The Cleveland Browns selected Penn State defensive end Courtney Brown with the top overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Brown would go on to spend his first five NFL seasons with the Browns, but only appeared in only 47 games during that span. Brown finished his NFL career with 156 tackles, six forced fumbles and 19 sacks.

Brown became only the 11^th defensive lineman to ever be taken with the top pick in the draft.

Top Ten Picks of the 2000 NFL Draft

Brown’s Penn State teammate and linebacker LaVar Arrington was taken by the Washington Redskins with the second overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. The Redskins also had the third pick and used it on offensive tackle Chris Samuels. At number four, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick. The Baltimore Ravens rounded out the top five by selecting Tennessee running back Jamal Lewis.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. Philadelphia Eagles – Corey Simon (DT, Florida State)
7. Arizona Cardinals – Thomas Jones (RB, Virginia)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers – Plaxico Burress (WR, Michigan State)
9. Chicago Bears – Brian Urlacher (LB, New Mexico)
10. Baltimore Ravens – Travis Taylor (WR, Florida)

Eight future Pro Bowlers were taken with picks 12-19 in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Defensive end Shaun Ellis, fellow defensive end John Abraham, tight end Bubba Franks, cornerback Deltha O’Neal, linebacker Julian Peterson, kicker Sebastian Janikowski, quarterback Chad Pennington and running back Shaun Alexander were all taken consecutively in round one.

The 2000 NFL Draft is perhaps best remembered for the selection of Tom Brady. The New England Patriots selected the Michigan quarterback with the 199^th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. There were six quarterbacks drafted ahead of Brady: Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger and Spergon Wynn.

Notes from the 2000 NFL Draft

“Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2000 NFL Draft was Northwestern State safety Mike Green, who was taken by the Chicago Bears with the 254^th overall pick. Green went on to play for the Bears, Seahawks and Redskins over nine NFL seasons.

Notable players who weren’t selected in the 2000 NFL Draft include center Shaun O’Hara, wide receiver Michael Lewis, kicker Shayne Graham and defensive end Adewale Ogunleye.

Download: 2000 NFL Draft

The Atlanta Falcons selected Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick with the top overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Vick would appear in eight games in his rookie season before starting in 15 in 2002. Vick guided the Falcons to three division titles before serving prison time for his role in a dogfighting ring after the 2006 season. Upon his release, Vick joined the Philadelphia Eagles.

Vick was one of 11 quarterbacks selected in the 2001 NFL Draft.

Top Ten Picks of the 2001 NFL Draft

With the second overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected Texas guard Leonard Davis, who was the first of many future Pro Bowlers selected in round one. At number three, the Cleveland Browns selected Florida defensive tackle Gerard Warren. Defensive end Justin Smith went number four to the Cincinnati Bengals, while the San Diego Chargers selected future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson fifth.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. New England Patriots – Richard Seymour (DT, Georgia)
7. San Francisco 49ers – Andre Carter (DE, California)
8. Chicago Bears – David Terrell (WR, Michigan)
9. Seattle Seahawks – Koren Robinson (WR, NC State)
10. Green Bay Packers – Jamal Reynolds (DE, Florida State)

Several future Pro Bowlers were selected after the top 10 in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft, including defensive tackle Marcus Stroud, wide receiver Santana Moss, guard Steve Hutchinson, defensive tackle Casey Hampton, cornerback Nate Clements, running back Deuce McAllister, running back Michael Bennett, wide receiver Reggie Wayne, and tight end Todd Heap.

With the first pick of the second round, the San Diego Chargers selected quarterback Drew Brees. Kyle Vanden Bosch, Alge Crumpler, Chad Johnson, Kendrell Bell, Kris Jenkins, Aaron Schobel, Matt Light, Chris Chambers, Travis Henry and Shaun Rogers also went in the second round. Wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh lasted all the way until the seventh round.

Notes from the 2001 NFL Draft

A total of 246 players were taken in the 2001 NFL Draft. “Mr. Irrelevant” was BYU tight end Tevita Ofahengaue, who was taken by the Cardinals with pick number 246. Notable players who weren’t selected in the 2001 NFL Draft include kicker Jay Feely, fellow kicker Rob Bironas and linebacker Antonio Pierce.

Download: 2001 NFL Draft

The Houston Texans were on the clock for the first time as a franchise during the 2002 NFL Draft. With the number-one overall pick, the Texans selected Fresno State quarterback David Carr. As an expansion team, the Texans were awarded the top choice in the 2002 NFL Draft. Despite helping the Texans win their first-ever regular season game (19-10 over the Dallas Cowboys), Houston collected only four victories in Carr’s rookie season. Carr was also sacked a single-season record 76 times.

Carr was one of 15 quarterbacks selected in the 2002 NFL Draft.

Top Ten Picks of the 2002 NFL Draft

The only future Pro Bowler selected in the top five was North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers, who was taken by the Carolina Panthers second overall. At number three, the Detroit Lions selected Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington. The Buffalo Bills took offensive tackle Mike Williams fourth, while the San Diego Chargers selected cornerback Quentin Jammer fifth.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. Kansas City Chiefs – Ryan Sims (DT, North Carolina)
7. Minnesota Vikings – Bryant McKinnie (OT, Miami)
8. Dallas Cowboys – Roy Williams (SS, Oklahoma)
9. Jacksonville Jaguars – John Henderson (DT, Tennessee)
10. Cincinnati Bengals – Levi Jones (OT, Arizona State)

Several Pro Bowlers were taken after the top 10 in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, including tight end Jeremy Shockey, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, wide receiver Javon Walker, cornerback Lito Sheppard and safety Ed Reed. Notable players selected in the second round include Andre Gurode, LeCharles Bentley and Clinton Portis.

Notes from the 2002 NFL Draft

A total of 261 players were selected in the 2002 NFL Draft, an astounding 53 of which were defensive backs. Another 34 wide receivers, 27 linebackers, 24 defensive ends and 23 tight ends were also selected. “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2002 NFL Draft was UNLV defensive tackle Ahmad Miller, who was taken by the Texans with the 261^st overall pick.

A number of notable players went on to make the Pro Bowl after going undrafted in 2002. Linebacker Bart Scott, safety Ryan Clark and linebacker James Harrison all went unselected in the 2002 NFL Draft.

Download: 2002 NFL Draft

A Super Bowl squares pool or contest can add even more excitement to the big game. The winners in a squares pool or contest are determined by the score at the end of each quarter or the game. Continue reading to understand how a Super Bowl squares contest works and how you can run your own in February. The information published below is for entertainment purposes only.

Running a Super Bowl Squares Contest

There are a few different types of football squares pools. The most popular is with a blank 10-by-10 grid that contains 100 empty squares. The participants in the contest will put their names in the individual boxes until all 100 of them have been filled.

Participants are usually free to choose any square they wish because it’s a completely random draw. While the teams can be placed on the sheet while players are picking their boxes, the numbers won’t be revealed until later so no one will have an unfair advantage in the contest. One team will go across the horizontal line and the other will go across the vertical line

Lastly, you will have to generate the number coordinates. You can generate the numbers automatically online or you can place the numbers 0-9 in a hat and draw them at random. Once generated, place the numbers in the corresponding box.

That’s it! Your Super Bowl squares contest is set and all you need is kickoff.

Super Bowl Squares Prizes

Once the field is set and kickoff is on the horizon, you have to determine how prizes will be handed out. Some enjoy handing out prizes to winners at the end of each quarter. Some like a winner-take-all approach at the end of the game. With a Super Bowl squares contest, every single play in the biggest game of the year has meaning!

Download: Super Bowl Squares

Super Bowl Sunday is a time where millions of people gather for parties across America. More than 100-millon people watched the Super Bowl in 2012, but not everyone in attendance is there for the biggest football game of the season. If you’re in search of ways to keep the party going for non-football fans or if the game turns out to be a dud, Super Bowl party games can help get everyone involved.

2020 Super Bowl Party Games: Squares

The most popular of all the Super Bowl party games is the squares contest. This pool doesn’t require 100 different people to participate, but the most popular form of the game utilizes a 100-square grid. Participants will write their name in each one of the boxes until the grid is full. The scores at the end of quarters and at the end of the games will determine the winners.

For example, the final score at the end of Super Bowl XLVI was New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17. The winner would be the person in the box that has Giants 1, Patriots 7. Typical prizes for winners include Super Bowl shirts, hats, and of course, cash.

Super Bowl Party Games: Prop Pool

A much more involved party game is a Super Bowl prop bets contest. In this contest, participants will fill out a questionnaire. Some of the questions include picking the winner of the game and who will be the game’s Most Valuable Player. Other questions include who will win the coin toss, how many total points will be score, and how much the winning team will win by.

The participant with the most correct answers at the end of the game will be the winner. In the event of a tie, the final score can be used to determine the winner.

Download: Super Bowl Party Games

A Super Bowl squares pool is one of the most popular contests during the day of the big game. However, some people have never heard of the pool, let alone know the Super Bowl squares rules. It is important to note that the following information published on this page is for entertainment purposes only.

2020 Super Bowl Squares Rules

There are a few different variations of a squares pool, but the most common involves a 10-by-10 grid that includes 100 blank boxers. The Super Bowl squares rules for this pool are very simple. The numbers 0-9 will eventually go across the vertical line and horizontal line of the squares sheet. These numbers will be determined later so that no one will have a perceived unfair advantage.

The person in charge of the pool will encourage co-workers, friends and family to join the pool until all the squares are filled up. Once the squares are filled, the participants in the Super Bowl will be added to the two lines of the grid. Determining which team goes where is not an important part of the Super Bowl squares rules.

Next, it’s time to generate the number coordinates. This can be done a number of ways, including by picking numbers out of a hat, using a deck of cards or by randomly selecting them online. The numbers are placed in the corresponding box to complete the grid.

2020 Super Bowl Squares Rules: Winners

Winners are determined using the score at the end of each quarter, half or the full game. Let’s say the NFC team has 14 points and the AFC team has 13 points. If you have the box that has 4 and 3, you win. Who is winning and losing is irrelevant for this pool, only the actual numbers in the score matter.

Typically, smaller prizes are awarded to the winners of quarters and the first half. The biggest prize is usually given to winner at the end of the game.

Download: 2013 Super Bowl Squares

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Carson Palmer with the top overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. Palmer joined the Bengals after winning the Heisman Trophy while at USC in 2002. Despite being taken at the top of the 2003 NFL Draft, Palmer didn’t play at all during his rookie season. He became the full-time starter in Cincinnati in 2004.

Palmer was one of 13 quarterbacks selected in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Top Ten Picks of the 2003 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions held the second overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and used it to select wide receiver Charles Rogers. Another wide receiver went at number three, as the Houston Texans took Miami’s Andre Johnson. At number four, the New York Jets selected Kentucky defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. Kansas State cornerback Terence Newman went fifth to the Dallas Cowboys.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. New Orleans Saints – Jonathan Sullivan (DT, Georgia)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Byron Leftwich (QB, Marshall)
8. Carolina Panthers – Jordan Gross (OT, Utah)
9. Minnesota Vikings – Kevin Williams (DT, Oklahoma State)
10. Baltimore Ravens – Terrell Suggs (DE/LB, Arizona State)

Several future Pro Bowlers were selected outside the top 10 in the first round, including Troy Polamalu, Jeff Faine, Willis McGahee, Dallas Clark, Larry Johnson and Nnamdi Asomugha. The second round was responsible for producing seven future Pro Bowlers. Charles Tillman, Jon Stinchcomb, Rashean Mathis, E.J. Henderson, Ken Hamlin, Anquan Boldin and Osi Umenyiora all went in round two.

Notes from the 2003 NFL Draft

A total of 262 picks were made in the 2003 NFL Draft, a whopping 49 of which were defensive backs. Another 36 picks were wide receivers, while 30 linebackers, 24 defensive ends, 24 defensive tackles and 23 running backs came off the board. “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2003 NFL Draft was wide receiver Ryan Hoag, who was selected by the Raiders with the 262^nd overall pick.

Several notable future Pro Bowlers went undrafted in 2003, including quarterback Tony Romo. Tight end Antonio Gates, linebacker Brandon Ayanbadejo and safety Quintin Mikell were also undrafted free agents after the 2003 NFL Draft.

Download: 2003 NFL Draft

The 2004 NFL Draft will forever be remembered for the trade between the San Diego Chargers and the New York Giants. With the top overall pick, the Chargers selected quarterback Eli Manning, who did not want to play in San Diego. After the Giants selected quarterback Philip Rivers fourth overall, the teams brokered a deal to swap signal-callers. The Chargers also received draft picks from the Giants, which they later used to select Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.

Manning and Rivers were two of a whopping 17 quarterbacks that were selected in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Top Ten Picks of the 2004 NFL Draft

Seven future Pro Bowlers were selected in the first eight picks of the 2004 NFL Draft. The only one that wasn’t was offensive lineman Robert Gallery, who was taken second overall by the Oakland Raiders. The Arizona Cardinals selected wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald at number three, while safety Sean Taylor went to Washington Redskins at number five.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. Cleveland Browns – Kellen Winslow Jr. (TE, Miami)
7. Detroit Lions – Roy Williams (WR, Texas)
8. Atlanta Falcons – DeAngelo Hall (CB, Virginia Tech)
9. Jacksonville Jaguars – Reggie Williams (WR, Washington)
10. Houston Texans – Dunta Robinson (CB, South Carolina)

Just outside the top 10, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected future Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at number 11. Other future Pro Bowlers that went in the first round include Jonathan Vilma, Tommie Harris, Shawn Andrews, Will Smith, Vince Wilfork, Steven Jackson and Jason Babin.

Six players who went on to appear in the Pro Bowl were taken in the sixth round, including Darnell Dockett, Chris Cooley and Matt Schaub.

Notes from the 2004 NFL Draft

A total of 255 players were selected in the 2004 NFL Draft, including an astounding 48 defensive backs. Thirty-two wide receivers, 28 linebackers, 26 offensive tackles and 24 defensive ends also came off the board.

“Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2004 NFL Draft was linebacker Andre Sommersell, who was selected by the Raiders with the 255^th overall pick.

Several notable players went undrafted in 2004, including wide receiver Wes Welker. Willie Parker, Tommy Kelly, Jason Peters, Cullen Jenkins and Vonta Leach also went undrafted.

Download: 2004 NFL Draft

Utah quarterback Alex Smith was taken by the San Francisco 49ers with the top overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Smith was selected over Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who famously sat in the green room for hours until he was picked 24^th overall by the Green Bay Packers.

Smith and Rodgers were two of the 14 total quarterbacks selected in the 2005 NFL Draft.

2005 NFL Draft Top Ten

With the second overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected future Pro Bowl running back Ronnie Brown. The Cleveland Browns continued the trend for offense by selecting Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

The Chicago Bears also went offense at number four with running back Cedric Benson. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wrapped up the offensive top-five sweep with the selection of running back “Cadillac” Williams.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. Tennessee Titans – Adam “Pac-Mac” Jones (CB, West Virginia)
7. Minnesota Vikings – Troy Williamson (WR, South Carolina)
8. Arizona Cardinals – Antrel Rolle (CB, Miami)
9. Washington Redskins – Carlos Rogers (CB, Auburn)
10. Detroit Lions – Mike Williams (WR, USC)

Several Pro Bowlers were selected in the first round outside of the top 10, including Rodgers, DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Jammal Brown, Derrick Johnson, Roddy White, Heath Miller and Logan Mankins.

Four future Pro Bowlers were selected in the third round. Running back Frank Gore, defensive end Justin Tuck, guard Evan Mathis and center Richie Incognito all slipped to the third round.

Notes from the 2005 NFL Draft

A total of 255 picks were made in the 2005 NFL Draft, 36 of which were linebackers. Thirty-one wide receivers, 29 cornerbacks, 26 offensive tackles, 26 running backs and 20 safeties were also selected. Tight End Andy Stokes was “Mr. Irrelevant” in the 2005 NFL Draft. The New England Patriots selected Stokes with the 255^th overall pick.

A number of Pro Bowlers went undrafted in 2005, including Josh Cribbs, Brandon Browner, Robbie Gould, John Kuhn and Cameron Wake.

Download: 2005 NFL Draft

The 2006 NFL Draft will best be remembered for the great debate over who the Houston Texans should select with the top overall pick. While many believed Houston would take Texas quarterback Vince Young or USC running back Reggie Bush, the Texans ultimately selected North Carolina State Mario Williams. In fact, Williams agreed to a deal with the Texans the night before the 2006 NFL Draft.

2006 NFL Draft Top Ten

After the Texans selected Williams, the other two big names came off the board quickly. Bush went to the New Orleans Saints at number two, while the Tennessee Titans took Young third overall. At number four, the New York Jets selected offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson. The Green Bay Packers rounded out the top five with the selection of linebacker A.J. Hawk.

The top 10 was rounded out by:

6. San Francisco 49ers – Vernon Davis (TE, Maryland)
7. Oakland Raiders – Michael Huff (S, Texas)
8. Buffalo Bills – Donte Whitner (S, Ohio State)
9. Detroit Lions – Ernie Sims (LB, Florida State)
10. Arizona Cardinals – Matt Leinart (QB, USC)

A number of future Pro Bowlers were taken in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft, including Jay Cutler, Haloti Ngata, Chad Greenway, Antonio Cromartie, Tamba Hali, Davin Joseph, Jonathan Joseph, DeAngelo Williams, Marcedes Lewis, Nick Mangold and Joseph Addai.

Other notable Pro Bowlers selected in the second round include Greg Jennings, Devin Hester, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Six future Pro Bowlers also went undrafted in 2006, including Miles Austin, Matt Prater and Brent Grimes.

Notes from the 2006 NFL Draft

A total of 255 players were selected in the 2006 NFL Draft, including 33 wide receivers. Thirty-one linebackers, 26 safeties, 23 defensive tackles and 23 cornerbacks also came off the board. “Mr. Irrelevant” was Maine wide receiver Kevin McMahan, who was taken by the Raiders with the 255^th pick. McMahan never appeared in an NFL regular season game.

Download: 2006 NFL Draft