1998 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 Bill Polian

Class value over time

Descriptive cumulative "value units" across all 241 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 1998 line on the same seasons-since-draft axis, so the slope shows whether a class matured fast or needed time.

1998 class highlighted · 18 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
1.1	Peyton Manning	QB	IND	Bill Polian	176	208	14	7	★
1.21	Randy Moss	WR	MIN	Frank Gilliam	124	113	6	4	★
1.4	Charles Woodson	DB	LV	Al Davis era	115	154	9	3	★
1.26	Alan Faneca	G	PIT	Tom Donahoe	108	158	9	6	★
1.9	Fred Taylor	RB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	88	140	1
3.92	Hines Ward	WR	PIT	Tom Donahoe	88	217	4
6.187	Matt Hasselbeck	QB	GB	Ron Wolf	87	32	3
1.13	Takeo Spikes	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	83	79	2	1
3.76	Ahman Green	RB	SEA	Mike Allman	83	30	4
6.173	Matt Birk	C	MIN	Frank Gilliam	83	146	6

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
2.31	Leon Bender	DT	LV	Al Davis era	0	1
1.2	Ryan Leaf	QB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	1	4
1.30	Marcus Nash	WR	DEN	Mike Shanahan	1	2
2.57	Cordell Taylor	DB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	1	2
2.54	Rod Rutledge	TE	NE	Bobby Grier	2	5
1.29	John Avery	RB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	4	6
2.41	Jeremy Staat	DE	PIT	Tom Donahoe	4	6
2.56	Dorian Boose	DE	NYJ	Bill Parcells	5	4
2.52	Tony Simmons	WR	NE	Bobby Grier	8	5
2.40	Cam Cleeland	TE	NO	Mike Ditka	9	8

All picks (241) · 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	Peyton Manning	QB	IND	Bill Polian	176	208	208	11	5	★
1.2	Ryan Leaf	QB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	1	21	18
1.3	Andre Wadsworth	DE	ARI	Bob Ferguson	12	36	30
1.4	Charles Woodson	DB	LV	Al Davis era	115	154	151	3	1	★
1.5	Curtis Enis	RB	CHI	Mark Hatley	10	36	18
1.6	Grant Wistrom	DE	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	54	91	77
1.7	Kyle Turley	T	NO	Mike Ditka	52	79	79		1
1.8	Greg Ellis	DE	DAL	Jerry Jones	68	162	155	1
1.9	Fred Taylor	RB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	88	140	136	1
1.10	Duane Starks	DB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	33	62	43
1.11	Tra Thomas	T	PHI	Tom Modrak	72	166	165	3
1.12	Keith Brooking	LB	ATL	Harold Richardson	81	161	146	5
1.13	Takeo Spikes	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	83	79	79
1.14	Jason Peter	DE	CAR	Dom Anile	10	38	20
1.15	Anthony Simmons	LB	SEA	Mike Allman	34	87	79
1.16	Kevin Dyson	WR	TEN	Floyd Reese	22	58	54
1.17	Brian Simmons	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	42	121	115
1.18	Robert Edwards	RB	NE	Bobby Grier	13	16	15
1.19	Vonnie Holliday	DE	GB	Ron Wolf	63	66	63
1.20	Terry Fair	DB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	21	52	48
1.21	Randy Moss	WR	MIN	Frank Gilliam	124	113	108	4	3	★
1.22	Tebucky Jones	DB	NE	Bobby Grier	27	72	36
1.23	Mo Collins	G	LV	Al Davis era	29	71	64
1.24	Shaun Williams	DB	NYG	Ernie Accorsi	31	92	60
1.25	Donovin Darius	DB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	45	115	115
1.26	Alan Faneca	G	PIT	Tom Donahoe	108	158	153	7	6	★
1.27	Victor Riley	T	KC	Carl Peterson	40	55	52
1.28	R.W. McQuarters	DB	SF	Carmen Policy	37	27	11
1.29	John Avery	RB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	4	17	0
1.30	Marcus Nash	WR	DEN	Mike Shanahan	1	10	1
2.31	Leon Bender	DT	LV	Al Davis era	0	0	0
2.32	Jerome Pathon	WR	IND	Bill Polian	29	46	30
2.33	Corey Chavous	DB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	42	61	24
2.34	Jacquez Green	WR	TB	Rich McKay	26	56	37
2.35	Tony Parrish	DB	CHI	Mark Hatley	49	64	64
2.36	Anthony Clement	T	ARI	Bob Ferguson	39	82	69
2.37	Robert Holcombe	RB	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	14	58	22
2.38	Flozell Adams	T	DAL	Jerry Jones	81	182	178	5
2.39	Sam Cowart	LB	BUF	John Butler	44	45	40	1
2.40	Cam Cleeland	TE	NO	Mike Ditka	9	36	31
2.41	Jeremy Staat	DE	PIT	Tom Donahoe	4	29	2
2.42	Patrick Johnson	WR	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	11	45	15
2.43	Artrell Hawkins	DB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	33	89	72
2.44	Patrick Surtain	DB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	68	108	82	3	1
2.45	Brian Kelly	DB	TB	Rich McKay	36	130	79
2.46	Samari Rolle	DB	TEN	Floyd Reese	64	101	86	1	1
2.47	Todd Weiner	T	SEA	Mike Allman	47	49	20
2.48	Stephen Alexander	TE	WAS	Charley Casserly	20	53	41	1
2.49	Kenny Mixon	DE	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	37	59	50
2.50	Germane Crowell	WR	DET	Chuck Schmidt	23	54	33
2.51	Kailee Wong	LB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	37	60	40
2.52	Tony Simmons	WR	NE	Bobby Grier	8	38	9
2.53	Bob Hallen	G	ATL	Harold Richardson	24	59	31
2.54	Rod Rutledge	TE	NE	Bobby Grier	2	63	31
2.55	Joe Jurevicius	WR	NYG	Ernie Accorsi	31	58	14
2.56	Dorian Boose	DE	NYJ	Bill Parcells	5	34	0
2.57	Cordell Taylor	DB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	1	11	0
2.58	Jeremy Newberry	C	SF	Carmen Policy	52	90	90	2
2.59	Mikhael Ricks	TE	LAC	Bobby Beathard	14	35	25
2.60	Charlie Batch	QB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	34	48	46
2.61	Eric Brown	DB	DEN	Mike Shanahan	31	53	52
3.62	Chuck Wiley	DE	CAR	Dom Anile	12	16	16
3.63	Jon Ritchie	FB	LV	Al Davis era	11	75	48
3.64	Olin Kreutz	C	CHI	Mark Hatley	73	191	183	6	1
3.65	Leonard Little	DE	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	52	147	98	1	1
3.66	Chris Conrad	T	PIT	Tom Donahoe	4	17	4
3.67	Scott Frost	DB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	5	43	1
3.68	Robert Hicks	T	BUF	John Butler	13	37	23
3.69	Skip Hicks	RB	WAS	Charley Casserly	9	29	8
3.70	Brian Alford	WR	NYG	Ernie Accorsi	0	4	0
3.71	E.G. Green	WR	IND	Bill Polian	7	29	4
3.72	Jeremiah Trotter	LB	PHI	Tom Modrak	71	116	95	4	1
3.73	Mitch Marrow	DE	CAR	Dom Anile	0	0	0
3.74	Jammi German	WR	ATL	Harold Richardson	3	29	0
3.75	Steve Foley	LB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	30	54	45
3.76	Ahman Green	RB	SEA	Mike Allman	83	30	0
3.77	Dainon Sidney	DB	TEN	Floyd Reese	6	48	6
3.78	Mike Goff	G	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	62	83	67
3.79	Brad Jackson	LB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	8	0	0
3.80	Ramos McDonald	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	5	20	5
3.81	Chris Floyd	RB	NE	Bobby Grier	0	40	2
3.82	Larry Shannon	WR	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	2	0
3.83	Greg Spires	DE	NE	Bobby Grier	49	42	3
3.84	Jamie Duncan	LB	TB	Rich McKay	29	60	36
3.85	Allen Rossum	DB	PHI	Tom Modrak	21	31	2
3.86	Jonathan Quinn	QB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	4	11	3
3.87	Kevin Williams	DB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	8	28	13
3.88	Rashaan Shehee	RB	KC	Carl Peterson	4	25	5
3.89	Chris Ruhman	T	SF	Carmen Policy	2	6	0
3.90	Jonathan Brown	DE	GB	Ron Wolf	0	4	0
3.91	Brian Griese	QB	DEN	Mike Shanahan	54	53	51	1
3.92	Hines Ward	WR	PIT	Tom Donahoe	88	217	190	4
4.93	Steve McKinney	C	IND	Bill Polian	52	60	60
4.94	Alonzo Mayes	TE	CHI	Mark Hatley	3	37	28
4.95	Michael Pittman	RB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	50	56	28
4.96	Az-Zahir Hakim	WR	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	38	56	9
4.97	Fred Weary	DB	NO	Mike Ditka	14	56	25
4.98	Roland Williams	TE	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	9	49	38
4.99	Julian Pittman	DE	NO	Mike Ditka	0	2	0
4.100	Michael Myers	DT	DAL	Jerry Jones	34	68	25
4.101	Tavian Banks	RB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	3	14	2
4.102	Lorenzo Bromell	DE	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	11	53	2
4.103	Omar Brown	DB	ATL	Harold Richardson	1	15	0
4.104	Todd Washington	G	TB	Rich McKay	12	51	3
4.105	Glen Steele	DT	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	9	90	10
4.106	Donald Hayes	WR	CAR	Dom Anile	18	51	31
4.107	Joe Salave'a	DT	TEN	Floyd Reese	20	49	1
4.108	DeShone Myles	LB	SEA	Mike Allman	3	17	7
4.109	Gennaro DiNapoli	C	LV	Al Davis era	15	11	9
4.110	Kivuusama Mays	LB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	2	27	0
4.111	Jason Fabini	T	NYJ	Bill Parcells	53	114	114
4.112	Brandon Whiting	DE	PHI	Tom Modrak	34	88	59
4.113	Shawn Barber	LB	WAS	Charley Casserly	37	49	34
4.114	Tim Dwight	WR	ATL	Harold Richardson	30	38	9
4.115	Leonta Rheams	DT	NE	Bobby Grier	0	6	0
4.116	Clarence Love	DB	PHI	Tom Modrak	3	6	0
4.117	Deshea Townsend	DB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	40	183	80
4.118	Harry Deligianis	DT	JAX	Tom Coughlin	0	0	0
4.119	Lance Schulters	DB	SF	Carmen Policy	35	56	41	1
4.120	Greg Favors	LB	KC	Carl Peterson	29	16	4
4.121	Roosevelt Blackmon	DB	GB	Ron Wolf	2	3	0
4.122	Curtis Alexander	RB	DEN	Mike Shanahan	0	0	0
4.123	Carlos King	RB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	0	1	0
5.124	Martin Chase	DT	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	7	3	0
5.125	Terry Hardy	TE	ARI	Bob Ferguson	10	49	37
5.126	Cedric Harden	DE	LAC	Bobby Beathard	0	5	0
5.127	Jeremy Brigham	TE	LV	Al Davis era	3	47	8
5.128	Robert Williams	DB	KC	Carl Peterson	1	17	1
5.129	Raymond Priester	RB	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	0	0	0
5.130	Darren Hambrick	LB	DAL	Jerry Jones	25	51	33
5.131	Jonathan Linton	RB	BUF	John Butler	9	44	4
5.132	Wilmont Perry	RB	NO	Mike Ditka	2	13	5
5.133	Ryan Sutter	DB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	0	0	0
5.134	Casey Dailey	LB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	6	0
5.135	Antony Jordan	LB	IND	Bill Polian	1	15	3
5.136	Jerry Jensen	LB	CAR	Dom Anile	0	10	0
5.137	Jason Simmons	DB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	10	49	0
5.138	Oliver Ross	T	DAL	Jerry Jones	24	2	0
5.139	Benji Olson	G	TEN	Floyd Reese	55	152	140
5.140	Mark Fischer	C	WAS	Charley Casserly	6	22	16
5.141	Doug Karczewski	G	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	0	0
5.142	Ike Reese	LB	PHI	Tom Modrak	15	112	5	1
5.143	Scott Shaw	G	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	0	0
5.144	Kerry Cooks	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	1	0	0
5.145	Ron Merkerson	LB	NE	Bobby Grier	0	0	0
5.146	Blake Spence	TE	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	15	0
5.147	Toby Myles	T	NYG	Ernie Accorsi	1	8	0
5.148	John Wade	C	JAX	Tom Coughlin	43	54	34
5.149	Eric Bateman	T	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	0	0
5.150	Corey Bradford	WR	GB	Ron Wolf	27	42	10
5.151	Phil Ostrowski	G	SF	Carmen Policy	2	28	0
5.152	Travian Smith	LB	LV	Al Davis era	13	84	16
5.153	Chris Howard	RB	DEN	Mike Shanahan	1	0	0
6.154	Ron Rogers	LB	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	0	0	0
6.155	Clifford Ivory	DB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	0	0	0
6.156	Scott McGarrahan	DB	GB	Ron Wolf	7	44	0
6.157	Chris Draft	LB	CHI	Mark Hatley	38	1	0
6.158	Zack Walz	LB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	8	46	16
6.159	Glenn Rountree	G	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	0	0	0
6.160	Fred Coleman	WR	BUF	John Butler	1	0	0
6.161	Chris Bordano	LB	NO	Mike Ditka	7	31	18
6.162	Carl Hansen	DE	SEA	Mike Allman	0	0	0
6.163	Eric Ogbogu	DE	NYJ	Bill Parcells	11	41	0
6.164	Sammy Williams	T	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	7	16	7
6.165	Damien Richardson	DB	CAR	Dom Anile	7	77	10
6.166	Elijah Williams	DB	ATL	Harold Richardson	3	50	6
6.167	Jason Tucker	WR	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	6	0	0
6.168	Lee Wiggins	DB	TEN	Floyd Reese	0	0	0
6.169	Bobby Shaw	WR	SEA	Mike Allman	27	0	0
6.170	Patrick Palmer	WR	WAS	Charley Casserly	0	0	0
6.171	Nathan Strikwerda	C	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	0	0
6.172	John Dutton	QB	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	0	0	0
6.173	Matt Birk	C	MIN	Frank Gilliam	83	146	123	6
6.174	Chris Brazzell	WR	NYJ	Bill Parcells	1	0	0
6.175	James Cannida	DT	TB	Rich McKay	7	40	3
6.176	Harold Shaw	RB	NE	Bobby Grier	0	35	0
6.177	Todd Pollack	TE	NYG	Ernie Accorsi	0	0	0
6.178	Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala	RB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	9	53	6
6.179	Lamanzer Williams	DE	JAX	Tom Coughlin	0	2	0
6.180	Fred Beasley	FB	SF	Carmen Policy	13	114	80	1
6.181	Derrick Ransom	DT	KC	Carl Peterson	12	56	26
6.182	Kevin McLeod	FB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	0	0	0
6.183	Dustin Johnson	FB	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	0	0
6.184	Shevin Smith	DB	TB	Rich McKay	1	19	0
6.185	Jamaal Alexander	DB	DET	Chuck Schmidt	0	0	0
6.186	Ryan Olson	LB	PIT	Tom Donahoe	0	0	0
6.187	Matt Hasselbeck	QB	GB	Ron Wolf	87	32	0
6.188	Izell Reese	DB	DAL	Jerry Jones	20	56	15
6.189	Patrick Mannelly	T	CHI	Mark Hatley	15	245	0
7.190	Aaron Taylor	G	IND	Bill Polian	0	0	0
7.191	David Terrell	DB	WAS	Charley Casserly	17	61	32
7.192	Alvis Whitted	WR	JAX	Tom Coughlin	9	57	4
7.193	Phil Savoy	WR	ARI	Bob Ferguson	0	0	0
7.194	Jon Haskins	LB	LAC	Bobby Beathard	0	2	0
7.195	Lawrence Hart	TE	NYJ	Bill Parcells	0	0	0
7.196	Viliami Maumau	DT	CAR	Dom Anile	0	1	0
7.197	Jason McEndoo	C	SEA	Mike Allman	0	1	0
7.198	Victor Allotey	G	BUF	John Butler	0	0	0
7.199	Ephraim Salaam	T	ATL	Harold Richardson	55	60	55
7.200	Trey Teague	C	DEN	Mike Shanahan	34	34	20
7.201	Ken Oxendine	RB	ATL	Harold Richardson	6	21	9
7.202	Marcus Parker	RB	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
7.203	Henry Slay	DT	ATL	Harold Richardson	0	0	0
7.204	Andy McCullough	WR	NO	Mike Ditka	0	0	0
7.205	Jimmy Sprotte	LB	TEN	Floyd Reese	0	0	0
7.206	Antwaune Ponds	LB	WAS	Charley Casserly	0	3	0
7.207	Chris Liwienski	G	DET	Chuck Schmidt	47	0	0
7.208	Chester Burnett	LB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	0	0	0
7.209	Jomo Cousins	DE	ARI	Bob Ferguson	0	0	0
7.210	Jim Bundren	G	MIA	Jimmy Johnson	3	0	0
7.211	Jason Andersen	G	NE	Bobby Grier	1	16	0
7.212	Chance McCarty	DE	TB	Rich McKay	0	0	0
7.213	Ben Fricke	C	NYG	Ernie Accorsi	2	0	0
7.214	Brandon Tolbert	LB	JAX	Tom Coughlin	0	0	0
7.215	Ryan Thelwell	WR	SF	Carmen Policy	2	0	0
7.216	Eric Warfield	DB	KC	Carl Peterson	31	115	77
7.217	Chad Overhauser	T	CHI	Mark Hatley	0	0	0
7.218	Eddie Watson	RB	GB	Ron Wolf	0	0	0
7.219	Nate Wayne	LB	DEN	Mike Shanahan	33	16	0
7.220	Chris Akins	DT	PHI	Tom Modrak	0	0	0
7.221	Angel Rubio	DE	PIT	Tom Donahoe	0	0	0
7.222	Damian Vaughn	TE	CIN	Mike Brown / Duke Tobin	0	0	0
7.223	Tarik Smith	RB	DAL	Jerry Jones	0	0	0
7.224	Ernest Blackwell	RB	KC	Carl Peterson	0	0	0
7.225	Tony Darden	DB	MIN	Frank Gilliam	2	0	0
7.226	Pat Tillman	DB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	14	60	39
7.227	Antonio Fleming	G	DAL	Jerry Jones	0	0	0
7.228	Jim Turner	WR	CAR	Dom Anile	0	0	0
7.229	Kevin Long	C	TEN	Floyd Reese	16	63	35
7.230	Vincent Amey	DE	LV	Al Davis era	1	4	1
7.231	Corey Gaines	DB	IND	Bill Polian	0	0	0
7.232	Moses Moreno	QB	CHI	Mark Hatley	1	2	1
7.233	Ron Janes	RB	ARI	Bob Ferguson	0	0	0
7.234	Kio Sanford	WR	LAC	Bobby Beathard	0	0	0
7.235	David Sanders	DE	LV	Al Davis era	0	0	0
7.236	Jason Chorak	DE	LAR	John Shaw / Jay Zygmunt	0	0	0
7.237	Rodrick Monroe	TE	DAL	Jerry Jones	0	0	0
7.238	Kamil Loud	WR	BUF	John Butler	1	12	0
7.239	Ron Warner	DE	NO	Mike Ditka	3	1	0
7.240	Melvin Thomas	G	PHI	Tom Modrak	0	0	0
7.241	Cam Quayle	TE	BAL	Ozzie Newsome	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.