RB · pick 1 — first ever running back at #1 (1969)

RB·pick 1

FIRST RB EVER DRAFTED AT #1

O. J. Simpson

Drafted by BUF · USC

1969

RBs drafted at #1 in NFL history

most recent: Ki-Jana Carter (CIN, 1995)

How rare was this draftigami?

No rarity score — the model compares each pick to its predictions for earlier seasons, and drafts from 1967–1969 sit before that runway is long enough.

Running back at #1, year by year

Each year's estimate uses only that year's draft and the years before it — no peeking ahead. The line smooths across neighboring picks and seasons so a single oddball draft doesn't dominate. The shaded band is the model's 90% uncertainty range.

Peak: 66.8% · 2027 model: 0.7%

Surrounding picks · 1969 draft

#2OTGeorge KunzATL
#3RBLeroy KeyesPHI
#4DTJoe GreenePIT
#5QBGreg CookCIN
#6WRRon SellersNE

Drafted at this same coordinate later · 6 picks

1995Ki-Jana CarterCIN — GM Mike Brown / Duke Tobin · Penn St.
1986Bo JacksonTB — GM Phil Krueger · Auburn
1981George RogersNO — GM Ken Meyer/staff · South Carolina
1980Billy SimsDET — GM Russ Thomas · Oklahoma
1978Earl CampbellTEN · Texas
1977Ricky BellTB · USC

→ see this cell on the full chart