Washington Redskins: 15 best first-round draft picks of all time

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Champ Bailey, Washington Redskins. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

Champ Bailey played out most of his Pro Football Hall of Fame career in Denver, but many forget that for the first five years of his career, he was the No. 1 cornerback for the Redskins.

Bailey was a rare prospect coming out of college; At Georgia, he played both wide receiver and cornerback, excelling at each position. He totaled eight interceptions in four years with the Bulldogs, and logged 47 receptions for 744 yards and five touchdowns in his final season.

At the NFL Combine, Bailey further solidified his draft stock, running a 4.28 40-yard dash and managing 22 bench reps. For the Redskins, who needed a coverage cornerback with athletic ability, Bailey was the perfect pick at No. 7.

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In a draft that had eight Pro Bowlers go in the top-10, Bailey’s career ended up being the most illustrious, and by quite a wide margin. He got off to a quick start in Washington, logging five interceptions in his rookie year and cementing himself as a mainstay opposite veteran cornerback Darrell Green.

At one point, the Redskins had Champ Bailey, Darrell Green and Deion Sanders in their defensive backfield at the same time. And they wreaked havoc upon opposing offenses.

Unfortunately, Bailey’s time in D.C. wasn’t to last. After racking up 18 interceptions, 51 pass deflections, and four Pro Bowl berths in his first five years, the Redskins, as a result of contract disputes, traded Bailey and a second-round pick to the Denver Broncos for star running back Clinton Portis.

If Washington had traded anyone else, that trade would have been a win. Portis went on to break 1,200 yards three times and 10 touchdowns twice in his time with Washington, earning a Pro Bowl berth in the process.

But Bailey’s bounty would be greater in Denver. After being traded, Bailey would go on to amass 34 interceptions, 123 pass deflections and 522 tackles with the Broncos. He would go to the Pro Bowl eight more times, while being recognized as an All-Pro in his first three years after the trade. In 2006, he led the league with 10 interceptions. He’s one of just eight defensive backs to pass that mark since 2000.

Soon, Bailey will have a bust in Canton. And while the Redskins can say they were the ones who brought him into the league, it is in Denver where he flourished and made his case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It is for that reason that Bailey is not higher on this list. In Bailey’s career, the Redskins can learn an important lesson: Some players are worth the cost.

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