Dec 27, 2018; Bronx, NY, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Travis Homer (24) is tackled by Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (17) and linebacker T.J. Edwards (53) during the first half of the 2018 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

3 Wisconsin Badgers recognized as best NFL Draft picks of all time by ESPN

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 7:29 PM ET

Wisconsin Badgers players aren't always taken at the top of the NFL Draft, but they still regularly prove to be smart picks by the franchises who draft them.

That's evident in how well represented the program is among the best draft picks of all time, as determined by ESPN's Ben Solak.

He went through and identified the best players picked at every slot in the draft, recognizing three Badgers and a few honorable mentions in the process.

Hello. I tried to name the best draft pick st every single selection — 1 through 262 — in the modern draft era https://t.co/negOi1PPc2
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) July 3, 2025

The first one shouldn't be a surprise with J.J. Watt as the best 11th overall pick in history, but he had some really tough competition to beat out.

It was a little tricky to take Watt over Hall of Famers such as Michael Irvin and Patrick Willis -- until you remember that Watt will be a first-ballot lock. Injuries robbed us of a real race between Watt and Aaron Donald for best modern defensive player. From 2012 to 2015, Watt earned four consecutive first-team All-Pro nods and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was building an all-time résumé and should be remembered as an all-time player.Ben Solak, ESPN

Watt was the only Badgers first-round pick to make the list because of some other Hall of Fame players taken in the same slot as Wisconsin legends.

Joe Thomas lost out on the No. 3 pick title because of running back Barry Sanders, and T.J. Watt missed the No. 30 slot to former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Eric Allen, who is entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

The next Wisconsin player on the list is Russell Wilson as the best 75th overall pick of all time. That one's too surprising either.

Tough break for OT Terron Armstead, who is one of the best third-round picks ever but isn't better than this Super Bowl-winning, Walter Payton Man of the Year-winning quarterback. Wilson never collected a ton of All-Pros, which isn't surprising given the era of quarterbacking in which he plays, but he has been a decade-long starter who won a ring, and that's just too valuable at pick No. 75.Ben Solak, ESPN

The last of the three Badgers is a more unexpected name though. Clocking in as the best player ever selected 151st overall is edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel, who currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings.

He had a breakout 2024 season with 11.5 sacks and earned a massive contract extension as a result.

Van Ginkel is far from an all-time great, but he has proven to be a great use of a fifth-round pick, initially by the Miami Dolphins.