Each NFL team’s best ever 1st-round draft pick

<p>In 2002, the Carolina Panthers took defensive end Julius Peppers from North Carolina No. 2 overall. At 6’6″, 280 pounds, he is a freak athlete that made the North Carolina basketball team too. When the Panthers brought him in, he began his assault on the NFL and it’s quarterbacks right away.</p> <p>And the defense improved right away, helping the Panthers go from 1-15 in 2001 to 7-9 in 2002. From there, Peppers helped lead them to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the New England Patriots. Peppers’ combination of length, speed and power was the means to his franchise record 81 career sacks.</p> <p>In his eight years with the Panthers, Peppers only failed to reach double-digit sack totals twice. He has since gone to the Chicago Bears for four years and is now in his second year with the Green Bay Packers. In this, his 14th year, Peppers’ 9.5 sacks with two games left have him within striking distance of double-digit this year.</p> <p>Peppers has gone to eight Pro Bowls and made the All-Pro team three times in his career. He is expensive as all get out to have on the roster so it’s easy to see why he isn’t still on the team that picked him. But he has had every bit the impact on the Panthers, Bears and Packers a No. 2 overall should have.</p>. DE. North Carolina. Julius Peppers. '02. player. 87