Washington Redskins: 15 greatest running backs in franchise history

The expectations for a first-round pick are always overwhelming. But for a No. 1 overall pick, those expectations reach unprecedented levels. The No. 1 pick is an investment and assurance to the team that uses it, that the player drafted will be as good or better than all others selected behind him.

As we’ve often seen, throughout the annals of NFL history, this promise rarely comes to pass and if it does, it doesn’t always last. This was true for George Rogers, who saved his best for his first season.

Drafted No. 1 overall by the New Orleans Saints in 1981, Rogers was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in his rookie year, mounting one of the best rookie seasons ever by a running back. After logging 1,634 yards in his rookie season, however, he logged just 2,593 yards over the next three seasons, and in 1985, he joined the Redskins.

With the Redskins, Rogers found his groove again. In his first season with Washington, he got back over the 1,000-yard mark. In his second, he exploded, amassing 1,203 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on just over 300 carries.

Rogers helped the Redskins get back to two Super Bowls, winning one of them. By the end, he’d won the ring that all No. 1 picks crave to cement their legacy.