I put out my first draft guide in 1979. This year will be No. 35. That first guide was a full six years before the first NFL scouting combine. Back then, there were no online prospect guides and no recruiting rankings to track talent down to the high school level, and the draft looked something like this. For me, evaluating prospects was all about getting as much tape as I could find (there was no ESPN GamePlan), and making hundreds and hundreds of phone calls (no cellphones, either!) to coaches, scouts and front-office folks who would listen and to evaluators at every level. You couldn't watch a verified 40-yard dash time on live TV; instead, you had to triangulate and weed out truth from fiction. It wasn't easy.
Mel Kiper's all-time draft grades
• Top 10 QBs »
• Top 10 RBs »
• Top 10 WR/TEs »
• Top 10 OLs
• Top 10 DE/DTs »
• Top 10 LBs »
• Top 10 S/CBs »
• Top 10 K/Ps »
But all this time, I've kept the same 10-point grading scale, so even as the athletes changed, we can compare today where players stood among their prospect peers over a generation.
So, some parameters for what you see below:
1. The ranking is based on the final draft grade before the draft, and it goes back to 1979, my first draft guide. It's clear to me now I graded a little easier when I was younger. I didn't have the point of reference I do today.
2. The grades do not reflect NFL performance. (You'll see.) I printed these grades and simply went back through every book. I have to live with the busts.
3. There are some ties on grades, so I had to break those ties without a great deal of science. But again, I didn't break ties based on NFL production.
With all of that said, here they are ...
1. Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State (No. 17 pick, 2000)
Grade: 9.0
People saw plenty of "The Polish Cannon" at Florida State, because those were some great teams often in the national spotlight. Janikowski's kickoffs routinely sailed through the uprights, and he was something of a folk hero in Tallahassee, where they'd experienced their share of bad kicks.
Al Davis was clearly taken with Janikowski and was willing to draft him in the first round. The next two picks were Chad Pennington and Shaun Alexander. Janikowski has been a good NFL kicker, but his big leg alone hasn't been able to spare Oakland plenty of misery.
2. Russell Erxleben, Texas (No. 11 pick, 1979)
Grade: 9.0
No. 11 overall! Isn't that just incredible to think about now? A kicker, taken two slots in front of Kellen Winslow? It happened. Erxleben (pronounced: URCHS-LAY-BEN) was taken by the Saints early, and you know what? He was a bust. After being named a three-time All-American, kicking three 60-plus yarders, one of which traveled 67 yards, and being taken No. 11, he made just four career field goals, and instead was mainly a punter for four of his six seasons.
3. Brad Maynard, Ball State (No. 95 pick, 1997)
Grade: 8.8
A very good punter at Ball State, Maynard got a lot of height on his kicks. He's been a good NFL punter for years, and holds the dubious record of most punts in a Super Bowl.
4. Mike Nugent, Ohio State (No. 47 pick, 2005)
Grade: 8.8
An All-American under Jim Tressel, Nugent hit a lot of big kicks and had really good range. He's had a bouncy NFL career, but not a bad one. He's made 81.1 percent of his kicks in eight years.
5. Todd Sauerbrun, West Virginia (No. 56 pick, 1995)
Grade: 8.7
He had a wacky 48.4-yard punting average as a senior in college, and I'd say he had a decent NFL career, with 13 years and a few Pro Bowls mixed in.
6. Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (No. 74 pick, 1979)
Grade: 8.6
In one college game, Franklin kicked a 64-yard field goal as well as a 65-yarder. Now, in those days the guys could kick off a little platform, which certainly added length. But Franklin was a good one, and hung around the NFL for 10 seasons.
7. Nate Kaeding, Iowa (No. 65 pick, 2004)
Grade: 8.6
He made 63 of 78 field goal attempts at Iowa, and has been a very good NFL kicker, with an 86.2 accuracy rate, and a very good 10-for-17 on kicks of 50-plus yards.
8. Mason Crosby, Colorado (No. 194 pick, 2007)
Grade: 8.6
Sure, the mountain air helped, but Crosby could bomb it at Colorado. He's had a good NFL career, save for this past season.
9. Jason Hanson, Washington State (No. 56, 1992)
Grade: 8.5
A phenomenon at Washington State, where he used to send kickoffs through the goal posts and set the NCAA record with 20 field goals from 50-plus yards, Hanson finally retired this offseason. From his age 38-42 seasons, Hanson has gone 19-for-27 on kicks of more than 50 yards. Incredible. More incredible: The Lions essentially had two kickers from 1980 to 2012.
10. Rohn Stark, Florida State (No. 34, 1982)
Grade: 8.5
He wasn't just a punter at Florida State. No, Stark was also a star decathlete. As a left footer, he also put a spin on the ball many weren't used to, and it caused rampant fumbling. He had a decorated 16-year NFL career, primarily with the Colts.
Next best special teamers:
• Eddie Murray (Tulane, 1980): It's been just him and Hanson for the Lions for 33 years.
• Phil Dawson (Texas, 1998): What will they do in Cleveland without him?
• Chris Gardocki (Clemson, 1991): A total of 1,177 NFL punts. Zero blocked.
• Shane Lechler (Texas A&M, 2000): The NFL's best punter for a decade. His 51.1 yards per punt in 2009 was remarkably good.