4th Overall Picks: Ranking Every No. 4 Pick Since 2000

The 4th overall picks are one of the most fascinating spots in the NFL draft. It is still premium territory, still a range where teams expect franchise players, but it comes with a little less noise than the first three picks. That is part of what makes this slot so interesting. Over the last 25 years, it has produced elite offensive linemen, franchise quarterbacks, star receivers, dominant defenders, and a few outright misses that aged badly almost immediately.

Ranking every No. 4 overall pick since 2000 tells a bigger story than just hits and busts. It shows how much positional value matters. It shows how quickly expectations can shift. And it proves that being drafted high guarantees attention, not long-term success.

This is a graphic-first evergreen ranking, but the goal goes beyond just stacking names. This list ranks the best 4th overall picks in NFL draft history since 2000 by peak performance, career value, longevity, positional importance, accolades, and how convincingly each player justified being selected that high.

SOG Sports tier list ranking every NFL No. 4 overall pick since 2000.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• How These Rankings Were Made
• Tier 7: Biggest NFL Draft Busts
• Tier 6: NFL Draft Disappointments
• Tier 5: Useful Careers, Wrong Slot
• Tier 4: Good Players With Caveats
• Tier 3: Strong NFL Draft Successes
• Tier 2: Elite 4th Overall Picks
• Tier 1: Best 4th Overall NFL Draft Picks Since 2000
• FAQ
• Final Thoughts

How These Rankings Were Made

This ranking weighs peak performance, consistency, longevity, accolades, positional value, and total return on a top-four draft investment. A left tackle, wide receiver, running back, pass rusher, corner, and quarterback all create value differently, but the core question stays the same: did this player actually perform like a premium draft pick?

Context matters too. Injuries shaped several of these careers. Some players landed in better situations than others. Younger players are judged more carefully because their stories are still being written. This is not a prediction of how every active player will finish. It is a ranking of what each No. 4 overall NFL draft pick has accomplished so far.

One more rule matters here. Every player is listed with the team that originally drafted him, not the team he later became most associated with.

Tier 7: Biggest NFL Draft Busts — 4th Overall Picks That Completely Missed

This is the bottom tier. These are the players who fell the furthest short of what teams expect from the fourth pick.

Gaines Adams — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 2007

Adams had traits, flashes, and a few productive stretches, but the total return never came close to what Tampa Bay needed from a top-five edge rusher. He finished with 13.5 sacks across three seasons before his career and life were tragically cut short. The story is sad, but from a pure draft-value standpoint, the return was still very limited.

Aaron Curry — Seattle Seahawks — 2009

Curry was sold as one of the safest players in his class, which is part of what makes the outcome feel so rough. Seattle drafted him expecting a clean, reliable defensive cornerstone. Instead, he never became more than a disappointing return for the slot and quickly turned into one of the bigger top-five misses of that era.

Anthony Richardson — Indianapolis Colts — 2023

Richardson is still far too early in his career for any final verdict, but this ranking is about actual NFL return so far. The athletic upside is rare and the ceiling is still obvious. Right now, though, the résumé is incomplete, the availability has been shaky, and the body of work is still too unstable to justify a higher ranking.

Tier 6: NFL Draft Disappointments — High Picks That Fell Well Short

These players were disappointments for the slot, even if they had moments where they looked useful. The full résumé never got where it needed to go.

Mike Williams — Buffalo Bills — 2002

This is the offensive tackle Mike Williams, not the later wide receiver with the same name. Buffalo drafted him to anchor the offensive line for years, and that never really happened at the level expected from a fourth overall pick. He started games and had moments, but the pick aged poorly because he never became the foundational tackle Buffalo thought it was getting.

Clelin Ferrell — Oakland Raiders — 2019

Ferrell became one of the defining examples of a team reaching too high for fit and need. He was a solid college player, but the fourth overall pick comes with a much different standard. He never looked like that level of pass-rush talent, and the pick felt questionable almost from the moment it happened.

Dewayne Robertson — New York Jets — 2003

Robertson had some useful seasons, but the total impact was too modest for the slot. For a defensive tackle selected fourth overall, teams want a player who changes the line of scrimmage consistently. The Jets never got that kind of difference-making return.

Tier 5: Useful Careers, Wrong Slot — 4th Overall Picks That Never Fully Hit

This tier is filled with players who had some value, some moments, or some decent stretches, but still fell short of what teams hope for from a top-four selection.

Cedric Benson — Chicago Bears — 2005

Benson eventually became a productive NFL back and later posted three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons with Cincinnati. That matters. But Chicago drafted him fourth overall to become more than just a respectable starter. The career was solid enough to avoid the bottom tiers, but it never felt like great value for the slot.

Matt Kalil — Minnesota Vikings — 2012

Kalil looked like a future star early, made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and for a moment seemed like a long-term answer at left tackle. That early promise is what keeps the conversation around him alive. The problem is that the rest of the career never matched the start, and the long-term return fell short.

Peter Warrick — Cincinnati Bengals — 2000

Warrick had talent, hype, and real college fame, but the NFL production never rose to the level Cincinnati needed. He never posted a 1,000-yard receiving season and is remembered more for the idea of what he could become than for the actual career he built.

Tier 4: Good Players With Caveats — Value That Fell Short of the Best Outcomes

These players had value and, in some cases, still have time to climb. They just sit a level below the cleaner, stronger No. 4 overall success stories.

Sammy Watkins — Buffalo Bills — 2014

Watkins had real ability, real explosiveness, and enough flashes to remind people why he was drafted so high. He posted over 1,000 receiving yards in 2015 and later played a role on a Super Bowl-winning Kansas City team. But injuries and inconsistency kept him from becoming the offensive centerpiece Buffalo hoped it was getting.

Marvin Harrison Jr. — Arizona Cardinals — 2024

It is way too early to lock Harrison into any permanent tier, and that matters here. The talent is obvious, the route-running profile is clean, and the long-term outlook still feels strong. This placement is more about incomplete work than criticism, because the career is still just beginning.

Will Campbell — New England Patriots — 2025

Campbell is here only because he is just getting started. Being drafted fourth overall by New England immediately put major pressure on him to become a franchise tackle, and that is still the expectation. For now, this is simply a placeholder tier for a player whose résumé is still far too young to rank aggressively.

Tier 3: Strong NFL Draft Successes — Real Value, Real Résumés

Now we get into the players who clearly brought real value, even if they stopped short of elite top-four status.

Darren McFadden — Oakland Raiders — 2008

McFadden was explosive, entertaining, and at his best looked like one of the most dangerous backs in football. He led the league with 5.4 yards per carry in 2010 and later rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2015. The issue was durability. The talent was obvious. The sustained production just never fully matched it.

Leonard Fournette — Jacksonville Jaguars — 2017

Fournette helped power Jacksonville’s run to the AFC Championship Game and later became a major part of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl offense. He had a meaningful NFL career, multiple productive seasons, and real playoff moments. He was a good player. He just never felt like a truly dominant, era-shaping one.

Kyle Pitts — Atlanta Falcons — 2021

Pitts remains one of the tougher players on this board to pin down. The talent is still obvious, and a 1,000-yard rookie season at tight end was no joke. He lands here because the résumé still has more promise than payoff, but the story is far from over and he still has time to climb.

Tier 2: Elite 4th Overall Picks — High-End Careers That Clearly Justified the Slot

This tier is for players who clearly justified being taken fourth overall and gave their teams high-level value over a meaningful stretch.

Denzel Ward — Cleveland Browns — 2018

Ward has been one of the better cover corners in football when healthy. His speed, instincts, and movement skills translated quickly, and Cleveland got exactly the kind of premium defensive back it hoped for. He belongs here because the résumé already includes multiple Pro Bowl-level seasons and real high-end play.

Sauce Gardner — New York Jets — 2022

Gardner entered the league and instantly looked like a difference-maker. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie, and immediately showed the kind of field-shrinking coverage presence elite corners bring. He is this high already because the start has been that strong.

Amari Cooper — Oakland Raiders — 2015

Cooper might not always get discussed with the loudest language, but the production has been real for a long time. He posted multiple 1,000-yard seasons, developed into one of the more dependable route-runners of his era, and gave teams exactly the kind of polished receiving value a top-five wideout is supposed to bring.

Ezekiel Elliott — Dallas Cowboys — 2016

Elliott’s prime hit hard and fast. He led the league in rushing twice, made an immediate impact in Dallas, and became central to the Cowboys’ offensive identity during his best years. Running back value always complicates these conversations, but the early return was absolutely strong enough to earn this placement.

Andrew Thomas — New York Giants — 2020

Thomas developed into one of the steadier tackles in football after a rocky rookie start. That matters. Premium-position hits are exactly what teams chase this high, and he has become one of the cleaner examples on this list of a player growing into the investment.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson — New York Jets — 2006

Ferguson was steady, durable, and exactly the kind of line anchor teams hope to find early in the first round. He started every game of his 10-year career, gave the Jets years of high-level stability at left tackle, and delivered the sort of dependable value franchises love.

Tier 1: Best 4th Overall NFL Draft Picks Since 2000 — The True Home Runs

This is the top shelf. These are the fourth-overall picks whose careers feel like clear wins, the players who fully matched or exceeded the slot.

Justin Smith — Cincinnati Bengals — 2001

Smith became one of the most respected and reliable defensive linemen of his era. He made five Pro Bowls, earned multiple All-Pro honors, and brought toughness, versatility, and winning football to two different franchises. That kind of career plays anywhere on this list.

Philip Rivers — New York Giants — 2004

Rivers never played for the Giants, but that is the team that originally drafted him, and that is what counts here. He gave the league years of high-level quarterback play, eight Pro Bowls, over 63,000 passing yards, and one of the clearest examples of long-term top-five value at the position.

Trent Williams — Washington Redskins — 2010

Williams has a real argument as the best player on this board. Elite left tackles with his movement skills, power, and staying power do not come around often. He became a perennial All-Pro talent and one of the defining offensive linemen of his era. This is a franchise-changing hit.

A.J. Green — Cincinnati Bengals — 2011

Green stepped into the league as a true No. 1 receiver and played like it immediately. He opened his career with seven straight Pro Bowls, gave Cincinnati elite perimeter production, and was one of the smoothest and most dangerous wideouts in football during his prime.

Lane Johnson — Philadelphia Eagles — 2013

Johnson became one of the best right tackles in football and a foundational piece for a winning organization. Multiple All-Pro honors, long-term premium play, and a central role on championship-caliber teams make this exactly what Tier 1 is supposed to look like.

FAQ

Who is the best No. 4 overall pick since 2000?

There are a few strong cases, but Trent Williams probably gets the most support because of how dominant he has been at one of the most valuable positions in football. Justin Smith, Philip Rivers, A.J. Green, and Lane Johnson all have real arguments too depending on whether you value quarterback longevity, trench dominance, or receiving peak.

Why is Philip Rivers listed with the New York Giants?

Because this ranking uses each player’s original drafted team only. Rivers was selected by the Giants before the draft-day trade that sent him to the Chargers, so he stays attached to New York for the purposes of this list.

Why are Marvin Harrison Jr., Will Campbell, and Anthony Richardson ranked so cautiously?

Because they are still early in their careers. This list is based on what each player has done so far, not a final projection of where each career will end. Talent matters, but résumé matters more in a ranking like this.

Who is the biggest bust among 4th overall picks since 2000?

Aaron Curry has one of the strongest cases because he was viewed as such a safe prospect and still fell well short. Gaines Adams, Mike Williams, and Clelin Ferrell belong in that conversation too depending on how much weight you place on expectations versus total career value.

What makes a great 4th overall pick in the NFL draft?

A great fourth overall pick usually combines premium positional value, multiple impact seasons, high-end peak play, and a résumé that clearly justifies top-five investment. The best names on this list became franchise pillars, matchup problems, or long-term answers at critical positions.

Why are some productive players still outside Tier 1?

Because being productive is not always the same thing as fully cashing out a top-four pick. Shorter peaks, injuries, lower positional leverage, or good-not-great overall impact can keep a player out of the true home-run tier.

Final Thoughts

The fourth pick in the draft is where teams still expect stars, and a lot of them actually got one. The top of this board is loaded with players who became cornerstones at premium positions. The middle tiers are filled with players who were useful, talented, and at times exciting, but not quite transformational. The bottom is the reminder that even high picks can go sideways fast.

What stands out most is how strong the best names really are. Trent Williams, Justin Smith, Philip Rivers, A.J. Green, and Lane Johnson were not just solid picks. They were the kinds of players who validate an entire draft strategy. That is the standard for a top-four selection, and they cleared it.

At the same time, the misses matter too. They are what make this kind of ranking interesting, because they show how thin the line can be between a premium hit and a front-office regret. Draft slot creates pressure, not guarantees. The best names here proved exactly why teams chase elite talent at the top. The worst names are the reminder that even premium evaluations can still go sideways.