler	0	0	0
7.227	DeAuntae Brown	DB	PHI	Tom Modrak	0	1	0
7.228	Kris Mangum	TE	CAR	Bill Polian	11	126	61
7.229	Jason Ferguson	DT	NYJ	Bill Parcells	50	101	83
7.230	Scott Rehberg	G	NE	Bobby Grier	13	8	0
7.231	Jerald Sowell	FB	GB	Ron Wolf	12	0	0
7.232	Marcus Harris	WR	DET	Chuck Schmidt	0	0	0
7.233	Marvin Thomas	DE	CHI	Mark Hatley	0	0	0
7.234	Wally Richardson	QB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	0	1	0
7.235	Matthew Hatchette	WR	MIN	Frank Gilliam	9	48	4
7.236	Ralph Staten	DB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	4	25	6
7.237	Tony Corbin	QB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	0	0	0
7.238	Leland Taylor	DT	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	0	1	0
7.239	Richard Jordan	LB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	4	36	4
7.240	Ron McAda	QB	GB	Ron Wolf	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.