Bruce Smith, pre-Buffalo. (Source: footballfoundation.org)

This intriguing “from-the-vault” series by the NFL Network tells the story of the Top 10 NFL draft classes of all time. Serving as an inspiration to fans of suffering teams, we see the draft for what it is: a leveler, but one that requires knowledge. Teams that can’t get out of the basement are often stuck there because they don’t draft the talent available to them. History suggests that no team with a football-savvy, intuitive GM is going to stay in the dumps for long. So, we have to ask, why do so many teams have the wrong guy at G.M., and stay put? Seems clear that the NFL’s long-standing powerhouses find the right men to lead the charge–and do whatever it takes to keep them in the fold.

Below, we preview two of the Top 10 draft classes of all time: the 1985 Buffalo Bills, detailing the tragic circumstances that led to the rise of G.M. Bill Polian (yes, we find it odd–and, in the Bills’ case, sad– that the demise of TWO Bledsoes led to AFC teams getting to multiple Super Bowls), and (much to my dismay) the 1996 Baltimore Ravens (which should have been the 1996 Cleveland Browns (however, we all know that, instead of drafting Ray Lewis and Friends, the Browns would have selected Avril Lavigne and Raggedy Ann… so we’ll shut up).

Enjoy: