The 2025 NFL Draft starts on Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with the 32 first-round picks. AL.com is counting down to the event by highlighting the best choice – overall, from the SEC and of players from Alabama high schools and colleges — made with each of the first 32 picks in the 89 NFL drafts.

Best No. 4 pick: Jackson State running back Walter Payton by the Chicago Bears in 1975

When Payton retired after the 1987 season, he had more rushing yards and more rushing touchdowns than any other player in NFL history. He had broken career records held by Jim Brown, who, at that point, was widely considered the greatest player in NFL history.

Along the way to entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, Payton was the first-team All-Pro running back five times, received nine Pro Bowl invitations and won the 1977 NFL Most Valuable Player Award.

In the 1985 season, Payton paced the Bears to their only Super Bowl victory.

Payton is among 13 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who were picked No. 4 in the regular NFL Draft.

The fourth selection in last year’s draft was Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. by the Arizona Cardinals.

Best No. 4 pick from the SEC: Alabama guard John Hannah by the New England Patriots in 1973

Sports Illustrated declared Hannah “the best offensive lineman of all time” in 1981. At that point, Hannah was in the ninth of his 13 seasons as New England’s left guard.

During those seasons, Hannah earned first-team All-Pro recognition seven times, received nine Pro Bowl invitations and paced the Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance in the 1985 season. Hannah retired after New England’s 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX even though he had been an All-Pro selection that season.

In 1979, Hannah finished seventh in the voting for The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. Since then, only one offensive lineman has received a first-place vote in the balloting for the award.

Hannah entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1991 and earned a place on the NFL All-Time Team chosen in 2019 for the league’s centennial season.

Of the 17 SEC players picked at No. 4, Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson is the most recent after going to the Indianapolis Colts in 2023.

Best No. 4 pick with Alabama football roots: Alabama guard John Hannah by the New England Patriots in 1973

An All-State offensive lineman at Albertville High School in 1968, Hannah had a College Football Hall of Fame career at Alabama, where he was a unanimous All-American and the winner of the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 1972.

When Hannah left Alabama, he sought coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s advice on someone to represent him as he entered the NFL. “John, you ain’t good enough to need no damn lawyer,” Bryant told him.

But it turned out Hannah was good enough to have a 13-year NFL career that led New England to retire his number and led him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The New England Patriots hold the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.