Four Ex-Cal Stars Named Best Alltime Picks at Their NFL Draft Slots

ESPN's Ben Solak took on the unusual task of selecting the best player ever taken at each of the 262 NFL draft slots, which is the number of players taken in the seven-round draft in 2025. The players were rated based on their success on the NFL level. ESPN limited itself to the modern draft era, which began in 1967.

For example, the best player ever taken with the 199th overall pick was Tom Brady, who was drafted in the sixth round in 2000.

Four former Cal stars – Ed White, Keenan Allen, Brandon Mebane and Hardy Nickerson -- were chosen as the best players ever taken in the draft slot in which they were selected.

Here’ a rundown of those four players that ESPN named as the top NFL players taken at their NFL draft slot.

Ed White, guard – No. 39 overall pick in 1969

ESPN comment: The hardest hairs to split in compiling this list were between two players whose best play predated my existence. Such was the case between White, who played 17 seasons for the Vikings and Chargers, and Darryl Talley, a Bills pass rusher who retired the year before I was born. White had a couple more Pro Bowl honors, so he gets the pick here.

Our comment: The most impressive thing about White is that he transitioned from being an All-America defensive nose guard at Cal in 1968 to being a four-time Pro Bowl selection as an offensive guard during his 17-year NFL career.

Keenan Allen, wide receiver – No. 76 overall pick in 2013

ESPN comment: Very, very tough hair to split here between Allen and RB Ahman Green. I gave Allen a little boost for doing most of his damage with the team that drafted him, whereas Green was a Seahawk for two seasons before landing with the Packers. Green is the leading rusher in Packers history, though, while Allen is just behind Antonio Gates in Chargers receiving (10,530 yards). Ugh. It's a tough one.

Our comment: Allen is the highest rated high school prospect ever to sign with Cal, and he was actually rated higher as a safety than as a wide receiver.  But he became a starter at wide receiver in his first game as a true freshman at Cal. He has been named to six Pro Bowls in the NFL, but he is still a free agent waiting to sign with a team for 2025.

Brandon Mebane, defensive tackle – No. 84 overall pick in 2007

ESPN comment: As we approach the 100s, we slowly enter the territory of happy memories of solid role players -- "That Guy!" ville, as I like to call it. Mebane was a reliable, space-gobbling defensive tackle for the Legion of Boom Seahawks (oh yeah, that guy!), and has a Super Bowl ring for his efforts. Good pick!

Our comment: Mebane was a member of Cal’s 2004 team that finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the country. He was named first-team all-Pac-10 in 2005 and 2006. Underrated as a pro, Mebane was never named to a Pro Bowl, but made 176 starts in his 13-year NFL career as an outstanding technician on the defensive line.

Hardy Nickerson, linebacker – No. 122 overall pick in 1987

Our comment: Cal fans knew he was drafted lower than he should have been after he made 501 career tackles from 1983 to 1986, the second-most in Cal history. He played 16 NFL season, was chosen to five Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro twice. He made 214 tackles in 1993, and that is still the NFL single-season record (since 1978). His 1,656 career tackles rank ninth alltime.

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