Is there a player more important to Buffalo Bills history than quarterback Jim Kelly? Probably not. The Hall of Fame quarterback was actually the second of two Bills first-round picks in 1983, and he turned down Buffalo to play in the USFL for two seasons before joining the Bills in 1986, but Kelly is second to none among draft choices who have made the biggest impact on Bills history.

Why Kelly is best draft pick in Bills history: Do the Buffalo Bills go to four consecutive Super Bowls, from 1990 through 1993, without Kelly? No way. Do they make it to one of those four Super Bowls without Kelly? Probably not. Are they still the Buffalo Bills -- and not the Los Angeles Bills or the Toronto Bills -- without Kelly? Who knows? Kelly was more than just a five-time Pro Bowler and the Bills' career leader in all major passing categories; he was a franchise icon who energized a fan base and is still revered in the city. The franchise's decline in the years since Kelly retired is most commonly traced to its lack of a franchise quarterback over that time -- a sign of just how valuable Kelly was to the Bills.

HONORABLE MENTION

Bruce Smith, DE: There arguably hasn't been a better pass-rusher in NFL history. Smith is the NFL's all-time career leader in sacks, with 200, and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He was everything a team hopes to get in a No. 1 overall selection, which Smith was in 1985.

O.J. Simpson, RB: Another former No. 1 overall selection, in 1969, Simpson played nine seasons for Buffalo and was one of the best running backs of his era. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in five consecutive seasons (1972-76), and in 1973 was one of seven players in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 yards. His post-career missteps are well-documented, but Simpson was a slam-dunk draft pick for the Bills.