As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, anticipation is building for the 32 first-round picks, set to kick off on April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. As part of a countdown to the big event, AL.com is spotlighting the most remarkable selections made at each of the first 32 spots throughout the history of the NFL Draft. Today, we focus on the best No. 20 pick to ever take the stage.
Best No. 20 Pick: SMU Offensive Lineman Forrest Gregg (1956)
When the Green Bay Packers selected Forrest Gregg with the No. 20 pick in the 1956 NFL Draft, they unknowingly set the stage for one of the most successful dynasties in NFL history. Alongside the legendary Alabama quarterback Bart Starr (picked at No. 200), Gregg was part of the Packers’ five NFL championships in a seven-year span, including victories in the first two Super Bowls.
Gregg’s early career wasn’t without challenges—missing an entire season due to military service and starting only three games in his first three years. However, once Vince Lombardi took the helm in 1959, Gregg flourished. He became a mainstay in the Packers’ offensive line, earning nine Pro Bowl selections and seven first-team All-Pro honors over the next decade.
Gregg played his final season with the Dallas Cowboys in 1971, helping secure a Super Bowl VI victory over the Miami Dolphins. His career achievements earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, and in 2019, he was named to the NFL’s all-time team for its centennial season.
Best No. 20 Pick from the SEC: Florida’s Jack Youngblood (1971)
The Los Angeles Rams hit a home run with their selection of defensive end Jack Youngblood at No. 20 in the 1971 NFL Draft. Youngblood’s impact on the Rams’ defense was immediate, and his career is nothing short of legendary. For 14 seasons, he terrorized quarterbacks, earning a Pro Bowl nod every year from 1973 through 1979 and five first-team All-Pro selections.
Youngblood’s 151.5 career sacks (prior to 1982 when sacks became an official statistic) rank among the top in NFL history. He also played through an extraordinary injury, breaking his leg during the Rams’ playoff run in 1979 but still managed to appear in the NFL Championship Game and Super Bowl.
Youngblood’s dominance on the field earned him a well-deserved place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Best No. 20 Pick with Alabama Football Roots: Georgia Tech’s Maxie Baughan (1960)
While Maxie Baughan may not have been directly from Alabama, his roots in the state and his storied career make him the top No. 20 pick with Alabama connections. A standout linebacker at Georgia Tech, Baughan’s journey to the NFL was marked by early success with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he earned Pro Bowl recognition and an NFL Championship ring in his rookie season.
Baughan went on to achieve Pro Bowl honors in nine of his first 10 NFL seasons, split between the Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams. His first-team All-Pro recognition in 1964 solidified his place as one of the league’s top linebackers. Baughan’s legacy includes an induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, and his Alabama roots (as a high school star at Bessemer High School) cement his connection to the state’s football tradition.
As the Denver Broncos prepare to make the No. 20 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it’s hard not to look back on the incredible players chosen at that position. From Forrest Gregg’s Hall of Fame career to Jack Youngblood’s relentless pursuit of quarterbacks, the No. 20 pick has proven to be one of the most successful spots in NFL Draft history.
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