9. John Elway — Denver Broncos (1983-1998)
Even to this day, people consider John Elway as the greatest quarterback prospect to ever come out of college. The All-American quarterback from Stanford University had it all: unparalleled athleticism, incredible arm strength, and the ability to win games in the clutch. After he forced his way out of Baltimore and became the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, he lived up to almost all of the hype that surrounded him coming out of college. He’s one of only six quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for at least 3,000 yards in 12 seasons.
Known for tormenting teams (like the Cleveland Browns) with his late-game heroics, Elway led Denver to 35 comeback wins in the 4th quarter & overtime, tied for third all time with Johnny Unitas. And to cap it all off, Elway became the first quarterback to ever start in five different Super Bowls, winning back-to-back titles during his last two seasons in the NFL. Fun Fact: Elway was such a good baseball player in college that the Yankees picked him in the 1981 MLB Draft six picks before future Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn.