Most teams picking in the top 10 of the draft expect to land impact players. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way, but we decided to show the kind of player who can be added when a front office gets it right by ranking the 10 best selections at each spot in the top 10 since 1967 (the first common draft between the AFL and NFL). Next up are the all-time best No. 8 picks, as we count down to the best No. 1 picks by Friday, April 27.
Top 10 No. 8 Picks
1. DB Ronnie Lott (1981) -- 49ers
Known as one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, Lott was selected to Pro Bowls at three different positions (CB, FS, SS). The 10-time Pro Bowler, who was known as one of the NFL's hardest hitters, would go on to record 63 career interceptions, sixth most in NFL history. Lott would return five of those interceptions for touchdowns, including three during his rookie season (1981), as the 49ers won the first of four Super Bowl titles during the 1980s.
2. RB Larry Csonka (1968) -- Dolphins
Csonka was part of a Dolphins rushing attack that dominated the NFL in the early 1970s, rushing for at least 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons (1971-1973). The Dolphins reached the Super Bowl in each of those seasons, and the 1972 team completed the only undefeated campaign in NFL history. The Hall of Famer gained 112 yards in Super Bowl VII against the Redskins, and added 145 yards and two touchdowns in Super Bowl VIII against the Vikings, becoming the first player to rush for 100 yards in consecutive Super Bowls.
3. T Willie Roaf (1993) -- Saints
A 13-year NFL veteran who retired following the 2005 season, Roaf was named to 11 Pro Bowls, making him one of only three offensive tackles to reach at least 10 Pro Bowls (Anthony Munoz, Jonathan Ogden). Roaf helped create holes for successful running backs such as Ricky Williams, Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson. He was an easy selection for the 1990s All-Decade Team.
4. G Mike Munchak (1982) -- Oilers
Playing in 159 career games, Munchak was the mainstay of an offensive line that helped the Houston Oilers finish in the top five in total offense every season from 1990 to 1993, the last four seasons of his career. A member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2001, Munchak was named to nine Pro Bowls.
5. RB Ottis Anderson (1979) -- Cardinals
Anderson had two different lives in the NFL. He dominated the league right from the start, rushing for a then-rookie record of 1,605 yards in 1979, and capturing NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. After five 1,000-yard seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Anderson was dealt during the 1986 season to the Giants, with whom he won two Super Bowl titles. He was selected as the MVP of Super Bowl XXV after rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown against the Bills.
6. DE Leslie O'Neal (1986) -- Chargers
One of the most feared pass-rushers of his era, O'Neal put the league on notice with 12.5 sacks in his rookie season (1986). After a devastating knee injury forced him to miss the entire 1987 season, O'Neal came back to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks, finishing his career with 132.5 sacks (tied for seventh most in NFL history). He recorded at least 10 sacks in eight of his 13 NFL seasons with the Chargers, Rams and Chiefs. His performance earned him six Pro Bowl selections.
7. LB Shane Conlan (1987) -- Bills
Conlan started 114 of 120 games for the Bills and Rams over a nine-year career. He was part of three of the Bills' four Super Bowl teams in the 1990s, while reaching three Pro Bowls. He was a key member of a Buffalo defense that finished fourth in the NFL in total defense in 1988 and eighth in the league in 1990.
8. DT Gary Johnson (1975) -- Chargers
Dubbed "Big Hands," Johnson was the leader of a San Diego defense that was
pretty formidable in the late 1970s. The former Grambling standout was named to four consecutive Pro Bowls with the Chargers, but was traded to San Francisco in September of 1984, a fortuitous move for Johnson, as the Niners went on to win Super Bowl XIX.
9. WR Joey Galloway (1995) -- Seahawks
At 35 years old, Galloway still possesses the same blazing speed he had when he entered the NFL in 1995. In 12 seasons with the Seahawks, Cowboys and Buccaneers, Galloway has caught 612 passes for 9,958 yards. He posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2005 and 2006.
10. DB Roy Williams (2002) -- Cowboys
Williams has been regarded as one of the NFL's hardest hitters ever since coming into the league in 2002. He is a four-time Pro Bowler with 17 career interceptions. He is also the player most responsible for the NFL's institution of a rule against the horse-collar tackle, following his takedown of WR Terrell Owens during the 2004 season, which resulted in a broken leg for Owens.
Honorable Mention
LB James Farrior (1997)
DE Greg Ellis (1998)
DT Sam Adams (1994)
David Rose and Russell S. Baxter work for ESPN Research.