With The First Pick
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NFL Draft: Top 5 players selected with compensatory picks

By Maxwell Ogden

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins acknowledges the crowd after being introduced before the start of the Eagles and New York Giants game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 30, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins acknowledges the crowd after being introduced before the start of the Eagles and New York Giants game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 30, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA – SEPTEMBER 21: Brian Dawkins #22 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates recovering a fumble and the sack of Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half on September 21, 2008 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles won 15-6.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA – SEPTEMBER 21: Brian Dawkins #22 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates recovering a fumble and the sack of Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half on September 21, 2008 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles won 15-6.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) /

15 teams received compensatory picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. The best players ever selected with compensatory picks prove how valuable they can be.

The NFL recently announced that 32 compensatory picks have been distributed amongst 15 franchises. It was a generally under-appreciated revelation, as many have come to view compensatory picks as meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

As history shows us, however, some of the greatest players in NFL history have been products of that very type of selection.

Compensatory choices are essentially awarded to franchises who lost free agents that they struggled to replace. The formula isn’t exactly the most well-known equation in sports, but it’s one that’s intended to provide an organization with restitution of sorts.

While many overlook the value of those selections, a number of teams have proven how valuable they can be—and how many diamonds in the rough can be unsurfaced.

For 15 teams, that opportunity will present itself come April. Whether it’s a selection in the early rounds or a pick further down the board, history shows that superstar talent can be found in any round—even in compensatory territory.

In order to provide context to the opportunity afforded to these 15 franchises, a question must be answered: Who are the best players selected with compensatory picks at the NFL Draft?

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