For decades the premier defensive draft class has been easy to name. The Class of 1981 sent six players to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, led by second overall pick Lawrence Taylor, and included top-10 selections Kenny Easley and Ronnie Lott, along with Mike Singletary, Howie Long and Rickey Jackson, the article notes.
The piece also points out a post-draft addition to that era: undrafted linebacker Sam Mills, who was inducted posthumously in 2022. No other draft class since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 has produced more than three defenders enshrined in Canton, the article adds.
Over the past 15 years the writer has tracked the 2011 draft as a potential challenger. The defensive crop produced multiple stars, but as of a decade later only two or three players remained on NFL rosters: Cameron Heyward with the Steelers, Cameron Jordan with the Saints (who has re-signed), and free agent Von Miller, an eight-time Pro Bowler coming off a nine-sack season who could continue his career in 2026, according to the article.
The article says most of the 2011 defenders have retired and that Heyward and Jordan could be decisive in where the class ultimately ranks historically. The writer expects members of the 2011 class to start receiving Hall of Fame consideration around 2027 and suggests the class’s chances of rivaling 1981 could hinge on whether Heyward and Jordan eventually join them in Canton.
The 2011 draft was described as unique. It took place before the free-agent window because of an expiring collective bargaining agreement and a lockout; a new CBA capped rookie salaries and altered rookie contract values. The article cites contrasting rookie deals — Sam Bradford’s 2010 contract at six years and $78 million with $50 million guaranteed versus Cam Newton’s four-year, $22 million deal in 2011 — and notes teams drafted with limited free-agent information. The piece also references controversial and consequential selections from that year on offense, including Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert as a scouted alternative, Julio Jones and other notable 2011 offensive names.
