2011 NFL Draft Defensive Class Targets 1981 Record with Six Hall of Famers

The 2011 NFL draft defensive class produced 10 first-team All-Pro players, surpassing the total from the legendary 1981 class.

J.J. Watt accumulated 69 sacks, 190 quarterback hits, and 119 tackles for loss during a dominant four-year peak between 2012 and 2015. The 11th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft also recorded separate seasons of 16 and 12.5 sacks before his retirement. Von Miller, the 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year, currently ranks ninth on the official all-time list with 138.5 career sacks. Miller earned Super Bowl 50 MVP honors after a 2.5-sack performance against the Panthers and recently completed a nine-sack season before entering free agency for 2026. These two stars lead a defensive crop that has produced 10 different first-team All-Pro defenders, exceeding the nine produced by the vaunted 1981 class.

Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman represent the elite secondary talent of this era. Peterson, the fifth overall selection, made the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons, joining a rare group of 16 players to achieve that feat. During his rookie year, Peterson tied an NFL record by returning four punts for touchdowns. Sherman, a fifth-round find, recorded eight interceptions in both the 2012 and 2013 campaigns. He currently ranks 27th all-time among defensive backs on the Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame monitor, with nearly every player ahead of him already enshrined in Canton.

Elite Pass Rushing Production and Longevity

Beyond the locks for enshrinement, the 2011 class featured explosive edge rushers like Aldon Smith and Robert Quinn. Smith, the seventh overall pick, tallied 33.5 sacks across his first two seasons, a total that surpassed Hall of Famers Reggie White and Derrick Thomas. Quinn became one of only eight players in league history to record two separate seasons with at least 18 sacks, including a 19.5-sack campaign in his third year. Justin Houston, a third-round selection, led the league with a 22-sack season in his fourth year and finished his career with 112 total sacks.

Cameron Heyward and Cameron Jordan remain the final active members of the 2011 defensive group. Heyward, the 31st overall pick, has earned four first-team All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl selections since turning 28. He missed only six games due to injury between 2017 and 2024, recording 20 quarterback knockdowns during the 2024 season. Jordan has recently re-signed with the Saints to continue a career that makes him one of only three defenders from this class to spend at least 10 seasons with their original franchise, alongside Heyward and Jimmy Smith.

Comparing the 1981 and 2011 Defensive Classes

The 1981 draft class set the gold standard with six Hall of Famers, including Lawrence Taylor, Kenny Easley, Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary, Howie Long, and Rickey Jackson. This group also included undrafted linebacker Sam Mills, who was inducted in 2022. While the 1981 class saw all six primary Hall of Famers drafted by the end of the second round, the 2011 class counters with superior depth at the top of the All-Pro lists. The 2011 group followed a 2010 class that produced 18 combined first-team All-Pro appearances from players like Ndamukong Suh and Earl Thomas.

Interior defensive line depth in 2011 included Jurrell Casey, who made five consecutive Pro Bowls, and Marcell Dareus, a 2014 first-team All-Pro. Muhammad Wilkerson also contributed seasons of 10.5 and 12 sacks for the Jets before an ankle injury ended his career. Ryan Kerrigan, Corey Liuget, and Jabaal Sheard provided additional longevity, while the offensive side of the 2011 draft featured stars like Julio Jones and Tyron Smith. The financial landscape of the league shifted during this draft as the new CBA reduced Cam Newton’s rookie contract to $22 million over four years, compared to the $78 million deal Sam Bradford signed just one year prior.