2011 NFL Draft Class Chasing 1981 as Best Ever
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- The 1981 NFL draft class sent six defensive players to the Hall of Fame — Lawrence Taylor, Kenny Easley, Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary, Howie Long, and Rickey Jackson — all selected before the end of the second round, with undrafted Sam Mills later added posthumously in 2022.
- The 2011 NFL draft took place before the free agency window due to the expiring CBA and subsequent lockout, forcing teams to draft 'in the dark' in a rare process where veteran moves were frozen.
- The post-2011 CBA slashed rookie salaries — 2011 No. 1 pick Cam Newton signed a 4-year, $22 million deal, compared to 2010 No. 1 Sam Bradford's 6-year, $78 million contract with $50 million guaranteed the year before.
- J.J. Watt is the class's most dominant defender, racking up 69 sacks, 190 QB hits, and 119 tackles for loss between 2012-2015, and is described as an easy Hall of Fame selection.
- Von Miller ranks 9th all-time with 138.5 career sacks, won Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl 50, and was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams (Broncos and Rams).
- The 2011 class produced 10 different first-team All-Pro defenders, surpassing the 1981 class in that metric, with the 2012 class the only group since to push the record to 11.
- Cameron Heyward, Cameron Jordan, and possibly Von Miller — a free agent coming off a 9-sack season — are the only 2011 defenders still active or potentially active, with the class's historical standing hinging on whether Heyward and Jordan eventually reach Canton.
Why it matters: The 2011 class's bid to rival 1981 depends on whether Cameron Heyward and Cameron Jordan join J.J. Watt and Von Miller in Canton. No post-merger class has produced more than three defensive Hall of Famers, so even one additional enshrinement would make 2011 the first to legitimately challenge a 1981 group built on six.
