MMQB rolled out one of the most fascinating articles of the entire offseason on Monday — an all-time draft where 12 legitimate NFL experts were able to select anyone throughout football history to their team.
The 25-round draft started out somewhat predictably with Lawrence Taylor, Joe Greene and Johnny Unitas going off the board with the first three picks, but then Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts decided to throw everyone a curveball.
With the No. 4 overall selection, Fouts selected retired Oakland Raiders punter and Hall of Famer, Ray Guy.
“I really wanted Unitas,” Fouts said. “But he was taken. So I thought I would shock the world. Not that many punters had the impact Ray Guy did on a game. He came into the league the same year as me [1973], and I watched him affect games for so many years. He was such a weapon. And I thought I could get a great quarterback down the road, and I did [Terry Bradshaw, in round five].”
The draft was set up to allow 11 players on offense, 11 players on defense, one kicker, one punter, one wildcard player and then, after the 25-round player draft, one head coach.
Rather than going with a superstar or Hall of Famer at an every-down position, Fouts went with Guy, who in 2014 became the first pure punter inducted into Canton.
There’s no denying Guy’s career impact, but No. 4 overall when anyone in history can be drafted seems like more than a reach. But Fouts sought to shock the world, so mission accomplished.
