Cleveland Browns: Greatest 15 first-round NFL Draft picks of all time

1. Jim Brown, RB

Jim Browns is still regarded as the best football player in history, and he played for the Cleveland Browns.

Unbelievably, Brown was the sixth selection that season.

The draft order before Browns? Paul Horning went to the Packers first overall, while the Rams made USC’s John Arnett the second overall selection.

With the third pick, the 49ers took Stanford quarterback John Brodie while the Packers were back in business with the fourth pick, taking Ron Kramer. The Steelers, picking with, made Alliance’s Len Dawn the fifth overall pick.  Not a bad selection, considering Dawson went to enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Luckily, it was the Kansas City Chiefs, and not the Steelers.

Brown retired in 1965 as the NFL leader in rushing yards (12,312), rushing touchdowns (106) and total touchdowns (126). He’s still the only player to average over 100 yards per carry through the course of an entire career (104.1).

Brown famously retired after nine years with the Browns to pursue a move career in Hollywood.

Next: Browns: 10 greatest QBs of all time

Despite some time away with the organization after some fighting with the team during the Mike Holmgren era, Brown remains a visible part of the Browns organization and even has an office at the team’s headquarters in Berea, Ohio.